Grafton High School - Re Echo Yearbook (Grafton, WV)

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SENIOR CLASS HISTORY “Oops, wrong class.’ I just know that this locker wont open! Oh, there it is. I do declare that 1 marked that combination a dozen times” — Such were the expressions of our own class only four years ago when we entered as the first class to begin the year at the new Grafton High School. With Mr. H. E. Odgers as our new principal, we soon became accustomed to the activity in the school. Classes, football games, dances and such, started our “green” freshman year off right. We were very proud after the announcement of honors in the contest plays. Our own Nancy Curry was awarded the title of best actress for portraying the part of the “Little Darling”. The supporting cast included Elizabeth Doerr, Betty Hoffman, Donald Poling, Richard Brown, and Betty Tucker. Nancy Curry was also voted one of our cheerleaders. The rest of the year went by calmly and almost uneventful. We left in May. only to return in September as Sophomores, progressive and perhaps, even a little bit conceited. We painted the meek freshmen as we had been painted with the huge tubes of blood-red lipstick. We started things off by electing our officers — Paul Defenbaugh. president; Dick Brown, vice president; and Betty Tucker, secretary-treasurer. Again we entered in the contest plays with a comedy, “Tommy Takes a Wife”, directed by Tippic Demoss. The cast included Betty Hoffman. Betty Tucker. Virginia Debendarfer. Elizabeth Doerr. Norman Bragg, and Ronald Bartlett. Of course, we thought we had the best play but the judges decided differently and we were sadly disappointed. By the end of the year we were well known and many of us had been selected to join various organizations. Our Junior year was full of many responsibilities so we selected “Dutch” Frey to head our class as president. Paul Defenbaugh, vice president and “Tuffy” bragg as secretary-treasurer. “Dutch” ably guided us for awhile but left school to join the armed forces and was succeeded by Dabney. Our biggest problem was to raise funds in order to give the Seniors a successful prom, one which would not be readi.y forgotten. We really worked hard sponsoring several school dances — some held after the football games. The larger part of our funds were made when we had a magazine campaign with the home rooms and individuals competing with each other. Miss Calkers home room came out on top selling the most magazines, after which they were rewarded by having a party. Ellen Jane Wiseman was the outstanding individual sel.ing high in hte campaign and won a radio. Christmas time rolled around and we stuck to the tradition of the junior class sponsoring the Christmas dance. With a huge beautifully decorated Christmas tree to offset the holiday atmosphere, everything went well and our respective funds were increasing. Time flew through basketball season and on to play time. Our contest play was “Elmer” a hilarious comedy which was directed by Bill Watkins with Jack Crane, Virginia Debendarfer, Eugenia Stevens. Dottie Lou Sterling. Avanell Denton, Frances Stevens, Virginia Freeze, Bob Stout, and Carl Brown as the cast. Were we ever thrilled when we won best play. The annual class play was directed by Mrs. Haddox which was a comedy entitled “June Mad.” After all the long hours of work and fun of practice it really went over with a “hang.” The cast included Nancy Curry, Norman Bragg, Betty Hoffman, Jimmy Weekly. Lloyd Elsey, Bettie Phillips. Eugenia Steven, Carl Crawford, Dottie Lou Sterling, Robert Stout, Jack Crane, Lois Sapp, and Lloyd Nestor. And then came our long awaited for Junior and Senior Reception. We kept patriotic and decorated with red. white and blue. The Field House was quite picturesque with a false ceiling and streamers surrounding the exterior of the gym. The king and queens thrones were also. Everything was gay and festive as we danced to Joe La Rosas orchestra. The highlight of the evening was the crowning of King Claude Dunham and the Queen Margaret Alice Waggoner, and the grand march of their court. The Prince’s and Princess’s from our class were Dottie Lou Sterling, Lorraine McAvoy, Lois Sapp, Betty Hoffman, Virginia Dehendarfer, and Eugenia Stevens. Donald Poling. Bob Stout, Dale McDaniel, Norman Bragg, and Jack Crane. A skating exhibition was given by Calvin Morrisson, Bob Clem, and Dale McDaniel. Due to our excess funds for this year, we, along with the Senior class bought the electric scorer and time keeper for the Field House. This brought to close our memories of our Junior Year. Our Senior year at last. But really the past three years have gone terribly fast, and it would be fun to be a Freshman again. Or would it Football games, school dances, dates, classes examinations, all these activities composed the first part of our busy senior year. We sponsored a football dance after the Grafton-R. W. Football game and the Thanksgiving-Home Coming Dance. The election of class officers was our first means of reorganizing for another school year, when we elected Bob Stout as president; Elizabeth Doerr, vice president; and Martha Rector, secretary-treasurer. Our p ay entered in the contest play was ’Swept Clean Off Her Feet” under the direction of Lloyd E sey. The cast was composed of Lois Sapp. Ronald Bartlett, Jimmy Ford, Bob Vogel, Natalie Dowden, and Beatrice Linn. Ronnie Bartlett had the honor of being chosen best actor. Lois Sapp was chosen by our class to represent our schoo as princess of Y. M. C. A. Salem College Festival. On May 12, we presented our class play, “The Magnificent Obsession ' which was directed by Miss Batten. It was a deep dramatic play with the following cast: Eugenia Stevens. Maxie Rogers, Dottie Lou Sterling, L.oyd Elsey Jimmy Weekley, Bob Stout. Nancy Curry, Natalie Dowden, and Jack Crane. We se.ected Eugenia Stevens as our princess to represent our school at the Band Festival at Clarksburg. On May nineteenth we put on our best suits and new evening gowns and were the proud guests of the juniors at the Junior-Senior Reception with music by Johnny Born’s orchestra. The next week brought exams and Recognition Day and on to our one and only graduation. On May twenty-sixth we presented our class night before our families and friends. May twenty-eighth we attended our Commencement Sermon in a body and three days later, on the thirty-first we received our diplomas. We leave school with cherished memories and many friends. A large number of our boys went into the service before school was out, many more will go now. We have all taken a big step in our lives and will always be able to reminise over our glorious high school days with much pride. Eight

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Mary Alford Laura Auvil Betty Jane Bartlett GAA Basketball Dorothea Doretta Boice Glee Club Bearcat Carl Brown Re-Echo BRC Honor Society Norman Bragg Hi-Y, President Letterman Thespians Bearcat Rifle Club Football Basketball Secretary Jr. Class Maxine Cline Ronald Bartlett Thespians Athletic Ticket Committee Joe Boyd Hi-Y Marie Brown GAA Bearcat Dale Chenoweth Band Orchestra Honor Society Guy Cole BRC Rifle Club Glee Club Re-Echo Nine