Cowan High School - Sachem Iris Yearbook (Muncie, IN)

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THE IRIS SENIOR CLASS HISTORY In September, 1924, 32 rather embarrased Freshmen took their places in the old assembly of Cowan High School. It was one of the largest Freshman classes that had entered high school up to that time. The assembly room seemed like an enormous place to us after being confined to the smaller rooms for eight years. But gradually the feeling of embarrassment wore off and especially after Christmas Holidays when we moved into the new assembly, did we begin to feel as if we really belonged to high school. Mr. Johns was our sponsor that year and did all he could to help the class along. We did not enter into many social activities except that in the first month of school we were properly initiated, which, of course, started us on our successful career through high school. Although we did not step out socially we contributed in an industrial way to the school. The domestic science class raised money by selling hot lunches and equipped the kitchen with cooking utensils and dishes and furnished a dining room. The boys in manual training made several book cases, tables, and such things for the school building. At the end of this year Pauline McKinney moved to another school and Marian Oxley and Vera Lee Keesling quit school. At the beginning of the next year a slightly egotistical but peppy group entered into the Sophomore year. The most important thing in our career the second year was the editing of the Cowan Mirror.” It was the first monthly school paper to have been edited and we were very proud of it. We organized a press club and made some visits to the Muncie newspaper offices, so we thought our newspaper knowledge was fairly extensive. By combining the money we rais- ed by selling candy and that which we had left over from last year, we bought a mimeograph for the school. So with Miss Kirkham as our sponsor we went through this year very successfully although we had but few exciting events. We lost Lucretia Jester, Eli Shreves, and Carl Oxley from our class at the end of this year. The next September we started in with 30 boys and girls, but before the Christmas Holidays one of our girls. Mary Huffman, ventured forth into matrimony, leaving us only 29 to complete the year. We, realizing more seriously our responsibilities, were a more settled group who started out on the adventures of the Junior year. Naturally, our thoughts centered around the social events which would be ours to sponsor later on. As soon as the Christmas Holidays were over, with Miss Blank coaching us, we started on our class play, Aaron Boggs, Freshman, which was staged on February 15 and was a decided success. Next in importance was the reception given to the Seniors which was held in the Hotel Roberts. 1ms event caused us no little worry but we felt that our efforts were all repaid. We feel indebted to Miss Blank, who was our sponsor, for helping us to complete the year in a creditable manner. We lost Norma Drumm, Mildred Sheets, Martha Shockley, Robert Waldo, and Bethel Williams from our class at the end of the year. Now we are haughty and dignified Seniors but the nearer the time of graduation approaches the less haughty and dignified we feel, for we are leaving a place of comparative importance for something we know not what. Our class roll is now twenty-four and we feel proud to say that it is the largest Senior Class that has ever been in the Cowan High School. Whatever our lot may be we shall always cherish the memory of our high school days and shall look back upon them as the brightest and best part of our lives. VSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS, 19 2 8 Page Sixteen

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IRIS CARL OXLEY. “Al —Cowan 1, 2; Gaston 3: Cowan 4: Basketball 4: Sport Editor for Annual 4. “Beware. I may yet be great.” VIRGINIA G. SKINNER, “Jinnie” — Glee Club 1, 2, 3, 4. Operetta 2, 4: Semper Paratus Club 2; Junior Play; Art Editor of Annual 4: Treasurer of Domestic Science Class 1; Sunshine Society 1, 2, 3; Girls' Basketball 2. 3, 4; Orchestra 1, 2, 3. 4. “A willing worker who deserves much praise. ILA M. WHITE, “Maggie”—Glee Club 1, 2; Operetta 2: Sunshine Society 1, 2, 3; Or- chestra 1, 2, 3, 4; Advertising Manager of Mirror 2; Girls' Basketball 1, 2. 4; Junior Play; Semper Paratus Club 2: Sports for Annual 4. “She has a mind of her own, but not a heart, someone stole that.” LOLA BULLOCK, “Lolie”—Glee Club. Oper- etta 2 and 4. Sunshine Society 1, 2, 3; Junior Play. “Quiet—but you'd be surprised.” KATHLEEN NULL, “Kat”—Glee Club 1, 2, 3, 4; Operetta 2 and 4: Junior Play. “She can make the piano talk.” i a n o Page Fifteen

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W V AVAV V W V W THE IRIS SENIOR CLASS PROPHECY One summer evening after I had completed mv day s labors. I was seated in a rose arbor facing the lake which was in front of my home. My thoughts had wandered back to the good old days when I had attended Cowan High School. These thoughts caused me to wonder what had become of all the members of the class of 28. Twilight came and I fell into a sort of a reverie. Gradually the air was filled with mist. I sat gazing into it until finally I thought I could discern some people on the other side. Slowly they seemed to cross the lake and come toward me. Perhaps you can imagine my astonishment and bewilderment when 1 recognized the Seniors of 1928. Roger Ream, the former class president, was leading the procession. He told me they had all planned to surprise me with a visit that evening but Ruth Ross, who was a missionary among the barbarous tribes in Africa, was unable to come because of her vital interest in saving the souls of the savages. Roger, I soon learned, was Hollywood's leading comedian, and Mary Johnson, who stepped up at just that moment, informed me that she was playing opposite Roger and was making a big “hit. One of the members, Ina Hayes, who had become very disgusted with men, was gaining much popular- ity as a chorus girl in the Ziegfield Follies. Immediately behind Roger was Dorothy Kirp, formerly vice-president, and Gladys Anderson, former secretary and treasurer. Dorothy had risen to a position as teacher in the Conservatory of Music in the windy city. Gladys, ber old pal, was a physical director in the Y. W. C. A. at Los Angeles. Dorothy and Gladys were kind enough to bring the other members to me and tell me what they were doing. Gladys Buchanan, an American novelist, presented me with one of her latest works, “The Vagabond Prince. Madonna Finley, one whom I was glad to see again, was secretary and satelite of Gladys. Jessie Jeffers was now the wife of one of the Senators from West Virginia and she had also become a very prominent political leader in that state. Towards the back of the line I saw Roy Lyons and his contented wife, formerly Pauline Painter, with their twins Bob and Martha. Roy had established himself as one of the leading dairymen of Wisconsin. Virginia Skinner and Lucile Marsh then came forward and Virginia told me she had gone to an art school at Indianapolis and had become an interior decorator of some fame. Lucile then gave me a print of her masterpiece, At Sundown, a typical Indiana scene. I then noticed some commotion down ti. line and I asked Roger who it was. He replied that it was probably Catherine Reynolds, who was an instructor in toe dancing in Honolulu. “Pray tell me who the gentleman with the cane is, I said. “That’s Senator Carl Oxley, from Indiana, Roger replied. “He's been looking with longing eyes at the presidential chair and he hopes to be chosen for the national leader in the race of 1952 or 1956. “And who is the gentlemen dressed in khaki, conversing with him? Marcus Newton, who has just been put in charge of the boy scouts of Michigan, he said. “I suppose you have heard that one of our members, Dorothy Chalfant, has married Regis Morley, a rich New York stock broker? Page Seventeen