Laurel High School - Laurels Yearbook (Laurel, MT)

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1 9 3 8 Class Prophecy June of 1958 marches in and smiles on two young matrons and three grown up boys of yesteryear, as they alight in New York from a trip abroad. Lorane Segler and Kathleen Starkey are returning from a great steeplechase at Aintree, England, while Clarence ltooley, Donald Motzko and Lawrence DeFrance are returning from the Olympics. As the great ship glides smoothly to earth we find our group planning another trip, one which will take them they know not where, because they are goimr to find the old Laurel high school gang of 1938. Arrangements are quickly made for a Northwest Airlines plane to Billings. After arriving in Billings our group goes on to Laurel by car. Arriving at 9:45 a. m. they hie themselves to the school, hoping to get a nice start from their old friend and adviser, Mr. Graff. Upon reaching the superintendent's office, they find not Mr. Graff behind the desk but their victim No. 1. It is Miss Dorothy Graff, who has succeeded her father as superintendent of Laurel schools upon his letirement in 1952. From Dorothy they learned that Ruth Ileebner is now head coach of the girls’ football team at the University of Washington. The team is the present state champion. Before our group had time to make known their errand, the door behind them opens, oh so quietly, and to their glad surprise in walks Miss Schofield. Time has been very kind to her, and she stands before our travelers the same patient instructor who wished them well, instead of good riddance, when they left dear old Laurel high. From her they learned that Burt Kucera is the champion beard grower of Laurel, said beard being noted for its crimson color. From Dorothy they learned that Eddie Burke is now head coach at Spurling University in Spurling Slough, Montana. Eddie and Rose Ellen were married soon after graduation, but Rose Ellen invented a new' kind of gum, called “Poppsie Gum,” and desiring a larger territory in which to develop production, she sought other fields, leaving Eddie free to marry again. Eddie savs, “I’ll just marry athletics this time and stay with it.” He did. Probing a little deeper our friends find that Jack Parker’s dreams have come true, he is now playing professional baseball with the Billings Nationals. George Shear er. they learned, is playing the role of Tar-zan in the movies, drawing a cool seventy-five thousand dollars a year. Rather than wear out their cordial welcome in Laurel, the five travelers again started on their way. Don mentioned that they should “go wrest” because he thought that they would surely find some of their old gridiron pals kicking a pigskin out toward the Rose Bowl. So w'est they went, but it was not long before they were rewarded, although not as they had expected. Duck,” shouted Lorane, but too late, and as two cars came together and smashed. They were face to face with those stars they had hoped to find holding down responsible positions; namely, Paul Shively, Robin Cook, Oliver Durham, Bud Edwards and Leonard Foley who were very angry. Paul told our friends that the five boys had decided to stop being bachelors and go to Callender to marry the lovely Dionne sisters. Upon their promising to loan our group a few bucks if they ever needed it, the two groups parted ways. Early the next morning the quintet heard the swishing of wings and looking up, to their amazement saw a stork flying so low that they could easily read the stork’s placard, “Best Wishes from Dr. Glenn Wheeler to Professor and Mrs. J oyd Shay.” Mrs. Shay they learned is the former Inna Branstetter of Laurel; they thought Loyd w'ould marry Irma, but then it’s all in the family. Loyd is a professor at the University in Missoula and sent the group to the Administration Building, where they found Henry Reiter, addressing a class in advance economics. Kathleen, thinking that they were doing nicely in the University City, mentioned that they should spend the day looking around. Proceeding to lunch, they stopped a very well dressed lady to inquire for a good cafe and to their amazement she looked up quickly saying, “Well do my eyes deceive me or am I back in Laurel High?” And so they had found another friend, Martha Ostw-ald, who shyly answered the query with, “Well, er, uh, I think that I have the best place in which to eat,” as she pointed to a very attractive place of business. “You will also find Betty Evert and Marie Schaff to be very able assistants,” she remarked. Betty told our friends of a radio announcement that morning, saying that Dena Otis and Marguerite Palmer had taken over the Yet lows tone National Park, and that Pete Schreiner would be manager at Old Faithful, Don Schcidecker at Mam- Page 11

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LAURELS Class History In September, 1934, 62 boisterous and green freshies boarded a ship for a four ear journey around the world. The manager of the trip was Miss Frances Schofield. Captain of the ship was Burt Ku-cera, ably aided by Don Libecap, Rose Ellen Foley and Ruth Heebner. On November 9, a select dancing party was held on board for the purpose of entertaining the members who had become homesick by this time. The big event came in the spring on April 18 when they landed at a place in the West called “Gym.’ Here they were hosts to the members of several other ships that were at anchor. The occasion was a quintuplet dance, featuring children’s clothes. At the end of May the freshmen anchored at a place called “Prospective Sophomores.” Glad to feel solid earth again, they decided to remain for a three months’ vacation. In September, 1935, they again proceeded on their thrilling journey. At this time the, crew changed to a new ship which had just been completed. Space had been very limited on the old boat which had served many classes so faithfully since 1903. The captain of the new ship was Jimmy Peterson, with Burt Kucera, Ray Davis and Bud Edwards as assistants. The crew of 63 members enjoyed the new cruiser so much that there was no stop until they arrived in Hawaii October 6, 1935. Here the serene, beautiful atmosphere tempted them to stop for the purpose of studying the constellations. The evening ended with a weiner and marshmallow roast. The next important event was on March 13, 1936 when they sponsored a St. Patrick’s dance in Ireland. They sailed on for two months and then went into dry dock for three months at “Future Juniors.” After resting the crew of 62 were quite anxious to continue on their voyage. The position of captain changed hands, as they decided to have a girl lead them. Dona Otis was chosen, with Bud Edwards. Rose Ellen Foley and Paul Shively as her assistants. The first stop was at a weird island called Hermit Gables. Here they presented their first class play, “The Night Cry,” with Ruth Heebner and Bud Edwards in the leading roles. The next important event was a stop at the Philippine Islands where they went for a hay-ride. Everyone enjoyed the ride and the weiner roast which followed. Later in the evening they sponsored a barn dance wit!' the real farmer spirits. The next stop was at Japan where the highlights of the year, the prom and banquet, were held. They decided to remain in Japan for their vacation. In 1937 and ’38 with the same crew guiding them, they began to think of the short time left for their voyage. Leading Japan and the memory of a well-earned title as the Montana Southern Division Class B football champions behind, they decided to put on a play at London, England. As it was near Christmas the play that was picked was “Bang! Goes Christmas.” Time was drawing short so they decided to put on another play. “Huckleberry Finn” was chosen and the play was given May 3. On May 14, the travelers arrived at Laurel, Montana, glad to end their journey, yet sorry to leave the good ship Laurel High. The evening of their return was a gala night, for a prom and a banquet were given them as a welcome from the future seniors. All in all, the wanderers met with few accidents, and the whole trip was a success. Page 10

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LAURELS Class Prophecy (Continued) moth and James Russell and Henry Ost-walt were wrangling the buffalo. Well satisfied with their day’s work, the group drove on through the evening to Spokane. Then suddenly, “Stop! Hold everything! Back up!” yelled Clarence. “I see a hotel; we must not pass it up.” So they all went in for a good night’s rest. After refreshing themselves a bit, the boys sauntered into the lobby to find a paper from home, but to their great surprise they found not a paper but good old Coach Bennett himself. “Good bye, sleep,” they screamed in unison, and nearly carried T. H. to their room. “O. K. boys,” he said, “I’m laying over here between planes on my way to New York, and I’ve slept all afternoon, so open up and tell me what it is you’d like to know.” “Well Coach, they said, “we’d like t' know what has become of some of our old cronies.” The coach nibbed his chin and said. “Well, let’s see, as I came through the South Dakota plains where the wind blows and it never rains, I located Oscar Gunter and Rose Reiter, who were married soon after graduation, really getting rich raising strawberries.” Fred Feuerbacher, he told the boys, had never married but had invented a machine foi stretching dollars, with which ho hojied to conquer the depression. “His factory is located in Lakeview, Oregon,” T. H. remarked, “and Fred has given employment to several of the old gang who were of an inventive nature.” They learned that Gene Daniels and wife, Madge Clayborn to them, and Raymond Thayer and Bertha Zier could be found in Lake-view. Wilma Smith and Elaine Rash, Bennett told them, had taken over the Elite Beauty Parlor in Billings and were still keeping Roy Homing and Kenneth Johnson waiting. Knowing that tomorrow must take them many miles, they finally released Mr. Bennett and retired for a few short hours of sleep. Arising at six the next morning, the five companions hurried to the lobby intending to check out and drive an hour before break fast, but the ladies, unable to sleep, had got up and accompanied Mr. Bennett to the airport at 5 o’clock. And luckily enough for them too, because Iola Gowen, now a noted poet, Clara Graves and Myrle Teeters had ar- rived on the plane with a two-hour stopover in Spokane. The girls told their old fi iends that they were now instructors at the University of Washington at Seattle and were on their way home for a summer vacation. Kathleen and Lorane were unable to get very much information about former classmates from these three. However, they were quite sure that Robert Ranger, Elizabeth Lee, Forest Lyons and Clara Leis had combined their mental forces and were going to Texas to start an alligator business. Therefore, three of our group decided to go down into the alligator country. Miss Segler and Miss Starkey suddenly became very homesick and decided to return to Laurel with Iola, Clara and Myrle. Wishing to obtain a souvenir, t',r' girls stopped in at a small shop on tne way to the airport. Who should they find in the shop but Natalia Zier. Natalia told (hem that she is now private secretary to Finest Vogelpohl who lives in Spokane. Ernest, she said, is manager of the Spokane branch of the General Electric Company. The girls gone, the boys decided to check up on their list and to their surprise, found only three classmates unaccounted for. Don suggested, rather fatherly, that it would be a good idea to check up on their finances while they were checking. Good old Don, he seemed to have, a way of sensing trouble and just now at the most opportune time. They didn’t really need to go to Texas to find these other three. Whisper, whisper, whisper and a week later the following ad appeared in the Laurel Outlook: “Wanted—the prasent addresses of Lydia Gradwohl, Audrey Wilson and Opal Wright, all of the graduating class of 1938, Laurel high school. Laurel, Montana.” Next morning they received the information that Lydia Gradwohl is teacher of home economics in an Idaho high school, and that Audrey Wilson, having discovered how to utilize the powers of cosmic rays, is about to outfit a rocket ship in which she will explore the upper stratosphere. Opal Wright, through her training in L. II. S. in keeping track of absentees, is now in charge of the large filing system in the Department of Missing Persons which is a part of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Washington, I). C. Page 12