Phoenixville's Oldest Living Alumna Honored at Graduation
Helen Davis Debus, a 1929 graduate of PAHS, was honored at Friday's ceremony.
To start a new tradition, Phoenixville Area High School first had to find an old alumnus.
“We decided it would be fun to start inviting the oldest alum we could get ahold of to come join us for graduation,” explained Sandy Claus, the district’s community relations coordinator.
They found Helen Davis Debus, a 1929 graduate of PAHS who will turn 100 in October. The Valley Forge resident accepted the school's invitation to attend as guest of honor, and was introduced to the crowd, to loud applause, during Friday’s ceremony.
“She was just adorable, a real pistol,” said Claus. “And it was a neat thing to see how excited the kids were.”
Tom Sunnergren
5:28 pm on Monday, June 11, 2012
Helen Davis Debus was a month shy of her 62nd birthday when RIchard Nixon resigned. Wow.
Chris
6:22 pm on Monday, June 11, 2012
fyi...since it's an article about school we should probably get our Latin right. Alumnus is the male version. I believe Alumnae is female. You just congratulated lovely Mrs. Davis by calling her a male :-)
Chris
6:24 pm on Monday, June 11, 2012
Check that....alumnae is female but plural. What we're looking for is Alumna.
Tom Sunnergren
6:42 pm on Monday, June 11, 2012
You're absolutely right Chris. In keeping with the spirit of the exchange, consider this my mea culpa.
Chris
11:57 am on Tuesday, June 12, 2012
Not at all. Let's just be happy that I retained something from my high shool latin class. Boy would my teacher be proud!