Indiana University of Pennsylvania - Oak Yearbook / INSTANO Yearbook (Indiana, PA)

Page 24 text:

OFFICERS President Vice President Treasurer Secretary Marian Templeton Neva Sparks Dorothy Hammers Jean Huey Assistant Secretary Sponsor A. Elaine Kautz E. Drumheller FOUR SHORT YEARS TOGETHER In September 1941, three short months before that fateful day when war became something more than a headline in the newspapers, we launched our college careers at Indiana State Teachrs College. Some of us had come to further our cultural education, a few came for social purposes, but we each had a definite goal in mind. Our class was a large one, and in spite of conscription we even had some boys start the journey with us. Most of the boys knew what lay ahead of them, but were deter- mined to get a head start in their life work. Few of us harbored thoughts that war would interrupt our lives so completely. Such was our general make-up — we who were the last Freshmen to enter college before the United States went to war. The adjustment to college life was hard but by November that Frosh look was pretty well rubbed out. And then the rocking news came that changed the paths of so many. After December 7, 1941, the happy-go-lucky Freshman was gone. In his place a mature person stood; one who read the news frantically, unfolded maps eagerly, noticed the disappearance of the vengeful upperclassmen slowly take place. The boys finally found the induction center where they signed the papers that meant the postponement of their personal ambitions. Those who were not accepted immediately were placed in the reserve corps. We girls made a solemn, silent promise to continue in our chosen work devoting every possible second to the hastening of their return. It was quite a different class who said their ' so longs ' in May — a sober, deter- mined one. - 20 -

Page 23 text:

REETINGS, student, you ' re in the limelight! Yes, all attention is herein focused upon you, class member. Every year, your group — and you were in there pitching — has com- bined social service with social life. You helped sell bonds and stamps, you gave your blood, and even while planning that tradi- tional class event of the year, you were checking the bank account to be certain that you could contribute more than your share to the Red Cross and W.S.S.F. Drives. Indiana salutes you. You are the People of the Year.

Page 25 text:

THE SENIDR CLASS Kautz, Templeton, Hammers, Sparks, Huey. In September, a few more of the original members of the class were conspicuous by their absence. Those of us who did return devoted all our time and effort to the purpose of keeping that sacred for which our classmates were fighting — yes, even giving their lives so soon. A bond was formed by this common purpose that held the class closer than ever before. We worked out together the additional responsibilities we would shoulder to aid in the war effort. That year the Enlisted Reserve Corps of the Army and the Naval Reserve called to active duty many cf the Sophomore boys. By September, 1943, rationing, V-mail, A. P. O, Red Cross, U. S. 0. became part of everyone ' s vocabulary. North Africa, Pearl Harbor, Guadalcanal, Corregidor be- came realties rather than place names, and the censor ' s stamp a matter of course, no longer a novelty. But still we worked on together — sharing our joys and heartaches. And now it is May 1945. We are about to spread our influence about the world. The awe we felt as Freshmen returns; the purpose we had as Sophomores flames high within us; the cooperation we developed as Juniors and Seniors working toward the same goal binds us still. All of these, now part of us, we take with us as we enter the future. As we look back we find it has not been long. We have a life ahead of us: Problems to solve, decisions to make. But as we leave the campus, the faculty, and classmates we have learned to love, we regret that we have had but four short years together. 21