Big Sandy High School - Pioneer Yearbook (Big Sandy, MT)

Page 16 text:

decorations. Speakers were Mrs. Kleinschmidt, Mr. Hood, Mr. Miley, Margaret Stremcha, Edward Pokorny, Josephine Henderson, Violet Lanik, and Toastmaster George Jelinek. Blue and white streamers curved around the stage and were hung with silver stars forming an effective background for the Tophatters, the orchestra of the evening. The Tophatters played the Grand March song which was Anchors Aweigh, for the march at 9:00 that was led by Robert Green and Margaret Stremcha. A flag was on display in the center of the floor and the focal point for the spotlight which was mounted in the left balcony. The dances were held under this spotlight and made the theme Moonlight and Roses more realistic. The dance tickets were red, white, and pink paper roses that had been made by the girls of the Junior Class. Josephine Henderson and Deane Courtnage were crowned at midnight, the Queen and King, of the Prom, by Patricia Machgan. Following the coronation, there was a half-hour intermission after which the dancing continued until 2:00. BLAZED TRAILS 1945 SPORTS During the school year of 1944-45, Big Sandy has realized glorious achievements in Athletics. Under superb coaching and management, the Big Sandy Pioneers emerged victoriously with titles in both major sports. Now, as the school year nears completion, we look back with much pride and satisfaction in having two district championship teams in one year. The football squad showed much spirit and drive once it was developed and roamed at will over its opponents. Only in the final game of the season were the Pioneers defeated. They won the Judith Basin district championship from Geyser by an overwhelming score of 42-6. During the season the Big Sandy squad drove roughshod across the turf to defeat such gridiron foes as Geraldine, Harlem, Turner, Geyser, and St. Mary's. The prospects for next year's team are good, for, fortunately, only one member of the squad is graduating. The basketball season was equally successful. Out of the enormous number of 32 games played this season, the local quint turned in 27 wins. In the final stages of the season, the team played in four tournaments. The Pioneers won their district championship in basketball by defeating Rudyard, Chester and Chinook at the district tournament in Chinook. Also the squad 1 4

Page 15 text:

During the school year of 1939-40, we began working on solos and small ensembles and were excited when told that if we could memorize our music, we could enter the State Music Festival in Missoula. Mr. Boess drove his new blue Ford with five aspiring musicians crowded into front and back seats, hardly leaving enough room for our director driver. To this day, it is difficult to fathom where we stowed our instruments, let alone an over-night bag and toothbrush. The trombone quartet, consisting of Willis Welty, Ruth Hansen, Joe Quinn, and Dean Courtnage, performed. Joe Quinn played SOUL OF THE SURF (trombone solo) and Bob Green performed the trumpet solo, CARNIVAL OF VENICE. We were eighth-graders at the time. One of our adjudicators was the band director of the Montana State College Bozeman Bobcat Band, Mr. Edmond Sedivy. We were so proud with the results and our ratings of SUPERIOR. Imagine, SUPERIOR ratings in competition with high school students. Is it any wonder why we seized every opportunity to go down to the band room and practice? We were allowed the opportunity to sign out of study hall and to go practice, even if the instructor was not present. It comes to mind now that there would be very little chance of any teacher being able to hear our musical efforts any place in the main building. This suggests a genuine trust teachers had for those of us who were aspiring to become proficient musicians. It was common to get to school before first period and practice for an hour, then commence again during study hall and practice during the regularly scheduled band period. Then, if basketball or other sports were not demanding our time, some returned to practice after school. Many evenings during the week, regular evening rehearsals allowed us another two hour stint. Thus, it was possible to average from four to six hours of practice every day of the school week. This was much of our entertainment.... and we loved iti Until some form of music enters our lives, some way, we cannot hope to claim full understanding of the peace and happiness that can be attained by mankind. --Robert L. Green JUNIOR-SENIOR PROM 1944 May 13, 1944 was the date we, as Juniors, gave the annual prom in honor of the Class of 1944 . At 6:30 a banquet was served by the Sophomore girls which had been prepared by some of the Juniors' mothers and aided by Mrs. Bertha Smith. The girls serving wore white blouses and dark skirts. The tables were arranged in a V-shape and decorated with roses which were later given to the Juniors and Seniors to wear as corsages and hair 1 3

Page 17 text:

made an excellent showing in the regional tournament at Great Falls. During the season the local lads defeated such formidable hoopsters as Fort Benton, Kremlin, Chinook, St. Paul's Mission, Shelby, and Chester. According to survey made by R. W. Sandven, director of athletics. Northern Montana State College, Big Sandy ranked fifth among the class B teams of the State. Two seniors graduate from the team this spring. The Senior class takes with it three lettermen this spring. As a junior, Ed Pokorny played center on the football squad, Joe Quinn played left end on the football squad, and guard on the basketball team. Robert Green played forward on the basketball team. BLAZED TRAILS 1945 —Joe Quinn SNEAK DAY On April 24, 1945 our Senior Sneak Day began at five o'clock, a dark five o'clock, with three cars full. We circled the town umpteen times to insure that everyone knew we were leaving if only for a day. About 7:30 we arrived in Fort Benton to pick up Margaret Bakke. But Maggie just couldn't go. It was a case of mumps. So on to Great Falls while we munched bananas. The boys had provided 19 3 4 pounds of bananas for snacks. By nine o'clock we were in Great Falls and held a consultation in front of the Mandarin Cafe in the rain. Everyone was wishing for an umbrella or raincoat, and everyone was hungry. Since Hank's Kitchenette was just across the street, we dashed over and ate breakfast. After satisfying the inner man, we were ready for Giant Springs--even in the rain. Upon arrival we stared the fishes in the eye and felt sorry for them, but sorrier for ourselves because it was so cold. There were no chances for a photo at Giant Springs. We were really all in the mood for our next stop, the W. H. George funeral parlors. A man ushered us into a soft carpeted room. Voices dropped, giggles disappeared, and we tiptoed after our guide into a room where an old gentleman lay peacefully sleeping. We also went down into the lower floor and reviewed the different kinds of coffins. One number was a hand carved walnut imported from China. From the funeral parlor we went to the mausoleum and crematory where we had just missed a funeral. The attendant explained the different kinds of marble used in the inside of the building, the different kinds of urns for cremated remains, and the desirable factors in this type of burial. Several of the girls expressed their desire to be buried in the couch crypts in Montana marble. After we had visited here all we wanted, we felt in need of a drink--so we visited the Coca Cola Bottling 1 5