Davey (or possibly “Hazelwood”) was photographed with her baton, cape and Garrison hat by Los Angeles studio photographer Dick Whittington in 1938. A client’s name on the envelope holding the black and white negative was noted “Miss Hazelwood Park.” Sounds more like the name of a literal park than the majorette or her mother, but who will ever know? Whittington worked with a photographer named Harry Davey. That is probably who took this picture. But, I like the name Davey for a girl so I’m gonna call her Davey. The name brings to mind one of my favorite books. Painfully off subject, but it is a Severe Mercy by Sheldon Vanauken. If you know, you know.

There is a mystical quality to this negative. It feels more like a painting than a photograph. Sweet Davey. I bet she loved being a majorette. No doubt, with that hat and cape she was probably part of a drum corps. If alive, she would be around 95 years old, today.