Williams High School - Tusayan Yearbook (Williams, AZ)

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THE TUSAYAN CContinued from Page Elevenj as seniors! Officers elected were Ann Johnson, president, Donna McLeese, vice-president, and Don Gaddis, secretary-treasurer. There were thirty of us, with Peggy Doubek and Susie Lloyd entering from other schools.. The senior class played an important part in all school activities. Bonnie Williamson, Donna McLeese, and Peggy Doubek were cheerleaders. Ann Johnson was majorette and Pat Mowrey was a twirler. Donna McLeese was president- of the Drum and Bugle Corps and Dolores Collins was- vice-president. David McNelly was president of the W Club. Ten seniors were in the Thespian Club. Six senior boys- Ivan Wilson, David McNelly, Don Gaddis, Tachie Navarro, Alvino Fig- ueroa, and Richard Kielhorn-received football letters. David McNelly received a gold football charm as an award for being chosen guard on the All-Northern football team. Taclhie Navarro, Ivan Wilson, and Don Gaddis received silver football charms for Honorable Mention. March 1, the senior class play, Out of the Frying Pan, was presented. It was the greatest financial success in the history of the high school. Eleven seniors were on the Viking Staff. Jack Grace, David McNelly, Tachie Navarro, and Alvino Figueroa received basketball letters. Ann John- son was president of the Art Club. Rosalie Curry, Peggy Doubek and Donna McLeese were members of the Dramatic Club. In the class there were fourteen who had been together since the first grade. Tlhey were Margaret Barker, Harold Campbell, Harvey Cottolendy, Alvino Figueroa, Jack Grace, Dick Kielhorn, Victoria Lizardi, Donna McLeese, David McNelly, Dora Manrriquez, Pat Mowrey, Tachie Navarro, Rosa Trueba, and Ivan Wilson. The Senior Hop was given April 27, and our lhigh school days were concluded with graduation on May 24, 1946. Billie Joe Guliedge, Class Historian. 12

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THE TUSAYAN SENIOR CLASS HISTORY In September of 1942, our class of thirty-one .frightened freshmen registered in Williams High School. We were duly initiated by the sophomores and in return for the initiation dance which they gave us we treated them to a Hallowe'en dance. At our first class meeting we elected David McNelly, president, Picho Torrez, vice-presidentg and Hortensia Gutierrez, secretary-treasurer. The only thing marring our first year in high school was the death of two of our classmates: June Keys, who died September 29, and Victoria Corona, who died March 14. Tlhe first thing we did when we finally became sophomores was to hold an election of class officers. Ivan Wilson was elected presidentg Kathryn Dye, vice-presidentg and Pat Mowrey, secretary-treasurer. This year we had the opportunity of initiating the freshmen. Raymond White, Bob Blanton, Billie Joe Gulledge, Wanda Welker, and Ann Johnson entered our class from other schools. Don Gaddis, David McNelly, Ivan Wilson, Tachie Navarro, and Alvino Figueroa repre- sented the sopihomore class on both the football and basketball teams. Bonnie Williamson was a cheer-leader and several other girls were members of the Drumiand Bugle Corps. Ann Johnson, Donna McLeese, and Pat Mowrey were on the Viking Staff. In '44 we were upper classmen. One new member, Dolores Col- lins, entered from Washington, D. C. Class officers elected for the year were David McNelly, president, Ann Johnson, vice-presidentg and Billie Joe Gulledge, secretary-treasurer. At our next class meeting we proudly ordered class rings. On February 9, ten juniors presented the junior class play, Enter the Hero, which was a great success. Two of our classmates, Piclho Torrez and Gustavo Vargas, were inducted into the Army. The class rings finally' arrived on April 9. The juniors participated in many school activities this year. David McNelly was selected as a guard on the All-Northern second string in basketball. Bob Blanton, Picho Torrez, David McNelly, Don Gaddis, and Ivan Wilson were lettermen. Ann Johnson and Alvino Figueroa were members of the Art Club. Bonnie Williamson and Donna McLeese were cheerleaders. Ann Johnson was a twirler. Into the Tihespian Club were initiated five members of the class. Ten juniors were on the Viking Staff and five were in the Swing Band. Our junior year was closed with the Prom, which was given on May 23. In the fall of 1945, we came back to our last year of fhigh school CContinued on Page Twelvej ' 11

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THE TUSAYAN CLASS PROBHECY PLACE-Grace, Grace, and Disgrace Mortuary. TIME-May 24, 2006. SCENE-Old Jack Grace is on his last legs and is feebly looking through the mortuary records, which contain the names of the senior class of '46, As the scene opens, we hear soft funeral music in the background as Jack mumbles slowly to himself: Well, I was down to see the doctor today and he says tlhat I haven't long to live. My passing will mean the end of the senior class of '46, of Williams High School. I just received a wire from Jimmy Bowie, the Superintendent of Williams High School saying that Donald Gaddis, the next to the last living one of the group, had just graduated from high school and had died from the shock as he was- handed his diploma. I-Iere's an interesting case. I remember :how Dolores Collins used to love horses. She finally met her end when her favorite horse, Dog Biscuit, kicked her behind the ear. It wasn't very long ago that Alvino Figueroa fthe man who put Harry James out of bus-inessl was playing a hot number wihen hegot the hiccoughs, swallowed his trumpet, and choked to death. I remember when they shipped Ann Johnson's body back from Africa. She had become an explorer and Wlhile hunting in Africa, chased a male ape up a tree. As she scrambled up after him, her weight was too much for a branch and she crashed to the ground. Poor Ann! Bob Blanton, who was a wealthy bean farmer in Missouri, was killed on June 1, 1995, when a runaway tractor ran over his head. Poor Bob! He was.a little eccentric in his old age. On the day of his death, he thought he was an ostrich and had buried his head in the sand when the tractor happened to go by. A little habit of Bonnie Williamson's was her downfall. At the ripe old age of 75, she was chasing a young sailor up the gangplank of a battleship. Her cane slipped and she fell overboard and was drowned. I can remember back in the good old days when David McNelly was always throwing the bull. A reverse of this situation caused his death. One day he went out to saddle his horse and, his eyes being terribly weak, fhe saddled the bull instead. He hopped on the bull and was thrown off. As he flew through the air, he landed head first in a milk can. He was unable to remove the can and was smothered. Kathryn Dye opened up a coffee shop, which she ran for a number of years. But in her old age she began to get absent-minded. As a matter of fact, she became so absent-minded that one day, without fContinued on Page Fifty Ninej 13