Bement High School - BIM Yearbook (Bement, IL)

Page 26 text:

B E T O H I 24 19 SENIOR HISTORY The high school days of this class are drawing to a close. As we are about to go forth from beneath these portals which have sheltered us for four short years, we can but linger a few moments in passing to recall a part of our life spent here. The freshman class, four shoi’t years ago, was the largest one that had ever entered the B.T.H.S. and we are about to depart as seniors with that same record. This largest class began its high school career with fifty-eight members. Out of this number ten had passed the first eight years of their schooling side by side in the Bement schools, namely: Mary Wilkinson, Mary Kerns, Marguerite Malkus, Jack Barnett, Vance Parker, Jack Thompson, Wayne Body, Judson Poundstone, Virgil Smith, and Donald Pitts. Of this number we have lost by the wayside eighteen, and have added to our ranks thirteen. At this period in our high school career we often thought of how nearly the seniors had completed their high school work, and, though we were somewhat bashful, we resolved to do our best. As the time sped on we assembled all our strength and courage and have at last attained that lofty position for which we have been struggling. When we began the second lap of that steep hill, on whose summit is graduation, Napoleon Jackson, Helga Larson, Gertrude McMillan, and John Sheppard had taken other paths, while Wayne Bauman joined us on our upward trend. This year several began a very promising athletic career which has ended successfully for the most of them. As we mounted to the third stretch of this journey, Clarence Comer-lord, Clyde Dare, Leonard Leavitt, Lester Peterson, Hazel Phillips, Emmet Rogers, Blanche Sams, and Aafke Sebens were summoned from our throng to find success and happiness elsewhere. We welcomed Leo Hanna, Joseph Voightritter, Bernice White, and Harry Kelley as companions on our lofty climb to the top of that hill, where our dreams are materialized in graduation. When we had reached the fourth and last course of this knowledgeseeking expedition, during which we had so diligently labored that we might, as seniors, experience that feeling of self-satisfaction and gratification of desire which follows a successfully accomplished task, we were forsaken by Leo Eaton, Clemons Fogle, Catherine Miller, Olive Norris, and Alice Webb. Our happiness was marred by the death of our faithful and loyal classmate, Florence Gardner. Our number was enlarged by Opal Durst, Vivian Hoyt, Nellie Burnett, Russell Bodamer, Glenn Smith, John South, Carleton Smith, and Orval England through the last upward climb to the fulfillment of our ambition here. We hope that as we continue our journey through life, traveling divided paths, we may each realize the success that we as a class have here attained. Edith Fristoe. Page Twenty-four

Page 25 text:

n E T o RAYMOND MORELAND “Catfish” Delphian ’24; Football ’23; Basketball ’22, ’23; Baseball ’22. BERNICE WHITE “Berny” Entered from Champaign ’23; Delphian ’24; Glee Club ’22. HELEN WALL Philomathean ’24; Typewriting Award ’24; Accountancy Award ’22, ’23. HILDA WALL Delphian ’24; Typewriting Award ’24; Accountancy Award ’22, ’23. RUSSEL SEITZ Delphian ’24; Football ’22, ’23, ’24; Basketball ’24; Track ’21, ’22, ’23, ’24. Page Tiventy three

Page 27 text:

B E T O H I 19 24 CLASS PROPHECY: 1924 Since my graduation from Bement High School I have been guard on a pipe for the Hopkins Oil Company of Southern California. On the last day of December, 1936, I lay down in the afternoon and had the following dream: It was on New Year’s Day, 1937, the following wager was made— I was to hike across the country from Los Angeles to New York and back by the Fourth of July the same year. The conditions were few and not hard to comply with, as the only restriction was, pay for no ride enroute. The boys of the oil company gave me a fifty-mile ride, then sent me off on my long tramp, which proved to be a delightful, weary, foot-sore and interesting one. I reached the small town of Beaumont, California, just as a cool dusk was setting in, and as I was growing cold, being attired only in a light hiking suit, 1 began looking for a hotel. After a few moments of walking, I came to a brilliantly lighted roadhouse with an electric sign reading, “England Inn.” For a short time no one was visible, but presently 1 heard a door open and our old friend Orval England came swinging down the corridor, followed by an auburn-haired waitress, who to all appearances, was Marguerite Malkus. Here were the first members of our class that I had seen since 1925. Orval threw a fit as usual,” and called out: “Bernice, Bernice! Come and see who is here!” From another door there appeared a familiar face, and it was none other than Bernice White, now Mrs. England. The next morning they sent me off with good luck and a bounteous lunch for the following day. In two hours time I was riding a “ventilated side-door Pullman” for Yuma, Arizona. The atmosphere had a dreamy effect upon me, and I soon fell asleep. When I awoke the train was just slowing down in the yards at Yuma. In a short time I jumped to the ground and started looking for a train going to El Paso. While walking along I was accosted by a policeman who commanded me to halt. On looking around I recognized my old friend John South, but he no longer knew me, for he asked what business I had in the yards, bumming around; whereupon I told him I was looking for a man from Hammond, Illinois. He then grasped my hand, and he was highly interested in the wager I was trying to win, for with a wink to the conductor, and a hearty good-bye he put me on a limited passenger going to El Paso. I strolled back through the drawing-room of the observation-car and saw four young men at a game of cards, probably “blackjack.” They were no others than Jack Barnett, Glenn Smith, Wayne Body, and Donald Pitts. Jack was the first to see me and from then on until we reached El Paso we had a grand time. I told them of my trip, and I learned they were operating an irrigation project in southern Arizona. They were now on their way to Texas to buy some equipment for a big job they were putting over. I asked them about other members of the class. Jack told me that Everett VanVleet had completed an eight-year course at the Colorado School of Mines and Engineering, and was now consulting engineer for their company. He also told me that Don Mathews and his wife Page Twenty five