Fernald High School - Echo Yearbook (Fernald, IA)

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J, I Class l-lisfory On September 5, 1938, sixteen eager and somewhat bewildered chil- dren pattered up the cement steps to enter the primary under supervision of Miss Martha Ersland, assisted by Lois McNatton. VVe were the first group of children to begin our school days in the main grade building rather than in the little white school house. The new high school build- ing had just been completed. There were thirteen girls namely: Joan. En- ders-on, Alice Gluck, Donna Hitchings, Thelma Holseid, Helen Mitchell, Lola Faye Needham, Maxine Oxley, .Ioyce Riley, Dorothy Stevenson, Darlene Tudor, Arlene Tudor, Mary VVatt, and Martha VVattg and three boys, Paul Leo Heil, Richard Smith, and Richard Sorem. This was a new experience for us, and the first few days we missed our Mamas and Daddies so much that we shed a few tears. During our preliminary year, Helen Mitchell and Richard Sorem moved away. The next fall Miss Ersland continued tio be our teacher. We had all been promoted to first grade with the exception of Mary and Martha NVatt, who decided they would rather remain in primary. NVith the addi- tion of Erma Wood and Peggy Cross our grade enrollment was fourteen small students. However, Thelma Holseid moved away to Nevada during the year. After promotion to the second grade, we moved, across the hall into Miss Ardell Peterson's room. As we only had two boys in our grade, we were eager to welcome. five new ones at the beginning of th-e year. John Nelson, Marion Gilreath, and Bobby Hall joined us as D. P.'s fDisplaced Personsl from the former year. David Oxley moved in from a neighbor- ing town and .lohn McBride came here from a little country school. This made our enrollment at .eighteen students. During the year, however, Peggy Cross and David Oxley decided to leave our happy group. The next year we entered the third grade. Miss Peterson was again our teacher, but her name was now changed to Mrs. Santee. Here we ac- quired Max B-orts, a leftover from th-e previous third grade, but he moved away at the beginning of the second semester. John McBride failed to start with us this year. Evidently he liked the country school betten and decided to go back. During the first part of the year Alice Gluck slipped back into the second grade. At the beginning of the second semester Irene Watne, Marilyn Hitchings, and Donald Springer came to join our group which made our enrollment at seventeen. In the fall of 1942, we thought we were quite grown up, for now we would climb the stairsteps to the fourth and fifth grade room. Miss Edith Marken was our teacher. This year we acquired only one who hadn't made the grade the year before, Inez Wood. Now our class began to diminish with the loss of three of our friends. .loan Enderson, whose father had been our Superintendent, decided to try her luck inl a big city so she moved to Joliet, Illinois. Paul Leo Heil and Donald Springer also left us. We came back to Miss Marken for our fifth grade year in 1943-44. John McBride decided to join our class once more. Bobby Hobson came to Fernald and spent the second semest-er with us but left again at the end of the year. Marion Gilreath also moved away in March. He thought he might like it better at Garden City. At the end of our fifth grade year, our enrollment was nine girls and five boys to total fourteen students. 12

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CICISS QWCCTS President .......... ....... . lohn McBride Vice President ...... ...... l Darlene Tudor Secretary-Treasurer ...... Garnette Groomes Sponsor ........... .... S upt. R. O. Forbes CLASS MOTTU Build for Character, not for Fame CLASS COLORS Scarlet and Silver CLASS FLOWER American Beauty Rose Graduoiion Week Commencement week was one we seniors shall never forget. It was the climax of our high school career and the conclusion of a formal edu- cation for some of us. Baccalaureate services were held in the Fernald High School Audi- torium, May 13, 1951. We seniors, in blue caps and g-owns and each of us carrying a lighted candle. proceeded down the aisle to the strains of Holy, Holy, Holy, sung by the Mixed Chorus. Rev. Smith of the Nevada Methodist Church presented the sermon. Allen Anderson sang a vocal solo, and the Girls' Glee Club sang The Chcrubim Song. The Lord Bless You and Keep You, by the Mixed Chorus, followed the benediction by Rev. Kendall of th-e Fernald Brethren Church. Commencement exercises were held in the high school auditorium, Tuesday evening, May 15, 1951. Professor Hippacka of the Iowa State College, was our speaker. Norma Johnson sang a solo and the! Mixed Chorus presented the inspiring 'fBatlle Hymn of the Republic. The Girls' Glee Club sang The Snow Legend preceding the presentation of the eighth grade diplomas. Darlene and Arlene Tudor, respectively, gave the valedictorian and salutatorian addresses. Howard Hilburn, president of the board of education, presented di- plomas to twelve of us, the members of the Class of '51. 11

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Class History, continued NVe were all promoted into the sixth grad-e. XVe advanced to Mrs. Edna Talbott's roonr with a membership of thirteen. Bobby Hobson had left us during the summer. Mrs. Talbott was carrying heavy burdens this year because she had the responsibility of teaching three grades. Marilyn Hitehings and Lola Faye Needham left us at the beginnug of the second semester but William Billy Upchurch and Dorothy Dadisman joined us to make up for the ones we lost. Entering Junior High made us feel as if we were well on our way to our main ambition, getting into High School. Mrs. Talbott was again our faithful teacher. Joyce Riley moved to Nevada at the beginning of the second semester. Inez and Erma Wood also left us during the year, be- cause they found other interests at Mctlallsburg. Thus, at the end of the year our enrollment had decreased in number to ten. At the end of the year Mrs. Talbott promoted all of us into the eighth grade. In September, upon entering school, we found another member to add to our class-Harvey Cain from Portland, Oregon. Barbara and Collitta Swartz also joined us soon after school started but left us before gradua- tion time. Thelma Garner joined us at the beginning of the second semes- ter. In May, 1947 we received our diplomas of graduation from the eighth time. Thelma Garner joined us at the beginning of the second semester. In May of 1947, we rec-eived our diplomas of graduation from the eight grade. The night of commencement we presented Mrs. Talbott with a corsage in appreciation for the guidance and supervision she provided us during the three happy years in her room. Those who received eighth grade diplomas were Harvey Cain, Dorothy Dadisman, Thelma Garner, Bobby Hall, Donna Hitchings, John McBride, John Nelson, Richard Smith, Dorothy Stevenson, Arlene Tudor and Darlene Tudor. In the fall of 1947 we entered the doors of the high school building at F. H. S., a group of bewildered but eager green-freshmenfi After a rough initiation, administered by the upper-classmen, we became full-fledged high school students. Mr. Paul Blake was our superintendent and our other teachers were Mrs. Butz, Mrs. Mctiinnis, and Mr. McGinnis. as band instructor. Eva See entered our grade at the beginning of the second semester. Harvey Cain and Thelma Garner left us, however, during the year. We were all transferred to the tenth grade in the spring. When school opened the next year we found the same group to begin our sophomore year of high school, but after the first week Bobby Hall dropped out of school. The teaching staff was changed, however. Mr. Wright came from Fertile, Iowa to be our superintendent. Mrs. Stith, from Texas, also joined the staff. Mr. and Mrs. McGinnis were back again as music instructors. Eva Sec moved to Nevada during the year. 0ur class enrollment had decreased to eight students. The next year we entered school as Juniors. Mr. WVright remained in the school as superintendent and Mrs. Stith was replaced by Mrs.. Mar- tha Hansen. Mr. and Mrs. Mc-Ginnis remained with us again. Garnette Groomes joined us this year as a refugee from the previous junior year. Because of absence caused by sickness, and because she must have liked us better, she was forced to slip back a year into our grade. At last we were Seniors! XVe were proud to welcome two German students into our class, Irma Naegele and Ernst Ted Mueller. They 13 ,fi Qc