Washington High School - Brainonian Yearbook (Brainerd, MN)

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Class Prophec — SUE By Alice Regina Jchnson Curiosity took breath, bit her lips, and with an attempt at a courageous appearance, knocked at the door of Fate. Upon admittance she was ush- ered to the throne of Fate herself—the fascinating all-knowing one. Directly she knelt before her ob- ject and said: “To me has been given the pleasure of attending the alumni banquet of Brainerd High students in only a few days. The class of ’22 will especially want to know about each other. Does it please Your Highness to reveal to me your records?” Fate was pleased. She drew back her head haughtily; allowed a patronizing smile to play upon her lips. Then clasping her robes more closely about her, she answered: “T shall see to it, myself. carefully these twenty years. To such as you, my records are closed. Let rather their occupations and places in life be revealed in their eyes and words that evening. It is my command.” Sudly Curiosity retreated, not to be satisfied un- til the twentieth reunion of the class of ’22. There did Fate keep her promise for among the first ones to appear at the banqvet was Erna Mack- aben, her Lilliputian self easily recognizable. Words flowed from her lips like honey. Her great experi- ence with words in her life of poetry and dreams made her interesting, especially when she proceeded to give the details of her engagement by the Litr- ary Digst to replace their former blank verse. Com- plaints of Mary Tornstrom on this score had reached the office. Lawrence Johnson sauntered in, according to his youthful fashion, and complained of how distressing the chair was in which he had flung himself. His most recent design in porch furniture and the one which afforded him the most pleasure, he said, was a combination-chair which as soon as one shifted his weight upon it, would magically change into a bed, with even little balls dangling on each side for the occupation of nervous, idle hands. A high-pitched laugh sounded from the doorway. A young woman with a springy walk entered, hum- ming a tune, as if she were totally oblivious to her surroundings. The same carefree Georgia as for- merly—at least, up to her study of chemistry. Business was good, she said. Business? Oh yes, ‘she was sole owner of a sauer-kraut and wiener jeint half-way between Crosby and Brainerd— The Half-Way Inn.” Didn’t you know? While Georgia was still exchanging greetings, the door opened quietly and in came Erna Marohn and Mabel Stanley. They happened to be on the I have watched them same train from New York, so came together. Erna was quite as fastidious as ever and decidedly at- tractive. She carried a radio-phone in her bag tc which she constantly resorted. It seemed New York depended on her to set the fads. If she had each finger painter a different color, so did New York. Her every whim became a fad. By radiophone she kept them posted on her various fancies, even tho’ she was far away. Her latest one was to wear a circular piece of court plaster on the tip of her nose. Her originality was that far drained! Mabel Stanley was very reticent, but by gradual bits of information it was learned that she was of the Milady Shop in London, a large dress designers’ establishment. So far, Mabel only hooked and un- hooked for the models, but she said she expected very soon to be doing designing herself. Later came Walter Larson. He paints smoke- stacks on U. S. battleships and says his work is very fascinating. It must be! Who would ever have guessed that Walter would rise to such an ele- vated position? Behold, Robert Gemmell, Ph. D.; L.L.D.; B.A., ete. of the University of Missouri! He teaches French Lit. He acquired prominence by his latest book— “Hints on the Mastery of French.” Too bad the book wasn’t written by someone years ago so Robert could have had the use of it! Myrtle Johnson had to- take a long trip to be at the reunion for she’s in San Francisco, connected with the “Meetchathere” Club. Curious position too! It is her, task to escort home the boys in their teens who are afraid (to go home.) Ruth Gustafson was as calm and placid as was her want. The story of her career was very inter- esting! She accidentally concocted some kind of a new pickle. Lovers fell for it. It is in every cook- book put out by the Risem Baking Powder Co., and Ruth has gone into retirement to spend her royal- ties. George Wendt—can you imagine him a guide at Nia gara Falls? Even there George made good in a unique way. He has the honor of possessing the longest list of girl’s names without knowing them of any man in the United States. George said when asked if he was married, said he knew he COULD have been several times if he cared to, but yet he hadn’t met the girl after his heart. Poor George! Andrene Gendron entertained the bunch with a number of monologs. Said she loved to do it. Of course we had all heard her before on Brunswick records at home. Page Twenty-nine

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8 The last height of real happiness was reached when the Senior class of ’21 invited us to go on a picnic to Gilbert Lake. I couldn’t go and after read- ing over the menu I’ve been desperately sorry. That class knew the value of real food in plenty, and en- tertained us royally. But the exams didn’t enter- tain us so royally. In many cases they were an un- limited source of amusement to the teachers. That Junior year was just wonderful. It was just “Thrills, thrills, thrills.” We began our Senior year just as we ended our Junior year. As they say in Shakespeare, “enter with a flourish.” We left a few behind but they worked like troopers and caught up with us at Christmas time, when they were duly sworn in and initiated. They enjoyed the process immensely, they tell us. We know they were particularly glad to see us because they each went down the aisle and shook hands with each and every one of us. Heartily at first, later methodically,and then the act distinguish- ed itself by its pump handle effect. Page Twenty-eight The Brainonian =, Taking the class as a whole, we are a peaceful, docile class even though Georgia and Bobby still fight as they did in “Clarence,” and Lester Clark knows now that Leo’s specialty is bugs and not wo- men or piano tuning. Mere mention of the class play does not do that production justice. It was the greatest and best ac- complishment of our whole career. Leo proved him- self very adaptable. We don’t know whether his heart was in it or not, he had so many occupations, and Lester claims, to this day, he can’t bear to hear anyone tune a piano. Georgia and Bobby’s part simply couldn’t have been done so well by any one | else in the class. And Maurice and Hazel are on speaking terms again so Maurice doesn’t have to carry a bird around to tell his troubles to. Donald still has worries, but they aren’t governesses and of- fice work. Helen still loves saxophone music the same as she did the night of the play, and Alice says she loves the duties of a governess but the position necessitates shouldering a lot of responsibility when her subjects are such as Georgia and Bobby.

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The Brainonian | Dorothy Fisher has gone deeply and enthusiasti- cally into the study of astronomy. She is special- izing in the relative position of the morning stars —that is: about three o’clock in the morning. For this reason she never goes to bed at night but rath. er sleeps in the day time. Lester Bredenberg owns a jewelry store in West Brainerd—a very ordinary kind of a jewelry store but for one thing. His sign over the door states: “All kinds of jewelry except wedding rings.” Know- ing Lester’s customary conscientiousness as his classmates, it is easy to believe he is sincere when he says he feels it sinful to sell a ring for marriage purposes to a man contemplating nuptials. He class- es them with imbeciles. Ruth McCabe couldn’t come, Gordon said. In her letter, she was bubbling over with happiness. De Mantelean had chosen her as model for his painting “The Age of Innocence” and it had teen placed in the Louvre. Virginia Casey is the only girl in the class who is teaching school. She is at Loerch, leading her pro- teges along the flowery realms of knowledge. Her exquisite taste in the matter of clothes puts her in constant demand by the village swains, but she pre- fers no strong attachments, it seems. Edna Kamrath is the “Snappy Stories” magazine company’s most cherished agent in the northern part of Minnesota. She takes subscriptions, prefer- ably in clubs of three, at $1.50 for three months for the “Snappy Stories,’ “Today’s Housewife” and “War Cry.” She reports business good. Esther Claus was as jolly and good-looking as she used to be. She was so enthusiastic about “my girls’ and spoke so glowingly of them, that the au- dience had fully decided she must be the mother of a large family, when she mentioned being dean at Radcliffe College. Her love of her classmates had bro’t her from Mt. Chester, Massachusetts to be with them. Gordon McPherson is what Middle West people call “well-off.” And it all come about by whistles. You see, Gordon made some kind of a whistle which could be made cheaply, and was very appealing to children. Turned one way it sounded like an alarm clock; the other way it was curfew. Since it was decidedly useful to parents, all the ten-cent stores grappled onto a big stock immediately and hence, big returns for Gordon. Leslie Croswell, newly elected mayor of Brainerd, gave a heart-rending speech, first of welcome and then expressed his delight at seeing his old friends again. He challenged Lawrence to a fight, and as Lawrence never could resist a few punches at Cros- Page Thirty by, they “laid it on,” hot and heavy. It was keenly stggestive of ancient noon-hour tussles in the senior room! The Society for the Curtailing of the privileges of Lap Dogs was originated by Irene Brose. As governess in the home of the idle rich for a while, she became sensitive to the great cruelty thus in- flicted upon the “deah little things,” as she calls them. She conducts her meetings on the street corners. Her most successful place is at the corner of Fifth and Front Streets. At one inspiring meet- ing, some three hundred shaggy poodles were lib- erated. With the spirit of the great out-of-doors upon her, came Ruth Everest. Her eyes lit up with the gleam of hope almost realized as she told of her obscure little cabin near Lake Vermilion. She has become an adherent of the back-to-nature move- ment. Says she’s positively getting fat on moun- tain-ash berries. She is sure the divine urge is al- most materialized now. When it does she knows she will startle the world in some way. One of the first things Alfrieda Eggen did after graduation was to get married—and to a doctor! She has three adorable little girls, she said, and ins:sts that they must all become nurses some day. Alfrieda always was wild about nursing, someway! Edith De Rocher distributed circulars immediate- ly upon her arrival. We hastily read them. They stated as follows: Saxaphone lessons by Mail! No musical ability necessary (only breath) Learn to play any tune from “Tipperary” to “Send Out Thy Light.” Edith kindly played for us later and reminded certain ones of lessons taken twenty years ago dur- ing “Clarence” rehearsals. Mayme Britton couldn’t be persuaded to come to the reunion. She asked if boys would be there and upon being answered in the affirmative, hastily sent her regrets. She lives in Pillager, rather two miles from that city. There she stays in utmost seclu- sion. Her habitual solitude even gives her enough confidence in herself to be able to say quite con- vincingly that she never could tolerate a man! We were glad to see that Oliver Cook came any- way. We would have hated not to have seen him just because of a possible little misunderstanding. Nor were we surprised to know that he is singing on the Orpheum circuit. It happened, too, that Carle Holmstrom gave us a few little side-lights as to what kind of a man Oliver is to work with. He says he is very particular about what songs he sings— eee = cr |] A} eco ta or ca Wi Sk sa loc me be