PRESERVING THE PAST, SHAPING THE FUTURE

ANNIE WRIGHT SCHOOLS ARCHIVES & SPECIAL COLLECTIONS

One of the areas of focus determined by our DEI Working Group is to better understand our Schools’ history. The subcommittee charged with this work recommended that we hire an in-house archivist, and this fall, we welcomed current AWS parent and archivist Laura Edgar to spearhead the mission of preserving, honoring, and understanding our past. Over the past year, Laura bravely embarked on this monumental project, sifting through endless amounts of records, documents, photographs, and ephemera—and carefully unfolding the rich layers of our history that define who we are today. Shown here is one of Laura’s most recent findings, from the Fall 1957 issue of Alumnae News. It is about an archiving project that AWS undertook in preparation for our 75th Anniversary. The article mentions that “the accumulation of documents, programs, pictures, and data concerning the school and its history had become quite out of hand…” and they hired a former teacher to organize the materials. Sixty-six years later, we certainly need more than just one additional cabinet!

We are so grateful for the tireless efforts Laura has poured into meticulously researching, organizing, and preserving the artifacts that represent, in the words of the article, “all the things that put flesh on the skeleton of years.” Fortunately, she has agreed to extend her term with us for another year, and we eagerly anticipate the discoveries yet to come. As we venture further into the depths of our history, we forge a stronger connection between past and present, ensuring that Annie Wright Schools’ legacy remains cherished and celebrated as we move with strength into the future. The spread on the next page highlights a collection of archival findings from the past year; each item is listed below. If you have any materials to donate or can provide additional information about any of these items, please reach out to Laura Edgar at laura_edgar@aw.org.

1. Wooden dumbbell used by students in the gymnasium in the early 1900s.

2. Gold Team beanie, donated by the family of Elizabeth Joan Wilson, Class of 1953. The Blue and Gold intramural teams were established in 1925 and competed against each other throughout the year in sports such as basketball, archery, skiing, swimming, and volleyball. The competition culminated in the annual Field Day competition. The intramural teams were phased out in the mid-1980s in favor of interscholastic sports.

3. News clipping showing first advertisement for the Annie Wright Seminary, 1884. The advertisement states, “This new and commodious building will be open for the Christmas term of school on Thursday, September 4, 1884.” The address is listed as New Tacoma, Washington Territory.

4. Annie Wright Seminary patch

5. Junior Promenade dance card, 1953

6. Athletic Association Banquet program, 1952

7. Two AWS logo pins and a napkin ring

8. AWS Class of 1938 patch

9. Christmas Card, 1986

10. Class of 1924 basketball team, Field Day, circa 1920

11. The Ladder. This metal ladder covered in ribbons was given by Dorothy McWatters in 1918. It was awarded during Field Day to the class who won the “ladder tournaments,” which took place throughout the year and included sports such as badminton, bowling, and tennis. The ribbons attached to the ladder date from 1918 to 1925.

12. Postcard showing the first school building at 611 Division Ave. The school was located here for 40 years, from 1884 to 1924, before moving to its present location.

13. Pamphlet advertising the school, undated. It emphasizes the rigorous academic program and the opportunities for sport and outdoor activities.

14. May Day program, 1990

15. Annie Wright School logo in blue ink on yellow paper, c. 1970

16. Red metal shovel, 1957. These small red shovels were given to faculty, staff, and students who used them during the groundbreaking celebration for the new Ruth Jenkins wing in 1957.

17. Seminary Athletic Council Banquet program, 1970

18. Regulations for Dress pamphlet, c. 1935. This pamphlet lists the clothing and other items that Upper School students were required to have, including the school uniform, gym clothes, “street” wear for weekend outings, and dresses for dinner.

19. Athletic Association banquet program, 1955

20. May Day invitation, 1963

21. Four pins including a gold wreath (perhaps given to complement the Wreath Award), a blue and gold pennant that says “Spirit,” a 125th Anniversary pin, and an AWS logo pin.

22. Masque Players program, “Our Town,” 1956. The Masque Players were an Upper School theater group. Their first performance was for the school’s 50th Anniversary in 1934. A theater group still exists in the Upper School, although it appears that the name Masque Players was dropped in 2015.

23. May Day program, 2013

24. Postcard showing current school building, undated

25. Junior Promenade dance card, 1932

26. “Happiness is being an Annie,” by the Class of 1967. This illustrated booklet contains things that made our Annies happy in the late 1960s, including “getting away with no nylons at dinner,” “a graham cracker at milk lunch,” “new ivy leaves in spring,” and “Friday at 3:05 PM.”

27. May Day, 1919. Margaret Grimes was crowned May Queen in this annual tradition dating back to 1912.

28. Hyak, December 1912. Hyak was the school’s first student publication. The issues in the archives date from 1902 to 1913. It was a literary magazine and student newspaper published several times a year by the junior class.

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