Coquille High School - Laurel Yearbook (Coquille, OR)

Page 20 text:

SENIOR PROPHECY In 1950 thinking I needed a vacation after my many years of newspaper work in New York and believing that a visit to my old home in Coquille would do me good, I decided to go back for a visit. I had tried to keep track of air my school mates after graduation but my work had gradually taken more and more of my time and soon 1 had no definite idea of the whereabouts of any of the members of the Class of ’23. I was prepared to find a change in conditions at Coquille but nevertheless I was quite amazed on leaving the train at Portland to see directly opposite the depot, a l rge sign giving the aeroplane schedule to Coos County, and saying that the plane left every hour for Coquille. I decided that it would be a really enjoyable trip and so stepped over to the aeroplane office to buy my ticket. Over the window was a sign saying, “This aeroplane and subway system owned by Ralph Harry.” This was a surprise to me, as I had expected Ralph to be the business manager of some large establishment, because of his experience while in high school. But, I reflected, Ralph’s ideas had always flown rather high in the old school days and this may have accounted for his choosing the aeroplane business for a profession. At the ticket window I inquired of the clerk concerning Mr. Harry. He said he was in his office and conducted me there. I hardly recognized Ralph as his hair was quite white and long, and he was crippled up with rheumatism. He invited me to his home that night for dinner. Arriving there, I found his wife to be none other than my old friend, Irma Wilson. I had supposed all along that she was somewhere in the South Sea Islands converting the natives, but she told me that Ralph had persuaded her that charity should begin at home. Our talk during the evening naturally turned to our old schoolmates. Delia Sherwood, Irma told me, was a prominent worker. She had been the first woman Senator from Oregon, had studied law, and was now a judge on the U. S. Supreme Court Bench. Ruth Mathews was business manager of Smith’s Cash Store, a rival mail-order house of

Page 19 text:

CLASS HISTORY ’23 Our Freshman Class which entered the Coquille High School in the year 1919 was the largest class enrolled up to date. Our “pep” and diligent work has carried us through a successful high school career. The Senior Class, since entering high school, has been very prominent in all school activities. Cyril McCurdy, Ralph Harry, Robert Trigg and Albert Oerding have been star football and basketball players. Maude Pierson, Myrtle Mast and Charlotte Bell have played in the Girls’ basket ball team, winning much praise for their school. In 1922 our girls’ basketball team won the cup, given by Miss O’Farrell, to the victorious inter-class girls’ team. During the year of 1921 our class contributed three members to the debating team who were: Delia Sherwood, Errol Sloan and Lawrence Moon. They demonstrated their ability by winning the Coos County Championship. Their efforts were rewarded by a trip to Eugene to the State Debating Contest. The same students were on the debating team the following year. In Declamatory and Oratory, Teresa Clinton and Errol Sloan have been a credit to our class. Last year Errol won the Oratory cup which eliminated him from entering the contest this year. Teresa entered as our representative this year. We know she put forth her best efforts to win and we appreciate the time and trouble she has spent in preparation. This year, the Student Body Government has been conducted successfully by the members of the Senior Class. Errol Sloan has been President; Delia Sherwood, Vice President; Pauline Lorenz, Secretary; Robert Trigg, Treasurer; and Ralph Harry, Business Manager. In previous years Myrtle Mast and Delia Sherwood have served as Vice Presidents. The Senior Class owes a debt of gratitude to the faculty for their earnest efforts in preparing us for the work which we will enter after leaving High School. We also want to extend our thanks to the other classes for the cooperative work in all student affairs. Ann Hooton

Page 21 text:

Sears, Roebuck Company. Maude Pierson had married a former C. H. S. graduate but had finally been divorced by him for cruel and inhuman treatment. She was now supervising the running of a hair-net factory. Nellie Morgan had conducted a beauty shop, specializing in the marcel wave until the wave went out of style. Since then she had became professor of elocution and debate at Yale College and was astonishing all the students with the tones of her majestic voice. The next morning I left on the aeroplane for Coquille. The aeroplanes were very commodious and with every convenience possible. Around the walls were advertisements. I noticed in particular one which announced in large red letters to “Chew Everlasting Gum. Made the Bell way. A secret combination of rubber and vanilla or peppermint. Guaranteed to give Basketball players fresh pep while playing.” Upon closer examination of the advertisement, I found that the manufacturer of the wonderful chewing gum was Charlotte Bell. Let me add that after my arrival in Coquille I found that she had a large factory situated on the waterfront. My trip to Coquille was very interesting and I certainly enjoyed myself. The trip took less than two hours, and because of the speed of the aeroplane and the changed conditions in Coos County, I did not recognize Coquille when we arrived there. If the conductor had not told me that I was at the end of my journey, I would probably have traveled on to Brewster, the next station. Coquille was a city now of about 250,000 inhabitants. It covered an immense portion of the valley, and had many suburbs. There was a large depot covering about an acre of ground. The aeroplane station also had a depot. One unique feature about the station was that the passengers descended from the aeroplanes, (which were anchored about one hundred feet above the ground to steel poles), by an elevator. There were two large parks in Coquille besides several small ones. These two were where the Myrtle grove and Patterson’s grove were formerly. The next afternoon, while I was standing in the lobby of my hotel, I heard the clerk address a man by a name