Accession No. RARE.2026.0020: Purchased, 2025 November
[identification of item], Helen G. Canoyer Superior Central High School (Superior, Wisconsin) “Girl Graduate” Scrapbook, SPEC.RARE.MMS.0433, Rare Books and Manuscripts Library, Ohio State University
Materials in this collection are available for use, but may be used in the Thompson Library Special Collections reading room only.
Materials in this collection may be protected by copyright, and are made available for research and educational purposes. In general, the OSU Libraries do not own the copyright for materials from our collections and cannot grant copyright permissions for these materials. The user is responsible for making a final determination of copyright status. If copyright protection applies, permission must be obtained from the copyright holder to reuse, publish, or reproduce the work beyond the bounds of fair use or other exceptions to the law. Works in the public domain are not protected by copyright and do not require permission to use.
Processed by: Allison McPherson, 2026 March; Finding aid written by: Allison McPherson, 2026 March
Helen Gertrude Canoyer (1903-1984) was a student who graduated in 1921 from Superior Central High School in Superior, Wisconsin. She was vice president of her class and was voted most popular girl in her class. During her high school academic life, Canoyer participated in humanities-based courses and extracurriculars, including the school debating team and the Red Domino Society, which put on a series of plays and dramas and created "The Devil’s Pi" section of the school newspaper. During her senior year, Canoyer was predicted to be ambitious and successful as a senator. Canoyer did become one of the first woman to earn a PhD at the University of Minnesota, and was the first woman faculty member in the Graduate School of Business and Public Administration at Cornell University.
The Helen G. Canoyer Superior Central High School (Superior, Wisconsin) “Girl Graduate” Scrapbook was assembled by Canoyer between 1920-1951, with the bulk of the materials from 1920-1921. Materials in the scrapbook cover Canoyer's participation in high school clubs and groups during her senior year. The scrapbook also holds congratulation notes to Canoyer from classmates and teachers, and ephemera from her high school graduation, including graduation invitations, newspaper clippings, programs, tickets, and cards. The scrapbook also contains programs from the Red Domino Society plays, photographs of Canoyer's classmates, and newspaper clippings of school activities. Canoyer's handwritten captions are included under some photographs and newspaper clippings, providing context.
While the majority of materials were placed in the scrapbook during Canoyer’s senior year, there are two newspaper clippings from after her graduation in 1921. The first is from a 1942 class reunion of the 1921 graduating class of Superior Central High School; the second is from a Red Domino Society reunion in 1951.
"Girl graduate" books were illustrated novelty scrapbooks published for high school girls to fill in with pictures, notes, and memories about high school during their senior year, and were particularly popular during the era when Canoyer was a high school student.