Ben Davis High School - Keyhole Yearbook (Indianapolis, IN)

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SENIOR CLASS PROPHECY On the front page of the paper is an article describing Mayor Denton Carlton's aims to fur- ther city development. On the same page there is an editorial by lack Pearcy commending the work of District Attorney Warren Brown and his deputies, George Freund, Iimmie Iones, and William Martin, in combating crime in our city. There is also a review of Ambassador Wil- liam Nelson's good will tour around the world. As I turn the page, I see a picture of Colonel Bob Nowlin, the new commander of Stout Field. Other officers on his staff are Captain George Mil- ler, Major Bob Smith, and Lieutenant Colonel Walter Smith, The article also mentions several members of the W. A. C. who had recently transferred to Stout Field. Among them were Grace White, Betty Armstrong, Peggy Craig, and Norma Eastridge. As I turn to the sports page, I see that Mauler Merrick came out victorious over Bulldog Bristow in the championship wrestling bout last night, and Coach Ray Spurlock's pro-basket- ball team won the International trophy. There is a picture of the team, and I recognize Don Cooper, Bob Risley, Harley Adams, Ed Stegemoller and Evan Fine. On the next page I see that limmie Kelley has written another new song hit called the Fruit Salad Song or When lt's Apple Blossom Time in Orange, New Iersey, We'll Make a Peach of a Pair. Then I see an advertisement of the new movie, He's in the Navy Now, starring Pat Bauder. ' As I salvage the last bits of information from the newspaper, a glance at my watch proves I have just time to catch my plane back East. There were many more of my old friends with whom I should like to have visited, had I had time. Ioe Gillaspy is president of a bank, and Ioe Price, George Gaddie, and Earl Goddard ane lawyers, Iames Cox is an admiral, Keith Kurtz and Harvey Greene are shoe salesmen in William Kinser's department store. Don Stone is a boxer, Iarnes Walters owns a drug storey and Evelyn Doan, Barbara Conner, Marilyn Cox, leanne Mitchell, and Clara Mae Mohr are stenographers. Margaret Schuh is a teacher of hor- ticulture, Donna Madden, Thora Feltis, Evelyn Stockoff, lean Davis, Billie Kean, and Charlotte Hanson are women police. Albert Illg is a weight lifter in a circus, and Marjorie Morgan is pro- prietor of a riding stable. Since Bill Freije inherited a million dollars from his rich uncle, he is taking life easy. Mary Bright is a housemaid, and Helen Ervin is a cosmetics saleswoman. Ioyce Lewis, Alice Mellinger, Mary Reeves, Betty Means, loan Watson, Maxine Hodson, Lelah Trester, Shirley Brizendine, Gertrude Lentz, Phyllis Kieffer, Martha Smith, and Phyllis Stiles are housewives. Marjorie Saxe is clerk in a department store, and Lucille Morris and Rosemary Kafouras are librarians in the state library. Robert Dickerson and Charles Lewis are farmers. Donald Gentry is a piano tuner. Doris Galbreath is an author. Wendell Smith is a baseball pitcher, Irene Bu- trum, Elenora Craig, and Iune Casmire are air hostesses, Phyllis Frye, Lillian Gibson, Pat Glass, and Norma Hall are school teachers, lean Gastino, Laura France, Mildred Earles, and Wilma Iones are telephone operators, Dale Haley and Kenny Iohnson own a hotel, and Ruby Woehl- ecke, Donna Morgan, and Barbara Ruhl are waitresses in a restaurant nearby. Lila Ann Muzzy, Betty Penrose, and Fern Stout are dieticians. Dorothy Skaggs and lean Lawson own a grocery store, and Alta Smith, Margaret Morris, Lucille Price, and Wanda Kersey are clerks in the store. Dorothy Watts writes a column of advice for the lovelorn in the daily paper. Bonita Glidewell, Ioan Sanders, Catherine Timberman, and Donna Shaffer are nurses: and Bernard Short and Marion Thomas are doctors. I, Max Moore, hate to leave old Ben Davis, but, being dean of girls at Vassar University is not a small job, and anyway, I rather like the work, Still I wish this one day could have been a little longer, so I might have visited all my old classmates and further discussed the happy mem- ories we shared as members of the class of '45, ' 23

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SENIOR CLASS PROPHECY As I enter Ben Davis, I am astounded at the tremendous strides our city has taken in the last fifteen years. It has grown so fast that it is to become the scene of the 1960 World's Fair. Indianapolis is now merely a suburb of Ben Davis, and its quaint old buildings contrast sharply with the ultra-modern skyscrapers that line the busy streets of Ben Davis. As I stroll down the broad, tree-lined avenues, I catch an occasional glimpse of old familiar faces, and signs of my class of '45. Right across the street I see the Beuke building. It seems that Bob Beuke has become a sec- ond lohn Robert Powers. Coming out of his office are Iulia Adkins and Marjorie Ross. As I stop to talk, I learn that they are modeling a new dress designed by Hilda Dudziak and made of a new transparent fabric invented by Paul Mongan. Just then our conversation is interrupted by the wailing of sirens as two cars dash madly down the street. The girls scream Ernest Grosdidier is loose again, and dash for cover. Finally he is overtaken, and two men in white uniforms drag him struggling into an ambulance, and drive away. As I wander on down the street, I pass a luxurious night club with a sign in front, which reads: 'Club Rowdy: Bob Barker and Earl Fultz, Proprietors. Current Attractions: lack 'Hot Lips' Gilbert and His Band, Featuring Virginia Saters at the Piano, and Songs by Betty lane Scott. As the billing looks good, I go inside. At the door I am greeted by Harold Blunk, who makes a charming doorman in his long coat and brass buttons. But just as I turn to go in, a large black limousine stops in front of the door, and Dewey Lowry, the multi-millionaire, and several of hisfriends, get out. I also recognize Ernest Cook, William Davis, Darwin Wagner, Robert Kreider and Iames Switzer. When I check my coat, I notice the hat check girl as Ianet McKeand. As the headwaiter CEwell Smithl shows me to my table, I see that the show is in progress. Leroy Ott, the great magician, is doing card tricks and performing sleight of hand. At a table near me, I see Alvin Dawson and Eileen Weddle. Suddenly my attention is attracted by a commotion over at one of the tables. Then Iames McCormack fthe bouncerl throws Bob Kellems out because he can't pay his check. Having finished an excellent dinner, I get my coat and leave. As I walk on down the street, I learn more about my classmates. Richard Day owns a bar- ber shop, and Bill Baber is his assistant. Bill Bauke is owner of Bauke's Beanery, a restaurant, and Marilyn Wise is his chief dishwasher. Wayne Williams owns an automobile garage, with Fords as his specialtyg while Richard Deifenderfer tests automobiles to see if they are crash- proof. Roger McCar1n is a boogie-Woogie pianist. Iohnnie Kafoure owns a grocery store, and his assistants are Dorothy Eason, Mary Ann lmhausen, and Vivian Iones. From them I learn that Donna Lunt is a famous figure skater, and Norma Ashley, luanita Becker, and Ronald Bula, Hugh Craig, and Robert Ringlespaugh are school teachers. As I come to a railroad crossing, I find I must wait for a train to pass. Isee that the engineer is Robert Ienkins, and as the cars go rattling by, I see a group of hoboes peer out of an empty boxcar and wave at me. Why, there are Buford Reeves, Alex Yeftich, Don Woodson, Theo- dore Bohne, Delbert Wolfe, Iames Evans, and Elmer Smith! Finally the train passesg and as I cross the track, I am amazed to see the great Broadway producer, Robert Kimmel. He seems quite enthusiastic over the cast of his newest show, and as he names the cast, I can see why. Bernadine Cook is his dancing star, and I recognize Phyllis Bailey at the Hammond organ. I am delighted to hear that he is also booking that famous concert pianist, Iohn Soucie. I find that the show is now playing at the Proffitt theater, named for that famous philanthropist, Don Proffitt. After talking Robert out of a complimentary ticket, I wander on down the street, past shop after shop, where former students of Ben Davis are now successfully plying their trades. Ipass a cleaning establishment run by Claude Knoy, Ruth Lawrence, and Dorothy Lovell: then I see a music store owned by Velma Mattingly and Anna Mae Springer. Suddenly I find myself at a corner newsstand. I buy a paper from George fGeorge Ebert, of coursel and proceed to look for news of my old pals. E 22

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SENIOR CLASS HISTORY As I think back over the four happy years I spent in high school, I wonder how our class grew so large. 'Way back when we were greenies and high school was something we looked on with wonder, there were only about ninety-eight in our class, but now, as we look on life as a great adventure, just as we once regarded high school, we have almost doubled that number. This growth is due partly to the upper classmen who were courteous enough to wait for us, and also to the brainy ones who took high school in leaps and bounds. When we enrolled, we chose as 9A officers, Fred Poland, President, Betty Io Miller, Vice- President, Rosemary Watts, Secretary, and Forrest Muse, Treasurer, with Mr. Walker as class sponsor. The QB officers were Bob Barker, President, julia Adkins, Vice-President, Darlene Al- len, Secretary, Ernest Grosdidier, Treasurer, and Mrs. lay, sponsor. When the new 9B's enrolled, they elected Evan Fine, President, Fern Stout, Vice-President, Mary Cassity, Secretary, Don Fisher, Treasurer, and Mrs. Worrell, class sponsor. The greatest event in our freshman year was the party. We didn't know much about danc- ing, the boys were bashful, and the girls were just a little afraid. But we all went whether we knew how to dance or not, and had a grand time. After the summer vacation, the lUB's went to the new building, leaving the 9A's all alone, so that when they came over in january, the lUB's were quite at home and quick to tease the greenies when they had to ask their way around. But the sophomores seemed just as green to the juniors, and the juniors to the seniors, and so forth. I guess we're always greenies to someone. That year we chose Harley Adams, President, julia Adkins, Vice-President, Marjorie Saxe, Secretary, Bob Barker, Treasurer, and Mrs. Poince, sponsor. When the class party came, we felt just a little more important. We were considerably better at dancing, too, and not nearly so shy. Many of us were able to talk Dad out of the car, and escorting our date to the dance in the family automobile certainly added to our importance. As usual, we all had a swell time. Then, at the close of the year, many of us went to the farewell party. When we returned the next year, we were juniors, and by that time we had begun to notice how fast we were passing through high school. That was a busy year. Our officers were Ernest Grosdidier, President, Marjorie Saxe, Vice-President, julia Adkins, Secretary, Harley Adams, Treasurer, and Miss Winklepleck, sponsor. We all had fun at skating parties, which were planned to raise funds for the junior-senior prom. When April came around, everyone was in a dither about the big event. Girls were worrying about what they were going to wear Cas usualj, and, although they didn't admit it, the boys were excited, too. lust as it had been every other year, we wanted the prom to be the best the school had ever seen. Finally, it came, and everybody was awe-stricken at the beauty of the gym. The whole effect was marvelous, and we were quite pleased with such a 'wonderful farewell to the seniors, and the seniors assured us that they were, too. When we returned to school the next year, we suddenly found ourselves seniors. Already we had begun to look back on our school days with a touch of regret, and now that we had reached our last year, that regret was only emphasized. This year our officers were, President, Harley Adams, Vice-President, julia Adkins, Secretary, Marilyn Wise, Treasurer, Bob Risley, and sponsor, Mrs. Ball. Our senior year was bustling with activity. ,Already we had ordered our class rings, so they would be here in time. In january we received them and were very careful to flaunt them in front of all the underclassmen. Then there were caps and gowns, and countless other things to keep us busy. It was astounding, the rapidity with which the days passed one another, and before we knew it, graduation time was here. Only then did we begin to realize just how much school had meant to us. Now that it was over, I think we all had lumps in our throats as we thought back over some particular incident which we would always remember as an inseparable part of our school days. But it isn't the time for regrets. Now we must look ahead, for we are no longer school kids. We are adults, who must go forth to find our place in society, and join the ranks of the grads of old Ben Davis. But I think I can safely say there isn't one among us who will not look back on his school days as the happiest days of his life. 24