Hoopeston High School - Picayune Yearbook (Hoopeston, IL)

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Only four short years ago on September 8, 1953, we the class of 5'7 , began a new adventure--high school. This was something entirely different from the accustomed relaxed air of grade school. No longer were we high and mighty. We had had a glimpse of what high school is like on eighth grade visitation day but most of us were still unprepared for the shock awaiting ts. We were wide -eyed, green , little freshmen and it showed, regardless of our efforts to appear sophisticated. The first week was a mad dash to make the next class, often to discover to our bewilderment that our calculations had gone astray somewhere, putting us in the wrong room. But, like all classes before us, we soon began to adjust to the routine. We learned to operate as a single class instead of three classes divided up at three grade schools. We began to function as a unit, one hundred twelve members strong. At our first class meeting we chose Miss Harriet Seymour, Home Eco- nomics teacher, and Mr. Wade Collier, Shop Instruc- tor, as our sponsors. Both were new teachers at John Greer. For our class officers, we elected Joan Lloyd. president, Daryl Longfellow, vice -president, and Carol Davis, secretary-treasurer. Our student coun- cil representatives were Carol Davis, Georgia Petty, Jim Smock and Jerry German. One of our major projects that year was preparing for the Homecoming festivities. Our skit, which we presented at the Homecoming assembly program Fri- day afternoon, starred as its hero, Freddy the Fresh- man. Our float was pale yellow, trimmed with dark green fringe and decorated with a weeping willow tree and silver grave markers. It showed Gibson City laid to rest in their coffin. The theme was Rest in Pieces. We all had a good time working on the float. We selected as freshman attendant to the queen, Martha Davis. . Later on in the year, our candidates for the Sweet- heart Ball were Carol Davis and Merle Goin. Carol was the belle of the ball when she was crowned queen. All in all, the year was a fruitful one: we made Senior an excellent showing for ourselves. We learned a great deal, both academically, and socially. when our sophomore year began on September 7, 1954, our class had dropped to eighty -seven members. Believing in the slogan of qua1ity, not quantity , we did not allow this reduction to hold us back. We had a year's experience to our credit, and we set forth with determination. Our sponsors were Miss Jaon Sinclar, Business Edu- cation instructor, and Mr. William Campbell, science teacher. At election time, we voted in an all-male slate with Jim Smock, Don Davis and Larry Crews elected president, vice -president and secretary-treas- urer, in that order. Martha Davis, Georgia Petry, Jim Smock and Jay Allan served as our student council members. At homecoming, our skit depicted John Greer dur- ing caveman days, while the theme of our float was They're All Washed Up. carried out in the school colors, blue and white. Our attendant to the queen was Carol Davis. when Christmas rolled around, we teamed up with the freshmen to do a fine job of decorating the halls in the old building. Our representatives in the royal court at the Sweet- heart Ball were Janice Curry and Don Davis. Once again, we ended the year with a justified sense of accomplishment. We officially became upper classmen when our junior year began on September 6, 1955, with seventy- nine students remaining in the class. This time our sponsors were Miss Miriam Taylor, Language Arts teacher, and Mr. Jack williams, Shop Instructor. Earl Hawthorne was president, while Juanita Evans and Ioan Lloyd served as vice-president and secretary- treasurer. Our student council members were Martha Davis, Joan Lloyd, Georgia Petty, Jay Allen, Dale Gleen and Jim Smock. Carol Davis was elected to be a cheerleader. For our homecoming skit, we produced several scenes portraying periods in the history of John Greer High School. Our float, which won first prize by the

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Chronicles way, showed the Gibson City Greyhounds in the shoot- ing gallery with the sharp -shooting Corn-jerkers. The theme was Dead Dogs. Kaye Baer was attendant to the queen. In order to finance the Prom, we sold 32,862.82 worth of magazine subscriptions. We topped our goal and all previous records by several hundred dollars. The theme of the Prorn was Plantation Party. At the banquet, the program was in the form of a min- strel show, with David Powley serving as interlocutor. The gym was surrounded by stone walls and the en- trance was through a small vine -covered arbor. The ceiling was hung with Spanish moss complete with a Carolina Moon. In the center was a fountain. The Lu George orchestra was seated on the porch of a plan- tation house made on the stage. Potted palms and baskets of lilacs were placed around. On February 29, Janis Reetz, Shirley Long, Juanita Evans, and Georgia Petry and Jerry German were in- itiated into the National Honor Society. Our class rings were the last to bear the insignia of J. G. We had a choice of two styles, blue sets or white gold around the crest. It was a good year. Our only regret was that it ended so soon. September 4, 1956, began our senior year. Our class was narrowed to seventy-four members. We chose as our sponsors, Miss Rosemary Martin, Business Education Instructor, and Mr. Dean Baker, World Prob- lems teacher. After a heated election we finally de- cided on our officers. They were Nita Evans, presi- dent, Janet Brougher, vice-president, and Don Miller, Secretary-Treasurer. Georgia Petry was elected pres- ident of the student council. Our representatives were Martha Davis, Nita Evans, Joan Lloyd, Chuck wood, Jay Allan and Jim Smock. Once again we had a good deal of adjusting to do. The new school was still incomplete. Study hall was held in the cafeteria, which was not yet in operation. The gym floor had not been laid, so P. E. classes were held outdoors on the field which was to be the track and football field. The library had not been moved from John Greer yet, so any research work had to be done at the public library. During classes we had to compete with workmen putting the finishing touches on the building. We were often shuffled about from room to room. This was also the first year we used the system of having six, one-hour periods. The theme of our homecoming float was, We've Got what It Takes! Martha Davis reigned as queen, and Carol Davis and Joan Lloyd were the senior attend ants. Kaye Baer was chosen to be a cheerleader. Chester Catton and Orval Kaag were football co-cap- tains, and John Bullock was basketball captain. For our senior trip, we decided to visit Washington, D.C. and New York City through Boersma Tours. In order to finance the trip, we undertook many fund- raising projects. We had charge of the concessions at the park at Halloween for the Moose, had an all day car wash, sold doughnuts twice, had a pancake feed sponsored by the Lyons Club, a chili supper, and a goose raffle. We also sold light bulbs, car flares. and picked corn. Our final project was a carnival, com- plete with a talent show. Approximately fifty-five ,I seniors took the trip over Easter vacation. They viewed the Easter Parade in New York. l-Ireha Studios of Danville took our senior class pictures for the Picayune. We were quite pleased with them. Along toward the end of the year, things happened fast and furiously. We were occupied with the Mock Wedding fwith Carolyn Pierce and Earle Hawthorne as the bride and groomj, Senior Teaching Day, Tacky Day, and Dignity Day. Georgia Petry and Jerry Snive- ly received the DAR and SAR awards. Janice Curry was given the Suzanne Mills Memorial award, with Martha Davis as first alternate. Baccalaureate was held June 2, 1957, and Com- mencement was June 3. We were the first class to graduate from Hoopeston High School. It was a good year. We had a great deal of fun, not only this year, but all the other three, and we chalked up a fine rec- ord in scholarship and all activities. Our only regrets were that it lasted so short a time.