Laramie High School - Plainsman Yearbook (Laramie, WY)

Page 29 text:

March 19, the American Legionnaires were roused in Casper by seven hopeful orators holding forth on “Wake Up America.” Jim Forbes had won the local contest held here March 14, in which George Hultz placed second and Richard Nelson and Gordon Myers tied for third place. Jim Forbes copped fourth place in the State Contest. THESPIAN CLUB Margaret Burns and Pat Harison OHE AUDITORIUM lights are dimmed, tl»c crowd ceases their chatter, and the curtain rises on another year with the Thespian Club of Laramie High School. In the fall the club presented the three-act com- edy, “Ever Since Eve,” one of the snappiest plays ever produced by high school students. The popu- lar theme “male versus female,” was the underlying plot. Keeping in line with the December war stamp drive, the Thespian Club and Glee Club presented a Christmas program to which a defense stamp was the admission. At the P.-T. A. Founders’ Day program, the club gave a one-act play, Pioneers Forever,” a drama depicting the progress of the American peo- ple through the years. Climaxing a year of good entertainment, the Thespians presented their spring round of one-act plays. Orville’s Big Date,” headed the program; a story of how sixteen-year-old Orville outwitted his scheming sisters. The next plays were “Gray Bread,” a drama l»a.scd on the proverb, Better eat gray bread in your youth than in your age,” and “What Grandmothers Know,” a sentimental comedy of the 1890s. Concluding the one-act productions was “Be Home by Midnight,” a domestic comedy of the Jones family. The highest honor attained by a Thespian is the earning of the eight-jewel pin. Those seniors quali- fying were Willis Jensen, Margaret Burns, Bob Mc- Kay, Gordon Myers, Colleen Manfull, Peggy Reus- ser, Maurine Smith, Robert Wagner, George Hultz, Donald Hartman, and Edgar Reeves; while two juniors, Bonnie Davidson and James Forbes earned the award. Recognition for outstanding achieve- ment, best Thespian of 1942-43 was given to Mar- garet Bums. Winding up the year of dramatic effort, the fol- lowing were initiated into National Thespians: Col- leen Carroll. Perry Clay, James Forbes. Bonnie Kil- zer, Peggy Hitchcock, Bernice Irene, Ellen Sackett. Phyllis Byers, Bobby Jean Chisholm. Bill Soule, Bob Wilson, Gertrude Butschcr, Georgia Collins, Bar- bara Fluty, Sylvia Morrill, Ivina Royer, Marjorie Snow, June Walsh, Marvin Willard, Barbara Ing- ham, Carolyn Miller, Maeilenc Morgan, and Leon Babcock. At the last meeting of the year, officers for the coming school year were chosen. Perry Clay was elected president; Bonnie Davidson, vice-president; and Sylvia Morrill, secretary-treasurer. With this the curtain falls on another year with the Thespian Club, and the thearc-going public of Laramie go out into the Wyoming night, commenting on the performances of the year. n THESPIAN PLAY

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SPEAKING CHOIR Seated: Dorothy Solomon, lVtcg) Kw»w, Barbara KeU«r. Kir»t Row: Gonlon Mycr . Maureen Smith, K e Collina, Mia Linluol, Wilbur West. Second Row: Richard Xtlaou. Ted Harry. Jalive» Clay, llob Warner, Warren Wallace. Jam Korbe . Not in picture: Bob Coattn. Jack Lind. CHORAL SPEAKING James Forbes 3hE CURTAIN draws back, and reveals in full V-formation the nine untlinching rhetoricians of the choral speaking choir. One—two—three—and the prophetic words of “Listen to the People” fill the auditorium. From America we are taken back twenty-five years to the battlefields of France, laugh- ing at the amusing exploits of General Pershing in “Pershing at the Front.” We then go out west with the Sioux Indians in the rhythmic clap of “Cotton- wood Leaves.” With Tumbling Mustard” and “Plantation Ditty,” one of the eight programs of the choral speaking class comes to a close. Besides these five selections, the class learned about fifteen others. Among these was a novel and tuneful poem, “Give Us Books, written by Peggy Reusser for the Red Cross Victory Book Drive. The choir’s one engagement the first semester was at the L. D. S. Institute. The second semester, how- ever, the choir made seven appearances, performing at the P.-T. A. Founders’ Day program, the L. D. S. Institute, the Lincoln School, the Fox Theatre, the P.-T. A., a regular assembly, and at the Kiwanis Assembly. The remnant of the speaking choir that parti- ci| ated in the State Speech Festival at Rawlins was unexpectedly called upon for a | erformance. The result was an unseasoned rendition of “Strictly Germ-Proof,” which, in spite of, or because of, ev- erything, was well received. An unusual feature of the choir this year was the fact that the boys outnumbered the girls three to one. Ordinarily the girls have a slight majority. FORENSICS Peggy Reusser ARLY ON THE morning of April 10, five hope- ful forensic students left Laramie for Rawlins to take part in the State Speech Festival. Though the weather was cold and rainy, the five—James Forbes, Richard Nelson, Ted Barry, Dorothy Solomon, and Peggy Reusser—were excited at the prospect of at- tending the meet. With high hopes they marched into the contest, and although they did not walk away with winning honors, they made a fine reputa- tion for themselves, and experienced the pride of a job well done. The highest honor was won by James Forbes who placed first in Contest oratorical declamation and third in Contest original oratory. Entering or- iginal oratory in the Festival bracket, Richard Nel- son copped third place. Ted Barry rated third in Contest poetry reading, while Peggy Reusser and Dorothy Solomon rated second and third respectively in the Festival bracket of poetry. Peggy Reusser also won third place in both Contest dramatic decla- mation and Contest humorous declamation. After a day packed with excitement, the contes- tants and their coach. Miss Linford, were honored at a banquet given by the Rawlins High School. They returned to I«aramie the following afternoon. it

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★ SENIOR CLASS PLAY Peggy Rkusser jOoWN THROUGH the centuries it ltas been common knowledge to the so-called stronger and more intelligent half of our earth's inhabitants— man—that their weaker and more fragile compan- ions have one outstanding fault—the inability to make up their minds. So when a woman does make up her mind, it is a great occasion, an event of the times; and a great event it was that took place in form of the Senior Class Play, “Yes and No.” Un- der the direction of Miss Louise Hilsabcck, the three-act farce was presented March 26, 1943. Written by Kenneth Horne, the play was one of the most unique and unusual types ever presented on the Laramie High stage. The comedy had two acts and an epilogue, each act consisting of two scenes. Act I tells what might have happened if Jo had said ‘‘No.” The second act tells what might have happened if Jo had said Yes, and the epi- logue shows what really happened. The setting is the living room of an Upper Wer- ton Rectory in Somerset. Reverend Richard Jar- row (Bob Wagner) is the absent-minded, hopelessly forgetful type, with a benign personality and an air of vagueness and preoccupation. His wife (Col- leen Manfull) is a faded, well-meaning, tactless woman who lives in a state of hopeless disorganiza- tion. Their two daughters. Joanna (Maeilene Mor- gan and Sallv (Peggy Reusscr) also have vague and preoccupied manners. Mrs. Webb, the house- keeper (Maureen Smith) is forever exas| eratcd at the disorderly family. Act I, Scene I finds the family discussing the forthcoming arrival of Adrian Marsh (Jimmy Clay) a friend of the family who is stopping to say good- by on his way to Persia. The entire family expect him to ask Jo to marry him. which lie does, but is promptly refused. Scene H shows Adrian propos- ing to Sally whom he has loved all the time. Sally accepts his offer when, to his amazement. Jo sud- denly decides to marry him after all. Adrian, how- ever, relieves himself in a diplomatic way. but the situation is further complicated when Bagshott. the curate (Wilbur West) confesses his love for Jo. knowing he should not because lie has an under- standing with Sally. At the end of Act I. however. Adrian and Sally and Bags and Jo are together. Act II repeats the same action as Act I up to the time of the proposal, but this time Jo says Yes.” The action becomes complicated when Jo is stubborn about the engagement and the scene ends in a hilarious uproar with Mr. Jarrow beseeching the en- gaged couple “to beautify the sacred state of Holy Wedlock!” Scene II takes place the following afternoon with everything in a state of utter confusion because Jo cannot decide upon anything for the wedding. Adrian, completely exasperated by Jo’s manner of disconccm, finally discovers he loves Sally, and like- wise Bags finds he loves Jo. The epilogue, which shows what really happened, begins as did Acts I and II. Adrian, however, has come to propose to Sally, not to Jo, and as the final curtain is lowered Adrian and Sally, and Bags and Jo tenderly embrace, and they lived happily ever after.