Wally's Education - Setting It Right

[PeeWee]

Wally's education has always been a center of discussion. Before we start we do know two things. His graduation from Jefferson High School and from Stanford University.

Let's correct his college education. Recently it has been written that Wally received his Masters Degree in Engineering from Stanford. When I heard this I was alarmed, concerned and had disbelief. As a family member and sharing many hours of chit-chat with Wally, all I ever knew was he received his Bachelor's Degree in History in 1921. There has been rumors, writings, and speculation that Wally received a law degree from Staford. No! But he did take several law classes.

After Wally's mother and father divorced in 1899, Carrie Biswell Byam remarried Dave Davis.

Records show that Wally graduated from Jefferson High and Stanford University as Wallace Merle Davis.

I have not seen a legal document that changed Wally from Byam to Davis. I believe that with the Biswell-Davis marriage Wally was adopted with a new surname.

Where the confusion arose is in 1937 a Wallace Davis graduated from Stanford and came back and received a Masters Degree in Engineering.

Two entirely different Wallace Davis graduates. Hopefully historians in the future will not make assumptions about the second Wallace Davis that attended Stanford.

The Alumni group at Stanford were gracious and accomodating. They provided all of the information necessary to correct this error. I hope that this reaches all our history buffs and they jot down this important phase of Wally Byam's life.

Sometime after his graduation Wally changed his surname from Davis back to Byam.

Pee Wee

[azflycaster]

Very interesting. I have seen information saying that he had a law degree, but never practiced law. This is the first I have read about his name being Davis during his teens. Thank you for sharing this information with us.

[jerrypeterma]

great history lesson. thanks for your time
Jerry

[InsideOut]

Thanks PeeWee! Rob & I just have one question..why would he ever have wanted to change his name from Davis?

Shari

[PeeWee]

Originally Posted by InsideOut

Thanks PeeWee! Rob & I just have one question..why would he ever have wanted to change his name from Davis?

Shari

Shari/Rob

If everything was equal and on a level playing field Wally might have remained a Davis.

With his parents divorced at the age thee in 1899, and his mother remarrying a few years later, he was probably adopted. His mother would be responsible for allowing the change, since Wally was too young to contest or consent.

One of the indicators that he was probably adopted was his selective service card. It required his legal name, which was Wallace Merle Davis.

One can weave a tale or story that the change was made because of Carrie Biswell Byam's divorce from Bert Byam in 1899. A bitter feeling may have guided this part of Wally's history. There may be several other reasons and not this one.

There maybe many reasons for him to retain the name Davis until after he graduated from Stanford. Again speculate that with Dave Davis and his mother deceased he was able to choose his birthright. The specific reason is not known. You can speculate that he retained the Davis surname for financial reasons. Who knows?

He did, after graduation from Stanford, change his surname back to his birth name Byam.

The name change-change-change is another of those stories of Wally's life.

[Aerowood]

Good one Shari, It took me a confused second before the smile came to my face

[PeeWee]

Originally Posted by Aerowood

Good one Shari, It took me a confused second before the smile came to my face

Shari,

That is one gottcha for you.

It is time to add this one to the score board.

It is always a pleasure to be uped by a funster.

Dale

[InsideOut]

Gotcha...teeheehee!

Shari Davis