La Porte High School - El Pe Yearbook (La Porte, IN)

Page 19 text:

GRASP OPPORTUNITIES OF BUILDING good weather, we saved this pre-vacation scramble from being the annual turkey of the L. P. H. S. Dances. Not content to rest on our laurels, we were already looking ahead to greater things, the junior play being the uppermost of these. This showed the result of long hours of planning and rehearsing for Youth Takes Over in which Tom Osborn struggled through trouble after trouble of his own making to win Dot McCauley without blowing up or bankrupting George Washington High School. It was to say the very least, a resounding success. Miss Jan Hall was our patient director. Then came the climax of our third year, the Prom. Statistics are not available as to the number of gallons of midnight oil burned by the committees and our long-suffering sponsors, Miss Mary DeVore and John Prokl; but suffice it to say that the decorations, the band, and the Prom queen, Laura Wright, all combined to make it the best of Proms. Taking place on a beau- tiful late May evening (and morning we might add) it provided a fitting conclusion to our jun- ior year. Returning to school flush after a summer of profitable employment, we found with a start that we were seniors. Glorying in our new-found hauteur, we surged forward under the guid- ing hands of Jim Chase, president; Worth McCarthy, vice-president; Dorothy Pruden, secre- tary; and Roger Bergquist, treasurer. Miss Ruth Kelly and E. P. Beabout supervised diligent- ly as the class sponsors. Tom Osborn was elected president of the student body, and our fourth year began to move in high. Homicide! Hysterics! Hidden spies! There is a good summation of the senior play, In- cognito which featured a plentitude of intrigue. Nazi accents, and violence, which hindered Shirley Johnson and Wesley Kipp no little bit in finally discovering Dick Heuer as a crack English agent. Fast humor also had a large part in this, an outstanding achievement in high school dramatics. Much thanks is due to Miss Betty Jean Wells whose admirable direction, supervision of the laboring committees, and wonderful self-control endeared her to all connect- ed with the production, which was truly a triumph. It did not, however, conclude the activities of the Class of 1945, as the Spring Dance, the Prom, and Class Day were soon to follow. We can not suppress the feeling of nostalgia that creeps over us as we gaze at the dear old building for the last few times. Hardly can we believe that so little time remains for us to participate in both the curricular and extra-curricular life of La Porte High; that the kindly in- terests shown in us by our teachers are soon officially to come to an end; and that in a few days we will stagger out of War Gym for the last time. All these and many other fragments and happenings make up, as the alumni say, the happiest and most carefree years of our lives. Not all of those that will officially graduate are with us as this, the 1945 El-Pe, goes to press. Some are working, some are in school elsewhere, and some are in service. We do know that all will be with us in spirit on that evening when we shall grab our sheepskins, stick up our chins, and march off the platform to look a mixed-up world squarely in the eye. We leave behind us our best wishes and heartfelt thanks to the school and all those that make it up—our administrators, the faculty, the janitors, the freshmen, the sophomores, the juniors, and the greenies to come. May those that follow us duplicate or even better the great times that we have had. So long!

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SENIORS Rogor Borgquist Miss Ruth Kelly Jim Chase Mr. EL P. Beabout Dorothy Pruden Worth McCarthy Well, here we are seniors; but first let us turn back four years. Mixed feelings of doubt and elation befuddled our brains as, bug collections in hand, we became a part of La Porte High School on that sunny Tuesday in September, 1941. We were not sure whether we be- longed or not. Our skins, which for fourteen years had supposedly been perfectly normal, suddenly in the eyes of the other members of this institution of higher learning, took on a de- cided greenish hue. Also, as if worrying about schedules and rooms were not enough, we were plagued with the upperclassmen's cut-rate offers on elevator tickets (pending the con- struction of an escalator) and reserved seats in assembly (the more you pay, the better seat). Some of us scoffed; some bought; but all were genuinely awed by the seniors; and, in emu- lating them, we tried to be as blase as possible with the result that our homework efficiency dropped alarmingly. Truly ours was a tough row to hoe. To aid, guide, and represent us we elected Elizabeth Matthews as president, Pat Essling- er as vice-president, and Mary Robison as secretary-treasurer. Harold Hargrave, our counselor, ironed out our program irregularities with astonishing ease. This done, we began to get into the swing of things by attending the Mixer, the football and basketball games, and the after- game dances in droves. Also, new class activities of football and hardwood competitions and the Red Cross made us feel more at home. But it was not until the second year that we really were settled. Then, having chosen Douglas Parker for president, Elmer Martinsen for vice-president, and Tom Osborne for secre- tary-treasurer, we began to achieve. Endeavoring to forget that we had emerged from the ranks scant months before, we could now look down upon those pitiable, first-year pupils with great gusto. Those of us who had to undergo the Girl Reserve and Hi-Y initiations almost, for a moment, wished we were freshies again. However, we could now attend the big” dances, wear formals (this applies only to girls), run up florists bills with the best of the upperclass- men, and wonder if the corsages ordered would reach the houses of our femmes on time. The big social event of the year for us was the Sophomore Hop on which no trouble was spared, for a new band was created especially for the affair. Then came fail, 1943; and we were, in a word, upperclassmen, a title to be preferred to juniors. Showing that wisdom accompanied our new-found prestige, we elected John Carter as class president, Elmer Martinsen as vice-president, Wesley Kipp as secretary, and Mar- garet Boardman as treasurer; and settled downafter this step forward to considering our first fete of the year, the Thanksgiving Dance. By dint of hard work, the Rhythm Warriors, and

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WAYNE BENNER Rugged is the word Prom committee 3; Thanksgiving Danco Committoe 3; Monitors 1, 2, 3, 4: Honorable Mention 1; Track 1: Froshman Football 1; Varsity Football 2, 3, 4; Varsity Basketball 2, 3, 4; Freshman Basketball 1; Baseball 1, 2. MARION ANDERSON Why can't they all be content like me? Glee Club 1. 2; Pepper Club 4; Girl Reserves 3, 4: Athletic Association 3; Slip Collector, 3; Bowling. MARY LOUISE ANDERSON There's no substitute for you Glee Club 1; Girl Rosorves 2. 3. 4; Tri-Hi-Y- 4; Ath- letic Association 3; Junior Play Committee 3: G. K. Danco Committee 2; Bowling 1, 2; Archery 1 ’ 2. DAVID ROBERT ANDERSON If ovoryono was smart like me, what a wonderful world this would be French Club 3, 4: Class President 1; Student Gov- ernment 1: Junior Honor Society 1, 2, 3; Honor Roll 3, 4; Honorable Montion 1, 2; Color Guard 4. MARY AUD Small, pert, and full of fun Girl Reserves 3. 4; Red Cross 3; Archery 3; Ho- bart High School 1, 2. WILLIAM BAILEY Why worry myself with study and care. Beforo I know it. I'll havo gray hair. Boxing Club: Garret High School, Garret, Ken- tucky 1, 2. LYNUS BARNES, JR. Ho has the kind of mind on which you can sharp- en your own. Math Club 3, President 4; Camera Club 2: National Forensic League 3, 4; Debate 3, 4; Student Court Committee 3. 4; Monitors 1; Freshman Football 1; Operetta 4; Color Guard 4. ROGER BERGOUIST Common sense, keon senso, but plenty of room for nonsense Band 1, 2, 3; Orchestra 1. 2, 3; Operetta 2: Hl-Y 4: Junior Play 3: Senior Play 4; Class Treasurer 4,- Prom Committee 3; Spring Dance Committee 4: Son- ior Honor Society 3, 4; Honorable Mention 1. 2, 3: Tennis 4; Rhythm Warriors 3, 4: District and State Solo Contest Division 2; State Solo Contest 1st Di- vision 3; District Solo and Ensemble Contest 1st Division. EUGENE BERK Silent, sauvo and polished Monitors 3, 4: Track 1. 2; Cross Country 2; Tennis 1; Intramural Basketball 4. RAYMOND BERNACCHI Romance runs in the family El-Pe 4: Prom Committee 3; Student Government 3; Slip Collector 1; Honorable Mention 1; Boys Stato 3. OSCAR BILGER Love me, and the world is mine Hl-Y 2, 3, 4; Varsity Football 4: Hobart 1, 2. MARGARET ANN BOARDMAN Oh, that beautiful hair Band 1, 2, 3, 4; Orchostra 3, 4; Travel Club 2; Biol ogy Club 2; Girl Reserves 2: Hi-Tri-Y 2, 3, 4; Hi- Times 4; Junior Play Committoo 3; Senior Play Com- mittee 4; Class Treasurer 3; Prom Committee 3; Thanksgiving Danco 3; Bowling 1, 2; Archory 1, 2. CHARLES BOSTON A bright, available male who races o'er the DUSTY' Trail- Band 3; Camera Club 1: Hi-Y 3, 4: Senior Play 4: Prom Committee 3: Student Court 3; Student Govern- ment 3; Senior Honor Society 3, 4; Honor Roll 3; Honorable Mention 3, 4: Tonnis 4: Intramural Bas- ketball 3, 4; Greoncastio High School 1, 2. NORMA BOWMAN Good natured—the kind of a friend ono likes to have Girl Reserves 3, 4; Red Cross 1; Monitors 4; Bowl- ing 1. FLORENCE BURG A girl with an ambition, may she succeed Glee Club 1,- A cappella 1; Junior Amateur 1, 2; Travel Club 1: Girl Reserves 2, 3, 4; Senior Play Committee 4: Student Government 4: Archery 1.