Payne Dancing Academy

On Wednesday February 1, 1922 William D. Taylor left on foot for a dance lesson at the Payne Dancing Academy at 2018 Orange Street at 5:00pm. Between 5:00pm and 6:00pm he had a dancing lesson from his regular teacher, Mrs. Lenore Waybright. After the lesson, Taylor walked home.

Background: The Payne Academy was located at the corner of Orange and Alvarado Streets. It's important to note that this section of Orange Street bordering Westlake Park (now McArthur Park) was renamed Wilshire in the 1930s. The Payne Academy started in 1913 at 2018 Orange St. by Lillian Payne and was 1/4 mile from Wm Taylor's apartment. An interesting find was that Frank L Shaffer (who was living at 410B S. Alvarado in 1922) made an arrangement with Henry Laub in April 1920 for a 50 year lease of the property at the SE corner of Alvarado and Orange Street (126 ft on Alvarado & 176 ft on Orange) where Shaffer planned to build a 4 story building. There were rumors that the lease included the Payne Academy but Lillian Payne adamantly said her building wasn't included in the planned lease.
The Owner: Lillian M Gaubatz (Payne, Casaretto, Campbell, Truitt) (b. 28 April 1886 in Eau Claire, Wisconsin & d. 16 Jan 1975 Los Angeles County, CA). Lillian was 5'5" in stature with brown eyes and brown hair. She had an olive complexion with a strait mouth and a round chin. Lillian married Leroy Payne and had one daughter Lenore Payne (b. 2 August 1908 Los Angeles County, CA). On August 13, 1923 Lillian married Louis Casaretto (b. Turkey). Lillian Payne Casaretto & her daughter Lenore Payne in 1923

The Instructor: Wm Taylor's regular teacher was Lenore I. Whitmore Waybright (b. 28 June 1882 Minnesota & d. 25 Jan 1963 Orange Co, CA).
1882: Lenore was the daughter of Canadian born John R Whitmore & his wife, Mary.
1900: Santa Cruz, CA- Lenore "Lottie" age 18 was living with her parents & older sister Olivia.
1906: Lenore married salesman/realtor John Samuel Waybright (b. 4 Sept 1871 VA & d. 23 Oct 1957 Orange Co, CA)
1910: 1293 35th St, Los Angeles- Lenore was living with her husband John, a real estate broker.
1915 LA City Directory: 2826 1/2 W 9th- John was a manager at the American Bank Building
9 Jan 1920: 2737 1st St, Los Angeles- Lenore was living with her husband John, a salesman, and her widowed mother, Mary.
1922-1926: 2521 1/2 W 3rd St, Los Angeles- Lenore was living with her husband John, a real estate broker