Corona High School - Coronal Yearbook (Corona, CA)

Page 18 text:

our class president. He is now president of the Pi’ado Railway Corpo- ration. The man with the little boy is Maurice Bandy, who is now famous as a negro actor. The two men waving pennants are Russell Abraham, who, they say, is a wonderful ventriloquist, and Albert Chaney, Secretary of State. The tall, well-groomed man is the popular screen sheik, Robert Amsbury.” Beula then told me she was writing books under the name of “The Gay Writer.” As we were taking seats in the grand stand, she called my atten- tion to a prim little lady seated midst a group of checked, gingham-clad children. “An orphan asylum matron,” she whispered, and as I glanced into the brown eyes, I recognized the prim, quiet, little lady — Florence Fraser. A man selling hot dogs and balloons of his own clever invention interrupted our conversation, and as I heard the voice, I had a great shock. Who could talk like that except Paul Johnson? A friendly greeting made me turn to smile into the eyes of the famous society belle of the city of Temescal, Gladys Renfro. The teams and their coaches appeared on the field, and who should be clad in coach’s crimson and gold sweater but Fred Lewis? From the field came the announcement that two of the football stars of the class of ’27 were unable to be present, but had wired their wishes for good luck, Mr. James Myers and Mr. Howard Patton who were in darkest Africa acting as missionaries. My friend told me that Olia Page was also in Africa, as proprietress of a native beauty shoppe. A few rows ahead I espied a perfectly marcelled masculine head. I was informed that it belonged to the scientist, Claude James, who dis- covered the famous hair tonic which makes beautiful, lustrous straight hair curly and curly hair straight. At his side sat a man who, also, had a crowning glory of chrls — his sales manager, Mitchell Gaddie. Just as the game was about to start, I sighted a youthful figure which was vaguely familiar. I questioned my friend and she answered, “Melvin Humble Jr., and the boy playing quarter-back is Harrell Smith. Remember Margaret Harrell? That is her son.” During the quarter my attention was attracted to the leader of the band. Just where had I seen that face and red hair? Ah, at last I had it. On the program which had been handed to me I found in the list of faculty members of Corona High School, “Lester Coville, instructor of music.” Then came another surprise. As I followed down the list I came to “Miss Florence Patton, art instructor; Miss Ruth Benedict, home eco- nomics instructor, and Miss Lucille Fink, dancing instructor.” Many times I had thought of mv old class mates and wondered what they were doing. Now I could find out. Upon questioning my friend I found that Manuel Serrano was a great Olympic star; Maxine Stickle, a Fourteen

Page 17 text:

THE PROPHECY OF THE CLASS OF 1927 “Skin like an alligator, Teeth like a saw, Twenty-seven, twenty-seven, Rah! Rah! Rah!” “What’s all the noise about?” asked the ten- 4 vear-old boy at my side. Again the words came floating on the cool October breeze. “Twenty-seven, twenty-seven, Rah! Rah! Rah!” Somewhere in the past I’d heard that yell; sometime in my youth I’d heard those voices. Ah, the yell of the class of twenty-seven, faintly wafting across the space of years, bringing memories of the friends oi high school days! “That is my old class yell,” I said. We were on our way to the California championship game between Corona and Colton. Like many others I was returning to the old home town to see the most important game of the season. All of the old foot- ball stars were to be present, as well as many other alumni. The game was to be played in the huge stadium which had been erected on the old gridiron site at the rear of the high school building, which, by the way, was scarcely recognizable because of the new wings and surrounding buildings. “We will help As of yore Win the game By a big score. With a skin like an alligator, Teeth like a saw, Twenty-seven, twenty-seven, Rah! Rah! Rah!” Again I heard the yell, and as we approached the huge stadium, I caught sight of several men on the steps, excitedly jumping up and down yelling in voices quite unbefitting the dignity of their years. A slim man with a megaphone perched rakishly on his head was leading the yells. As I was not watching where I was going, I ran into a lady, who also was enthralled with the antics of the group. When I had readjusted my new hat, I started to apologize and found to my surprise that my encounter was with Beulah Weibel. We quickly took up the thread of acquaintance, and together wended our way toward the great gates. The five men were still yelling and, in answer to my puzzled look, Beula told me who they were. Turning to the boy I said, “The real thin man with the megaphone on his head is Merle Stark. He used to be Thirteen

Page 19 text:

famous screen actress; and Lucille Doty and Ruth Lewis were popular society matrons in Norco. In answer to my friends questions, I said, “Yes, they are hei’e. Do you see those two aristocratic matrons on the front row? Who could be so enthused over a football game but Mabel Miller and Florence Hill? Yes, they are in the Orpheum circuit, as accompanist and soloist, respectively. A player was hurt and a huge ambulance hurried onto the field. The nurse and doctor turned out to be Nellie Busier and Carl Eastevedt, while Elmer Morse was driving the ambulance. Again my friend whispered, “As soon as the game is over I want you to drop into the ‘Dew Drop Inn’ Teashop with me. Florence Gully and Kathryn Cunningham are in charge of it.” The Corona team won the California championship, and the crowd gay because of the victory, slowly left the stadium. Over our tea cups “The Gay Writer” told me that the lady seated at the far table was Laura Pate, who was famous as a public librarian. Two members of the class were unaccounted for, Roy Gay and Lorin Farmer, and in reply to my query, I was told that they were now Cali- fornia senators. The question in my mind was answered : “Where, oh where, are the Grand Old Seniors? Safe now in the wide, wide, World.” ELIZABETH GLASS Fifteen