Elmira District Secondary School - Oracle Yearbook (Elmira, Ontario Canada)

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-Photographs by Cunningham YEAR BOOK STAFF Sitting: Miss MacVicar, Bernice Krupp, Verdun Lavery, Betty Yanchus, Louis Klinck, Mary Howard, .lack McCormick, Mr. Currie. Standing: Carl Schuett, Laverne Wittich, Wilma Klinck, Arlene Shuh, June Lutz, Dorothy Mulholland, Dorothy Hill, Glenn Watson, Angus Martin, Graham Lavery, Mr. Schoales. LITERARY SOCIETY First Row: Marjorie Brubacher, June Weichel, Margaret Martin, Alice Henrich, Ruby Gies, Betty Yanchus, Kahtleen Kalbfieisch, Jean Stroh, Kathleen Lorch. Back Row: Thomas Kares, Mr. Kendall, Murray Hilliard, William Arnold, Leonard Ruppel, Bruce Ruppel, Patrick Morris, David Rowland, Albert Lorch, Miss McDonagh, Henry Sippel.

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20 THE ORACLE Sailors, Beware By DON SNYDER, GRADE XI I was born on a farm in Wyoming, about nineteen years ago. My folks weren't rich, but they sent me to school until I was sixteen. My brother, who was four years older than I, did all the farm work. I helped all I could. fMy father died when I was twelve.Q When my brother joined the Air Force, I had to quit school to run the farm. When I was eighteen, I decided I wanted to join the navy. We sold the farm and stock and bought a home in town for my mother. I went to New York to get a ob on a merchant ship. Because of the war, the fact that I was a land lubber did not keep me from getting a berth on the good ship '4Yukon Princev. My ignorance was only surpassed by my willingness to obey orders to the best of my ability. My lack of nautical terms was colossal. I had one week on the Yukon Prince as she lay at anchor. The following week in a cold winter's' twilight the uYukon Prince slid past the Statue of Liberty. She was on her way to Britain, and her decks were full of planes, and in her hold was precious cargo. I was on board. The voyage passed uneventfully, and, strange to say, I was not seasick. Our convoy arrived safely and after unload- ing our cargo, we refueled and again, at eventide, like a ghost ship, we went to sea. I My return trip was an adventure for me. I was getting my sea legs and learned to roll with my ship, but not off it. My life on our farm seemed far away. The grim expectancy that hung over our ship kept us alert to ever- present danger. I was really liking my life as a sailor, although I thought I'd die of exposure many times on the re- turn voyage to New York. Upon our arrival in New York, I was given a week's leave, as well as other members of the crew. To my mind, I 'rad in my pockets a fabulous sum of money, my first sailor's pay for a return trip. Friendships are formed quickly by the sailors who go down to the sea, and myself and my buddy left the 4'Yukon Princev to really see New York. Charlie, my buddy, was a native son of Nova Scotia, and a born seaman. I am afraid I swaggered as I walked be- side Charlie on New York's great White Way . We saw the sights and then went to a hotel on the water front. On the fourth day of our leave, the hotel was full of sailors also on leave, and at din- ner a middle-aged sailor crowded up to our small table. He told us he was off a tanker, and was not going hack. I told him what ship we were on and he asked if our captain needed more hands. The last day of our leave, the sailor was again at our table. He said he'd see us at the ship before we sailed next day. I said we were sailing at midnight, six hours sooner than previous sailing time. He got up and abruptly left the table, saying he'd join us on the Yukon Prince . That midnight we weighed anchor and steamed out into the storm- tossed Atlantic. Our sailor friend had not joined our ship and we gave it no further thought. It was at dawn next morning that the watch gave the alarm. A U-boat was on our port side, and we were helpless. We had not yet joined our convoy, and there were no destroyers near to help us. Our captain ordered a change in course and full speed ahead. Uur radio opera- tor sent out our position and a plea for help. In less time than it takes to tell, our ship received a torpedo just aft of the engine room. By the grace of a mer- ciful Providence, the torpedo had not struck our hold, which was loaded with high explosives. All hands were posted to stations, but we had no time to launch all life boats. Life rafts were thrown over and I shall never forget the sickening sensation as I slid down the deck into the icy Atlantic. The waves engulfed me and I fought for my pre- lContinued on Page 251

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n -Photos by Cunningham GRADE X 1stRow: Gloria Long, Alice Hahn, Betty Bechthold, ,lean Weber, ,lean Seiling. Helen Voll, Lucille Niergarth, Margaret Brubacher, Ruth Mulholland, Ruth Klinck, Kathleen Kalbfleisch, Bernice Krupp, Mary Ruth, Ruth Eisenback, Miss McDonagh. 2nd Row: Thelma Uberig, Betty Kraemer, Vera Napoleon, Fern Heintzman, Alice Gies, Naomi Snider, Kersanta Lipnicki, Esther Soehner. Mildred Weigel, Mary Woznuk, Beverly Shurly, Betty Vice. 3rd Row: Donald Weber, Harold Ritter, Robert Detweiler, Donald Huehn, Roland Borchardt, Laverne Wittick, Harold Niergarth, George Snider, Leonard Ruppel, Ross Mulholland, Iolm Arnold, Robert Ruggle. GRADE XI 1stRow: Ross Weichel, Marie Jordan, Marjorie Brubacher, Connie Dillon. Margaret Lutz, Thelma Ziegler. Evelyn Doherty. John Rowland. A 2nd Row: Donald Snyder. Edward O'Krafka, Alice Henrich, Dorothy Hill, Phyllis Stickney, Marie Simmons. Marie McAlpine, Albert Lorch, Murray Heinbuch. 3rd Row: Howard Shuh, Lyle Dahmer, Carl Schuett, Elmer Sauder, Ralph Robbins. -ith Row: Floyd Henrich, Mr. Kendall, James Vice.