Clay City High School - Claytonian Yearbook (Clay City, IL)

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CLAYTONIAN; Gwendolyn Cockeral and George Ilighsmith joined our ranks but Gwendolyn departed after only three days’ work and George became homesick in a month and left also. We decided to publish a bi-monthly naper. “The Fang”, with the assistance of three other crews. Betty Rae Dewhirst, Myona Schnautz and Beulah Thomas were selected as representatives from our crew. Several parties were held and all of us enjoyed our work very much. Members of our crew took part in two plays and played on the basketball team. In the early Summer we were again forced to stop for a short time, but before departing for our respective homes we had another outing at Forest Park. On September 1. 1938, we reassembled to complete the construction of the bridge which we had labored on for three long years. Seven new members were added to our crew from another one which had been working a few miles north of us for three years, making a total of thirty. As this was the all important year two Gang advisors, Mr. Shafer and Mr. Barnett, were chosen. Robert Bokenkamp, Gerald Murvin, Myona Schnautz. Sadie Crackel and Beulah Thomas were elected to assist them. The publication of “The Fang” was continued and seven of our members were represented on the staff Two of our members. Harold Dular.ey and Leo Atkisson, thought they saw better opportunities in another kind of work and parted company with us. We were sorry to see our friends of so many years leave, but settled down with a grim determination to finish the task at hand. In the Spring our crew selected their representatives for King and Queen and placed them in competition with those of other crews. After two weeks of hotly contested battle we elected our representatives by a narrow margin with a last minute rush of votes. Our crew decided to publish a book on their efforts of the past four years, describing their pleasures and hardships in the long battle against the treacherous river. Each member of the crew was given a portion of work to be done and responded nobly. Betty Rae Dewhirst was selected as Editor-in-chief with Mr. Barnett as advisor. Under their guiding hands the “Claytonian” gradually took shape. At length it was completed and if it serves the purpose for which it was intended—that of bringing back in fond reminiscence the days gone by—the members of our crew will have been well repaid for their efforts. And now our work is finished. After four long years, which now seem all too short, we have conquered the mighty river of Education and our bridge, magnificent in its splendor, spans yon river for all to see. With heavy hearts we bid farewell to our fellow workers of the past four years and start anew, in our several directions, in search of new worlds to conquer. MILDRED WILSON NETEEN HUNDRED THIRTY NINE

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CONSTRUCTION OF TIIE SENIOR CLASS BRIDGE CLA YTONIAN: On September 1, 1935. a contract was signed by twenty-six industrious workers to construct a bridge by which we might cross the deep, dark river of Education. It was estimated that about four years would be required to complete the construction of this bridge, and as a matter of convenience it was decided that our directing officers should be changed once a year. For the first year's work Miss Hazel Mae Clark was chosen as our Gang advisor with the following directors: President, Hugh Pilson; Vice-president, John Bones, Jr.; Secretary, Beulah Thomas; Treasurer. Elnora Wilson; and News Reporter, Gerald Murvin. After a few months of hard labor our Gang decided to have a “Tacky Party” and invited two other construction crews working nearby to join us. Everyone came dressed in their “tacky” clothes and a most delightful evening was enjoyed. We returned to our work the next day much refreshed. After Christmas a new member, Herschel Rodgers, was taken into our Gang but, being weak and unable to stand the strenuous work, left us in a few months. Our guests at the previous party invited us on an all-day picnic at the park in Salem and after much pleading Miss Clark gave us permission to go. Due to extremely high waters our construction work was stopped for ; short time. When we were ready to resume work Francis Alcorn, Melba Bissev, Floretta Busenhart. Mary nne Hobbs and Nancy White were found to be missing. Only two replacements could be found in Robert Bokenkamp and James Sexton. We reorganized with Mr. Shafer as Gang advisor, assisted by President Mildred Wilson, Vice-president James Sexton. Secretary Sadie Crackel, Treasurer Garland Hunley, and News Reporter Betty Rae Dewhirst. The construction work was going along nicely when Elnora Wilson and Ada Belle Patterson found the work too strenuous and departed. Mr. Shafer decided we needed more recreation so we had a “Kid Party” at which all present were dressed as “infants”. We also started working on a play and the members of our crew helped form a basketball team. The play. “The Blue Bag”, was a success and we cleared forty-two dollars. This money was later used for a reception in honor of another construction crew working nearby which had its bridge about three-fourths completed. Disaster overtook one of our best workers. Junior Bones, in a basketball game in the Little Wabash tournament and he was unable to rejoin us for several weeks. Work progressed rapidly, however, until a shortage of material caused a shut-down for nearly three months. Before breaking up, our crew, in company with two others, journeyed to St. Louis to spend the day at Forest Park. During the lay-off we enrolled four new members in our Gang—Letha McKinney. Everett Miller. Harold Dulaney and Hubert Smith. Miss Zinkler was se.ected as our advisor with Gerald Murvin as President. Junior Bones as his assistant. Everett Miller to keep a record of our deeds. Robert Bokenkamp as paymaster, and Betty Rae Dewhirst as our news hound. NINETEEN HUNDRED THIRTY NINE

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SENIOR CLASS PROPHECY CLA YTONIAN; There was no distance traveled. It was like the coming of a dawn after night. It seemed like a dream in which I saw a multitude. And there was a multitude, the 1939 class. Of those things I heard and saw, these in themselves seemed prophetic: Betty Rae Dewhirst had taken up nursing after graduation and had become famous for her skill on important emergency cases. She fell victim to the charms of one of her patients, a Mr. John Bones, Jr., and they are now happily married and have a beautiful estate on Long Island. Sadie Marie Crackel studied abroad and then returned to become the leading novelist and short story writer of the world. She was recently awarded the Pulitizer Prize for her endeavors. Beulah Thomas gained fame as a radio singer. The first production in which she starred, “Over the Waves”, had a record run of six years on Broadway. She has also appeared in many musical shorts for the movies on the side. Myona Schnautz studied abroad and then returned to become one of the leading artists of the world. She innovated the art of painting pictures on stainless steel and regularly does all art work for occupants of the White House. Gliferd Travis, who had taken to herself a husband soon after graduation, moved to Chicago and spends her leisure hours studying law. Altnough she does not practice it much, her services are greatly in demand, particularly on important cases. Bernette Phillips won a beauty contest and was awarded a trip to California. While there, a scout lor Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer saw her and immediately gave her a long term contract. Her first starring picture was “Those blonde headed rsovs and tor her endeavors in this picture she was awarded the much coveted title “best performance of the year.” Kaye Erlene Sanders continued her study in Home Economics after graduation and tecame head of the research department at the University of Southern California. Georgia Scrugham attended business school after graduation and was then employed as a government stenographer. By diligent work she steadily climbed toward the top of her chosen profession and is now chief secretary for the President. Mildred Wilson gained fame as a reporter for the New York Times. She received her early training for this while a member of the staff of the “Fang in her school days. Mildred likes best to cover mystery cases. In this respect she has far outclassed “Jane Arden.” Letha McKinney, after many years of study, published her first book of poems. Critics proclaim it the best poetry of the 20th century. In her work she combines the best features of Whittier and Poe. •NINETEEN HUNDRED THIRTY NINE