Memories of May Francis Heath- a series

May Heath and the

Saugatuck High School Alumni Association

 

The Jun 8, 1894 Lake Shore Commercial (Commercial Record) announced that the graduates of Saugatuck High School had formed an Alumni Association! The president was Minnie Breuckman, the vice president was 21-year-old May Francis Heath, G. B. Pride the secretary and Mrs. M. Robinson the treasurer. May was to remain active in this group for the remainder of her life.

 

When the Alumni Banquet was held in 1899, May hosted it in her own home, with "covers laid for fifty" people. She was selected as the association president for the following year. A copy of the 33rd anniversary program from 1926 shows her son Francis (aka "Ted") Heath was the group's president, but by that time the banquet had migrated to the Hotel Butler.

 

In 1958, when they celebrated the 65th Annual Banquet, there were 120 in attendance. At that time May celebrated the end of her 40th year as alumni association secretary, and president Bud Edgcomb presented her with "a corsage of orchids as a tribute to her years of loving labor for the Alumni."

 

The1958 news article covering this event reported:

"Nearly 1,000 graduates have received diplomas from Saugatuck high school, and more that 50 per cent have gone on to higher education, which is quite unusual for a town the size of Saugatuck. "

Officers selected that year included Jerry Bale as president; Larry Jones vice president; Mrs. Heath as secretary; and Henry Brady as treasurer.

 

Surprisingly enough, SDHS photo historian Jack Sheridan was unable to find any photos in the archives of SHS Alumni Association Activities. Can any of our readers supply some?

-submitted b Chris Yoder

 

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Donations toward the May Francis Heath memorial may be made out to "The Saugatuck-Douglas Historical Society" marked for "the May Heath Memorial Fund." We are still collecting photos of May, of her paintings, and personal recollections from people who knew her. Contact Chris Yoder, cyoder@tds.net 857-4327 or Marsha Kontio (616) 566-1239.

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