La Grande High School - Mimir Yearbook (La Grande, OR)

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Honolulu, Hawaii. June 5, 1935. Dear Minnie: Of all the strange experiences, I’ve certainly had them since I last saw you. Every day something new and startling has happened, and I’ve met many of our old school friends in the class of ’20. After I left you in Paris, I first went to the London Book Concern, in London, England, with the intention of selling the copyright to my latest hook, “Along the Diamond Trail. To my great surprise, I found that the manager of this famous concern was Eugene Newlin. I had quite a delight- ful chat with him, but was surprised and bitterly disappointed when he refused to offer me more than a million dollars for my book. I needn't have been, though, because I always thought he would be that kind of a man. The very next day I took a steamer to New York. The Captain, who was a tall, broad-chested man, with long flowing black beard, looked some- how faintly familiar, and I watched him a great deal. At last when he smiled, I recognized him—he was Thomas Hill. He said he had been captain of that ship for ten years, and liked the work quite well. He also told me that Blanford Shores was the founder of the Special Toy Manufacturing Co., in Boston. The toys put out by this company were designed for the special amusement of high school students, They would prevent the recitations from tiring the boys and girls too much. 1 suppose Blanford originated the idea during some of his recitations in 1920. Tommie started to tell me about La Rue Hanks, but he was suddenly called away, and I just caught something which sounded like “Hewing”. I did not get another chance to talk to him, and so I do not know what he meant. A few days later, I reached New York, and was soon speeding in a taxi-cab to my hotel. I hadn’t gone far however, when my car was stopped by a great crowd of people thronging the streets. They seemed to be gathering around some one in the center who was speaking. Every few minutes they would cheer and clap their hands like mad. I climbed out of the taxi and pressed forward, but while I could hear some shrill voice arguing about “small peoples’ rights,” I could not see a single thing. At last, when I had pushed right in front, I saw a tiny little lady up on a soap box, waving and shouting wildly. Yes, it really was Atrelle White! Before I had time to collect my thoughts, a queer man with wild, stareing eyes came rushing up with another box, and placing it beside Atrelle’s, jumped upon it, and began imitating her. Some one in the crowd shouted, “Oh, that lunatic Smith has got out again!” Before they jerked him away, I had time to see that it was my old school friend, Lowell Smith. It certainly is dreadful to think how play-acting will afterwards effect one’s mind. Atrelle was very indignant at Lowell for interrupting her, and de- Page 29

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few of the Juniors. Blanford Shores bestows his cave-man ways upon the future he-devil of the La Grande School system. Loyd Thompson bequeaths his lofty ambitions of being a dancing master to Geneva Smith. Grant Swalberg leaves his wonderful practice of Side Show speaking under the High School steps. Bessie Moran bequeaths her slenderness to Miss Heess. Raymond Garity leaves his method of “getting by” to the faculty? Minnie Watkins bestows her originality upon someone in need of it. Thelma Standley wills her ability of being Library monitor to Poster Sims. Julia Hopkins bestows upon Evelyn Underwood her ambitions of being a Salome dancer. Esse Johnson wills her Botany picture book to Mr. Towler for concen- trated study. Thelma Oesterling bequeaths a dainty piece of her Woolworth jewelry to Miss Campbell. Winifred Kenneda bestows a .1. C. Penney dress upon Margaret King. Chester Thompson wills a package of Camels to “Hi” Peach for the use of the boiler room. Dallas Green bequeaths his ability to use the English language to Miss Williamson. Robert Emahiser leaves his delicate ways to William Heughan. Bessie Walker wills her good behavior to the girls Physical Training Class. Reba Hopper leaves her place in the Studebaker to------------no Reba says that she has a reserved ticket. Ruth Trill wills her petiteness to Meryl George. Hazel Wright leaves her prankish way to Aladeen Scroggin. Jean Stearns leaves her flirtish ways to Evelyn Guhleman. Stephen Blore leaves his winning smiles to Daffodil Snider. DALLAS GREEN ’20 Page 28

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parted without speaking any more. I then went on to my hotel, and while I was sitting in the lobby, a newsboy brought me an evening paper. Glancing over it, I was suddenly startled by the headline:GERALDINE FARRAR'S TRAGIC DEATH.” I hurriedly read on the following lines: “At a recent musical con- cert in Venice, Italy, Mademoiselle Florence Lynch outsang the great Geraldine Farrar. Immediately after the concert, the latter went to her room, and in a mad frenzy, stabbed herself.” Isn’t that dreadful? I quickly turned over to the next page, and what did I find there but a long account telling about Walter Blokland and Cecil Young, the chief winners in a series of automobile and motorcycle races, just given a short distance outside of New York. The article said they had received their early training during their last year in high school. It seems that I remember something about their races that year, don't you? Just below this article I read in glaring headlines: “QUAILTRACK'S ESCAPES AGAIN” This item told how Chester Thompson, alias Quailtracks, one of the world’s most daring robbers, had again escaped from jail for the sixteenth time. A reward of $2000 was offered if he could be taken dead or alive. After reading this, I threw the paper down and rushed outside for some fresh air. Not having any success in New York, I decided to go on to San Francisco. On my way I stopped in Chicago for one night, and attended one of the leading operas. The first number was a piano solo, and the beautiful and gracious lady who came out to play it, was Lois Given. The piece she played was wonderfully pathetic, and soon all around me, the people were silently wiping tears from their eyes. When she finished, there wasn't a dry eye in the house. After having seen so many of the old class of '20, I had a sudden desire to go back to La Grande, and see if 1 could meet any more. When I arrived there, I was greatly amazed. You would never know the town now, Minnie, for it is a metropolis with a population of 500,000. I had heard many interesting things about Fruitdale, so I thought I would visit it. 1 started all right, but soon lost my way, and had not the faintest idea where I was, while I was wondering what to do, a policeman came up and asked if he could be of any assistance. He was no other than Omer Barnwell. Omer told me he had been a policeman for six years, but was now thinking seriously of becoming a detective. By his aid, I soon reached Fruitdale, which is a busy part of the city now. Just as I came, the Fruitdale Special pulled in, and I found that Harry Proctor was conductor. He said he certainly wished the train had been there in 1920. He told me that Robert Emahiser was the editor of “The Hurricane,” a breezy La Grande daily. Robert did start to write a book but found I was writing the same thing, so ga e it up. After walking all day, I dropped into one of La Grande’s big moving- picture houses to get a little rest. There was a Harold Lloyd comedy, but instead of Bebe Daniels acting with Harold, it was Marcella Berry. I couldn’t find anyone else I knew, so I started on to San Francisco. As we were passing thru a bit of wooded land in Northern California, Page 30