East Leyden High School - Eagle Yearbook (Franklin Park, IL)

Page 21 text:

CLASS HISTORY AND WILL (Written in the form of u one-net piny) By (iale Spalding “fin- rain nr rose an nlie wanted the ancient ytnrien of her race.”-Ch. XXXJX, Ivanhoe. iCurtain discloses old mnn in bathrobe and Classes, roe |ini UK in a great Morris ebair. He appears piitc fatigued and annoyed. It is a living room scape and at the rear a maid is moving busily about. The old man has a label of (Mass of lil.MO pinned on his chest.) Maid (turning to old man): Mr. Class, J'm afraid you need a change of climate. You’re not looking very well. Class: Thank you, Miss, but I’m quite all right- Co on with your labors. i Bell rings off side and maid goes to door, letting in a mnn dressed in sombre clothes and bearing a small black bag. Crosses to C.) Class (without stirring): Who is it? Maid: It’s Dr. Time, sir. Doctor: Hello, Class. How are you, old boy. I was in the neighborhood and thought I’d stop in to see you. Everything going all right? Class: Glad to see you’re here, Doc. I'm not feeling very well so you can examine me. (Doctor opens bag, uses stethoscope and feels pulse.) Doctor: You've been working too hard, Class. You won't last long at that rate. What have you been doing? Class: Do you want to know everything from the time I started work? Doctor: Yes, I must know everything or I can't diagnose your case. (Draws up chair). Proceed. Class (sighs and settles himself in hjs chair while maid arranges pillows and leaves room); Well, as you know, I’m made up of many different parts, or sections, and when I engineer anything I use every one of these parts. When I first entered business I was made up of fifty-two divisions. Doctor: Fifty-two, eh? Class: Yes, I undertook many projects with these divisions but I had to have a little training to start, so I employed a corps of instructors. Only five of these remain—Miss Thomas, Miss Brown, Miss Miller, Mr. Deal and Mr. Baker. Perhaps you know them? Doctor: Yes, I do. But go on. Class: Well, anyway, I started work in some old portable buildings—nothing like the wonderful structure I now use! (sadly) I’ll have to leave it, soon, though, because my four year lease runs out tomorrow. Doctor (looks at watch): I have an appointment soon. If you will hurry .... Class (annoyed): Well, things went so well the first half year that I moved into a beautiful new building and celebrated by giving a party with the sophomores in the new gymnasium. Come to think of it, 1 didn’t do so much that year I Doctor(drylv): No? But you took a vacation, didn’t you? Class: Yes. but it was only three months. I lost a lot of rarts, though. When I went back to work there were only thirty-six of me. I had one addition, howover, in the form of Jimmy Kyriazopulos. (Doctor nods, waits). Class: Next year I didn't do much either, outside of a great deal of studying. I sponsored a picnic in the forest preserve for my hard-working divisions. (Doctor nods again): Good idea! Makes them work harder. Class (chuckling agreeably): Yes, Oh, yes. They enjoyed it. Of course, I did a few minor things like giving assembly programs, but on the whole I devoted my time to study. (Clears throat.) (Resuming) In my third year I came back with onlv twenty-eight of my parts, but I was at the peak of mv strength and glorv. I had three additions—Jean Craig. Florence Rod-rek and Sherrill Allen. Then I gave the play Peg O’ My Heart , sponsored the Junior-Senior Prom, and gave a big Christmas party for the whole company, I was very tired after that year. I welcomed my vacation. Doctor: I don’t doubt it. But there was fun with the work, wasp’t there? Class: Oh, yes, I should say so. Well, I came back with twenty-seven parts and lost three almost immediately, though I gained one at the same time—Minnie Leavitt. My band now numbers only twenty-five and I think that's what makes me feel so weak. Doctor: I don’t think so. All your strength is centered in this twenty-five, I believe. Class: I guess you're right, at that. Well, at any rate I felt fine at the start. It’s just lately that I have had spells of nausea. This has been my biggest year. I gave another Christmas party; sponsored Clarence, the Senior play; entered a group in two music festivals; I took part in athletics and in the four-one-act plays given. I won the inter-class basketball tournament also. Then I began looking ahead to this day of days when I would receive my diploma saying that my instructors were quite satisfied with the enormous amount of work I had done. And now I feel weak and can hardly enjoy my amazing success. I guess that’s all, Dr. Time. Doctor (rises, feels old man’s pulse): My goodness, you are getting weak. You know, old man, I don’t want to scare you or anything and I don’t mean that is absolutely necessary, but I

Page 23 text:

think that as a friend and adviser I should suggest that you make your will, if you are going to make one. Class looks up in alarm. Doctor (hastily): Now, now, don’t get excited. 1 just mean that this is just as good a time as any other to make it. Class: Well, perhaps you’re right. But not just now. You know you have an appointment and it’li take time to get a lawyer here. Doctor (thoughtfully): Yes, I guess you’re right. (Bell rings and maid crosses from right to back center and lets in portly gentleman.) Doctor (Surprised and delighted): Why, Mr. Future! You’re just the man we want to see. iTurning to Class) Here’s our Attorney right now. How’s that? Attorney: What’s the matter? I just thought I’d see how my old friend Class was. Doctor: Well, you may have come for pleasure, old top, but you're going to do some work. Sit down and draw up Class’s will, while he’s in the mood. (Class grumbles a bit but Doctor Time smiles and rubs his hands. Future expostulates but finally sits down at Time's arguments.) Doctor: Now Class, out with it. Class (Sighs and resigns himself with a shrug): Well, I don’t know. Let’s see (pauses and thinks) well, I’ll answer for each of my parts. (Sits a moment longer. Then—) When Florence Hodrek has left Leydon’s halls she wants Stanley Boyle to tell incoming classes what a wonderful group the Class of '30 was (Attorney begins writing. Continues so throughout the dictation.) Henry Moeller, through long practice, has acquired a great ability in being able to sleep in a front seat of one of Mr. Deal’s classes. “Charles Napier may have it,’’ says Hank. Though a stately tread and dignified bearing are great assets in this dear world, Mabel Houser would like to give hers to Audrey Kil-man. To Wilbur Bath 1 do bequeath my wistful innocence,” says Edna Herzberg. Minnie Leavitt gives Kathryn Dee a box of “Milky Wavs. accompanied by a half-hidden Snicker.’’ Sherrill Allen wants Benny Woitkewicz to have his bewitching eyes. Jimmy K.vHazopulos has a wonderful supply of convincing alibis. Jimmy gives them gladly to Dan Atherton. Margaret Kornsy leaves nil the paper she wasted learning to type to Esther Franck with many words of advice. Frank Bork, having tired of his beautiful crop of wavy blonde hair, leaves it to Frank ttodgers. Emerson says he’s going to get a new car and anyone desiring the crank to his present vehicle may have It for the asking. Gale Spalding, having concealed any playful notions he may have entertained in his career, leaves his blushing modesty to William Hess. Charles Slebold has changed druggists, so he leaves an almost filled bottle of hair-peroxide to Anton Rasmussen. Howard Coppage is disposing of his sax in the quickest manner possible. He’s going to give it to Sylvia Norten, and get a harp for himself. Herman Rothfelder has always wanted a tent. Elton Stueve heard of this so he is leaving him his slicker. Walter Talaga, with a marked show of generosity, leaves the manual training room all of the pencil shavings in the sharpeners, to make desks from. “Gertrude Broker may have my nicest set of curling irons,” says Eugene Donahue, with a magnanimous wave of his hand. Violet Hanthorn intends to acquire some freckles this summer and she’ll send a bag of them to Muriel Taylor, as soon as possible. Grayce Kolze has spent much time trying to get contributions for her column in The Maroon and White. She leaves this lost time to Raymond Johnson, who knows what to do with it. Maurice Sax gives George Bradof his second best pair of work trousers. You'll have to press them yourself, George. Ralph Crysler says anyone on the faculty may have his quarantine sign. Perhaps you’ve noticed my bubbling, fascinating laugh.” says Patricia KirchhofT. William Hague may have it. Robert Schutt leaves one comb, in perfectly good condition, to George Wells, with many ad-monishings as to its use. Jean Craig says that Gwendolyn Siebold willed her her everlasting ability to keep on the good side of the teachers, and now she passes it on to Roger Burrill. Stephen Atherton will leave his slightly used alarm clock to Joe Castle with the fervent hope that he’ll muke use of it. (Class sighs and moves feebly : Good thing 1 made my will! (Hand at forehead) I feel terrible. (Shakes himself). There's one more. I must go on. Let's see. Walter Dl'ogo-muller bequeaths his ability to awe the green Freshmen into silence, to Rot) Riley. Time (Hurries up and clasps his wrists): Come, you must save your strength for tomorrow night. Your pnrts are to be rewarded then. (Attorney calls in the maid and asks her atid Time to sign as witnesses. Class also signs and Attorney folds paper and puts It in his pocket as he looks at watch.) Attorney: Well, 1 must be on my way. old man. Doctor: And 1. too, Ami don't worry. Shaking finger). It Isn't all as terrible as it seems. hiy,