Ionia High School - Ionian Yearbook (Ionia, MI)

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PROPHECY Twenty-five years has elapsed since the graduates of 1935 left the historical building of Ionia. We left with a mixed feeling of gladness and remorse to further fit ourselves for our several places in the world. It was in 1960 with a happy feeling that I came in contact with all of my old classmates. As I was working for a newspaper syndicate, I was assigned to cover a story of the formation of a new city in the southern part of the country that had been named “Newville.” At once I decided to make a hurried airplane trip to this community. We were soaring around a small town. We went lower and lower for we were going to land. The airport, I learned later, had been constructed by an old classmate, Wilson Rochester. Three men came rushing to the plane as soon as we had stopped. The men whirled the plane around, and as I was helped out of the plane, the pilot instructed the chief mechanic, Harold Signs, to check the motor as he was re leave early in the morning. I heard several people talking, and I thought I recognized their voices. As they came nearer. I realized that they were five old classmates, Edward Brown, Stuart Brock, Roland Heim, Carl Higgins, and the mayor of the city, Carl Groening, who had formed a reception committee. Carl told me that the new city should have been called “Class of ’35” as there are so many members of that class living there. I asked him where the telegraph office was, and he said he would take me there. Immediately we were in the telegraph office, preparing to wire the paper ab:ut the strange setting, and there I saw two other classmates, Jane Hoy and Star Miles, who were taking complete charge of the office. As we turned to leave, we met more clasrmates, Hermene Arnold and Jean Curtis, who were running cne of the mos! fa.hionr.ble dress shops in town. I then began search ng for a hotel. At last I saw a mammoth sign, “Newville Hotel.’ I stopped, and was very much surprised to see that the proprietor was William Carbaugh. He began relating the good times that we had at cld I. H. S. Mr. Caibaugh told me that there was a community banquet in the dining rocm and that everyone was invited, and urged Mr. Groening and me to attend the affair. The Jennings Jazz Boys were furnishing the rhythm for the banquet. In the orchestra I recognized Harley Bricker, who was slipping into the hearts of the ladies all over the country with his slide trombone. Next I saw a friend who had always hoped to reach higher levels and to have people gaze with awe and marvel at his achievement. Harold Clark is now an exhibition tight-wire performer, advertising the durability of the products of the Lem-mien. Bliss and Schmidt Wire Company. I was next privileged to meet a renowned discoverer, Robert Dunnett. Mr. Dunnett is owner of one of the largest dairy farms in the United States. On this farm he grows Mexican Jumping beans which he feeds to his cattle, so that instead of getting milk in eight and ten-quart quantities, he gets butter in pound and pound and one half cakes. 25

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SALUTATORY The class of ’35 salutes you and welcomes you. It is our sincerest desire that every one of you will feel that you are one of us. Some of you have trained and taught us; many of you are a part of the traditions which we have attempted to follow and honor; many are parents of graduates or future graduates of our high school. We all have a common bond in our appreciation and love for this institution. Today we are fused into one. To the parents, we express the gratitude now, at last, fully realized. Not only have you given us life itself, but also the counsel, the encouragement, and the desire necessary to surmount its trials and reap its rewards. Without you we are lost. To the faculty, we extend our hands in friendship and appreciation. The labors of our studies are forgotten; the results, we believe will be remembered; the im-measureable benefits will always be evident. We know how tolerant you have been when we lacked interest, how carefully you have explained and solved many of our difficulties, how you have solaced us in disappointment and shared our joys in triumph. We hope you are happy to see us complete our course and sorry to see us depart. We leave with you our deepest respect and most hearty friendship. On this class day, we are reluctant to think of what we should be if we were thrown into the world without the preparation given us. For making our graduation possible, we are grateful to the school administration. We have been given our opportunity, the future will decide how well we may have deserved it. Soon we shall join the ranks of the alumni, adding to them one of the largest classes in Ionia’s history and swelling their number to approximately two thousand. We feel honored to be graduated from a school which has become noted for its high standards in scholarship, athletics, forensic work, and music, because of their various successes. We have endeavored to carry on the traditions they have established and always maintained. If we have succeeded in adding anything worthwhile to our school, as they did, we are gratified with our efforts. This day marks more than the culmination of our efforts. The achievement of the school in graduating another class and the success of our parents in giving us the best in high school training is now a reality. It is not merely our day, it is yours, too. You have given and we have received. We shall do our best to prove deserving. Since you have been so essential to our success, we are truly happy to have an opportunity to express our deep gratitude. We invite you, today and always, to share our joys. 24 —Arthur Mann

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I learned that Russell Hoople and Russell Anderson were proprietors of one of the largest paint and wall-paper stores in Newville, and that Floyd Brand, Delbert Lemke, and Roger Monger were associated with them in the business. The program of the evening began and I was forced to postpone my quizzing until later. Jane Ann Rather and Vivian Snyder were the first singers of the evening, followed by Bessie Jimos, who sang her own composition. Celestine Imus followed with a talk to the ladies regarding “Troubles in the Home. ’—I gathered that she knew from experience. A toe dance was given by Helen Terkos and Louise Hoy. Talks were given by Mary Jean Shaw and Sam Glossi, both physical instructors of the Dairy City High School, on “Physical Care of the Child. ’ The program finished with a duet by Hilda Macholl and Roxie Luz, playing piccolos. After this enjoyable program, refreshments were served by Violet Lewis, Beatrice Haney, June Anderson and Ruth Howard. Thus the curtain fell on one of the most enjoyable evenings that I had experienced in twenty-five years. I retired with the rest, only to awaken in the morning to meet again old faces and talk of old times. I was walking down the main avenue when I saw Jack Gierman, who told me that he was chief of police, and asked me if I didn t want to visit the jail. 1 consented, and we started on our way. As the jail was in a remote end of town, we had to pass the majority of the business places of the town. I saw a sign, “BEAUTY SHOPPE,” and after inquiring, found out that it was operated by Marie Dickout and Hazel Scholtens, and that they were assisted by Vera Sessions, Frances Marker, and Bernice Sage. Chief Gierman told me that the next store, a ladies’ cloth ng store, was owned and operated by Gwendolyn Schadler and Marcilene Signs. “The clerks,” Chief said, “were Clara Rook, Lillian Ward, Dona Lee Whitesides, Helen Wheaton and Olive Yeomans.” We next went by the court house, and I marveled at the beautiful landscape. Chief Gierman said that it was the work of Verncr Vogt, and that Arthur Selleck and Charles Foreman had made the plans for the mammoth building. We were now at the jail. We passed through one large iron gate end little did I realize that beyond the other was another old classmate, Leroy Bennett, who, by the way, was Chief Gierman’s first deputy. Another clasmate, Paul Crane, was sitting at a table talking over a telephone. Later Paul said, “We three comprise the whole police force, with the exception of two night watchmen, Wayne Dreger and Richard Dumont.” Chief Gierman explained that only a small police force was needed because of the law-abiding spirit which prevailed in the community. He attributed th's to the fact that most of the leaders in the community belonged to the class of ’35. Mr. Crane asked me if I would be at Newville Rock Gardens in Stone Court to see the fight between William “Wild Cat” Wilder and Ford “One Punch” Loucks for the world’s heavyweight championship. The money from the sale of tickets to this fight would be used for the purchase of guinea pigs for the Quaglia Experimenting Station. Mr. Crane added that Arthur Mann was to be the referee, and Dr. Helen Marsh was to be at the ring-s:de. Dr. Marsh has several trained nurses 26