Frankfort Community High School - Red Bird Yearbook (West Frankfort, IL)

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Senior JJrnphprg It was one of those ideal June days in the year 1923, when one wants to lie down under the shade of some tree and dream of days gone by. I did not have time for such pleasures, but made my way to the hanger where I kept my “air lizzie.’’ 1 rolled her out of her dog kennel with the greatest of care, and l egan adjusting this and that, when I heard a familiar voice say, “What’s up now, Useless?” 1 turned around and l eheld Robert C. Thompson, more commonly known as “Sophy.” Now Sophy and I were the only two of the class of ’22 that had remained in West Frankfort. I suppose the reason for this was, that during our school life we were so timid and bashful, that everyone jeered at us and said we would never get far from home. Sophy had achieved great success, since yo olde Graduation Day. He had acquired several titles of President, some of them l»eing President of Rotary Club, President of Country Club, and President of Greater West Frankfort Club. In case any big project wanted to l e put through in “The Nation’s Coal Bucket” region everybody looked to Sophy to put it through. As for myself, I had managed by nip and tuck, hook and crook, to save enough money to purchase the one-horse air lizzie, I was so proud of, and by establishing a jitney route between Johnston City, Plumfield, Benton and West Frankfort, I had managed to keep the wolf from the door. I told Sophy that nothing was up unless he had something on his mind. “Well,” he said, “I have been thinking of the old class of ’22 and il you are willing I would like to look them up. I will pay expenses.” Who wouldn’t jump at the chance? We loaded up with provisions and fuel, cranked the old lizzie, climbed aDoard and were off, we knew not where. I stepped on the juice and we left little old Illinois behind us. Our first stop was in a prosperous valley of Arizona, near Winslow. Here we discovered the wonderful dashing full-back, Thomas A Blake and his wife, Rol erta Blake, nee Miller. Hossfly, as we always called him, was a construction engineer for the Utah Construction Co., and was building a railroad for the Western Pacific Railyaw Co., from Choncho, Arizona, to Uiles, California. Tom told us he had three children and they were all as red-headed as he. From Arizona we flew north over Utah and while flying at a low altitude, we saw one of the most beautiful cities ! elow us. Above the roar of the engine we could hear the sweetest of music which sounded like chimes. We decided to investigate.

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The class met early and organized, electing Don Henson, president; Tom Blake, vice-president; and Delia Martin, secretary-treasurer. They started the social ball rolling by a tramp to Town Mount Churchyard, where a weiner roast was enjoyed. January twenty-first, a class party was given in the gym. The faculty declared the Juniors to be royal entertainers, an evening of fun and pleasure being enjoyed by all. Several weeks later the class held a carnival, which had all the characteristics of a real one, from the fortune-tellers to the red lemonade. This was pronounced the “best ever” and the sum of almost seventy-five dollars was realized This went toward the Junior-Senior banquet, the greatest social event of high school life. This was held in the Christian Church basement and gymnasium. First, came the banquet with speeches and toasts; then followed games and contests of all kinds This affair was second to none in the history of F. C. H S. In the year 1921, the strongest Senior Class known to the school entered the F. C. H. S. At class organization, Luke Gladdcrs was chosen president; Cloyd Thompson, vice-president; and Lelia Martin, secretary-treasurer. A hallowe’en masquerade party was held in the library of the new F. C. H. S. building. The room was tastefully decorated in Ila .o-we’en and class colors. Everyone came masked and all reported a de igl'.t-ful time. This year, athletics is again a strong point in the history of the Senior class, since several of their boys received letters in Foot Bail and four of the Champion Five of F. C. H S. Basket Ball team are Seniors. This class will have the honor of being the first to graduate from the new high school building, which is surpassed by none in the state. F. C. H. S. will surely miss the class of ’22 next year and the c'ass of ’22 vi 1 miss F. C. H. S., but tine to their class record of “always ready to do their duty,” they will move out into the world and contribute their part toward making it a better place to live in.

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Upon landing, we discovered we were in the wonderful city of Salt Lake, Utah., the music was coming from a pipe organ in the Morman’s Cathedral, played by no other than Blanche Norman. Blanche told us that Bess Pitchford and Pauline Frances Hunter and Elma Wise were the wives of wealthy mormons. One great surprise that greeted us here was that Ralph “Desperate” Hinckle turned out to be a Mormon, and no one knew exactly how many wives he had, but they were reported to be between thirty and forty in number. Our time was limited, so we left Utah l ehind and flew for the sunny state of California. Our first stop was Hollywood and such a l eautiful place it was. We found that Charles “Pug” Pittman was working for the United Artists Picture Co., and had taken the place of Bull Montana. Virgil H. Burgess was leading man for the Metro Picture Corporation, and it was rumored that he was leading Rudolph Valentino in a close race as the greatest lover on the screen. Louise Arnold was one of Mack Sennett’s famous bathing beauties, but we were informed that Paramount was planning on starring her in a super production in the near future. After looking around Hollywood we went over to Los Angeles and while walking down one of the streets of the business section, we noticed a sign which read “Henson Henson, Chiropractors.” The name looked familiar so Sophy and 1 decided to investigate. Well, owing to their tremendous business we had to wait some time in the reception room before we were admitted. Surely enough, it was the twins. “Cooko” and “Bol-iver.” They were both married, Cuckoo to Harriet Gladders, and Boliver or Don to Pearle Murphy. Of course Harriet didn’t graduate when we did, but we remembered her as the most popular girl in F. C. H. S. and she was still as popular or more so. Pearle used her idle moments writing. She had just finished her latest masterpiece, which was “The I .over From Mars.” These four certainly made two ideal married couples Don informed us that Leslie “Ajax” McFadden was assistant coach to Andy Smith, the famous Indian foot ball coach of the University of California, and that Arty A. Martin was the wizard Basket Ball coach of Washington State.