Joseph-Wegerer
Joseph Wegerer was born in Los Angeles, California, and he and his family came to Tucson in May 1913. Joe began second grade at Mansfeld School, but he transferred to Safford School in 1915. His two younger brothers, Fred and Harry, also attended Safford School.
In 1916-17, Joe was a student in Miss Humbird’s fifth grade class. There were 34 students in her class and they studied the subjects of arithmetic, English, spelling, reading, geography, and history. They also participated in physical education and Joe liked baseball best. He liked it so well that he played second base on the Safford School baseball team.
In 1917 Safford burned to the ground and the school was rebuilt and ready for the 1918-19 school year. (It is unknown where classes were held when Joe was in sixth grade while the school was being rebuilt.) Joe attended classes at Safford through the sixth, seventh, and eighth grades.
At the end of eighth grade, the teachers selected eight students and placed their names on a paper ballot. All the eighth grade students voted for the student who they thought deserved “The Good Citizen Prize for 1920”. Joe was one of the students selected to be on the ballot. (It is unknown who won the prize.)
After graduation from Safford, Joe went to Tucson High School, which used to be located on the second floor of Roskruge School on East Sixth Street. Joe played second base for the Tucson High Badgers baseball team and in 1922 the Tucson High team won the Arizona State Baseball Championship.
In the photos to the right notice the photo of the Safford School fifth grade class of 1917: (Joseph is in the bottom row, sixth from the left.). Also pictured is the Safford School "Good Citizen Ballot" from the year 1920! Notice that Joseph's name is on the bottom of this alphabetized ballot.
Special thanks to Margaret-Ann Fangmeier for her scanned images and written contributions to this webpage!
