PHOTO COURTESY OF UMATILLA SCHOOL DISTRICT
On Feb. 7, 1927, The Oregon Department of Education awarded Gilbert A. Davis a common school diploma, signifying his completion of the elementary program. The certificate guarantees Davis admission into any high school in Oregon – only he never received it.
A package containing the diploma, Davis’ eighth-grade report card and a reading award were mailed sometime in 1927, but they never made it to Davis. Recently, ODE received the package containing the three items from the U.S. Postal Service Mail Recovery Department, formerly known as the “Dead Letters Office.” The Dead Letters Office opened in 1825, and in 2006, the Postal Service had about 90 million “undeliverable-as-addressed” items stored.
After receiving the package containing Davis’ diploma, ODE sent the package to Heidi Sipe, superintendent of the Umatilla School District, in the hopes Davis or his descendants could be identified.
“We’re giving it our best shot,” Sipe said. “I really hope to find a rightful owner.”
Umatilla School District said they believe the documents may come from the Pendleton School District, although the diploma only identifies Davis as being from Umatilla County.
Anyone with information about Davis and his descendants can contact the Umatilla School District at 541-922-6500.
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