Fairbury Cropsey High School - Crier Yearbook (Fairbury, IL)

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CLASS HISTORY Twelve long years ago, eleven members of our graduating class ventured forth on their prolonged but fortunately successful journey to their present achieved goal. They were: Alden Beckley, Charles Veatch, Eula Mae Bess, Joyce Heins, Joan Heins, Donald Steidinger, Nina Lou Ramseyer, Ernest Johnson, Emma Lou Huber, Florence Gerdes, Jim Degenhart, Dorothy Carlson, Jeanne Leetch. Many new members were added to our ranks during Edison and Isaac Walton school years. After eight years of arduous toil, fifty-seven eager freshmen were allowed to enter the highly respectable, slightly formidable, yet definitely promising doors of F. T. H. S. While wandering through the mysterious corridors, they gazed wide-eyed upon the wonders of the music department. Many of them took an active part in this depart- ment during the years to follow. Participants in the various musical organizations were: Girls’ Glee Club: Eula Mae Bess, Joan Heins, Joyce Heins, Dula Mae Dawson, Norma Young, Emma Lou Huber, Florence Gerdes, Darrell Peter, Margie Jessup, Doris VonBergen, Irma Wallenstein. Boys’ Glee Club: Bill Tagg, Alden Beckley, Jim Degenhart, Donald Steidinger, Charles Veatch, Bob Spence, Eugene Durham. Mixed Chorus: Alden Beckley, Eugene Durham, Bill Tagg, Robert Spence, Jim Degen- hart, Joyce Heins, Joan Heins, Eula Mae Bess, Donald Steidinger, Emma Lou Huber, Dula Mae Dawson, Florence Gerdes, Norma Young, Charles Veatch. Band: Eula Mae Bess, Joyce Heins, Joan Heins, Bill Tagg, Donald Steidinger. We also had Margie Jessup and Doris VonBergen as drum majorettes. During one season Doris served as drum major. We are very proud of our part in winning places of honor at the district, regional, and state contests we attended. The names of Flint, La Salle-Peru, and Gilman bring memories we shall never forget. Ol the lowly freshmen who worshiped the upper-classmen, the following became ambitious football players: Herschel Butler, Jim Degenhart. Alden Beckley, Charles Veatch, Bill Woodard. Basketball: Alden Beckley, Jim Degenhart, Charles Veatch, Donald Steidinger, Bill Woodard. Baseball: Alden Beckley, Bob Spence, Charles Veatch. Among these were trophy winners and captains of football and basketball teams during the following years. The first year we lost from our class roll the following students: Glenn Bushman, Glenn Craig, George Foster, Betty Huette, Jean Moore, Shirley Noble, Mae Powell, Margie Sheppard, Rose Ellen Sutton, Glenn Tipton. We gained only one—Carlos Bandy. After a brief respite, we again resumed our duties, but we took great care to 20

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William Tagg Jo Anne T HOMPSON •‘Bill” What I No Kirin in heaven ? Then just leave me here. Ellen Vail “Dolly She can’t frown she never tries. Dorothy Wagenseller “Dorothy” Patience is a plant that Krows not in nil K«rdens. Erma Wallenstein “Ermie Smoke-rinK calmness. Norma Young “Mon” “Jo There’s nothinK like fun. is there? Doris VonBergen “Dot” In sports she’s hard to beat, because she's quite an athlete. Charles Wilken “Napoleon” All thintrs come to those who wait, so why should I hurry ? William Woodard “Bill School is a worry. I'm happier at home. to A younK Kiri in her early dirties.

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make the Freshies” feel very inferior. Bill Tagg, Rosemary Crouch, and Robert Decker joined our ranks. We decreased our number considerably by the loss of: Elizabeth Kaisner, Jim Bean, Robert Dringenberg, Alan Hornbeck, Jim Hurt, Richard Walter, Lyle Winterland, and Jean Lehmann. Again we enjoyed our summer vacation and returned as triumphant upper class- men. During our junior year we selected class rings or pins and elected as class officers: President, Alden Beckley; Vice-President, Bill Tagg; Secretary-Treasurer, Emma Lou Huber. We gave our junior play, “Button, Button,” which was a great success. Then we made a grand finis” with a hot” night club Prom.” Again we lost many of our classmates. They were: Margaret Mehrings, Patricia Mehrings, Ray Carder, Jerry Wilson. Frank Rigsby, Jim Watson. Jack Gahwiler, Ruth Zimmerman, Charles Thomas. Arthur Walter, Robert Hirstein. Norma Young came into our midst at the beginning of the year. After this strenuous year we felt ourselves in need of relaxation. Following the summer vacation, we resumed our duties in the role of lofty and arrogant seniors. We soon slipped out of this role, however, and became absorbed in school life—giving con- siderable thought to our pre-graduation days. Even this year we lost three of our mem- bers. We were saddened by the sudden death of Eugene Loughran. Phyllis Haab and Bill Tagg moved away. In due time we presented to an appreciative audience The Sat- urday Evening Ghost,” a mystery comedy directed by Miss Kemple. Our class officers were: President. Rosemary Crouch; Vice-President. Florence Gerdes; Secretary-Treas- urer, Charles Veatch; reporter, George Myers. While endeavoring tq gain our present goal during the past four years, we have contributed our meager bit of time and talent to the Latin Club, Spanish Club, French Club, G. A. A., F-Club, F. F. A. Club. Home Economics Club, and our proudest achieve- ment—The Crier. Our years at F. T. H4 S. will always be remembered with pleasure, and we will never forget the debt we owe to all of those who have contributed to our education and our lives. We have gained a wealth of experience and made friendships that we could never have made elsewhere. We. the members of the class of One Thousand Nine Hundred and Forty-four of Fairoury Township High School, being of unsound mind and failing health, are now graduating after four years of somewhat triumphant (we’re kidding) study. Since we believe academic courses are the best extra-curricular activities, and make a feeble attempt to agree with the faculty that studies come first barring absolutely nothing, EXCEPT youthful frivolities—do hereby bequeath our reputation as a studious class to the remaining aspirants for a diploma at our Alma Mater. We, the entire class, bequeath the following undersigned things: First: We. the entire class, bequeath to the juniors the privilege of being the hon- ored inhabitants of the southern extremities of the assembly. Second: To the sophomores, we were going to leave Mr. Bayless, but since he left us, this will be impossible. So-o-o-o-o, instead, we leave the secluded (?) spot (well used) by the outskirts of the campus. Third: To those very green and bewildered freshmen, we leave Emily Post’s newest book on Etiquette. Wd do this with the fervent hope that they will learn the ways of high school life much quicker than they seemed to their first year. Fourth: And last and truly least, we leave to the faculty fond memories of our glorious four years of struggle to finally pass through these magnificent portals of graduation. We hope they will treasure them and hold them dear to their hearts, because we won’t! And now each and everyone of us, the class of ’44. individually leave the following most prized and treasured enumerated articles' 21