First Graduates
Milton HS was founded and the original building and campus was constructed in 1921 in downtown Alpharetta. The building was opened for classes in January 1922. The first graduation in May of that year had two graduating students: Mary Clyde Andrews and Kate Walker. Each week during our 100th anniversary year, we’ll be featuring some of our alumni. We’re starting this week with our first two graduates. Thank you to Connie Mashburn, MHS Class of 1959 and the city of Alpharetta Historian, for providing this week’s information.
Mary Clyde Andrews was born in 1903 in Alpharetta. She was the third of six children of Arthur and Veola Andrews. Clyde grew up on the family farm just outside the Alpharetta city limits. After graduation from MHS she moved to Atlanta. At age 19 Clyde married Rufus Gilstrap also of Alpharetta. She worked for several companies in clerical positions during most of her adult life. Clyde and Rufus had two daughters, Nell and Jean. Clyde outlived her husband by 35 years. She passed away in 1988 at age 84. She was buried alongside her husband at East View Cemetery in DeKalb County. A grandson said that Clyde was a very intelligent woman and mentioned that she had been a member of Woodland Hills Baptist Church for over 40 years. Her grandchildren called her “Mamodie.”
Kate Walker grew up in the family home on Canton Street in Alpharetta. She was the daughter of Golson and Vada Walker. Her father was an attorney and mayor of Alpharetta. After graduation from MHS, Kate attended nursing school at Grady Hospital in Atlanta. She married Samuel Arthur Wilbanks. The couple had no children. During her nursing career Kate did hospital work as well as private duty nursing. According to Kate’s niece Virginia Walker Nickerson, Kate took great pride in her nursing skills and was pleased to be referred to as a nurse. Her private nursing patients included former Atlanta mayor William Hartsfield, former Atlanta Falcons owner Rankin Smith and Dr. Leila Denmark. Kate was born in 1904 and died in 1984. She is buried in the Walker family plot in Resthaven Cemetery on Milton Avenue in Alpharetta across the street from the original Milton campus.
Kate Walker grew up in the family home on Canton Street in Alpharetta. She was the daughter of Golson and Vada Walker. Her father was an attorney and mayor of Alpharetta. After graduation from MHS, Kate attended nursing school at Grady Hospital in Atlanta. She married Samuel Arthur Wilbanks. The couple had no children. During her nursing career Kate did hospital work as well as private duty nursing. According to Kate’s niece Virginia Walker Nickerson, Kate took great pride in her nursing skills and was pleased to be referred to as a nurse. Her private nursing patients included former Atlanta mayor William Hartsfield, former Atlanta Falcons owner Rankin Smith and Dr. Leila Denmark. Kate was born in 1904 and died in 1984. She is buried in the Walker family plot in Resthaven Cemetery on Milton Avenue in Alpharetta across the street from the original Milton campus.
