I’m having some Saturday Night Genealogy Fun (#SNGF), with help from Randy Seaver and his prompts! Feel free to join in.

Saturday Night Genealogy Fun: August 22, 2026

Prompt: “Do you have any records of your ancestors’ schooling, such as report cards, yearbooks, or photos? If so, please share one of them and what you learned about your ancestor(s) from the article.”

Introduction

Were you a good student? Would you want your report cards examined a hundred years later? I don’t know how my Grandpa felt, but he can be proud.

What I found

I am the proud caretaker of a nearly complete set of report cards from my grandfather, Gordon West.

Report cards, in Liberty Center, Ohio in the WWI era, were sent home monthly. Here is Grandpa’s first grade report card. Grandpa was an “Excellent” student in spelling, reading, and arithmetic, as well as effort, and a “Good” student in writing, language, and deportment.

I’m guessing that Grandpa’s excellent spelling skills came in handy later, working as a linotype operator at a newspaper for over 40 years!

Bonus

My great grandfather’s signature is on every month. For so many ancestors, I don’t have a single signature, but for Adam Grant West, I get a small glimpse of a father who regularly reviewed his son’s school reports.

Grab the Tidbits – They Matter!

I’m so glad Randy Seaver posted this prompt, and Lisa S. Gorrell suggested it! I’d nearly forgotten about these report cards and it was so fun and enlightening to look at them. A report card may seem like a small keepsake, but sometimes those little pieces of paper bring an ancestor’s everyday life closer than the “important” records do.

AI Disclosure

This post was created by me with the help of AI tools. While AI helps organize research, the storytelling and discoveries are my own.