A Play at Schaaf Junior High, Parma, Ohio, 1954

Edited to add:   The photos and other paper items in this post have been given to the Parma City Schools Historical & Alumni Museum, 5311 Longwood Avenue, Parma, Ohio, 44134.

This post is for people who might be searching for photos of themselves or ancestors who attended Schaaf Junior High School in Parma, Ohio, in 1954 and participated in a musicomedy, "The Belle of the West." The participants were in 8th grade in 1954 so now, in 2009, are probably between the ages of 69 and 71. The play was presented on Thursday and Friday nights, December 2 & 3. Tickets cost 40 cents for adults and 25 cents for students.

NOTE: If you would like all or any of the items in this post, please leave a comment or contact me via email.

The cast of characters: Bonnie Benditz, Jay Gradisher, Diane Heaton, Darryl Kinion, Richard Klym, Ronald Lendvay, Nadine Rupple, Caroline Simon, Carol Toth, Yvonne Viguenelle, and Ricky Zeuch. There is a longer list of chorus members and accompanists which you may be able to read on the second page of the program, below.

The program, newspaper articles (from unnamed newspapers), thank you card with signatures of cast and crew, and photographs were in the box from Aunt Polly Meinzen. If any readers would like these things, please let me know in the comment section.

And now, for your viewing pleasure.... The Program.




























The thank you card with signatures of cast and chorus. This is an old double-fold card. On the left is the front and back of the card; next is the inside; last is the card completely unfolded with signatures at the top.








The newspaper articles. The first two images are from one long article. The photographs were at the top of the clipping and the write-up below.











And photographs of some of the cast. If you click to enlarge the photos I think you'll be able to see who they are by the url. The photographs look like they'd been pasted to a board then cut apart. I thought about removing the board from the back but the identifying names were on the boards and the glue was still secure, so I left them. That explains the uneven reddish background.


--Nancy.