Aledo High School - Astrum (Aledo, IL)

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Qlrc.-az: fllgiainrg The class of 1940 always seemed to do the unexpected. As soon as they landed in high school, the school was more spicy, almost as if some pepper had been sprinkled in the Student Body. Although the class was not net officially organized, they decided to have a minstrel Show. It was a huge success and with the proceeds they bought books for the school library. It was then that the boys' ballet was started, Also, that freshman year Doris Witt made a name for herself in speech contests. Maxine War- nock won the G. A. A. Amateur Contest that year. Their sophomore year was rather uneventful. Later events seem to indicate that they were just taking a breath'ng spell before they started on the flurry of their Junior and Senior years. Once again Doris entered the speech contests and once again she did very well, The class also gave an assembly program that year, but on the whole, it was a rather quiet year. When the school doors opened in the fall of 1938, the class of 1940 entered its Junior year. That fall the class was organized officially for the first time. Once again, Maxine Warnock won the G. A. A. Amateur Contest. Early in the January of 1939 they gave a Variety Show. It had several acts in it and it was at that show that Ward Warnock made his acting ability known. He was the matador in the presenta- tion of "Ferdinand, the Bull." The boys' ballet also performed again that year in the Variety Show. For the first time in its history, the class of 1940 gave a three-act play, "The Whole Town's Talking." Ward Warnock carried on the reputation that he had made earlier in the year. A few days after the class play, the Juniors gave a "prom" for the Senior Class of 1939. It was the most elaborate f'prom" ever given in the gym. They stretched a star-spangled sky across the gym, placed ten foot Hawaiian scenes around the gym, and used silver paper to complete the color scheme of blue and silver. That year Doris Witt again represented the school in serious readings at contests, It was that year that the voice of Margaret Willits was noticed. She represented the school in girls' voice and nelped us win the Military Tract cup. The girls' sextette was organized that year under the direction of Mr. Ohlsen and three of its members were from the class of 1940. 1939 made history in the football annals of Aledo High School because our football team had an undefeated season. Several Juniors were on the team and many were on the squad. In their Senior year, another three-act play was given, HNew Brooms." Once again, Ward made his part outstanding. It was that year that the Student Council was organized, largely through the efforts of the Senior Class and the united support of the student body. When the contests started in the spring of 1940, the Senior Class sent as repre- sentatives of the school, Doris Witt, Verna French, and Charles Gunnell in speech and Margaret Willits in music. Margaret went to the national music contest and so did the girls' sextette which had five senior girls in it. Verna French and Kenneth Brown were named as the valedictorian and saluta- torian of the class, as they had the highest scholastic standing for the four years of high school, Altogether, the class of 1940 made its mark in the Aledo High School, and will not be soon forgotten.

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Mary's bridge party was very successful the other day, and I was glad to be here for it. Betty Curtis Sloan, Mary Lee Boultinghouse, Betty Wakeland Hood, Frances Smith, Verna Lawson, Pauline Andress Gunnell, Mrs. Fred Brown, nee Dorothy McCrefght, Ganna Fraser, Fern Riddell Spons- ler, Marjorie Robison, and Rose Pattison Kimball were all present and dragged their present husbands along. Betty and Sam Sloan are so happy. They are living on a huge farm not far from here. They have three of the sweetest children, all girls. One ten, another eight, and the other five. Sam inherited a great deal of money a few years ago and he is using some of that capital in his experimental farming work. I understand that he is worth a great deal of money, and indications are that this is true. Their home is a real mansion with all the latest "non-electricl' gadgets. Bib and Frank were married just ten years ago yesterday. Frank is sheriff of Mercer County and has a remarkable record for the swift solution of crimes. He, Earl Kistler, and Jack Fraser, his deputies, are kept busy both night and day these times, what with the coming election, and Ganna and Bib are quite lonesome, mainly in the evening, for their children are getting to the point that they enjoy going to the Boy Scout meeting and also the Campfire Girls. John and Rose Kimball run an exclusive dairy farm two miles east of Aledo, and Helen, if you could only see their fine cattle! Marjorie and Dean Robison are two lovely people. ll.Iarjorie used to be a Peterson, you know. She fits in beautifully with Dean's sense of humor. Dean 'is county recorder, and is one of the leaders of the Republican party in Mercer County. I haVen't seen their little girl, Marjorie, who is seven, but I hear that she is quite lively and full of fun like her father, and just as sweet as her mother. Mar- jor'e worked as Dean's deputy recorder for some time before their marriage in 1952, so they understand each other's whims and fancies. You remember Fern Riddell, of course. She was always so well dressed and immaculate looking. Well, she is now Mrs. Robert Sponsler. They make a strik- ing pair, and I am so glad for both of them in their happi- ness. The Fred Browns and the Charles Gunnells live on farms near here. Pauline Andress Gunnell is still a tireless worker. She has launched a dude farm and is making it psy well. She is happy in her work as she and her old fr'ond, Betty Wakeland Hood, are working together. Betty and Pauline together think up the most original ideas for their farm, and are attracting guests from the Chicago area. They usually can contact them through the military sohool. The two husbands manage the riding lessons and the stables. Their guests are given an opportunity of going into the fields and working when the grain is harvested and everything. It pays to have novel ideas. The men also have to manage all the men who are the manual laborers and they have undertaken quite a task, but they are proud and happy in their work and what more can one ask. Mrs. Fred Brown, nee Dorothy McCreight, loves her farm home and her six children as well as she adores the ground Fred walks on. The beautiful result of this is a perfect home. David Lawson has g'ven up his efforts to be a farmer and is now making a most competent mayor of Aledo. Verna Lawson plays her role as the mayors' wife in a very gracious manner, and bears the brunt of David's jokes with a loving smile and a warm heart. Dave is still as popular as ever, and has continued the good record with his three boys. They are always going hiking, camping, or fishing together, and Verna goes right along with them. Frances Smith, Vern's old buddy is as gay as ever and happy in her school teacher's role. She 'vows she will never marry, but we laugh at her and the girls continue trying to find her a man. Martha Jean Davis is in California working as a woman director. She makes a marvelous director because she has such a winning way with people. I have read in the movie magaz'nes that she is seen at different places with Donald Ohlsen, who is playing character bits as an old man in the movies, but their friendship is only rumor. Joan Essley is in Holywood, living with Martha Jean, and teaching the younger movie set their A.B.C.'s along wth Physical Edu- cation courses which she holds for office-tired movie execu- tives and screen-tired movie stars. The girls at the bridge club were telling me that both- Oralee and Tyra Ruggles are doing social work among the tenant farmers of the South. The girls are real workers and have such pleasing personalities that I know they must be dofng a fine piece of work. V Mildred Taylor McCreight, Maxine VVarnock fwho is rest- ing between matrimonial ventures at presentb, and my own dear wife, Margaret Thornton walked in just as I finished wrfting the last sentence. The two girls, Margaret and Max were anxious to hear about you and my coming election as they have been in New York collaborating on popular songs for a musical comedy to be staged there soon, and knew little about your work until Everette mentioned it last night at the dinner table. Everette is quite interesting lately, because he is taking a great interest in boy scouts and can tell you how to start a fire with a couple of damp leaves or, if necessary, a kitchen match. He is still as fine and clean cut as ever, and he and Mildred are very comfortable in their new bungalow. Their oldest daughter starts to high school next fall and Mildred says that the little girl is thrilled over the fact. Her other daughters, Joan and Jean, are in the fifth grade. They are in the same grade because Joan Hunked one year. She certainly takes after her mother. Everette is working at the light company now. Did I tell you? He was promoted to manager a year ago when Earl Kistler transferred to another town where he is sectional manager. I understand that his five children were quite sad when they had to leave. They all love grandfather Blazer so much. Mildred was telling me that all of the boys down at the light company are bachelors, and they have great fun enter- ta'ning her three children, J. C. McCaw, Maynard Minteer, Donald Pattison, Kenneth Patterson, Clifford Stevens, Frank Seefeld, and Richard Armstrong, are all on the force down there. J. C. M':Caw has quite an interest in Garland Ruggles' stock breeding farm, but Garland does most of the manual labor while J. C. comes into town every day to work. Those two claim that they wouldn't get married for anything now because t'1ev'd miss each other too much. They are just regular old bachelors at heart, Lyle Tschappat and Perry Eckhardt both used to work at the light company, but when Ward Warnock came to town with his play, he pleaded with the boys to go with him as electrician for the show. Ward's humor is winning him a great deal of fame, and someday, Helen, I expect we will be see'ng him play on Broadway. He has been getting some real "breaks" fas he calls theml. Last week he fin- ished his run at the Selwyn Theatre in Chicago. Remem- ber when we saw John Barrymore there? Let me see, you were my third wife, weren't you? I lose track every once in awhile. Oh, Helen, the telephone just rang. It was Doris asking me to meet her down town, I must go and dress now. I will be down to see you and your family as soon as possible. Give them all my regard. Your former husband, Edwin Thornton

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an' L :Q I . ' Marena Johnson Elmer Kuehl Rachel Beachler Betty Bailey Robert Anderson , ,. f' 5 k Q .fp ig f 1, t v 1 1, ug lah' l 1.-M ' '37 '- N'. v "'f"" - 3 Q' ,l ,1 4 I fi' 'fl liffhgul we A, 4 "v,4, vw Q +"' uw s K, 1,5 n :1:5'1' ' w' ,A 'M f2,jg.,Q. fs Q..-Wi, JUNIORS Donald Rose Lee Gray Alice Mae Lewis Helen Tschappat Donovan Hutchins Evora Howlett Lauren Whitney Frances Hudson Richard Brown Dorothy Weeks Dortha Ruggles Richard Bigham Marvin Benson Leroy Whitman Jim McFarland