Picture came from estate of Civil War veteran
and postmaster Willard Harwood
IMLAY CITY — The museum’s collection of class composites continues to grow.
Local historian Marilyn Swihart said the Imlay City Historical Museum was recently entrusted with the papers of Willard Harwood, who was a Civil War veteran, Imlay City postmaster, and state representative.
“We were honored to become the caretakers of these documents. They were in the possession of a great-granddaughter who lives in Arlington, Virginia,” Swihart said.
Posing for the Imlay City High School Class of 1905 photo were front (l-r) students Albert Tucker and Beatrice Quackenbush and (back) teacher Ida Finley Shumar, student Arnold Harwood, Supt. Charles Naylor and teacher Florence Washer.
Among the papers was a photo of Imlay City High School’s graduating class of 1905.
“I was so excited in cataloging the papers to discover a photo of Willard’s son Arnold’s graduating class, and through some research found it was one of my missing class composites,” she said.
Pictured are three students—Arnold Harwood, Albert Tucker and Beatrice Quakenbush—and three staff members—teachers Ida Finley Shumar, and Florence Washer, with Superintendent Charles Naylor.
Now that empty spot in the museum’s class composite display can be filled but a few still remain. Swihart said that in particular she’s on the hunt for pictures of the graduating classes from 1920, 1923 and 1927.
“My records show who graduated those years, but I’ve not found any family members who might possess a photo,” she said.
At that point in time, a formal photo wasn’t always taken but students lined up outside the school building to pose for the camera.
Anyone with information about class composites can contact the Imlay City Historical Museum at 810-724-1111 or find them on Facebook.
The museum will be open for the last time in 2019 this Saturday, December 21, from 1-4 p.m. They’ll start hosting regular hours again in early April 2020.
