Central’s First Graduating Class

Research by Charlie Sedman:

I’ve been disappointed at how many errors occur in the two editions of the Central Alumni Directory.  The list of grads after 1963 are only partial lists.  But as I compared the graduation announcements in the Chattanooga Times, the seniors shown in the Champions, and the Alumni Directory listings, I became compelled to clean up the record.   For starters I am going to list the early graduates, and eventually get to the rest, with one caveat:  I have access only to those who graduated in the spring of each year, as announced in the local papers; any mid-term grads may not be accounted for.

By the way, the 1912 grads listing in the Alumni Directory is completely bogus; most of that list actually graduated in 1911 and some didn’t ever graduate, at least in the spring.

Central’s first senior class in May 1908 graduated 19 as follows:

• William Edgar Barr
• Paul Marshall Beane
• Blanche Church
• Orva Cleveland
• Nora Cowan
• Katiebel Darrah
• Ethel Madge Gray
• Edith Berry Iler
• Charles Mason Love
• Gertrude May Kelley
• Ruby Inez Krichbaum
• Mary Malinda Harris
• Elsie Hayes
• Collye Mae Poe
• Mary Ella Terry
• Florence Lee Shehee
• Pauline McDonald Wallace
• Charles Alan Ward
• Mattie Drummond Ward

I’ve tracked most of these folks down and have short bios in preparation. The last of Central’s first senior class, Katiebel Darrah, the principal’s daughter, lived to be 98 years old, passing away in November 1989 in Nashville.