Clinton High School - Clintonia Yearbook (Clinton, IL)

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+' -----(TJtjj (jHuttmtitt---------------------— I went to Indianapolis from Chicago. You will probably be surprised to know that the manager of the hotel where 1 stayed, while there, was Virginia Hollibaugh’s husband. Marguerite Morin and Ordella Joplin are running a beauty shoppe in Indianapolis and they say that Russell Lampe is one of their most frequent customer. He told me that Frank Grimsley is a florist in Chicago. They say he is quite wealthy. He furnished flowers for all the gangsters’ funerals. Virginia’s husband told me about Charles Andrews. As you remember, Charles always went in big for sports; he took them as his life career. He’s some place in South America and is a very efficient coach of tiddley winks in a big institution. Charles Slusser is assistant coach. I read in the paper while here that Susie Irvine and Gladys White were going to China as missionaries. I spent a few weeks in Philadelphia. While here T visited Marcella Bales, who is one of the greatest emotional actresses of the day. She told me that Paul Justice is a real honest to goodness cowboy on the 101 Ranch in Oklahoma. She also told me that Sarah Littleton and Charlotte Siffert were both country school teachers in Arizona. I also learned that Maynard Andrews follies are quite superior to those of Flo Zeigfields. Somehow or other I had always pictured Maynard in this type of work. Oh, yes, and mustn’t forget Frieda-belle, she is a mannequin in one of the most outstanding shops in Paris. Since that vamp of a Helen Gilliland took Josephine Oakman’s husband back to Denver with her, Josephine has been forced to make her own living. She is adviser of affairs of the heart and home, for some Philadelphia paper. I also hear that John Robison is a life guard on a beach at Miami, and Edna Wade is his second wife. George Davenport is a scientific farmer someplace in the New England States. He is supposedly quite well to do. I went to Boston from Philadelphia by airplane. Merna Hawkins and Faye Manley were the aviatrixs. Geneva Shewmalcer lives in Boston. She’s head nurse of a dog and cat hospital. The first day I was in Boston T walked into a restaurant. I found Charles Alsup was the proprietor. He told me that Merle Callison is the tall man in a circus. lie also told me that Harry Macon is married, and many arc the quarrels between him and his wife as to what breed of chickens they shall raise. Daniel Smith is owner of a shoe shining parlor in Boston. I just finished reading Elizabeth Nelle Barr’s latest novel entitled, “Men Are Brutes But Oh How I Love Em!” She lives in Seattle, Washington and is quite a well known writer of the day. I was in Portland, Maine, a few weeks after leaving Boston. T happened to stop at the same hotel where Wilma Kring was staying, she a suffragette. +• + ----19 31------- Page Twenty-nine

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--------------------------------CItr (CItttftttttrt-------------------------- (Llnss tr jjlti'rg I have been chosen, to herald unto you, this day, the fates of all our classmates in the years to come. I chanced to be in St. Louis, not long ago and as I was walking down the street one day, I came upon a large building with a bold bronze placque, with the inscription, “Adam’s Dancing School.” Just out of curiosity I walked in the building and there in the center of several young and charming ladies was my old classmate “Bob” Adams. Upon talking to Bob a few moments I found that Arrabelle Agee was conducting a school for more, and better speech. Loretta Kirk, I hear, started her business life as a call boy for the I. C. but soon hurt her throat and lost her voice. She is now an instructor at Jacksonville. While in St. Louis I bought a dress in Agnes O’Brien’s and Coyla Barker’s Women’s Readv-to-Wear Shop. From St. Louis I traveled to Chicago. One day I was walking down the street and met my old friend “Beety” Taylor. She told me that she was a matron of an orphan’s asylum in a suburb of that city. She also told me that Dorothea Williams lived in the same block that she did, and that she had been married twice and divorced. The last she married a millionaire and so is quite well fixed, financially. I had always known Dorothy so I drove out to see her, I rang the door bell, the butler answered the door bell, and to my surprise I saw the face of Abner Phares. Too bad. After “Ab” taking all those years to graduate that lie wouldn’t attain a more elevating position. I chatted with Dorothy a few moments and learned that her maid was also one of our classmates, Jane Ely. One evening T went into a shop in Chicago and over in a corner was Ruth Smith, who is now a leader of a large jazz orchestra in that city. Ruth was giggling and laughing as in the old days and I couldn’t blame her for being amused because Richard Hooker did look queer in his ministerial garb. I sat down at the same table and there happened to be several graduates from the class of ’31 present. The waitress at our table was Ella Mae Huff. Analee Metz was there and I noticed she could not talk. I remarked to Grace Langel-lier about it and she told me that one day Analee had become excited and caught her tongue between her teeth and bit it off. She plays the piano in some night club. Grace Langellier, by the way, has established a select slang school and is an artist at her profession. I received a letter from Helen Wright the other day and she’s a stenographer in a large garage in Lane, 111. Poor girl, she couldn’t attain the position she wanted badly and was forced to take second best. She also told me that Genevieve Jordan was married just recently and lives in Birkbeck. Too bad, everyone always thought her such a sweet sensible girl. She wrote that Ruth Alverson bad the honor bestowed upon her of being the first woman mayor of Clinton. 4-------------------------------------------X 9 3 1---------------------—------------------— Page Twenty-ciglil

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(Eh? (Ulittfntua She told me that Paul Warrick was an officer in the Army. Wilma took me down to a drugstore owned by none other than Harold Goin. The class of ’31 did turn out a few old maids after all. Mildred Koons, Elsie Stewart, Ruth Stoutenborough, and Ethel Mae Stivers, all live together and they say they have some wonderful times. While in Portland I saw Herman and Richie Roberts. They own a chain of grocery stores, that sell the things we eat. I thought that I would run up to New York for a while. One night I attended the opera and heard Wesley Vanover sing. lie has become known throughout the world for his singing. I went to see him and he told me that Sherman Buck and Oscar Hancock were in the movies. Julia Miller is also an artists’ model in New York. 1 attended a big baseball game while in New York and right next to me sat the Mayor of Hollywood, Ernie Ray. He was in this city on business. He told me that Warren Karr is editor of a paper in Omaha, Nebraska. And also that Carrol Shaw lives in Florida. He married a rich widow after playing a few years of professional football. Charles Briggs is a sports writer for the New York Times. He was always (piite talented in this line anyway. Ruby McCrory is a teacher in Charleston. South Carolina. T went back to Clinton from New York without making any particular stops. When I had stayed there a few days 1 had gathered some interesting bits about some of my classmates. I attended a class reunion. There was only a few of the old class there. Christine Qnerfield was there. You recall her great effort to become a musician. Well she attained her wish. She now plays a steam caliope in a circus. John McKeown is a dwarf in the same circus. Fern Myers was there. She teaches Home Economics in Decatur High. William Craig is now the Chemistry teacher at Old C. II. S. “Bill” Eagan is now President of the bank in Patoka. He always thought a lot of that old burg, didn’t he? Warren Karr is editor of the Clinton Daily Journal now. “Bob” Witts is a traveling salesman for some candy company. I always thought Bob would get a position that required a lot of talking. Conversation was always his main occupation. T suppose you have all been wondering what I have been doing all these years. I am head of a chain of dry goods stores, so have been traveling on business. Although our careers call us far apart in later years let nothing blot out the memory of the happiness and good times in our years at old C. C. II. S. VIRGINIA WILLMORE. +■ - 1951 - Page Thirty