Bessie Taylor, Teacher at Sandusky High

Miss Bessie Taylor taught at Sandusky High School for thirty four years. She began teaching Latin in 1904. In 1917, Miss Taylor was selected to become the dramatic coach. During her years at Sandusky High, Miss Taylor directed at least forty graduation plays and several other student dramatic productions. Below is an article from the January 20, 1920 Sandusky Star Journal. Miss Taylor was to direct the play “She Stoops to Conquer” at the February commencement exercises. (In the early years of the twentieth century there were two graduation ceremonies held at Sandusky High School, one in the winter, and one in June.)

The newspaper article reported, “The comedy is dainty and charming, abounding in humorous situations, and the lines are clever and give wide opportunity for the young actors.” Appearing in the cast were: Milton Schiller, Carl Appell, Glenn Rose, Harold Homberger, Ernest Dean, Roland Schemenauer, Sydney Knehr, George Hertlein, Albert Esch, Esther Knupke, Inga Nielsen, Elizabeth Schaub, Viola Bing, and Rae Frohman. Similar accounts of many of the plays directed by Miss Bessie Taylor are found in the microfilmed copies of the Sandusky Register and the Sandusky Star Journal, available in the Archives Research Center of the Sandusky Library.

On July 30, 1960, Miss Bessie Taylor died at Good Samaritan Hospital, following a lengthy illness. An obituary for Bessie Taylor was carried in the July 30, 1960 Sandusky Register. An account of Miss Taylor’s long career as an educator was given. Miss Taylor was also very active in her church, Trinity Methodist Church, where she served as the financial secretary. Miss Taylor was a former member of the board of Trustees of the Library Association of Sandusky, and was active in the Red Cross during World War Two. Bessie Taylor was survived by two brothers, a sister, and several nieces and nephews. She was buried in the Union Cemetery in Columbus, Ohio.

Miss Taylor is pictured below with fellow faculty members of Sandusky High School in the 1930’s. The photograph was taken on the steps of what is now the Adams Junior High School.