So far all my School Days posts have focused on the Villanow and Subligna areas of the Armuchee Valley/Dirt Town Valley regions in Walker and Chattooga counties. I’ve looked at older photos as well as a (relatively speaking) newer image (and I’ll have more of both for you in the future). Today, though, will be something a little different. For any of you familiar with the geography of my homeland, you know that over Taylors Ridge to the west of the Armuchee Valleys lies the city of LaFayette. Home to LaFayette High School, LaFayette is the county seat of Walker County and the city therefore plays a significant role for all my Armuchee Valley ancestors.
Today’s photo is of the LHS majorette squad in 1964 (be sure to click the image above to see the full photo). Standing left to right are Becky Jones (freshman), daughter of Lyle Jones (former mayor of LaFayette); Rhonda Jordan (sophomore), my mother; Linda Pierce (junior); and Delores Richardson (junior). Seated is Linda Childs (senior), head majorette. Delores Richardson is a cousin and the Richardson family has deep Armuchee Valley roots just like my mother. So though this photo may be from LaFayette, two out of the five are Armuchee Valley born and bred!
I asked my mother what the trophy was for that they posed with in this photo but she couldn’t recall. I wonder if it decks the halls anywhere today at LHS, a ghost of the schools past?
Mom did remember, though, the majorette adviser was Elinor Lamborn. Her husband, Robert “Bob” Lamborn was the band director at LHS for over 20 years.
This photo was taken at Lamb’s Photo Studio. Lamb’s Studio was located at 402 South Main Street. Mrs. Lamb photographed my mother at least twice, once in this majorette portrait, and once for her 1964 LHS homecoming portrait. Mrs. Lamb’s son, Dale Lamb, was around my mother’s age and he played an instrument in the band. I don’t know anything more about Mrs. Lamb’s photography business or how long she operated it. If you have any memories or other information about this part of LaFayette/Walker County history, please leave a comment! It would be very interesting to collect and present more of the history about this LaFayette business.
This will be my last post before the Thanksgiving holiday. So Happy Thanksgiving to each and every one of you. I hope you have some time off from work to relax with friends and family.
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Mrs. Lamb also made the picture I used for my engagement announcement.
That’s cool! She must have photographed many people in Walker County history.
I wonder how she got into the business? It seems like it would have been less common for a woman to run her own business at that time.
Just noticed that the picture of my brother that you used in JJ was made at Lamb’s Studio also! It seems like Mrs. Lamb was a widow so perhaps her husband had originally started the studio. I also have a vague memory that her son Dale may have assisted her.
[…] Local genealogy blogger Jordan Scoggins takes a look back at the 1964 LHS majorettes and Lamb’s Photo Studio. […]
Mrs. Lamb was a family relation and I spent several wonderful hours of my childhood in her studio while she sorted her catalogues (volumes) of portraits from about fifty years of studio photography. In addition to being a photographer, Pauline was also a renowned portrait artist in the oil on canvas medium. She also baked delicious pastries!