Kids in the Canal Zone
It looks like these kids put on quite the performance! We think these photographs are from an elementary school play at a school somewhere on the Atlantic side of the Canal Zone. Can you help us identify the location of these photos? What do you think this play was about? Were you ever involved in any school performances? What were some popular plays for schoolchildren to perform?
10 Comments
Mimi Stratford Collins
Wow, that’s quite a collection! 1940s, maybe?
billmac1970 Bill McLaughlin
In the past a person could click on the image provided and a larger (supersize) image/photo would pop up. This made it easier to study the photo for location or people identification. Can this be done again? Thank you
ufpcmcollection
Hi Bill, I just figured out the solution to this problem. The images in this article should now expand when you click on them. Thank you for bringing this issue to my attention! – Coral the Intern
Bill McLaughlin
Thank you Coral!!!
Lori
Hello. My name is Michael, I am a high school sophomore at American Heritage in Delray Beach, FL. I am doing a research paper on The Panama Canal for National History Day. Part of my project entails me to personally “interview an expert” on the subject and I would love to interview someone who lived in the Canal Zone. If you are willing to answer some of my questions via email, I would very much like to hear from you. Please reply here if you are interested in assisting me and then I can give you my mom’s email address. I can send you a list of questions and you can respond via email to make it easier for anyone to participate. Thank you in advance for your consideration. Michael, student
ufpcmcollection
Hi Michael, if you would still like help with your paper, you or your mom can email John Nemmers at jnemmers@ufl.edu.
Jim Collins
Hello Michael. I too would like to help you if it is not too late. I lived on the Atlantic side and my wife the Pacific so we should be able to provide the answers you seek.
Jim Collins
Bill McLaughlin
After zooming in and knowing that this is an Atlantic side elementary school, I would say that it is Margarita Elem. School. Or as a second guess, Ft. Gulick Elem. School. Both schools were designed with the same plan with a low roof and covered walkways. The breathers on the roof were from the utility room.
Jim Collins
As Bil mentioned, I believe this may be the Ft Gulick School as the one at Margarita had a driveway where the cemented areas the kids are performing their program on. In the first pic there is a building on a hill beyond the covered walkway as well as there appears to be a military member standing under the overhang just to the right and below the building in the background. Yes. the Elks Club was on the hill in the approximate same location but, further to the left and there was also a field between the gymnasium and the Ft Gulick Road and there does not appear to be that much room for a field in the pic.
Chris Maggio
In the early 1970s I attended Ft Clayton Elementary… I was in a play there and wore EXACTLY the same white jumper with the green leaf neck thingy (whatever it’s called, collar?) So while I don’t know these kids I sure remember vividly the excitement of the day. Wow… what fun days for a kid.