Ionia High School - Ionian Yearbook (Ionia, MI)

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THE IONIAN I 9 3 3 Prophecy • The winding thread of a river far below told me that the plane was nearing Ionia. Soon the huge airport came into sight, and the plane began to descend. We were nearly at the end of the journey. I was quite breathless, not only from the trip, but from a discovery I had made a few minutes before. The two hostesses on board had come up and said, “Hr, pardon us. but aren't you—? And then I broke in with. “Of course 1 am. And you are Pearl Petrie and Luella Otterbein.” I5oth girls acknowledged the fact. They also told me that right after graduation thev decided to stick together, even though they went to great heights. As soon as the plane reached ground, a porter rushed forward to adjust the steps and help us from the plane. That efficiency reminded me of someone,—Lee Mason, of course. Lee informed me that he believed in starting from the bottom, and he assured me he would be a pilot some day. 1 was wishing him luck, when the pilot came over to where we were standing, and immediately I recognized him as Lawrence Kress. Lawrence was still chewing gum. I thought as I left the airport that some of my classmates were getting up in the world. How that taxi driver went around the corners! 1 held my breath until we arrived at the Wait and Supp Hotel. As the driver got out of the taxi, 1 gave one look, and then 1 recognized him as Orson Coe. It was easy to see that fifteen years hadn't changed him much. Immediately upon our arrival, a tall dignified doorman came over toward the taxi. Resplendent in gold braid and a tall hat, was none other than Clarence Dolphin. What with his own height, plus the hat. Clarence was indeed a looked-up-to man. Close at his heels seemingly a midget by comparison, was a tiny bellboy. His reddish hair, and beaming smile told me he was Gerald Cox. Between Gerald and Clarence, I was ushered into the hotel with almost regal splendor. We walked across the lobby, and over to a beautiful desk. The clerk pushed the registration card forward, and 1 signed my name. The dignified clerk turned the card around and glanced at the signature, then looked at me. “Well, well.” he began, and then 1 recognized him as William Batson. '1 he girl at the switchboard, who had been busily occupied, both with the switchboard, and her gum, turned around, and proved to be Jean McGannon. She came over to greet me. It looked almost like a convention with five of us standing there and all trying to talk at once. The efficient bellboy soon picked up my traveling bags and said, “This way please,” so I followed obediently. The elevator was at our command, so we stepped in. The elevator boy. who looked very familiar, soon had us on the sixteenth floor. When be spoke I knew it was Lawrence Marion. Lawrence told me that his life was just a series of ups and downs, but be seemed to be very happy. As we went down the ball two maids were whispering and talking. As I passed they looked at each other in a puzzled manner. A few minutes after 1 had reached my room, a timid rap sounded at the door. I opened it and there stood the two maids. This time it was my turn to look puzzled for they were two more classmates. Frances Gallagher and’Mary Stedman. I learned afterwards from William Batson that Mary and Frances had proved so efficient and capable that they were the housekeepers of the hotel. From the excellent service 1 received they certainly are deserving of their positions. Pane Twenty-six

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THE IONIAN 9 3 3 Class History • When (lie school hell announced the beginning of classes in September nineteen hundred and twenty-nine, the largest class of Freshmen ever to enter the Junior I ligh School filed into that building. ()ur class was so large that it was necessary to divide us into three groups. This, however, did not prevent us from having the traditional Freshman picnic at Woodard I .ake to finish the school year. The next September found us playing the role of humble Sophomores. We too were subject to the confusion and ridicule which all Sophomores suffer. We were so busy trying to make the Seniors believe that we really were important that we overlooked the election of officers. Nevertheless we had our class picnic at Baldwin Lake. As we reached the rank of Juniors we had overcome our fear of Seniors, so immediately we organized and elected the following officers: Gordon Benedict, president: Wayne Corey, vice-president; Calla Cobb, secretary: and Alexander Sibley, treasurer. We wanted to distinguish ourselves in some way, so we inaugurated the custom of inviting all the grades of the Junior and Senior High School to our Junior Parties. This experiment proved very successful. By the end of the year we had had enough experience to enable us to put on a Junior-Senior Prom, which the Seniors told us was most enjoyable. Before leaving school that year we selected our class rings, which gave us a goal to which we anxiously aspired. The year closed with a picnic at Baldwin Lake. We returned last September bearing the title of dignified Seniors.” Under the leadership of our officers: President, Wayne Corey; vice-president, Max Pierce: secretary, Jo Ellen Perry; treasurer, Calla Cobb; we began our Senior activities. Before the first semester ended we were working on the Senior Annual, determined that the financial situation should not stop us. (fur efforts were not in vain, for before long we had obtained sufficient orders to assure its publication. We chose the play, The Importance of Being Earnest” for our Senior production. This was presented at the Ionia Theater under the direction of Mr. Smith and Miss Burke. The Juniors entertained us at a very delightful Junior-Senior Prom on the evening of May twelfth which we shall long remember. We shall bring our social activities to a close with a class picnic. Class honors were awarded to Wayne Corey and Flint Watt. In this respect also we remained true to our desire to set ourselves apart from other classes. This is the first time in many years that boys have received the class honors. Extra-curricular activities have interested many from our class. Robert Campbell. Wayne Corey, Flint Watt, and Gordon Benedict were outstanding players on both the football and basketball teams, while others gained honor in baseball and track. The girls have upheld the banners of the school in declaiming and debating. Jane Kidder represented us in the sub-district declamatory contest and Gertrude Welker, as a member of the debating squad, helped to win the Free Press plaque for the school. The Melpothalian Dramatic Club, the French Club, and the musical organizations of the school have found much favor among both boys and girls. Members of our class originated the High School Spotlight,” and have continued as the editorial staff. From these many and varied experiences of all our classmates we can look to the future, confident of success for all. Helena Miller Page Twenty-five

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THE IONIAN I 9 3 3 As 1 went down to the dining room that evening, 1 wondered how many more classmates 1 would meet. The waitresses were standing along in a row as I entered the dining room. I looked at their neat uniforms and smiling faces, then looked again. Here were six more of the class of 1933. 1 easily recognized Violet Guider. Edna Hogan, Halt Johnson, Edna and Mary Lehman, and Eileen Thomas. I went over to see the girls, who informed me they greatly enjoyed their work in the hotel. A few minutes later, soft music began to come from behind a row of palms. I beckoned to Edna, and she came over to inquire what I wanted. I asked her who was the creator of that delightful music. She proudly told me it was Ivan Connor, who was to be there for two weeks. She also added than Ivan had been on concert tours for a year, hut had come back to oblige the managers. Ivan seemed to he just as willing to play as he was while in High School. After dinner was over. 1 wandered around the hotel, admiring the architecture. Lawrence Marion, who at the moment was not busy, told me that the plans for the hotel had been drawn by another of our classmates, Max Fierce. I awakened the next morning and noticed a newspaper near the door. I hurried over, much surprised to find that Ionia had a morning paper. Across the top in big letters were the words “The Floodlight.” I glanced over the front page, then turned to the editorials, where I discovered that Gordon Alspaugh was the chief beam of The Floodlight. I hurried to dress and to eat breakfast. Then I sat down to eagerly read this paper. On the front page were big headlines, “Corey and Campbell Make Valuable Find.” Reading on 1 discovered that Wayne and Robert had been in South America, exploring. They brought hack the astounding information that natives there play basketball. Instead of basketballs they use cocoanuts, and for liaskets they use a peculiar type of tree. There were also pictures of two of the native players. Their muscle and brawn were clearly apparent. Another article of interest was that concerning Charles Edlin, Stewart Cox, and Royce and Glenn Waters. It seems they had been sent down to Washington to present the case of Michigan Farmers to the Farm Board. The article also stated that if things turned out as several leaders expected, Michigan farmers could rest easily. Eager to see what the rest of the paper revealed about the class of 1933, I turned the page. There in a neat little square I saw the words Mythical Musings, by C. W. Whitten.” Charlton’s poem for today was entitled Did She?” I read the poem and found it concerned the Katy-did. Charlton wondered whether Katy-did or Katy-didn’t. A very attractive advertisement further down the page caught my eye. It was the Bell Beauty Shop, Leone Bell, proprietor. Right next to Leone's advertisement was one for the Hutchins Hat Salon. Velma’s advertisement stated that the Salon prided itself on being able to fit hats without disturbing a hair of the customer’s head. A news item on the second page informed me that Flint Watt had just returned to Ionia after a two weeks’ stay in Washington presenting a case before the United States Supreme Court. William Batson told me later that Flint had a very large legal practice. In fact he had four of his classmates as stenographers. Pagr TwfHty scvtn