Eccles, WV (Raleigh County)  - A Selected History Early 1900s Through Present Day -   Introduction Browse Pages Search Disclaimers Links Classmates Page 15 of 18 Welcome. We need your photos, documents and descriptions for this era - Send Submissions to:   dennis@eccleswv.com Disclaimer: We reserve the right to refuse any submittals. To view new updates, please Refresh your Browser. Use Key F5 Trap Hill High School 1931 Class Photo Trap Hill High School 1931 Junior Class Photo (1930 Lester High School Junior Class Photo) Top Row: Dempsey Snuffer, Denver Snuffer, ?, ?, ?, Harlos N. Cook, Barty Wyatt Teacher Middle Row: Sylvia Bond, ?, ?, ? Bottom Row: Garnet Trail, ?   "Attached ...is a picture of a class (which graduated in 1931) of the Trap Hill High School student body. I do not know what grade they were in when the picture was taken, but believe they were either Juniors or Seniors. I do not know the names of any of those in the photo other than three: In the front row, the girl on the left hand side (with the dark jacket on) is Garnet Trail (my mom). In the back row, beginning on the left hand side, the two boys are Dempsey Snuffer (with the dark collar) and his twin brother Denver Snuffer (my father). Denver Snuffer's shirt is white. As to the other nine students and the teacher, I have no names. Perhaps others will be able to identify them. If they can, I would appreciate knowing who these others are/were. The picture was taken outside the Trap Hill High School under an exterior porch, however I am not familiar enough with the building to be able to recognize which side or where......" Photo Submitted by Denver Snuffer May 7, 2006   Addition: "In the 1931 picture of Trap Hill, I think the first girl on the left in the second row is Sylvia Bond." - Submitted by Helen Goodson May 13, 2006. Addition: I believe a correction might be in order. I'm not certain, but I believe the photo submitted by Denver Snuffer May 7, 2006, might be misnamed and maybe a couple of names of the students might be in error. First, I believe the students in the picture are of the Junior class from Lester High School in year 1930, who later became part of the first graduating class in 1931 at Trap Hill High School. The reasons I believe this to be the case are as follows: (1) The building in the background is of frame construction and Trap Hill was constructed entirely of brick. I do not believe Trap Hill had any entrances constructed of wood. This suggests it was taken before Trap Hill was opened. It probably was from another school building in year 1930, and probably Lester High School because of the following. (2) My father, Harlos N. Cook is the student on the top row, second from the right. My father was in the junior class at Lester High School in 1930. (2) Barty Wyatt was the man standing on the right end of the top row - beside my father. On the "Faculty Page" of the Trap Hill annual published for the first graduating class of 1931, "Trap Hill High School 1931 Annual - Faculty names and credentials," that I submitted for posting on March 26, 2006, "Eccles, WV Classmates Page 13 of 17," Barty was listed as Principal of Lester High School in 1930 before becoming the first Principal at Trap Hill for the class of 1931. Because of the above I believe this picture should be entitled, " 1930 Lester High School Junior Class Photo." Further, I understand that Denver Snuffer says the two students on the top row, from the left, were Demsey Snuffer, and to his right, Denver's father, who was Dempsey's twin, also named Denver Snuffer. It must be noted that Dempsey Snuffer did (not) graduate in the 1931 class of Trap Hill; whereas Denver did, so this picture is not the Trap Hill High School 1931 Class Photo. Denver certainly knows better than I do which student in the picture was his father; however, when comparing the picture to the photos of students in the 1931 Trap Hill Annual, it appears to me that the student he says is his father, second from the left on the top row looks more like Buster Bennett, who also was from Lester. Further, the student on the top left looks exactly like the photo of his father in the 1931 Trap Hill Annual. He was a twin of Dempsey, so it could be expected that they would look alike. Further, It must be noted that Buster Bennett graduated in the 1931 Class of Trap Hill; whereas, Dempsey did not. Is is possible that Dempsey was not in the Lester photo and instead it was Denver on the left and Buster standing beside him? I really think the student second from the left on the top row is Buster Bennett. The mouth, nose, eyes and ears are identical to those in the 1931 annual picture of Buster. Therefore, I believe the students in the photo are as follows: Top Row: Denver Snuffer rather than Dempsey, Buster Bennett rather than Denver, “Not Sure, but may be Homer Hutchinson or Palmer Falin”, Okie Henderson (Probably), Obal Canaday (Probably), Harlos N. Cook, Barty Wyatt who was Principal of Lester HS and later Principal of Trap Hill HS; Middle Row: Sylvia Bond, Rachel Martin (Probably), Bernice Owen (Probably), “Not Sure, but may be either: Margaret Cox, Ruth Campbell, Virginia Noce or Helen McMullin”; Bottom Row: Garnet Trail, Myrtle Bond (Probably). I apologize greatly for questioning Denver's assignment of names, but I think the second person on the left is Buster Bennett. I may be wrong, and if so I strongly apologize to Denver." Terry L Cook, Harlos N. Cook’s son  Submitted February 22, 2008   Response: "Some of what was said in the prior email from Terry Cook is correct. Some is not correct. I've outlined what I know below: First, it is correct that this is the Junior Class photograph, and not the Senior Class. It was taken at a time before Dempsey Snuffer left school to begin working in the coal mines locally in West Virginia. So the year following this, Dempsey Snuffer was not in the school and did not graduate. Second, it is correct that the photograph shows some of those who would become the graduating class of 1931; but it is not the class of 1931. There would be those who graduate in 1931 who are not in the photograph, and at least Dempsey Snuffer would not be in the class although he was present at the time of the Junior Class photograph. I do not know where the photograph was taken. I said that when the photograph was originally submitted. So it might be that the photograph's location is what Mr. Cook suggests. As to the identities of those whom I was able to name, I am confident of those individuals. This photograph was in my parents' possession, and they told me the identities. I cannot see any reason why they would be in error, given that they were two of the three they identified to me, and the third one was a brother of my father's." Kindest regards; Denver C. Snuffer, Jr. Submitted February 25, 2008   Trap Hill High School 1931 Annual - Dramatic Club: Sponsor: Ella Davis Laing Senior Dramatics: Homer Hutchinson, Pres.; Anise Trail, V.P.; Margaret Cox, Sec.; William Oney, Treas. Junior Dramatics: Ethel McMillion, Pres,; Joe Maynor, V.P.; Pearl Richmond, Sec.; Ruth Jarrell, Tres. Photo Submitted by Terry L. Cook March 25, 2006   Return to Top Trap Hill High School 1931 Annual - Editorial Staff: Homer Hutchinson, Bus, Mgr,; Richard Keesee, Editor-In-Chief; Anise Trail and Rose Noce, Chief Editorial Writers; Merle Hawley, Society Editor; Alma Bridi and Lillian Carver, Society Reporters; Helen Canaday, Comic Editor; William Oney and Palmer Falin, Sports Editors; Lowell Bond, Headline Writer; Carl Pack and Denver Snuffer, Publicity Agents; Ella Davis Laing, Faculty Advisor. Photo Submitted by Terry L. Cook March 25, 2006       Trap Hill High School 1931 Annual - Harlos Norval Cook. Senior Picture.   Photo Submitted by Terry L. Cook March 25, 2006 and March 20, 2008    "This is to report that my father, Harlos N. Cook, Trap Hill High School Class of 1931, the first, died on March 4, 2006, at the age of 95. In his possessions were a copy of the 1931 annual, and separate pictures of the 1931 football and basketball teams, of which he was a member. My father was a remarkable man, who lived life to the fullest. He was a coal miner, poet, author of stories, and writer of songs. He was a character liked by most everyone......" Mr. Terry L. Cook Midlothian, VA   Photo Submitted by Terry L. Cook March 25, 2006 "   Harlos N. Cook 1931 Football Letter “T” - Trap Hill first graduating class   Photo Submitted by Terry L. Cook February 22, 2008   Harlos N. Cook 1931 Diploma - Trap Hill first graduating class   Photo Submitted by Terry L. Cook February 22, 2008   Harlos N. Cook 1931 Commencement Announcement, Front - Trap Hill first graduating class   Photo Submitted by Terry L. Cook February 22, 2008   Harlos N. Cook Commencement Announcement, Baccalaureate Trap Hill first graduating class   Girls: Margaret Virginia Cox, Thelma Bertie Bonham, Opal Jane Farmer, Ruth Weber Campbell, Helen Elizabeth McMullin, Myrtle Rae Bonds, Sylvia Mae Bonds, Rachel Madricia Martin, Garnet Marian Trail, Virginie Marie Noce and Bernice Owen.   Boys: Buster Aubrey Bennett, Homer Harold Hutchison, Ward French Worley, Teddy Sherman Hughes, James Palmer Falin, Richard Edward Keesee, Obal Lawrence Canaday, Okie Henderson, Waymond Carl Acord, Denver Carlos Snuffer and Harlos Norval Cook.   Photo Submitted by Terry L. Cook February 22, 2008   We have attempted to present the information on this website in a straight-forward manner. Information from submitters is presumed accurate at the time of publication. Details are subject to change without notice. The webmaster and www.eccleswv.com  is not responsible for inadvertent errors. Return to Top

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