High School of Commerce - Commerce Yearbook (San Francisco, CA)

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I 1926-THE COMMERCE-I926 QKQU 'IGN flatfoot for policemanj and said he didn't mind the work, as he walked in his sleep and caught diseases easily. That night I went to Crabtree's Theatre fyes, it was old Henry himselfj, and saw a fine show, besides having the pleasureof seeing two former classmates, Mildred Bollo and Dorothy Johnson, perform so well that they were called back four times. After the show I went to the Roast Beef Palace on Market Street and, while wait- ing for my order, I became interested in the rather stout manager, who was rushing about seating incoming patrons. I called him to my table and it took him quite a while to recognize meg I didn't think that Otto Huber would forget me so easily. He pointed out one of the waitresses and I was greatly surprised when he mentioned that her name was Helen Lubin. Even then I could picture to myself how she used to giggle at the least little word, while at school. Inasmuch as I needed some rest I went to a hotel and registered. The clerk looked at the name, grinned, and said, Hello, Louie, how's your old man? I was rather perplexed and was forced to inquire what his name was, whereupon I found out that he was another of the June, '26, boys-Richard Gilbert. He told me to take a good look at the elevator boy and I did, which resulted in my meeting another former classmate, Johnny Curran. He let me off on the wrong floor, and I almost got into the Wrong room, but was notified of my mistake by a well-directed boot, and landed in the hall with a clatter. I sent out to the drugstore for a bottle of liniment and, when the bellhop brought it back, I looked at the label and discovered that the manufacturer of this lotion was none other than Harold Cross. Upon further perusal of the label, I found that it was also good as a beverage, is used for all machinery, and is also useful as a hair 1'CSfOI'e1'. As it was a wonderful day I took an airplane taxi to Golden Gate Park in order to witness the Davis Cup Matclies, played on the new and wonderful courts, with the massive grandstands surrounding them. The actions of America's entry in the final match caused me to think Ca very unusual thingl back to school days, and it dawned upon me that this might be Germany I-Iirschfield and upon looking at the program I found it was true. After the match Cwhich Herr Hoishy wonj, I went to his dressing rooms and introduced myself, whereupon he took out a fine Wiener- schnitzel with rye-bread, and we indulged in a repast worthy of a place on a king's table. After leaving Hirschfield, I strolled about the park looking at the statues when I came to a beautiful piece of marble-work, carved to resemble a baseball player. I went over and touched it and, to my surprise, it jumped away. I rubbed my eyes and looked again. To be SU1'C, it was no statue but a human being, and that same human being was Thomas fRedj Conlan, who had been a great pitcher at school and whose work had almost won the inter-class championship for the Senior Class of June, '26. He told me that he was pitching for the New York Giants. Near this spot I saw a young lady painting on a canvas. I came up behind her and tried to figure the picture out, but gave up the task in despair and asked the artist when she was going to begin the painting. At this she turned around with a haughty stare, and was about to launch a verbal attack at me, when she stopped and uttered the following phrase: You may be next! Upon hearing this, I decided that this must be Marion Mallinger, and it was. ' I decided it was time to go back to the hotel, so I called a taxi and was taken to my dwelling place, where I proceeded to attack with plenty of wim, wigor and wilzzlity. While eating I listened to the music, and was well satisfied with the orches- tra, particularly the piano player. I went over to make a request for a special num- ber and saw that the pianist was Edward fIVIecca-Jakej Duffy, the boy who used to tickle the music box at the old school barn dances. He then played Annie fTwz'nfr- Ewell

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1926-Tr-In COMMERCE--1926 5 ifjilfl' 'C 'tc . M1 u 1 if ' .11 ffl: 5 .H iii 2 4 ' o 1 ts, N ,JM k, 1:1-am- ' -4 he '1- 'gf' x. A 2 mx -lliras AU -aa. y CLZSS PROPIIEC After graduating from the High School of Commerce in June, 1925, I decided to do something big and fine, so I hied myself back to Peoria, Illinois. and took upon myself the responsibility of being a first-class conductor on the town's great street car line. This line fwhich, by the way, was owned by Richard Enders, in my later years of servicej consisted of one antiquated excuse for a car and one horse, equally as ancient. After 14 years of honest and efficient service Q19-PO, to be exactj, I had saved enough money to retire. Another possible reason for my quitting was that the horse died. I chartered a special train to go back to my old home in San Francisco, Cal-ee- fawn-ee-ay. After several days of delay we finally got it started. Wlieii the first call for dinner had been sounded, I had been seated at my table for an hour, thinking I was in the chair car. I was awakened from my dreams by something warm falling on me, which, I found out, was a plate of Mzupi' the waiter had spilled over my Sears-Roebuck CNO. 131. I was about to remonstrate when I saw that the waiter was Wesley' Johnson who, as you remember, was an accomplished exponent of the lVIinuet. At my request he went through the dance with me Qalso the soupj to the ever-jazzy tunes of Chopin's Funeral lVIarch. He played several games with me Cand I discovered that he was very clever at making 7's and 1l'sj, much to my amuse- ment and his profit. At a station in Oklahoma l met Ruth llflarshall and found that she had mar- ried, after being undecided upon the question for several years after her gradua- tion. She told me that her husband is a big paint and brush man. Desiring to have a little experience I decided to ride into Oakland in the engi- neer's cab. The engineer showed how each bit of mechanism worked and l chanced to learn that he was none other than Stuart Rasmussen, the dramatics star of school days and plays. He told me that in Heeing from a mob of spectators Qafter one of his usual fine performancesj, he had been forced to flee by means of a stolen engine and since then had decided on the throttle as being more desirable than a career on the footlights and being on the receiving end of sundry vegetables. Wliile crossing on the ferryboat I bought a paper and was deeply interested in some exceptionally clever cartoons when I saw that they had been drawn by Ted Langlais, who had shown great ability, even while a mere school chee-ild. I was amazed to see the elevated railroads and the subways when I reached the city, and I felt as much at home as an Eskimo in Wisconsin. At this moment, I saw a great crowd coming toward me and I attempted to dodge it, but seemingly could not, so I closed my eyes and awaited the shock and probable death. Something like a hammer hit me on the back and I knew that I had been hit by the crowd, but upon opening my eyes I found it to be nothing but George fljhatsoj Duffy. He was a I TZUl'IIfl f0ll7'iI

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1926-THE COMMERCE-1926 MEI' IJGN Laurie, the fox-trot which I asked for, and I went to my table well satisfied with the day's happenings as a whole. In the morning I got up and took a walk down Third Street, the home of Greek restaurants and anti-workers and stopped to listen to some man who was speaking in behalf of Bolshevism. He had a box of bombs beside him and all in all looked rather dangerous, so I asked someone who he was. 'fThat's William Mon- eharsh Qskilf' said my informer, the late ruler of Russia. At this point Bill's soap- box collapsed, and I went over and introduced myself to the President of our High Senior Class, way back in '26. He told me that he still possessed the desire to hold a meeting every day and, thus, had entered the ranks of ze Bolsheviks. The next day I took a trip down the peninsula. Just out of San IVIateo I stopped in an ice cream parlor, and at the counter I met the two soda-jerkers, who proved to be Adelbert Tritscheller and his partner, Arthur Goldstein, both Beau Brummels in their school days. just then a farmer and his wife came in, and I found them to be Arthur Best and Mae Burtis, who we1'e pals in the little old red-schoolhouse days. Vllhile I was eating, they talked of a Commerce High School, which their son was attending in San Francisco. Arriving in the city I bought tickets for a musical revue, which promised to be good. Wlien I had seated myself, I glanced at my program and was astonished to see the names of six former girl classmates and one young man thereon. I doubted myself, but when they came out the program was confirmed, for there were VVinifred Batkin as the leading lady, and Eleanor Campbell, Marcella Cazat, Helen Fleming, and Florence IVIeyers, as chorus girls, while IVIadeline Filhol, still as petite and cute ever, was doing specialty dances. The young man in question was Fred Good, who had been a regular Charleston fanatic when that dance was the vogue, I was rather surprised to see Florence IVIeyers and Helen Fleming on the stage but they both were good, so I forgot it. After the performance was ended I took a cab to the new and magnificent Chutes at the Beach, and strolled around through the amusement tents. It was here that I discovered two former classmates of mine in George Mesher, as the barker, and Clyde T. Barr, as the original VVild-lVIan from McAllister Street. Even then I could re- member Clydels frantic cry of- Got your Senior dues? I guess that's what made him wild. A little farther down I came across another schoolmate in Leo Honig, who was a big Hot Dog and IVIustard man on the Beach. I-Ie was still as tall as ever. Just at this point of the proceedings, a Salvation Army Band came along with its long- winded speaker, who warned the sinners who were drinking the intoxicating root-beer and eating the treacherous spaghetti and noodles. The leader stepped forward and said, Brother lVIike Bronder will now tell you how he was saved, as will B1'other Charter, our ragtime drummer. I was convulsed with laughter, but I controlled myself 'til it was all over, and then I renewed friendships with these two saved men, and got them to sin to the extent of riding the NIerry-go-'round, where I left them to pray their way out of paying. The next day I went to see a track-meet at Stanford University. Here I found an old friend in the winner of the 100-yard dash- Goog5 VVallgren, one of the fastest men who ever ran for Commerce. WVe visited several buildings and I found Ardine Gooss, now a professor of Journalism, who had realized her ambition to be the editor of The Quazl, when she was a co-ed. That night I had a dream that I went to heaven and saw Robert llfluri there-but it was only a dream. To conclude my tale, I shall tell in brief where and how I met other students in my travels, and what they were doing. l:Tzc'e11i1.'-.vixl