Back Row-Left to Right: Darrel Wilson, Rosa M. Cummings, V. Roll, Helen Gray,
Verna Margaret Williams, Ira Dennis Shrader, Bruce Mason, E. P. Williams,
Cleatus Wilson, and Oliver P. Shrader.
Second Row-Left to Right: Stanley Phillips (Principal), Hiram Crunk, Helen Bennett,
Thelma Growbarger, Imogene Hartley, A. Woodburn, Margaret Brown, and Harold Hicks.
Seated-Left to Right: Margaret Roll, Kermit Gray, Gee Gee Reid, Katherine Roll,
Eloise Rowe, Natoma Swain, Bea Bratcher, Bertha Mae Vinson and Charles Harrel.
The above picture, made in 1928, is a
group picture of the Rockport High School Class of 1928/1929. In that group, there
were three seniors. I have heard of Emerson Bratcher, Rosa Mae Cummings,
and Cleatus Wilson, but never knew any of the three. I will update this web page
if and when any further information becomes available. Any pertinent pictures
and/or info would be appreciated.
Thanks for looking. Hope you enjoyed.
~~~~~~~~~~
Women and cats will do as they please, and men and dogs should relax and get used to the idea.
~~~~~~~~~~
Music Title Is A 1929 Tune By Cole Porter,
Called: "I Am Only A School Girl."
Picture is from Owensboro Messenger Paper and
originally submitted by Ira Shrader of Louisville. Thanks Ira.
Emerson Virgil Bratcher
Virgil was one of three students to graduate from Rockport High
School in 1929. He was born in Rockport in 1910, the oldest of three children of Eddie
and Dora Bishop Bratcher. A year after graduation, in 1930, Virgil married Margaret
Ellen Rule of Muhlenberg County. The young couple decided to make their home in
Rockport and in 1932, a son, Collen Dale, was born.
I am not sure if Emerson was drafted or if he joined the Navy. Never the less,
the Navy trained him in the Metalsmith trade. On July 31, 1944, and after graduating
from Metalsmith School, Emerson was assigned to the USS Croatan CVE 29, an Escort
Carrier that had been commissioned only a few years earlier. Emerson served on the
Croatan for most of his Naval career and was discharged on
November 23, 1945.
After being honorably discharged, Emerson returned to Rockport, KY. With a wife
and a teenage son, Virgil, like others before him, went north to find work. He settled
in Louisville to raise his family. Emerson's wife, Margaret died in Louisville on
April 29, 1989. Emerson died on January 7, 1998. Both are buried in Louisville.
To view Virgil Bratcher's Soldier Web Page, please click on the following link.
Rosa Mae Cummings
I do not have any information on Rosa. Any information from any of the readers
or a picture of Rosa Mae would be appreciated and used.
Cleatus Wilson
I do not have any information on Cleatus. Any information from any of the readers
or a picture of Cleatus would be appreciated and used.
:)
Web Page By jrd On 2/2/08.
Updated with info on Virgil Bratcher on 2/13/12.
Corrected HTML Code on 2/15/18.
