Notable graduates
Writers and journalists, before they were famous
They were seniors like everyone else in these yearbooks. Each is matched to the person they became on evidence we show below — a birth date, a nickname, a team.
Newton High School · Class of 1910
S. Foster Damon
American writer (1893-1971). In the yearbook: Samuel Foster Damon.
How we know: Printed birth date (February 22, 1893.) equals Wikidata date of birth (1893-02-22); Wikidata place (Newton) matches the school town Wikipedia
New England Conservatory of Music · Class of 1916
C. Paul Herfurth
American music educator. In the yearbook: Clarence Paul Herfurth.
How we know: Name matches C. Paul Herfurth (born 1893); their Wikipedia article names New England Conservatory of Music, and the age fits the class of 1916. Wikipedia
New England Aviators, 1914-1918 · Class of 1919
James Norman Hall
American author (1887–1951).
How we know: Birth date printed in the book (April 22, 1887) matches Wikidata exactly, and the name matches James Norman Hall. Wikipedia
New England Aviators, 1914-1918 · Class of 1919
Charles R. Codman
American writer (1893-1956).
How we know: Birth date printed in the book (Feb. 22, 1893) matches Wikidata exactly, and the name matches Charles R. Codman. Wikipedia
Harvard College, Class of 1920 (Harvard Nineteen Twenty Class Album) · Class of 1920
Waldron Belknap
Historian. In the yearbook: Waldron Phoenix Belknap Jr.
How we know: Printed birth date (May 12, 1899) equals Wikidata date of birth (1899-05-12) Wikipedia
Harvard College, Class of 1920 (Harvard Nineteen Twenty Class Album) · Class of 1920
Merle Eugene Curti
American historian (1897–1996).
How we know: Birth date printed in the book (September 15, 1897) matches Wikidata exactly, and the name matches Merle Eugene Curti. Wikipedia
Harvard College, Class of 1920 (Harvard Nineteen Twenty Class Album) · Class of 1920
Horace B. Davis
American journalist. In the yearbook: Horace Bancroft Davis.
How we know: Name matches Horace B. Davis (born 1898); their Wikipedia article names Harvard College, and the age fits the class of 1920. Wikipedia
Harvard College, Class of 1920 (Harvard Nineteen Twenty Class Album) · Class of 1920
Leslie Hotson
Canadian literary historian and critic (1897–1992). In the yearbook: John Leslie Hotson.
How we know: Printed birth date (August 16, 1897) equals Wikidata date of birth (1897-08-16) Wikipedia
Harvard College, Class of 1920 (Harvard Nineteen Twenty Class Album) · Class of 1920
Horace H. F. Jayne
American art historian. In the yearbook: Horace Howard Furness Jayne.
How we know: Birth date printed in the book (June 9, 1898) matches Wikidata exactly, and the name matches Horace H. F. Jayne. Wikipedia
Harvard College, Class of 1920 (Harvard Nineteen Twenty Class Album) · Class of 1920
Christopher La Farge
American writer. In the yearbook: Christopher Lafarge.
How we know: Printed birth date (December 10, 1897) equals Wikidata date of birth (1897-12-10); Wikipedia: “La Farge, known as "Kipper" to friends and family, enrolled in Harvard College in 1915, but his college career was interrupted by World War I.” (names the school) Wikipedia
Harvard College, Class of 1920 (Harvard Nineteen Twenty Class Album) · Class of 1920
John Ulric Nef
American economic historian (1899–1988).
How we know: Birth date printed in the book (July 13, 1899) matches Wikidata exactly, and the name matches John Ulric Nef. Wikipedia
Harvard College, Class of 1920 (Harvard Nineteen Twenty Class Album) · Class of 1920
Alan Priest
American art historian. In the yearbook: Alan Reed Priest.
How we know: Wikipedia: “He was educated at Fitchburg High School and Harvard University.” (names the school) Wikipedia
Harvard College, Class of 1920 (Harvard Nineteen Twenty Class Album) · Class of 1920
John Brooks Wheelwright
American poet.
How we know: Birth date printed in the book (September 9, 1897) matches Wikidata exactly, and the name matches John Brooks Wheelwright. Wikipedia
Harvard College, Class of 1920 (Harvard Nineteen Twenty Class Album) · Class of 1920
David Widder
American mathematician (1898–1990). In the yearbook: David Vernon Widder.
How we know: Birth date printed in the book (March 25, 1898) matches Wikidata exactly, and the name matches David Widder. Wikipedia
Cambridge High and Latin School · Class of 1923
D. D. Kosambi
Indian mathematician, statistician and historian. In the yearbook: Damodar D. Kosambi.
How we know: Birth date printed in the yearbook (July 31, 1907) matches Wikidata exactly; Wikidata: educated at Cambridge High and Latin. Wikipedia
Cambridge High and Latin School · Class of 1925
Leroy Anderson
Composer of “Sleigh Ride”, “The Typewriter” and “Blue Tango”.
How we know: Birth date printed in the yearbook (June 29, 1908) matches Wikidata exactly; Wikidata: educated at Cambridge High and Latin. Wikipedia
Brookline High School · Class of 1927
Hugh B. Cave
British writer (1910–2004).
How we know: Name matches Hugh B. Cave (born 1910); their Wikipedia article names Brookline High School, and the age fits the class of 1927. Wikipedia
Needham High School · Class of 1929
Francis Woodman Cleaves
American orientalist historian. mongolist and sinologist (1911-1995).
How we know: Printed birth date (July 14, 1911) equals Wikidata date of birth (1911-07-14) Wikipedia
Cambridge High and Latin School · Class of 1929
May Sarton
Poet, novelist and memoirist.
How we know: Wikidata: educated at Cambridge High and Latin, born 1912; the yearbook lists her as literary editor of the Review. (Her book is held; not published.) Wikipedia
New Bedford High School · Class of 1941
Charles Reis Felix
American writer (1923-2017). In the yearbook: Charles R. Felix.
How we know: Printed birth date (April 29, 1923) equals Wikidata date of birth (1923-04-29); Wikidata: educated at New Bedford High School; Wikidata place (New Bedford) matches the school town; Wikipedia: “Felix's name on his birth certificate was the Portuguese "Carlos," but as a child he was referred to as "Charley." Felix grew up during the lean years of the Great Depression and graduated from New Bedford High School in” (names the school) Wikipedia
Boston Latin School · Class of 1942
Thomas H. O'Connor
American historian. In the yearbook: Thomas Henry O'Connor.
How we know: Name matches Thomas H. O'Connor (born 1922); their Wikipedia article names Boston Latin School, and the age fits the class of 1942. Wikipedia