Athens Community High School - Athenian Yearbook (Athens, IL)

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THE ATHENIAN 1937 CLASS PROPHECY As I lay in bed the other night I had a very strange dream. It seems that I was a private secretary to the President of the U. S., Mr. Gable, and he had allowed me the use of the White House in which to give a party. I invited all my former class- mates, who were scattered all over the world. I waited excitedly for my guests to arrive. First came June Van Meter. She was a night club hostess in a very swanky night club in New York. That same personal- ity that won for her many friends in school had secured for her the enviable position. Donald Cronister came with her. He was an actor of wide fame on Broadway. Larry Markey and Bill Zschoche who had been almost inseparable in high school days, were now in the same college. Larry was basketball coach and Bill was a pro- fessor of mathematics. They told me that Bill McLavish couldn’t come because he was on his way to London. He was Captain of a ship. Dorothy Walsh and Virginia Sanderfield arrived later on. Dorothy said she was a nurse in St. John’s Hospital in Springfield, Illinois. Virginia is a nun in a convent in Springfield. Evelyn Ahrenkiel who was a stenographer in the State House in Springfield told me that Meredith Hurt had organized an orchestra and played the piano as well as composed music. Her orchestra was known all over for its rhythm. Gerald Lawson and Merritt Fitschen came with their guitars. They had become the most popular cowboy singers and players on the radio. Don Thrasher who was a producer in Hollywood was going to put them into a film that he was producing. David Beaver came with Don. David, who was the leading man in our high school plays, was now a screen star in Hollywood. Emory Eden, whom everyone in school had kidded about his cornet playing, was ranked second only to Louis Armstrong. Don Wilcox, his school day pal, had reached the height of his ambition. He was acclaimed as a great sign painter and could scarce- ly fill his orders. His workshop was in San Francisco. Gwendolyn Cline had found a profession where her shortness was an asset. She was an air hostess. Her ability at conversation and making friends and her love of fun had landed her this interesting job. Reggie Pugsley had found success as an airplane designer. The most popular type of airplane was one of his design. Clair Briggs was a poet of no mean ability. He told me that Thomas Wood was [ioi

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ATHENS C. H. S. SENIOR CLASS HISTORY ® President .......................Meredith Hurt Vice-President ........................Harold Hawkins Secretary......................June Van Meter Treasurer ......................Jane McKean Student Council Member .........Austin Stott Adviser.........................Miss Spelbring When the Class of 1937 entered school four years ago, it was somewhat larger than it is now. We started with forty-four in the Freshman Class. We now finish our high school career with a class of thirty-five members. We lost Wilma Doom. Mildred Bennett. Nelli Barnes. Eric Jones, and Herbert Ackerman before the first semester ended. Agnes Showalter entered school at the beginning of the second semester. Class parties and weiner roasts helped to round out our Freshman year successfully. The fall of ’34 rolled around, and we entered A. C. H. S. again, this time as Sophomores. Every- one had lots of fun initiating the Freshmen- we still remembered how our share of it was. We had class parties and weiner roasts, of course, and then our second year was finished. In September of ’35 we entered as Juniors. This ytar proved more eventful than the two preced- ing ones. We sold candy all year and gave a three act play, “For Pete’s Sake”, to finance the big social event of the year the Junior-Senior Banquet. We took the banquet to Springfield for the first time in the history of the school. It was given at Fisher’s Inn. and a colored orchestra and singer entertained. To wind up our high school days we entered A. C. H. S. as Seniors. This year, instead of edit- ing “The Athenian Sun”, we sent school articles to the Free Press. However, later we started put- ting out a six page Whirlwind”. We decided to publish a thirty-two page annual, and to earn money for it we raffled off two boxes of candy and gave two Senior plays. Baccalaureate and graduation finished our school year. 19)

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ATHENS C. H. S. a radio announcer. We turned on the radio and sure enough we located him at the Columbia Studios. Television had been in for quite a while, so we saw him as well as heard his clear, deep voice as it floated over the airwaves. As we listened, to my surprise, he introduced Harold Hawkins. He was a well known baritone singer on the radio. I’d always said he had a future. Just then James Pierceall and Albert Eden came in. James was a politician cam- paigning for election in the judicial branch of the government. Albert was a mechanic in one of the most frequented garages in San Pedro. James Rodell was the President of the Illinois Central Railroad line. He had mar- ried a pretty little actress and was living contentedly in Chicago. Marguerite Stone had married a salesman and had a very charming cottage in Miami, Florida. Mary Ingram was her seamstress so her wardrobe was always up to the minute in fashion. Marcella Schneider was a model in one of the large department stores in Milwau- kee. Jane McKean, who had won first in several dramatic contests in school, was now a teacher of dramatics in the University of Iowa. Bob Fulkerson had gone to Indiana to set up a dance studio, and was teaching students ballroom dancing. He was doing very nicely for himself. He had some fifty members in his class. Ella Marie Beccue was teaching Home Management at the Athens High School. Margaret Johnson was a cooking instructor in her own school in St. Louis. The ladies who attended came away with praise for her. Kenneth Hill had been left a fortune by one of his relatives so he was on his way around the world. John Henrickson, who was a wealthy farmer, accompanied him. Ralph Primm was a Farm Bureau adviser in Peoria, Illinois. All the farmers who had any trouble came to him and he straightened them out. Austin Stott who had always in his schooldays, been sort of carefree and gay was now a serious minded, struggling, young doctor in Des Moines, Iowa. Suddenly I was wide awake and sat bolt upright in bed. A smile flitted across my face as I realized that I had dreamed all these things. I often wonder whether any of my dreams will come true. NELLI BARNES. 111J