Brigham Young High School History

Rare Class of 1921 Photographs Found

1892 Education Building of B.Y. Academy, in 1921. — Old BYU Administration Building in 1921.

Henry Dixon "Hank" Taylor Jr., President of the Brigham Young High School Class of 1949, recently learned that his father, Henry Dixon Taylor, Sr., may have also graduated from BYH.

To determine whether this was true, he decided to review one of his father's books, The Autobiography of Henry D. Taylor. This 396-page book was self-published by his father and printed by the BYU Press on January 1, 1980. Copies are rare.

Not only did the book confirm that Elder Henry D. Taylor is a graduate of BYH, Class of 1921, but also included in the book are two remarkable BYH group photographs.

The first group photo shows the members of the Class of 1921, but as they appeared when they were young freshmen -- that is, 8th graders -- in 1918!

The second photo shows the Class of 1921 as dignified graduates, holding their diplomas and posing with their principal, William H. Boyle, Jr.

By the way, 5 of the 44 students pictured in the original 1918 group went on to graduate as seniors in 1921: Thelma Huish, Celestia M. Johnson, Ethel Jolley, Harlow R. Jones, and Henry D. Taylor.

These rare photographs are a precious part of the history of Brigham Young High School. At the present time, this is the best record we have of those who graduated in that class.

We are grateful to Hank Taylor '49 for finding, scanning, and sending them to us so the alumni and friends of BYH can enjoy them.

--April 2006

Before:

The BYH Class of 1921 as Freshmen in 1918.

BYU High School, Class of 1921. Picture taken in their freshman year in 1918 on the steps of the Education Building. Left to right. Move your cursor over the photo to reveal one system of numbering.
First Row: 1. Carlyle E. Maw. 2. Lavonia Fuller. 3. Tirzah Brimhall. 4. Norma Mangum.

Second Row: 5. Victor R. Taylor. 6. Waldo Osmond. 7. Florence Crane. 8. Evelyn Clove. 9. Christa Mix. 10. Henry D. Taylor. 11. Fern Roundy.

Third Row: 12. Earl Crowther. 13. Grant B. Bailey. 14. Benjamin F. Carlisle. 15. Allen Anderson. 16. Margaret Pierpont. 17. Frank Hammond. 18. Robert N. Anderson. 19. Cora Trotter. 20. Maud Sutton. 21. F. Kelly Dusenberry. 22. Nephi Christensen.

Fourth Row: 23. Lowell J. Saxey. 24. Ralph Hicks. 25. LaVerne Page. 26. Lydia Olsen. 27. Harlow R. Jones. 28. Earl H. Phillips. 29. Unidentified.

Fifth Row: 30. LeRoy W. Harding. 31. Unindentified. 32. Unidentified. 33. Ora Lewis. 34. Celestia Johnson. 35. Marcellus C. Simmons. 36. Thelma Huish. 37. Harold Blumenthal.

Sixth (Back) Row: 38. Unidentified. 39. Ethel Jolley. 40. Eva Poulson. 41. Rulon Nuttal. 42. L'Etrenne Andelin. 43. Unidentified. 44. Unidentified.
[Note: The source list gives 44 identifications, but there are 45 faces in the photograph. To try your own hand with numbering, click here.]

After:

Graduating Class of 1921 - Brigham Young High Sch.

BYU High School's graduating class, photographed in the Spring of 1921. Left to right. Move your cursor over the photo to confirm numbering.
First Row: 1. Raymond Holbrook. 2. Bryant Clark. 3. Raymond Dangerfield. 4. Ralph Kerr. 5. J. Knight Allen. 6. Ernest L. Miner.

Second Row: 7. Melba Clark. 8. Amy Jackson. 9. Maida Rust. 10. William H. Boyle, Jr., Principal. 11. Elva Crosbie. 12. Ethel Jolley. 13. Edith Olsen. 14. Katie Swartfager.

Third Row: 15. Leland Warnick. 16. Ivy Nielson. 17. Olin Zabriskie. 18. Melba Backman. 19. Harlen Adams. 20. Natella Lewis. 21. Henry D. Taylor. 22. Royal Chamberlain.

Fourth (Back) Row: 23. Marvel Clark. 24. Unidentified. 25. Harlow Jones. 26. Atha Bateman. 27. Celestia Johnson. 28. Thelma Huish. 29. Truman Partridge. 30. Hugh Dougall. 31. J. Hunter Manson.
[A total of 30 students, plus Principal Boyle.]

Unidentified member of the BYH Class of 1921. — Unfortunately, one young lady in the graduation photo [#24] remains unidentified. The best way to solve this mystery is to locate an official list of the graduates of the Class of 1921. Please help us.

Henry Dixon Taylor, Sr., as a freshman at BYH in 1918, BYH senior in 1921, LDS missionary in mid-1920s, and as a General Authority.
[For more information, click on photos above.]

Note: It is likely that many similar Brigham Young High School family treasures exist -- we encourage you to preserve them, and share them by scanning them. Please send scanned materials to: LHChristen@aol.com