In celebration of George Washington’s birthday, these third grade students performed drills, songs, marches and danced a minuet in Colonial-era costumes during a school assembly in February 1914. The program also included students in first through eighth grades. Surprisingly, all students are identified on the original photo that has been colorized for improved clarity. Mary Graham Pingrey is the student in the back row, fourth from the right. She was the granddaughter of Fergus R. Graham who, along with his business partner, former Colorado Gov. Alva Adams, owned one of the first hardware stores in Durango, starting in 1881. When her father died in 1933, the young woman took over and successfully ran the business, Graham Hardware, until selling it in May 1961. Sadly, in November of that year, she died suddenly and unexpectedly while working in her yard. She was only 56 years old. – Ed Horvat for Animas Museum, [email protected] (Catalog Number: 98.20.209 from the La Plata County Historical Society Photo Collections)
