Alexander City High School - Echo Yearbook (Alexander City, AL)

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CLASS PROPHECY I WAS ON A FAST AIRLINER, HOMEWARD BOUNO, AFTER HAVINC BEEN AWAY MANY YEARS. My THOUGHTS NATURALLY TURNED TO THOSE I KNEW LONG AGO ANO I BEGAN TO WONDER WHAT HAO BECOME OF MY OLD CLASSMATES WHO GRAOUATEO ON THAT MEMORABLE DAY IN NINETEEN HUNDRED THIRTY-SIX. I DEC I DEO TO OCCUPY MY MIND BY READING SOME MAGAZINES I HAO BROUGHT ALONG. ON THE FRONT OF A SPORTS MAGAZINE WHICH I PICKED UP WAS A PICTURE OF HERBERT THOMAS, THE W OR L 0 S HEAVY-WEIGHT CHAMPION. BELOW WAS A NOTE EXPLAINING THAT THE PIC- TURE WAS TAKEN FROM ONE PAINTED BY BERT BAILEY, ARTIST OF WIOE RENOWN, WHOSE SPECIALTY IS PUGILISTS. I TURNED THE COVER ANO SAW AN ARTICLE ON FOOTBALL BY OTIS HARDY, THE GREAT COACH OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA. 0 another page, Barnes Smith, the mighty baseball pitcher, was featured in A CEREAL ADVERTISEMENT. I NEXT BEGAN LOOKING THROUGH A MOVIE MAGAZINE, WHERE I NOTICED AN ARTICLE ENTITLED THE PRIVATE LIF E OF EVELYN BROWN . I READ IT ANO FOUND THAT EVELYN HAD DANCED HER WAY TO STARDOM. |N THE SAME MAGAZINE WAS BEAUTY SECRETS OF THE STARS , EDITH PETERS PAGE, IN WHICH SHE EXPLAINED THE PROPER USE OF LIPSTICK. ABOUT THAT TIME I SAW A LARGE CITY ON THE HORIZON ANO ASKED THE PILOT WHERE WE WERE. IMAGINE MY SURPRISE TO FIND THAT EnNIS JOHNSTON WAS THE PILOT. HE TOL0 ME THAT WE WERE NEARING ALEXANDER ClTY, WHICH IN RECENT YEARS HAD BEEN ON A BOOM AND HAD GROWN QUITE EXTENSIVELY. WE LANOED AT THE AIRPORT, AND I DECIDED TO LOOK THE TOWN OVER. I WENT INTO A LARGE DEPARTMENT STORE OWNED BY JOHN Ballard. Inside was Lola Mae Sewell, a sales-woman, trying to induce Edith Ham to bwy a dress that was being mooeleo by Eoelene Cook. I left THE STORE, ATTRACTED BY A LARGE CROWD AT THE COURTHOUSE. I WENT IN TO F FINO THAT ELOISE HARRIS WAS S0EING RUSSELL SEWELL FOR BREACH OF PROMISE ELOISE HAO EMPLOYEO JESSIE FuTRXl, EMINENT WOMAN LAWYER, WHILE JlMMIE Duncan was ably defending Russell. The stern judge was Eloridge Nix. It SEEMED THAT THERE WAS SOME DISTURBANCE BECAUSE OF THE ABSENCE OF ONE OF the jurors. About that time Harolo Langley, the missing juror, rushed in AND EXPLAINED THAT HE WAS LATE BECAUSE HE HAD TO MILK THE COW. I LEFT THE COURT IN AN UPROAR. I WENT ON TO OROP IN ON LESTER BLACKBURN, A LOCAL UNDERTAKER. I ASKED HIM HOW BUSINESS WAS, AND HE REPOiED THAT SINCE Marvin Crawforo had finished Medical School ano hao come to town to prac- tice MEOICINE, THE UNDERTAKING BUSINESS WAS ON A BOOM. HE WENT FURTHER TO T£LL ME THAT MARY TURNER, WHO RAISES FLOWERS AND SHRUBBERY AND FURNISHES MOST 0 THE FUNERALS, BAD ENLARGED HER PLACE TWO-FOLD. I TOLO LESTER THAT I WOULD SEE HIM AGAIN, ANO STARTED OOWN TO THE OFF ICE OF THE tDAILY BLAH? A LOCAL NEWSPAPER, WITH THE INTENTION OF CALLING ON CHARLES COTTON, THE EO I TOR-1N-CHI EF, BUT ELOISE WHITE, WHO WAS BUSY WRITING HER GOSSIP COLUMN TOLO ME THAT HE HAO GONE TO THE W A C H S RAOIO STATION, WHERE THERE WAS A NATION-WIOE BROADCAST FEATURING ANNIE LAURIE THOMPSON, PIANIST, ANO Mary Smith, singer. Since it was her business to be informeo about such things, I ASKED ELOISE IF SHE C0UL0 TELL ME ABOUT SOME OF OUR OLO CLASS- MATES. From her I learneo that Jessie Myrle Bolan had married Charlie Lee Ray, the rich banker, but that they fought all the time except when Jessie Myrle was spending some of his money. She also told me that Eloise Lennard was making a world tour, gibing musical concerts. Eloise Davis WAS OIRECTOR OF GIRLS1 ATHLETICS AT A C H S, THAT MARGIE KNIGHT ANO MELBA Neighbors were members of the faculty ano that Lillian Williamson was an 19

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CLASS HISTORY Cur War for Knowledge War was formally declared September 8, 1921 .. We were sent by am- bitious, LOVING PARENTS TO SECURE KNOWLEDGE THAT WOULO ENABLE US TO OVER- COME THE FUTURE BATTLCS OF LIFE. The CONQUEST BE6AN when WE ARRIVED TO BE LED BY OUR FIRST CAPTAIN, Miss Janey Street. Qur Commanoer-in-Chief was and still is our beloved Professor Jim Pearson Being shy» timid, ano untrained soloiers, we were USHERED INTO A NEW AND TOTALLY UNKNOWN REALM. CUR LEADER, THOUGH, REALIZ- ING OUR TIMIDITY, IMMEDIATELY TOOK US IN COMMAND. SHARING WITH US HER TRAINING ANO SYMPATHETIC UNDERSTANDING, SHE GUIDEO US SUCCESSFULLY THROUH OUR FIRST CAMPAIGN. In the following six years, battles were lost and won. Some sol- oiers OROPPEO BY THE WAY ANO OTHERS ENLISTEO. NOT TO BE FORGOTTEN ALSO ARE THOSE DAYS OF LEAVE OR HOLIDAYS THAT WERE PERMITTED US. DURING THIS TIME THE CARES OF BATTLE WERE CAST ASIDE, BUT WHEN THE TIME CiME, WE WERE ALWAYS WILLING ANO READY TO RESUME OUR QUEST. Then came that great oay when we went over the top, that being our EVENTFUL ENTRY INTO HIGH SCHOOL. AGAIN WE WERE USHERED INTO AN ENVIRON- MENT ENTIRELY NEW, BUT HAVING GAINEO EXPERIENCE FROM OUR FORMIR TRAINING WE WERE NOT FRIGHTENEO BY THE SIGHT OF A BROAOER FIELO. We WERE LEO FORTH THROUGH THE FIRST FEW SKIRMISHES BY OUR LIEUTENANT, MlSS LEVIS CARLISLE, AND OUR CAPTAIN, Mr. J- L GREGORY. THESE LEAOERS MADE US REALIZE THAT TO WIN GREATER BATTLES WE MUST FIRST GAIN VICTORY IN LESSER BATTLES. In 1933 Mr. Gregory resigned and was replaced by Mr. I. I. Fox, who has remained OUR CAPTAIN FROM THAT TIME. In 1933 OUR REGIMENT SPREAO OUT FOR THE FIRST TIME. Some soldiers went as scouts in the field of science, some in the FIELO OF MATHEMATICS, SOME IN THE FIELD OF HISTORY, AND STILL OTHERS IN BUSINESS FIELDS. THOUGH WE WERE SOMEWHAT SCATTERED, OUR POSITION AS ONE REGIMENT WAS STILL UNITED UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF MlSS CELIA DEAN AND Mr. J. C. Alison over a span of three years. We WERE PROMOTED IN RANK YEAR AFTER YEAR UNTIL NOW WE HAVE REACHEO THE LAST GREAT BATTLE OF THIS DETACHMENT. NOW, HAVING RECEIVEO THE FULL BENEFIT OF OUR TRAINING, WE ARE PLACED IN RANK FAR SUPERIOR TC THAT OF THOSE SOLDIERS JUST NOW ENLISTING. In THIS LAST BATTLE WE STARTED UNDER THE SUPERVISION OF MlSS DOROTHY HaGOOD, WHO WAS RE PLACED BY Mr. JOHN Coley. Now THAT THE FINAL BATTLE OF THIS WAR HAS BEEN WON, THE ARMISTICE IS TO BE SIGNEO MAY 22. SOME OF US WILL ENTER ANOTHER GREAT WAR FOR KNOW- LEDGE, AT SOME COLLEGE OR UNIVERSITY. To THOSE SOLOIERS WHO DO NOT GO TO COLLEGE, MAY YEARS OF AMBITIOUS AND EARNEST EFFORT MAKE THEM GOOD AND SUCCESSFUL CITIZENS. MAY THOSE SOLDIERS WHOSE TERM IN THE ARMY IS NOT YET OVER KEEP KEEPING ON UNTIL THEY HAVE ATTAINED THEIR ilNAL GOAL, WHICH IS KNOWLEDGE. MaY ALL OF US REMEMBER WHAT WE LEARNED LONG AGO - THAT ONLY BY WINNING SMALL BATTLES MAY WE HOPE TO WIN THE GREAT ONES. Class Historian 18 Mary Smith

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Eye Specialist. As I left the office of the Da il y Blah , I met Oarwin Dobbs. He tolo me that he was Chevrolet Dealer in Alexander City, and of- fered TO TAKE ME FOR A TRIAL R I OE IN THE NEW 19 6 CHEWY. I ACCEPTED ANO AS WE SPEO ALONG J H E HIGHWAY HE TURNEO ON THE RAOIO TO SHOW ME WHAT A GOOD ONE IT WAS, BUT WE GOT ONLY WHAT WE THOUGHT WAS STATIC UNTIL THE AN- NOUNCER SAID WE HAD JUST HEARO A DEBATE BETWEEN PEGGY HOWELL ANO PARALEE Nix on the subject Gentlemen Prefer Blondes , andthat next Carolyn Day WOULO GIVE A LECTURE ON HOW TO BECOME PLEASINGLY PLUMP . ABOUT THIS TIME WE DROVE UP TO RALPH DaVIS1 NIGHT CLUB, THE JcKLGK0JSCNH , ON LAKE Martin, where Lauchlin Hunter was entertaining with his orchestra of m i o- GETS. We DECIDEO TO GO IN, ANO INSIDE I SAW GEORGE BAILEY, WHO TOLO ME HE HAO JUST RETURNEO FROM EXPLORING THE WILOS OF AFRICA BUT WAS NOW STUMPEO BY THE WILES OF WOMEB. OVER AT A CORNER TABLE, TAKING DINNER, I WAS GLAD to see Sara Frances Chapman, society leaoer, with Johnie Louise Nolen, THE FAMED WOMAB SENATOR, ANO HER CAMPAIGN MANAGER, HELEN PORCH. ABOUT THAT TIME, SOME ONE GRABBED BY BUTTON HOLE AND THRUST A BIG CIGAR INTO MY HANO, AND I TURNED AND CONFRONTED HERMAN CARLISLE, REPUBLICAN POLITICIAN. HE WAS JUST IN THE ACT OF TELLING ME WHY I SHOULD VOTE FOR HIM IN THE N NEXT ELECTION, WHEN IN BURST JOHN HOLLEY, PUBLIC ENEMY NUMBER 329, WITH A FORTY-FIVE IN ONE HANO ANO A TOMMY GUN IN THE OTHER, ROBBED THE CASH REG- ISTER ANO DEPARTED AS SWIFTLY AS HE HAO APPEARED, LEAVING EVERYONE PARA- LYZEO BY FEAR AND AMAZEMENT. No SOONER HAD HE GONE, THAI IN RUSHED WlLMOT Brown, ace. oetective, the modern Sherlock Holmes, who immediately picked UP HIS CLUES ANO WAS BUT mFTER HIS MAN. THAT NIGHT AFTER I HAO LEFT THE CLUB I TOOK COUNT AND FOUND THAT I HAO SE8N OR HEARD ABOUT ALL OF MY OLD CLASSMATES. IT1S A FUNNY WORLO, AFTER ALL; BUT THEN IT1S NEVER OUT AND IT 1 S NEVER OVER; IT GOES ON ANO ON FOREVER. Joel Graves Class Prophet 20