Gotebo High School - Chieftain Yearbook (Gotebo, OK)

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CLASS PROPHKCY Listen, O ye men and women, youths and maidens, and little children.’ Listen, all ye people of Gotebo, to the words of wisdom from the lips of your prophet, who now speaketh unto you what hath been revealed unto her, even as it hath been decreed by the powers that be. For it has come to pass that the veil of the future hath been rent in twain, even as it was so rent in the days of the wise prophets of old, and the Spirit of prophecy hath descended from the spheres to envelop my soul with her mystic power. Aye, I say unto you, men and women, youths and maidens, and little children of Gotebo, it hath been given unto me as the chosen one of this great day, the class of 1948, to dream strange dreams, and to see strange visions of the glories of the years yet to be. Now it so happened when it was decreed that the future of the Class of 1948 was to be given into the hands of this your prophet, to do with even as she listed, that she cried out in a loud voice of lamentation, saying, “Who am 1 that the future of this great and glorious class should depend upon me? What am I that the fate of these most fair and beautiful of damsels, and these most sturdy and noble and manly of youths, should rest upon the decision of one so humble of intellect, and so infirm of purpose?” But behold.' even as the cry of weakness did ascend from the long- suffering soul of your prophet, a voice from the heavens spake unto her, even in the words of old, saying, “Hear now my words. If there be a pro- phet among you, I will make myself known unto him in a vision, and will speak unto him in a dream,” and straightway, from the clouds of the cen- turies gone, and from the shadows already cast away” by the coming events” of the proverb there appeared unto her the fair and lovely Spirit of Prophecy, the angel of Things To Come, and lo, she did with her mystic touch roll back the curtain of the dim Beyond from before my prophetic vision, and did permit me to gaze at will down the long vista of things yet to be, that I might behold all things that now are, transformed into all things that they shall yet become even as it was so granted to the wise men of the past. And Lo! as she drew back the curtain she pointed with a long, trans- parent finger down the avenues of a strange land, and opened her lips and spake unto me, saying: “Look! Listen! Prophecy unto the young men and women of Gotebo High School even these things which you herein behold.” So, even as St. John, the divine, said unto the world, so I, your prophet of the Class of 1948, do say unto the people of this audience, in this the twentieth century, “Blessed be she that readeth and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein; for the time is at hand! ” For as I looked into the land of the future I could discern moving among the dim shadows of the peoples yet to be, the familiar shapes of

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Class Prophecy (Continued) those fair and radiant beings who were once my classmates now changed and transformed into citizens of the world outside, even as they had long hoped so to be. And it came to pass that the veil before mine eyes grew yet more and more thin throught the intensity of my vision, and behold 1 could see them, even as if the intervening years were not at all. 1 could see our beloved President; yea; even as today, I could see him in all his dignity and majestic bearing, and his words were heeded by that day and generation even as we today of the Class of 1948 have heeded and attended unto them; for his ambition had led him ever upward and on- ward until he was even the Governor of this, his very own and native state. And it came to pass that I also looked into professional circles, and in a large office among many men of many minds sat a prosperous lawyer, the boy who in our High School days had not yet learned to lie. Nay, not even on the right side would Orlando say a word that could be untruly inter- preted. Thus are the mighty brought to lower planes.' And behold as I passed the John Hopkins hospital upon whose door was inscribed, We dress the wounds and God heals them. I saw Jolyne Penn an angel of mercy walking down the dimly lighted corridor. And I also happened to find myself on the inside of a large cathedral where a stately priest in his robes of dignity poured forth words of inspired instruction. Verily, it was Billy Miller himself, who had thus entered into the work of the church. Gazing over the skyscrapers in the great metropolis I could see Rollins Construction Co. in neon lights 6 ft. high and knew then that he was destined to become a chip off the old block. At it came to pass, while I pondered these things in my heart, the door of a home swung open before my vision, and I found therein a household made happy by a wife and mother who had found her: greatest ambition inthe highest of all worldly vocations--the maker and keeper of the home, verily was my soul rejoiced thereat as I gazed my last upon Ola Bee and followed my Spirit of Prophecy further on its quest of the Things To Be. Getting tired and thirsty and seeing a comfortable cottage 1 visioned I could see Colleen Ellis and her 3 children listening to the radio and remem- bering the old Speech Class of the year of 1948 when she had previously heard Chester who was now a great comedian having taken Bob Hopes place and very capable for he was bald-headed too. And it came to pass, even as I watched the home lights die away, that sweet strains of music held my soul entranced by the beauty and perfection of their harmonies, and as I looked about to know whence they came, behold I did find, even as the queen of the world's music, the same one who had so often played the marches for us in High School, Betty Jo, and I felt myself