Hastings High School - Saxon Yearbook (Hastings, MI)

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 Class of 1950 Colors Motto Flower Blue and Gold Today we follow; tomorrow we lead. White Rose MIDCENTURY MARVELS I was awakened one morning early in the fall, as the school doors opened beholding a new Fresh- men Class. There were one hundred and ninety- eight of them and I could tell that they were nervous and a little scared. The first thing they seemed to talk about was elections, and after petitions had been filed away the big day came. Gordon Finne came out of the battle as President; Jean Moore was elected Vice-President; Joan Slo- cum was chosen Secretary; and Jack Wingerden held the Money-Guard position. The first semester brought football into the limelight. I heard favorable comments about Jack Wingerden and the comments proved to be true as he was stepped ahead to the varsity. At the end of those first nineteen weeks, the Freshmen were a little more at ease and elections were in the air again. The results as I heard them were: Chuck Annablc, President; Jim Rad- ford. Vice-President; Jean Moore, Secretary; and Bill Cortright, Treasurer. As the football uniforms were being packed away the sports light turned to basketball. Rumor had it that Gordon Finnic, Jack Wingerden, and Kingsley Baulch looked good on the hardwoods. As the snow melted there was considerable activity out on the track and baseball fields. Jack Mc- Wcbb and Charles Annable showed the makings of top cindermen as they paced the class to a W.C.L. championship. On the ball field. Rick Cunningham and Bob Schreiner proved to be bright spots. Blanche Bclsito was the only Fresh man to make the checrlcading squad. I couldn’t help but hear the groans and moans of the Freshmen as they worked on the compulsory declamation contest. After the smoke cleared away, I was proud to discover that Bonnie Single- ton received second in the contest. I was also very proud of the five Freshmen who achieved all “A” records for the semester. They were Charles Ann- able, Louise Clark, Margaret Dutterer, Nancy Jaynes, and Evelyn Gwinn. As the summer days appeared and school ended for another year, I felt as if the Freshmen were starting to feel at ease as they worked and played here at H.H.S. Soon fall rolled around again and the school bells resumed their duty of calling students to classes. I enjoyed seeing the new Sophomores go about their work in a bit more confident manner than they did the previous fall. Norman Barry was elected President of the class; Mary Steinke was chosen Vice-President; Marcia Gaskill, Secretary; and Norval Sinclair. Treasurer. Football came and went as usual, and Kingsley Baulch, Jack Wingerden, and Jim Radford rec- eived hard-worked for letters. Hugh Wright added speed to the cross country team. The reserve basketball team looked terrific as they again won the W.C.L. reserve crown. Sophomores looking good were Frank Whitworth. Jack Wingerden, and Kingsley Baulch. Bonnie Singleton won a letter in cheerleading while Anne Feldpausch. Blanche Belsito, and Elaine Beckwith helped out plenty. The first semester flew by and the Sophomores found themselves electing new officers again. The girls decided to handle the class affairs as Marcelle Gillespie was elected President; Bonnie Singleton, Vice-President; Lou Anne Scobcy, Secretary; and Sue Harrington, Treasurer. Bonnie Singleton and Roberta Silvernail took first and second places respectively in the decla- mation contest. I was very proud of them for so capably representing their class in that particular field. Spring sports came and went with many Soph- omores looking good. Jack McWebb, Jack Win- gerden, and Charles Annable won letters as Sophomore cindermen, while Bob Schreiner, Frank Whitworth, and Ray Miller received letters in baseball. Gordon Finnic and Jim Radford won golf letters. All in all I thought the Sophomores were well represented in spring sports. Although the year had not been too eventful for the class of “50,” they were in fine order to take their places as upper-classmen. With not much regret summer came and the school doors banged closed for another much needed vacation. It might have been that vacation that did it, but at any rate, I noticed quite a change in the new Juniors as they took their places as upper- classmen. They seemed to have an air of dignity as they resumed their business about school. To prove my last statement, they chose a fine set of officers to lead the class. Jack McWebb was elec- ted President; Frank Whitworth, Vice-President; Bonnie Singleton, Secretary; and Norval Sinclair, Treasurer. Starting sports off with a bang ten Juniors earned letters on the grid-iron, and Hugh Wright carried the Junior colors on the cross country team. Elaine Beckwith was elected to the captaincy of the cheerleading squad, and was helped out by such able girls as Anne Feldpausch, Bonnie Singleton, Blanch Bclsito, and Barbara Burchett. Immedi- ately after football season, attention was turned to the hardwoods and at the close of the cage season, Ken Hampton, Frank Whitworth, Kingsley Baulch, Jack Wingerden, and Arkie Meinert were awarded letters. Joan Slocum and Sue Harrington proved to be “hot shots” on the G.A.A. and noon hour teams, as the showed that girls can really play basketball too.

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To lead the Juniors through the important second semester, the students re-elected Jack Mc- Webb for President. The other officers were: Bon- nie Singleton, Vice-President; Eleanor Stadel, Secretary; and Charles Annable, Treasurer. It sure sounded to me like the students were having fun at the Sock-Hop. The Juniors spon- sored the affair which turned out to be one of the year’s outstanding dances. No one was allowed in the gym with shoes on, but nevertheless, every- one got a big kick out of it! Spring sports were in the air as the crack of the ball bat and the starting gun could be heard. The Junior Class was well represented on the track and ball fields and from what I heard the boys really were working on their respective sports. Out on the tennis courts, Kingsley Baulch, Don Skinner and Bill Cortright did a fine job as they helped the newly started tennis team to win the W.C.L. crown. On the rolling greens of the Hastings Country Club, Gordon Finnic and Dick Johnson represented the Juniors’ golf talents. Gor- don, who snot good golf, was honored by the team when he was elected captain. After much debate over what their first stage production should be. the class finally agreed on “You Can’t Take It With You” as the one to be used. The play turned out to be a huge success and the cast of nineteen really enjoyed putting it on. In a more serious aspect of school life, eight Juniors were elected to the William T. Wallace Chapter of the National Honor Society. But al- ways being able to mix fun with their studies, the Juniors did a terrific job on the annual J-Hop. An Old Dutch Garden” was used as the theme and proved to be a grand finale to the class’s social affairs for the year. “Three down and one to go,” was the general feeling among many of the Seniors as they re- turned for their last year at H.H.S. The all-school officers, who had met during the summer, had planned an eventful year and Fall started off with a bang of enthusiasm. Heading the all school government was Bill Cortright in the office of Mayor. Mary Steinke, Archie Voisard, L. D. Becker, and Jack Wingerden filled the commis- sion offices as Public Service Chief, Traffic Man- ager, Sanitary Commissioner, and Chief Justice, respectively. The Seniors got off to a good start by electing Gordon Finnic as President of the class. The other officers were: Bob Schriener, Vice-President; Roberta Silvernail, Secretary; and Lou Anne Sco- bey. Treasurer. As the noise of the first few weeks’ confusion died away, the sounds of football practice could be heard from Johnson Field. The Saxon gridders played a tough schedule and some real football was witnessed by local fans. Ray Miller and Jim Radford, who had been elected co-captains prior to the season’s opening proved to be fine grid-iron leaders. Thirteen Seniors were awarded letters at the close of the season. On the cross country front Bill Cortright and Myron Hawkins carried Seniors’ colors. After many hours of hard running over hill and dale. Bill and Myron were awarded letters. To start the year’s all-school dances off, the Seniors sponsored a gay affair entitled “Harvest Moon.” Dancing in an environment of corn stalks and pumpkins proved a good time for those pre- sent. I was mystified one morning by the appearance of many distinquished men and women in the halls. I later learned that these persons repre- sented the various colleges and universities of Michigan. They were at FI.H.S. to provide counsel for those graduates thinking about a college edu- cation. The day was called, “College Day” and many problems were solved in the minds of those participating. The next event on the class calendar was the Senior play. Bonnie Singleton, Marcelle Gillespie, and Bill Cortright played the leading roles in the fine production, “Anne of Green Gables.” They were supported by a talented cast of eleven. The play was a huge success and credit should be given to Mr. Moyer, who did a great job of direc- ting. It wasn’t long before the first semester slipped into history and I heard that Evelyn Gwinn again led the class with an all “A record. The last semester for the class of “50” started as they reinstated their faith in Gordon Finnic by electing him President. Other officers were: Ken Hamp- ton, Vice-President; Marcia Gaskill, Secretary; and Bob Schreiner, Treasurer. Basketball, which was by now in full swing provided some real thrilling games for the spec- tators, as the Saxons battled to a third place tie in the W.C.L. Just before the District Tourney, Jack Wingerden was honored by his mates when they elected him captain. Spring brought many boys into the sports light. Chuck Annable was elected to captain the Saxon cindermen while Kingsley Baulch was chosen net captain. The golf team elected Gordon Finnie to lead the boys down the links, but as the decision was rather difficult, the baseball team hadn't elected a captain as we went to press. Of course spring also brought the annual J-Hop and those long awaited Senior privileges. Lots of those free hours were spent in practicing for class night and marching down the aisle for diplomas, but the Seniors didn’t seem to mind in the least. It wasn’t long before June 2 was here and that morning when all the Seniors were home in bed, many thoughts came back to me. Yes, I had followed another class through four years of work and play. I had seen them make their appearance as Fresh- men. I had seen them advance each year to finally take their place as the seventy fourth graduating class of H.H.S. I had known about those close ball games, those new boy and girl friends. I had heard about those good times down at the corner drug store and about all those dances and parties. I had seen the report cards each semester and in many cases had been proud of them. Yes, at last, June 2, 1950, was here and I would soon see one hundred and twenty Seniors march out of this high school, and over to Central Auditorium for the last time. They would soon have their diplo- mas, and be stepping out to take their places as educated citizens in our great country. They may become doctors, lawyers, scientists farmers, or businessmen and women, but no matter what, I doubt if the memories of the past four years will ever be forgotten by any of them. by Echo Ing Halls