El Reno High School - Boomer Yearbook (El Reno, OK)

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 - £42 MESSAGE TO THE GRADUATING CLASS OF 1947 fcafgu As I write this, we are taking delight in a motto recently hung in our outer office which is in effect a declaration of our faith in the future. It reads: THE TRUE DISCOVERY OF AMERICA IS BEFORE US. THE TRUE FULFILLMENT OF OUR SPIRIT, OF OUR PEO- PLE, OF OUR MIGHTY AND IMMORTAL LAND IS YET TO COME. In the one hundred and seventy years since the signing of the Declaration of Independence, our peo- ple have barely scratched the surface of our amazing possibilities. Greater things are yet to be accomplished than we have dreamed of; the “Westward, Ho!” refrain that pushed us “from sea to shining sea” will now be changed to “Onward, Ho!” In spite of the misgivings of the cynical and the embittered, of the ignorant and the stupid, America is fated to lead the world to new levels of material well being and spiritual living. Perhaps we have completed one cycle in our development and are entering at the beginning of the atomic age upon the second. Having established world superiority in a material way, we are now about to chart our course toward a higher objective—that of raising our achieve- ment in the social and spiritual realms. It is commonly believed that unless we complete the second cycle, our material civilization cannot endure. The true discovery of America will be in the realm of spirit. It will be achieved gradually as decent young people reject behavior patterns that are sordid and nvqan and substitute there- for a way of life based on a practical idealism, new, noble affections expelling old ones less noble. A new faith in goodness will steadily thrust out a baser faith in expediency. Inch by inch young people will refine and purify our society; the dawn of the new discovery of Amer- ica will be gradual so that you will never be able to say just when day began—but you may be certain that its brightness approaches. How proud we must be of our citizenship in so mighty and immortal a land, and how eagerly the members of the El Reno High School Class of 1947 will meet the requirements of the true spiritual discovery of America! There isn’t one among you, I sincerely believe, who doesn’t covet for himself and his classmates the privibgc of helping to bring about the true fulfill- ment of our people. I pray that nothing will daunt you in your noble resolution to be a voy- ager in the true discovery—to be an instrument in the true fulfillment—of our people. Yours is the golden opportunity to live in the moment of great decision. It is you who will help Amer- ica make up its mind to use its vast powers for righteousness’ sake. Paul R. Taylor Superintendent of Schools

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We, the seniors of 1947, have quite a colorful history. A look back over the calendar of our high school days proves this fact. Remember when we were freshmen? There wasn’t one of us who knew his way around the school. A few of us wandered into some strange class, only to find that it was an English IV or trigo- nometry class. . . And did those seniors ever razz us! . . . Aft r we finally began to feel “at home” and settled down to our business, we elected our first class officers. Let’s see, Gene Marshall was elected president and Charleen Greer, vice president. Bob Fowler was chosen secretary; Wilma Mathews, treasurer; and Martha Har- vey, reporter. . . Another group of “freshies” grew eager and organ- ized a new club in E. H. S. The Six-Foot Nine was dwindling in number because the boys were off to war, so ten girls met and organ- ized the Usherettes. These girls were Betty Merveldt, Wilma Mathews, Joe Ann Meyer. Jerry Kitzmiller, Billie Jean Maupin, Betty Goble, Jerry Paxton, Eamestine Blanchard, Beatrice Keith, and Kathleen Miller. . . .