West Seattle scene: Holy Rosary School’s centennial photo session

(First 3 photos by WSB’s Patrick Sand)
West Seattle’s Holy Rosary School is celebrating its centennial, and as part of that, its 460-plus students gathered today for a group photo in the church. That’s our view of the big picture, above. Here’s Carl Baber, the parent who served today as official photographer:

He had quite the task to wrangle 460-plus photographic subjects at once. But they got a treat after their historic pose – they were all allowed to make goofy faces:

We asked HR if they had a comparable all-school shot from sometime in the past hundred years. Answer: No; but for comparison’s sake, here’s a 6th-grade group shot from 1959:

And for a bonus view of history, an aerial (looking west-northwest, with 42nd SW in the middle, between church and school):

The people we talked with at HR today didn’t know what year that’s from – do you? Meantime – read about the school’s history here.

workdowntown November 19, 2013 (2:11 pm)

Well, I went to school there all 12 years, graduating in 1971. I had 1st and 5th grade classes in the large old wood building in the lower left side of the picture. I distinctly remember being in that building in 1963 when someone ran over from the main office to tell us that President Kennedy had been shot. Day I will never forget.

Leticia November 19, 2013 (2:26 pm)

Happy Holidays

JayDee November 19, 2013 (6:37 pm)

Without a higher res picture, I would say the date of the picture was post 1953. Usually when there is an aerial there is a reason for it–there is construction or something going on in the lot east of the large building which is identified as the HR Elementary School nowadays. I would hazard 1953 to 1966 based on photo interpretation, age of the cars I can see. If I knew which buildings yesterday were the ones we can see today, I could provide a better guess.

Ferryboat November 19, 2013 (7:19 pm)

It looks like some of the same apartment buildings are on the west side of California. They don’t look like the landscaping has been put in yet. That may help? Hope someone has some names of the girls in the photo!

PDH November 19, 2013 (9:45 pm)

Looking forward to more historical area comments. :). Our sons are part of this amazing centennial photo!!! What a great celebration!

metrognome November 19, 2013 (9:56 pm)

from the ‘short history of holy rosary’:
.
‘In 1947, a new convent (now the Parish Center) was completed. This freed the old wood convent to make way for additional classrooms which helped alleviate overcrowded conditions in the main school building. A high school addition was built in 1953, and eventually in 1966, a high school building.
‘Unfortunately, declining enrollment and other factors forced the parish to close the high school in 1972 and to sell the building shortly afterwards…’
http://www.holyrosaryws.org/history.html
.
I don’t know the area but maybe this will help someone id the buildings. I agree with JayDee; I think the style of cars places this in the late 50’s to mid-60’s.

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