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Our People of the Century
Millville's Class of 1913:
Fame, Power, Influence Await 3 High School Graduates

The legendary Millville High School Class of 1913 turned out a business leader, a political leader, and a religious leader.

Collectively known as the “Big Three,” William M. Dougherty, Leon Henderson, and Bishop Fred Pierce Corson, all schoolboy chums, went on to shape a good chunk of 20th century America.

Dougherty, the entrepreneur of the trio, started at age 7 when he began his own paper route, selling the Millville Daily Republican.

Known as one of “them ornery Dougherty boys,” he was the only one small enough to climb the school flagpole in the spring of 1912 when members of his class replaced the senior flag with one that had “1913” sewn to it. The prank earned each of them, including the future bishop, a short suspension.

After leaving Millville, Dougherty went on to Wall Street and later rose to assistant vice-president of the United States Rubber Company, retiring in 1960.

During World War II, when rubber and other materials and foodstuffs were rationed, Leon Henderson headed the federal program.

As the chief of the Office of Price Administration, Henderson was responsible for civilian supply, administering price controls and rationing. He appeared on the cover of Time and Life magazines and, during the early war years, was said to be the most powerful man in the country other than the president.

Henderson remained active in Washington for years, eventually serving as economic adviser to General Dwight D. Eisenhower in Germany and to Chiang Kai-shek in China.

Henderson never forgot his roots and was instrumental in bringing projects to Millville, including the nation’s first defense airport, built in 1941.

Like Dougherty, Bishop Fred P. Corson also aspired to his avocation at an early age.

Corson was just 11 when he told his minister that we was going to be a preacher. By 17, Corson’s friends were already referring to him as “Reverend.”

To help pay for his school, Corson preached at Center Grove Church. He earned $3.25 every sunny Sunday and nothing on rainy days since the collection did not warrant it when attendance was bad.

Corson became Bishop of the Philadelphia Area, and, by 1961, president of the World Methodist Council. As the titular head of 50,000 Methodists throughout the world, he met with Pope John XXIII in Rome during the Ecumenical Council.

Besides the “Big Three,” the Class of 1913 turned out 43 other graduates including at least three doctors, Percy Smith, a World War I hero, and Foster Mitchell, who retired as director of quality control and customer services for Armstrong Cork in 1960.

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