Americus High School - Indian Scout Yearbook (Americus, KS)

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Lorraine, a great saleswoman of the Long fc Short Horse Farm west of Americus on the Neosho River, married a young gentleman from California. They are raising horses and colts. We find Frank Nelson every night seated under Bessie Jean Fiant’s window strumming his guitar. Frank has repeatedly tried to get Bessie to come out be- neath the mellow moon, but she always refuses. Now we come to our great warrior of the class. Richard Sowers and Mrs. Sowers, formerly known as Barbara Nielsen, live in a trailer house at the edge of a Marine Camp. They have two little ‘‘grapefruits. HISTORY OF CLASS OF ‘49 Fifteen Freshmenbegan their high school days at Americus High on Sep- tember 3, 1945. Members of the class were Dalmer Daharsh, Delvin Delfs, Carl DeWeese, LaVerne Dieker, Lillie Fox, Mildred Fox, Dale Grimsley, Edgar John- son, Gwendolyn Kerr, Wayne Leffler, Frank Nelson, Romona Pickett, Russel Pickett, William Rollins, and Elizabeth Smith. Richard Sowers was also a mem- ber of the Freshman class, but he had had one semester of high school previously. Bill was elected president of the class, and Dalmer, vice-president. Dale was elected for secretary, and Frank Nelson for treasurer. Loy Mowery was our sponsor. At the end of the first week of school, the Freshman class was duly initiated into Americus High School. The girls had to wear men's overalls backwards, and the boys had to wear girls' dresses. LaVerne was our candidate for carnival queen. Earl Hormann was counted a member of our class for a few weeks. James North came to Americus from Emporia. At the time all were here that made a total of eighteen in our class, making the largest class in this school since we entered. Elizabeth Smith left A. H. S. before the year was over. When we returned to school the next fall, we found that Lillie and Mildred Fox were going to Emporia. That left a class of fourteen. After six weeks of school our Sophomore year, Lorraine Long joined our class. Near Christmas Glen Graham became the sixteenth member of the class. Officers that year-- president-Jim; vice-president-Edgar; secretary-Dalmer; treasurer-Russel. LaVerne was again chosen as our candidate for carnival queen. Opal Grinnell was our sponsor. The three girls, Romona, Lorraine, and Gwendolyn, helped Mrs. Jessie Birchett cook the food for the Junior-Senior Banquet. Dale, Bill, Jim and Dal- mer aided with the serving. Donald Pracht and Frank McCullough were the new members of the class of '49 the year we were Juniors. LaVerne left us for Bushong. There were six- teen of us that year—until Glenn left, nearly one year after he came. The three girls were chosen as class officers that year. Romona was picked for president, Lorraine for vice-president, and Gwendolyn for secretary-treas- urer. Romona was candidate for carnival queen, and Jim was the junior candi- date for carnival king. 9

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CLASS PROPHECY The class of ’49 decided to buy a large television set that could record the future of each of the group. As we set the dial, this is what we saw in the fu- ture for each of us. Russel Pickett, we discovered, was a big-league basketball player. He was seven feet tall and wore shoes size 16. The only thing that kept him from being the best player on the team was his big feet. The next flash on the screen presented Professor Frank McCullough, B.D., B.A., etc, who is a great scientist. He has, for ten years, been trying to put a chicken in a gallon jug without breaking it. Jim North is the star pitcher on the New York Yankees baseball team. Dur- ing his career, he has pitched sixteen shut-out games. This is due only to his great dislike for women?! Next we see a large banner in the metropolis of Americus. Could it be possible? The banner exclaimed, ’’DALE GR1MSLEY, REPUBLICAN CAND- IDATE FOR PRESIDENT, This was a great surprise to the whole group. Dur- ing Dale's senior year he was definitely a Democrat. As the fog cleared away, who should come into view, but a tall, slim, beau- tiful, blonde-haired dancer. It was Gwendolyn Kerr, the sweater-girl of '47. Hubba.’ Hubba! Next in line is Bill Rollins. We see him as the kind and gentle custodian of A.H.S. Cleaning, cleaning. That’s all I get done, complains Bill. But if I don’t Jean (R) and the kids will go hungry.” As we look again into our television set, we see a streak of dust coming down the road. When it became visible, we saw that it was Carl DeWeese in his “hotrod. He slammed on his brakes with great gusto and started to light his twelve inch cigar. Aha! Who is this medium-sized man with his feet on a desk? Why, it’s Jackie Leffler, the gentleman farmer. His farm is so big, he has to hire ten men to do all the work. The person we see next is a tall, elderly gentleman. He is bald on top w;th a fringe of hair around his head. Yes, it is Professor Robert Dale Gordon, our senior sponsor. Next we see Mrs. Earl Miller, a nurse. Romona has been nursing four squirrels and a rabbit. She is the head nurse at the Animal and Bird Hospital of Emporia. Dalmer Daharsh, a traveling salesman, is going from house to house in Americus selling women’s lingerie. His wife, Ruth, and his two little “squirts are depending upon his income for a living. Dalmer would have liked to have done this when he was in high school. 8

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The Junior play was presented November 18, 1947. The play chosen was “Sadie Gets Elected , a three-act comedy. Mrs. Victoria Daily, our sponsor, directed the play. The cast was as follows: Sadie, owner of the town newspaper, Lorraine Long; Zeke Turner, town boss, Dale Grimsley; Sally Turner, Zeke’s niece who works on the newspaper, Romona Pickett; Willie Smith, the lazy news- boy who makes good, Glenn Graham; Chet Griswald, druggist who fell in love with Sadie, Bill Rollins; Silas Tate, the elderly town poet, Edgar Johnson; Mrs. Gray, the elderly lady who does not lose her farm, Gwendolyn Kerr; Lem Brown, may- or of Turnerville, Frank Nelson. On April 28 last spring we gave a banquet to the Seniors. “Hawaii was the theme; and we invited two Hawaiian boys, Arthur Seto and Jack Kanoa, to be the speakers. A special feature on the program was a hula dance given in swan- ky grass skirts and leis by Jim, Bill, and Dalmer. Mrs. Pearl Dirkman and the Sophomore girls cooked and served the food. There were no new members our Senior year; Don Pracht left our class for the Junior Class. Senior officers are; president, Frank McCullough) vice- president, Carl DeWeese; secretary, Wayne Leffler; treasurer, Bill Rollins; student council, Dale Grimsley; sergeant-at-arms, Jim North. Robert Dale Gordon was our sponsor. On Friday, September 10, 1948, the Seniors proved their seniority by initia- ting the poor Freshmen. The Freshman girls were required to wear nightshirts and a Panama or straw hat. The Freshman boys were required to wear Mother Hubbards and sunbonnets. All were required to wear corsages of onions or gar- lic. In the afternoon they did stunts for the Seniors. Following school they went on a scavenger hunt; counted railroad ties, counted houses, hunted tomatoes, and cleaned the sidewalk. Dick Sowers graduated at the close of the first semester, leaving ten boys and three girls. The class colors are red and blue; class flower-red rose; and class motto- We came, we strived, we conquered. 10