Cleveland High School - Clevana Yearbook (Cleveland, NC)

Page 21 text:

Ruth Southers is now teaching Home Economics at Statesville High School and is doing a wonderful job. The quiet Clara Mae Thigpen is now married to R. L. Steeleman, the boy who controlled her heart all through high school. Two nurses that are devoted to their professions are Betty Sue Kyles who is head nurse at Longs Hospital and Nola Kyles director of nurses at the Good Samaritan Hospital” in Charlotte. Several girls in the class of fifty decided on secretarial work as their career. Doris Wood is now typist for a large newspaper. Nattie Galligher is a secretary for an auto company and is now engaged to the boss’s son. Ruth Witherspoon’s tiny figure has been for the best of her abilities. She is now secretary in the large Brickmas Ice Company, which requires alertness and quietness. Peggy Beck is a secretary in the offices of Erwin Cotton Mills in Cooleemee, her good typing grades putting her on the ladder of success. The cokes in our glasses had long vanished when I decide I have to say goodbye with a promise that I'll write just as soon as possible. After spending the first two days at home I decide to visit the little town of Cleveland. The first place to go was the high school. The school has been enlarged a great deal since I was here last. It now possesses a band, and the faculty has increased more than three times in number since 1950. I go slowly up the steps, enjoying all the added beauty. As I enter the office, whom should I See first but, Mrs. Floyd Holt, the former June Clodfelter, who is Mr. Spears secretary. Lala Swicegood, who graduated from Appalachian with a high degree in Mathematics (her favorite subject) is now teaching Mathematics at the high school. Preston Barber, a former Davidson Football star, has now taken over the coaching duties at the school. I learn from Preston that Jimmy Bame is now a great brain surgeon at the Walter Reid Hospital and is doing a fine job. Dr. Bill Wilhelm, the great fullback for Cleve- land in forty-nine, is now an expert Horticulturest and owns his own nursery in Salis- bury. Although Larston Reitzel hasn’t reached the height of his ambition as President of the United States, he is a handwriting expert for the F.B.I. As I’m coming through Cleveland I stop at Wilhelms for some gas and whom should I see but Betty Smith with her oldest son, Robert, Jr. Returning home I see a small rambling farmhouse on a sloping hill and whose name should be on the mail box but Mr. G. R. Myers. As I go slowly up the drive way, I see his charming little wife, the former Geraldine Cline. After sampling some of her delicious coffee and cake I continue on my way. Just as I arrive home the phone rings and my dear friend, Mary Alice Christie, invites me to spend the night with her at her apartment. She now has a kindergarten of her own. After talking late into the night I think as I go off to sleep, My, how things have changed and how wonderful everyone has done.” And then I close my eyes with a sigh- How I dread to get back to the city away from this Carolina quietness.”

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CLASS PROPHECY My goodness, only fifteen minutes left to get to that station! I’ll never make it, I said, as I hurriedly changed from my costume to my traveling outfit. I was at last getting away from the hustle and bustle of Broadway for a two weeks vaca- tion to my old home town, Salisbury, and its neighboring city of Cleveland. This was the first time I was going home for any length of time in ages. Perhaps I would be able to catch up on the latest when I got home. Although I’ve received many letters, they have told me very little about my old school chums”. It's been almost seven years now since I've seen the gang”, and I’m really anxious to know just what they’ve been doing with themselves. Gosh! this zipper’s out of place, and everything else is packed away. If I’d only learned some Home Ec! Repaired at last, I say quick farewells, promising to be back in two weeks for rehearsal of Midnight Dream” to be presented on Broadway next spring. Where to, Miss asked the taxi driver. Grand Central Station, I replied, with a faint smile creeping around my mouth and a dreamy look in my eyes. I settle back and ride the five long blocks to the station with eager anticipation. After riding for about twelve hours I'm at last nearing Salis- bury. As I step off the train with the intention of calling a cab, (no one knew I was coming) I think to myself, That sailor over by the phone booth surely looks familiar, I hate to be rude but” --Why its none other than Charlie Waller!! I walk over to him with outstretched hand but not a glimpse of recognition appears on his surprised face. After telling him who I am, we begin a friendly chat. He says his train doesn't leave for San Francisco for twenty minutes, which gives us some time for talking. He tells me he truly enjoys the Navy, and plans to make it his career. He isn't the same shy boy with whom I attended school seven years ago, I think to myself because he just surprised me with the announcement that he was married to a former California girl and has two children. Can you imagine that? And Charlie never paid any attention to girls in high school! After saying goodbye I hail a cab to start on my journey home. Who should be driving the cab but Wilbert Hall. He tells me he is now working for Walter Pennell who owns a chain of taxis. We pass a large chain store by the name of Helen's Five Ten,” which is owned and operated by the former Helen Lippard who is now Mrs. Bill Hoffner. I'll get out at the next corner, I say to Wilbert. Just as I step out of the cab, I run into Dorothy Davis and Dollie Allen. Dot tells me she's still in training at ’Duke to be a doctor. Dollie has already graduated from nurses training and can hardly wait for the day when she can be Dot's office nurse. I suggest going into the drug store for a coke and talking over some of our old school days. It seems Dot and Dollie know quite a lot about the gang. They tell me that Dorothy Graham is now married to June Mayhew who is owner of several large McLean Trucks, and it seems they have a beautiful home and two lovely children. It seems Ray Powlas's good agriculture grades have made him a prosperous farmer around the Cleveland vicinity. Farmers and marriage are really leading in the graduation class of fifty. Joe Graham has also chosen farming and marriage for his career. Now getting to the fine culture our class possessed, I find that Lucy Warren has recently graduated from Philadelphia Music Hall, and is teaching music at Mary Washington College in Virginia, a school noted for its refinement in music. Another classmate who followed the line of music but in a different way is Tommy Douglas. Tommy now has his own Hill-billy band and plays for the square dances, which still go at Cleveland every Friday night. Dena Swicegood has also chosen marriage as a career. It seems she has a dress shop in her home which takes a great deal of time, not including the time she spends with her children and her husband.

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LAST WILL AMD TESTAMENT We, the Senior Class of Cleveland High School, being of sound mind and sane judgment and by our own desire and intent, do hereby execute this document as our final testament. First: To our parents we bequeath our undying love and most sin- cere appreciation for making it possible for us to achieve a high school education. Second: To the faculty we do give our deepest gratitude for their consideration for us as a class, and for their understanding which has been so helpful. Third: I, Dorothy Davis, will and bequeath my Physics Book to Betty Ann Keply. Fourth: I, Charles Waller, do will and bequeath my ability to blush so easily to Bobby Cline. Fifth: I, Lala Swicegood, will my blue jeans, loafers, and bobby-sox to Ruby Graham. Sixth: I, Doris Wood, bequeath my place as chief cheerleader to Roy Beaver. Seventh: I, Preston Barber, do will and bequeath my dancing ability to Willie Mae Graham and my place by every girl’s locker to Eddie Pennell. Eighth; I, Joe Graham, will my position as left tackle on the football squad to Kenneth Kyles. Nineth: I, June Clodfelter, will and bequeath my place as school store manager to Ruth Wilhelm. Tenth: I, Ramona Allen, do bequeath my polka-dot blouse, that took me two months to make, to Miss Erwin. Eleventh: I, Nola Kyles, will my pleasant plumpness to Marcella Beeker. Twelvth: I, Tommy Douglas, will and bequeath my superiority to skip classes to Robert Love. Thirteenth: I, Dollie Allen, do will my lack of speech to Lois Smith. Fourteenth: I, Ruth Witherspoon, do will and bequeath my smallness to Phillis Roseman. Fifteenth: I, Billy Wilhelm, will my place as best looking senior to Sam Beeker and my popularity to Geraldine Myers. Sixteenth: I, Mary Alice Christie, will and bequeath my feminine ways to Dotty Plummer. Seventeenth: I, Larston Reitzel, do will the following: My place as Cleveland comedian or Bob Hope to my dear friend Cotton Bar- ringer, my unorthodox way with the women to Pete Snider, and my phone number to Dot Campbell. Amen! Eighteenth: I, Peggy Beck, will and bequeath my height and blonde hair to Phillis Myers.