Aledo High School - Astrum (Aledo, IL), Class of 1940, Page 41 of 82

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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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