1919 Scottville High School yearbook, diploma added to historical society collection

This Great Lakes History Log is presented by Filer Credit Union and the Mason County Historical Society

By Rob Alway, Editor-in-Chief

The old Scottville High School building on North Main Street in Scottville is scheduled for demolition within the next couple of weeks. The subject of this article, a donation of a 1919 SHS yearbook to the Mason County Historical Society sparked an idea for me to write a series of stories on the school and those who attended it. This will not be a complete history of the building, but rather snapshots. 

LUDINGTON — Last week, the Mason County Historical Society received a very special gift.

Eden Township resident Barry Pleiness donated his grandmother’s 1919 Scottville High School “Taps” yearbook to the Rose Hawley Archives, along with her eighth-grade and 12th-grade diplomas.

The Class of 1919 was part of the second generation of students to attend Scottville High School, which opened in 1888. They were the 16th senior class to graduate from the brick school on North Main Street. The first eighth-grade class graduated in 1893. The class began its freshman year with 42 students and graduated 27.

It was common in the early 20th century for students to complete their high school studies in 10th grade. Many schools, such as Riverton, only went to the 10th grade. It was also common for students to end their education after graduating from eighth grade.

Charles Reading Stoflet (1901-1989) was the senior class president. He was the son of John and Florence Stoflet and also served as class president during his sophomore and junior years. After high school, he moved to Valley City, North Dakota, where he remained for the rest of his life. A 1951 newspaper article stated he was a top film salesman for MGM in the Minneapolis territory.

In 1919, Scottville High School was part of Amber Township School District No. 6. Its superintendent was F.A.N. Bailey, who served the district from 1917 to 1920.

The owner of the yearbook was Carrie Victoria Young, Pleiness’ grandmother. She was born Jan. 22, 1901, in Riverton Township, the daughter of Marvin Young (1868-1939) and Martha (Whitters) Young (1867-1934). She attended Riverton Township District No. 1 School, known as East Riverton, located at the corner of present-day Chauvez and Riggle roads. According to the yearbook, Carrie attended school in Riverton through 10th grade. Her 1989 obituary states she moved to Scottville with her parents when she was 17.

On April 4, 1923, Carrie married William L. Pleiness (1900-1986). The couple lived in Riverton Township until 1935, when they moved to their dairy farm on South Scottville Road in Eden Township.

Carrie Young Pleiness

Carrie and William had one son, Harlan (1927-2025). Harlan graduated from Scottville High School in 1944. He attended Michigan State College of Agriculture and Applied Science, now Michigan State University, and graduated in 1949. On Nov. 22, 1952, he married Julian Kriscunas (1928-2014). The couple continued the family farming tradition and had three children: Sheri, Barry and Dale.

Carrie died Jan. 18, 1989, at age 87.

The Mason County Historical Society’s Rose Hawley Archives contains several dozen yearbooks from area schools, but there are many gaps. Amber Valentine, society collections manager, said her goal is to have at least two yearbooks from each graduating class. Elementary and junior high or middle school yearbooks are also valuable parts of the collection.

Superintendent F. Bailey

Yearbooks may be brought to the Rose Hawley Archives, 130 E. Ludington Ave., at the southwest corner of Ludington Avenue and Harrison Street. You may also contact me at editor@mediagroup31.com, as I serve as the society’s collections committee chairman.

The SHS Class of 1919:

Charles Stoflet (“Stuffy”)

• Class President: 1917, 1918, 1919
• Business Manager of Taps: 1919
• Toastmaster, Junior and Senior Banquets: 1918
• Member, M.A.C.: 1919
• Band: 1916

Carrie Anderson (“Cad”)

• Vice President of Class: 1917
• Class Basketball: 1916
• Dramatic Society: 1919

Gerald Ponko (“Shagg”)

• Band and Orchestra: 1916–1919
• Member, M.A.C.: 1919
• Art Editor of Taps: 1919
• Basketball: 1916, 1919

Glen Hazzard

• Class Baseball: 1916, 1917
• Member, M.A.C.: 1919

Lawrence Rinehart (“Larry”)

• Captain, Baseball: 1918, 1919
• Captain, Basketball: 1918, 1919
• Secretary, M.A.C.: 1919
• Vice President and Assistant Business Manager of Taps: 1919
• Chorus and Glee Club: 1918, 1919

Edgar Anderson (“Ed”)

• Baseball: 1916, 1917
• Representative, Junior and Senior Banquet: 1917
• Basketball: 1918, 1919
• Oratory: 1918
• President, M.A.C.: 1919
• Editor-in-Chief of Taps: 1919

Raymond Mellor (“Buster”)

• Class Treasurer: 1916
• Band and Orchestra: 1916–1918
• Member, M.A.C.: 1919
• Chorus and Glee Club: 1917, 1918
• Joke Editor of Taps: 1919

Frank Claveau

• High School Yell Master: 1917
• Literary: 1918, 1919
• Member, M.A.C.: 1919

Anne Eastman

• Class Treasurer: 1918, 1919
• Class Basketball: 1916
• Declamation and Oratory: 1916, 1918
• Literary: 1919
• Editor of Taps: 1919
• Chorus: 1917, 1918
• Dramatic Society: 1919

Glen Cable (“Caesar”)

• Declamatory and Oratory: 1916, 1917
• Baseball and Basketball: 1917–1919
• Member, M.A.C.: 1919
• Glee Club and Chorus: 1918, 1919

Elizabeth Feroe (“Muggins”)

• Attended Freesoil High School: 1916–1918
• Senior Benefit Play: 1919

Hollis Colver

• Secretary and Treasurer roles
• Literary
• Member, M.A.C.: 1919

Geneva Benedict (“Gebe”)

• Class Secretary: 1918, 1919
• Chorus: 1918
• President, Dramatic Society: 1919
• Social Editor of Taps: 1919

Clarence Rozell (“Cloddy”)

• Class Baseball: 1918, 1919
• Literary: 1918
• Glee Club: 1919
• Member, M.A.C.: 1919

Dorothy Martin (“Dot”)

• Valedictorian: 1919
• High School Reporter: 1917
• Oratorical Medal: 1917
• Chorus: 1917, 1919
• Dramatic Society: 1919
• Assistant Editor-in-Chief of Taps: 1919

Carrie Young

• Riverton High School: 1916, 1917
• Dramatic Society: 1919

Sarah Hissong (“Sally”)

• Dramatic Society: 1919

Paul Harter (“Bunyan”)

• Baseball: 1916, 1917
• Basketball: 1917
• Literary: 1918, 1919
• Glee Club: 1918, 1919
• Member, M.A.C.: 1919

Elma Crampton (“Elm”)

• Oratory: 1916, 1917
• Oratorical Medal: 1918
• Dramatic Society: 1919
• Salutatorian

Emil Rosander (“Rosy”)

• Band and Orchestra: 1916–1919
• Glee Club: 1919
• Literary: 1918, 1919
• Member, M.A.C.: 1919

Beatrice Carter (“Bee”)

• Class Basketball: 1916
• Chorus: 1917, 1918
• Class Secretary: 1916
• Dramatic Society: 1919
• Picture Editor of Taps: 1919
• Vice President of Class: 1918

Lester Arndt (“Les”)

• Class Baseball: 1916–1918
• Member, M.A.C.: 1919

Hazel Hamilton (“Alex”)

• Fern High School: 1916, 1917
• Dramatic Society: 1919

Micheal Murphy (“Mike”)

• Class Baseball: 1916, 1917, 1919
• Member, M.A.C.: 1919
• Literary: 1918, 1919

Esther Moline

• Custer High School: 1916, 1917
• Dramatic Society: 1919

Charles Reader (“Ike”)

• High School Play: 1916
• Declamation: 1916
• Editor of Locals: 1919
• Member, M.A.C.: 1919

Conway Morehouse (“Con”)

• Glee Club: 1916, 1918, 1919
• Chorus: 1917
• Member, M.A.C.: 1919
• Literary: 1918, 1919

_________________________

Filer Credit Union with offices in Manistee, Ludington, East Lake, and Bear Lake; filercu.com; 800.595.6630

The Mason County Historical Society is a non-profit charitable organization that was founded in 1937 that does not receive any governmental funding. It owns and operates the Port of Ludington Maritime Museum in Ludington, Historic White Pine Village in Pere Marquette Township, and The Rose Hawley Archives and the Mason County Emporium and Sweet Shop in downtown Ludington.

For more information about donating to and/or joining the Mason County Historical Society, visit masoncountymihistory.org.

_______________________________

Please Support Local News and Sports Coverage

Receive daily MCP and OCP news briefings along with email news alerts for $10 a month. Your contribution will help us to continue to provide you with free local news. 

To sign up, email editor@mediagroup31.com. In the subject line write: Subscription. Please supply your name, email address, mailing address, and phone number (indicate cell phone). We will not share your information with any outside sources. For more than one email address in a household, the cost is $15 per month per email address.

We can send you an invoice for a yearly payment of $120, which you can conveniently pay online or by check. If you are interested in this method, please email editor@mediagroup31.com and we can sign you up. You can also mail a yearly check for $120 to Media Group 31, PO Box 21, Scottville, MI 49454 (please include your email address).

Payment must be made in advance prior to subscription activation.

We appreciate all our readers regardless of whether they choose to continue to access our service for free or with a monthly financial support.

_____

This story and original photography are copyrighted © 2025, all rights reserved by Media Group 31, LLC, PO Box 21, Scottville, MI 49454. No portion of this story or images may be reproduced in any way, including print or broadcast, without expressed written consent.

As the services of Media Group 31, LLC are news services, the information posted within the sites are archivable for public record and historical posterity. For this reason it is the policy and practice of this company to not delete postings. It is the editor’s discretion to update or edit a story when/if new information becomes available. This may be done by editing the posted story or posting a new “follow-up” story. Media Group 31, LLC or any of its agents have the right to make any changes to this policy. Refer to Use Policy for more information.