Washington High School - Brainonian Yearbook (Brainerd, MN)

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S “Gregory Mraz told me,” Mardelle interrupted, “that he has Jennie billed for next week at the “Cameo.” You know Greg succeeded Finkelstein and Ruben and today he controlls all the first-class theatres in Minnesota.” Ellen picked up another volume, this a volume of Virginia Howe’s poems. Virginia was the Edgar Guest of our age. Her most famous poem, “The Lament of the Boy, Seventeen,” starts out with the tris familiar lines— “What care I how fair she be, If she be not fair to me?” “Estella Wolhart is Superintendent of Schools at Staples. So you see, woman has taken her place, Joe. Yes, and man is advancing: in his help for humanity, too; Ted Olson is in China breaking: down the Caste system. With the great help of a girl from the ‘Class of ’24’ he’s succeeding, too. You probably know whom I mean. “Polly Gordon has a large poultry farm ton mils out of the city and she drives in every morning: in her Cadillac Suburban.” “What time does that train leave for Chicago, Ellen? Alice asked. “About 12:30, I think, so let’s go for a ride. Then we'll come back and have lunch before you leave.” After riding for a while down Oak street we passed new church modeled after a famous European pre-war cathedral. Mardella then told us that it was the church where the Rev. Carl J epson presided. Carl, a minister! The thought seemed impossible. “But he is converting and holding as many people spell-bound as ‘Billy’ Sunday did in h's great ‘sweep.’ ” On Seventh Street South we passed a quaint look- ing Japanese Candy Shop. , Katie Que Famous Home Made Candies The atmosphere of the quaint shop compelled us to stop and I entered. Several girls rushed up to me but were called back by a small woman, supposedly the proprietor. Alice Swanson advanced and spoke to me. I never had been so surprised but as yet I did not know the many surprises that I was to undergo. Then Alice told me the whole story. She had such a demand for her home-made candies that she opened a shop. Some heroine’s name must. be se- Page Thirty Brainonian S lected to carry on the reputation. She knew Kath- erine Quinlen was working in San Francisco’s China- town doing wonders among the poor. She has done more to wipe out the treacherous “drug habit” than anyone known. That was the name “Katie Que.” Thus another besides Marguerite and Ted had en- tered the “helping others” ranks and I was still to find another. We drove by the new High School—a wonderful three million dollar building. Marble floors, wonder- ful class-rooms—nothing was lacking. Today the school held the state basketball championship, many football and baseball honors. The best stenograph- ers in the state were taking courses in Brainerd High. We went back to the hotel, had lunch and left the “new-born” city—Brainerd. After arriving in Chicago I left Alice and Hulda and went to the Black Stone. At the hotel I was to meet “Bill” Graham, the worthy little senior presi- dent. He hadn’t changed his title at all—he was still president. The Honorable President of the United Condensed Milk Company. I waited an hour; at last Bill came rushing in as though the “tardy bell” had rung and he had to make the Senior room door. We talked for hours, it must have been hours, for the guests were assembling for dinner. “D id you hear about Anne McGivern?” “No,” I answered. “Well, three years after Anne graduated she traveled to Europe and finding the Latin quarter in Paris so interesting she established herself in a small store. Her business increased and the students were crazy about her. Last year “Winnie” Sullivan went over to go in with Anne. Anne is really the “Mrs. M. A. Billings” of the Parisian students and she’s doing rushing business.” “But do you ever hear anything about Loneta Hayes?” “Yes, Loneta gave up her promising musical career to marry the owner of a Florida resort.” Bill went on: “And have you heard about Blanche Kimbrel]? You know we thought Blanche was the best natured girl in the class. By her personality and hard work today she is chairman of the Board of Education in California.”

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Vid . :” ie — tr a Ge S Brainonian S meal Alice, Hulda and I returned to our seats. Alice had evaded my questions about her own success until now. Then she started in. “First after graduation I attended a School of Music in St. Louis. After completing my course in Harmony and Technic I accepted an offer as accom- panist for a noted tenor, Chalowski. After my first year I was offered the chance to try out for concert playing. I made good. That was two years ago and the past two years I have travelled over the U. S. and I spent six months in Europe.” “Wonderful, Alice, I think our class was an ex- ception—everyone I have heard of has made good.” “Yes, an exceptional class,” Alice replied. “But, tell me, have you ever been back to Brain- rd since our last reunion?” “Oh, yes, I was back just three months ago, and Joe, you’d never know the little city we left.” Alice starting in this manner told me a story that made me feel the thrill of being in the city. Three days passed and on the evening of the third day the brakemen rushed in to announce—“A large wreck on the main line near Winona. Train will “lay over” for two days until wreckage is entirely cleared. Train leaves in forty minutes for points in Northern Minnesota. Connections may be made in Brainerd for midnight “flyer” to Chicago. Instead of developing the usual lump in my throat as such an announcement would have necessitated— I looked at the “gleaming face of Alice and then to Hulda. Six eager hands grabbed luggage and the three of us left the coach. We arrived in Brainerd at 9:52. The theatre crowds had just been released and traffic was some- what congested. The three of us left the spacious Union station and as we passed throvgh the clanging steel doors we took the aspect of “The Three Mus- keteers” starting out to explore “our London.” A taxi, a large “Packard” sedan drove up and the two women got in. I put my head in tell the chauffer our destination and my eyes met the same sparkling eyes of Irving Quinlen. “Irv” had always cherished a tendency to drive the “lovely ladies” around—yes, even in the Ford coupe and now he was still carrying on. “To the best hotel, Irv.” The Packard stepped off like a miniature meteor and we were soon in the thickest traffic. On the corner of Sixth and Laurel Streets we were stopped by a familiar looking fellow. He turned his hand “Go.” As we darted through the intersection we found that it was a familiar figure—Henry John- son. “Irv” drove up and stopped in front of an immense new hotel—Hotel Nyquist—Society met: here; while Mary Garden on her “farewell tour” had stopped for several days in the “thousand dollar suite.” As we followed the porter through the shining doors and into the main lobby our minds as well as our eyes were entranced. This hotel in our home-town. This city—“‘ours.” Going up to the desk we were met not only by the clerk but by Merle Congdon. He was in charge of absolutely the largest radio broadcasting station in the northwest operating in the town of the hotel. Merle took us to Ellen’s suite where we met Ellen Nyquist and Mardelle Eschman, the joint owners. Mardelle told us that Flora Montgomery had mar- ried the year after we graduated. Irene Willson was stopping at the hotel—living on the income from her book—‘“Little Aids to Dan Cupid.” This book proved to be very popular with the girls of the B. H..S. Ellen Finney, Freia Terava and Ruth Anderson had started out as nurses in Minneapolis but now they were all married. Theresa Emilson had taken up Dramatic Art and she was now directing plays. Her forthcoming Brainerd production was, “Can She Sew,” a comedy of married life. Bernice Reid had taken up Missionary Work in the Far East. She was the “guiding light” of a noted surgeon in Muskoria and rumor has it she will soon resign her position in the “U. W. House” in favor of a position in the house of this surgeon. Ellen crossed the room and picked up a leather bound volume of “Essays”—by Lyle Northrop. Then she told of some of the very clever ways Lyle had taken in contrasting the “so-called” flapper of ’22 and ’23 with the “swift little girl” of “1938.” “You know, I suppose,” Ellen said, “that Jennie Hanson has entered the movies. She has now taken Katherine McDonald’s place as the “American Beau- ty.” “Yes, I saw her in Seattle in ‘A Breath of Spain.’ dances a wonderful shawl dance. Quite different from the demure Jennie of 1923. Page Twenty-nine

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i T- ne a = Brainonian S ““Casey” Jones is in the east taking special work in medicine. He has performed some wonderful operations and all the Chicago doctors feel that he will some day invent some easier way and a more painless way of operating. ““Spinnie’ Spencer is the angel of New York’s Kast Side. She has established three settlement houses, the most prominent working centers in New York’s tenements districts. One might call her the modern ‘Florence Nightingale.’ In private life she is Mrs. Forbes Irving, the writer of “The Sunny Side of Main Street.’ She met him through a contest of ‘small feet.’ She won—in all ways. “And Ione Johnson has founded a p-ivate school for girls. It’s a noble rival for Vassar and Smith’s She has called it ‘Iona-School-on-the-Wabash.’ All the prominent Chicago girls go there. It’s s:mply being done this year—that’s all.” “Bill, I’ve read about the work of Art hur John- ston and Alton McGill. Do you ever seen them?” “I saw Art last week and they’re two very busy men. Alton gets the causes, statistics and s.ibjec: material -for all of Chicago’s Social Problems and Art, who has developed to be a great criminal law- yer, puts over startling cases. Together they are wiping out some of Chicago’s greatest problems. “Great, Bill! Say, isn’t it time to think abo=t dinner ?”’ “Well, you get dressed for dinner. I’ll run home and call Lucille Nolan at her studio and we'll have dinner together at Marjohaines. I'll call for you later.” I went to my room and after dressing, I sat down to read the latest edition of the Chicago Herald. Incidentally I turned to the theatre and opera sec- tion—and what met my eyes! It was an ensemble of the talented of the “Class of ’23!” “Again Shakespeare holds the stage this week in two of Chicago’s theatres. At the ‘Criterion’ this week Jean Burnett returns with her ‘Taming of the Shrew.’ Her Katherine is the most incorrigible that we have ever seen but still she is exquisite, The Costuming is done by the Hennie Johnson mo- distes. Miss Burnett’s costumes bring us back to the real Shakespearian times, her beauty enhancing all her gowns. The “Taming of the Shrew” will be followed by the Burnett production of “Bella Donna” after the Shrew’s indefinite run. “At the Brown-ridge too, Shakespeare is in sway. George Orth’s ‘Hamlet’ will again run through the week and perhaps through the month. Chicago crowds seem never to tire of hearing Orth in his - famous soliloquies. ‘To be or not to be’—this pas- sage will always remain in the minds of Chicago theatre-goers as a pass-word for Orth’s good work. You’ve missed ‘real Shakespeare’ if you missed Orth’s ‘Hamlet.’ At the George M. Cohan, Miss Addie Jack con- tinues her run in ‘Southern Manners.’ Her run mounts into the thirteenth month. You'll laugh; you'll cry with Jack in this farce. Don’t miss it. “At the Metropolitan Grand Opera — Jeritza’s successor—Lois Chadbourne will sing in “Carmen” on Thursday night. She will again appear in ‘Aida’ on Saturday evening. Never has the Company been such a success as since the advance of this new celebrity. Never has ‘Carmen’ seemed so entrancing and sophisticated nor ‘Aida’ so pitiful.” I read on—then Bill called. I met Bill and “Skinney.” Lucille was elegant and superb in her clinging sable wrap; her head and features entrancing under a small turban. We left for “Marjohaines;” entered the cafe and we were seated at a small table opposite the stage. As we sat talking, a fox-trot from “the keenest little dance orchestra in the country” took the three of us by storm. This was the surprise “Bill” had planned, for as I turned to look—Ed Tom was smil- ing and wavin ghis hands to me from the platform. This was “O’Brien’s Purple Derbies”—the orchestra that was setting Chicago “wild.” His “O’Brien” Blues” started all feet tingling and one was just compelled to dance. Tom, whom we were all glad to see, came to our table during the intermission and Lucille told us of her appalling plans. She—the writer of clever short stories—the kind that made the “Saturday Evening Post” and “The American” amusing, and the woman who had dramatized several plays that were enjoy- ing long runs. Not to say anything about her 1,001 proposals of marriage—-was going to enter a con- vent the next week for a rest and if her new sur- roundings proved interesting she planned to stay and Page Thirty-one