Dreams That Money Can Buy

By Liz Hiles, ‘94
Director, Hughes Alumni Foundation

It is truly amazing what I learn about our dear alma mater on a regular basis. Occasionally I search the web to find out what is out there about Hughes. On one such occasion, I found about 1920 alum Libby Holman.

Her life was so interesting that I became very curious about her. “Get the yearbook!” I thought…

So out comes the 1920 yearbook…I turn to the seniors…all the young ladies look so similar, the neat wavy hairstyles and the pearls. “H’s….where are the H’s…ahh! There she is!”

There in the annual is Libby’s picture. I would really love to know who wrote the description of Libby in that book and why…it is really prophetic! Who really knows that a classmate will be famous before they even graduate?! Then my eyes zero in to some handwriting just above Libby’s entry at the top of the page…

…There it is…scrawled in the obviously old-fashioned ink is her signature! We have an authentically signed yearbook! WOW!

From there, I search Amazon.com since I know from the internet entries I found that Libby was deceased. I find a biography about her life by Jon Bradshaw. Libby was really many things: actress, torch singer, civil rights activist, wife, mother, friend. And yet, it is obvious from all accounts that I’ve come across…she was your average, every day eccentric, who-even in her death-was controversial.

I don’t want to give it all away, but I encourage you all to pick up a book or do an online search and learn a little about Libby and the life she lived. She had a fabulously interesting life and to think that it all started here fascinates me…and it gives me great hope for our current students because I just know that they too will be able to achieve their dreams.

Do YOU know of any alums who have done great, fascinating things? Please write to us about them! Share what you know and what you recall of their time at Hughes.