Louise S McGehee School - Spectator Yearbook (New Orleans, LA)

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Thi1'fY'f0U1' The Spectator and looks as if she was in a terrible fight at one time. No smoking or drinking is allowed in the faith. Most of the followers don't drink Coca-Cola because Father Divine doesn't serve it at his place up the Hudson River. The F. B. I. has been investigating his outfit and knows there is something crooked, but the mystery is a hard one to solve. They can't prove that he is running a racket. Father Divine's people believe that he has lived always and will never die. They praise him and say, Father Divine, God ,Almighty-saver of Heaven and Earth. This all seems to be a fairy tale, but it is actually true because we visited Father Divine's largest Heaven this summer and I do believe that I have never enjoyed anything quite so much. If you should ever visit New York, you should not fail to see one of his many Heavens. Burdette, ,44 ll.......l.-..-- My Dearest Daughter: . Although this is a very busy day, today, please come aside into a quiet room where you and I can visit for a few minutes. You see I was afraid for a while that you would feel that you didn't mean anything to us as we did not come to your graduation. Now, I know that I was wrong, for all the miles between us will make no difference, and we will always be close to each other. This is going to be a very happy and a very sad day today. You will feel confused emotions pulling at your heartstrings and will not know what to do about them-I will tell you. Hide them forever, but don't cast them off. Remember and cherish them. These emotions are valuable. You are wondering at this, I can almost see the flicker of doubt pass through your eyes. Why remember an emotion? Whylcherish it? Remember and cherish it because it is a stepping stone. A little later in life you will meet a stone, not exactly like this one, but very nearly like it. Thus through your life you will pass from one crisis to another. and somehow the emotions will be cut from the same material, and be- cause you have become familiar with each one among the road each new one will be easier to take. Graduation! Yes they were pleasant, those high school years! Perhaps they are the happiest of all your youth. Because of this you are, undoubtedly feeling blue, and wish that you could live on in high school for many years to come. I've heard adults tell young people, Don't ever forget your high school years, they are the happiest of your life. 1 f '

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The Spectator Thirty-three emotional fits. They go around yelling and screaming and praising the Father. He comes to the various heavens at different intervals. One night my Mother, Uncle, Aunt, and I decided we would go to one of Father Divine's Heavens. We arrived upon the scene at about twelve mid-night. He was supposed to get there about one o'clock. When you go in, if you want to eat you buy a ticket for fifteen cents and sit at one of five or six long tables. There is a balcony all around the huge room where the visitors and the people sit who are followers but don't care to eat. They passed around orange-crush and free ice cream cones but my uncle insisted upon paying, so they took two cents. After many songs praising him, in walks Father Divine, a very short, chubby, dark Negro who has scattered gray hairs in his slightly bald head. Behind him came a tall, heavy, gray-headed Negro woman. When we asked who she was the reply was Mother Divine. But, I thought he didn't believe in marriage, we all said in amazement. She's not his wife. The newspapers and magazines criticized him for not having a Woman to take care of him. Therefore, he hired this woman as a housekeeper, calling her Mother Divine. He also has a young white girl about twenty, as his private secretary. He doesn't believe in more than two or three hours of sleep. Soon a silver-haired woman, who seemed to be in charge of the dining room, started handing dishes of food to Father Divine. He put a fork or spoon in each and passed them on. We later found out that he was blessing the food. They served chicken, fish, roast beef, pork, veal, many starches, gravies, all kinds of vegetables, corn bread, biscuits, raisin bread, rolls and light breadg also many kinds of cake and fruit. After a while, they started passing the things all over again. The followers all have perfectly beautiful manners at the table and elsewhere. They love to have visitors. Those in the balcony will gladly stand up and let you have their place. They say Father Divine, himself, has a 332,000 Dusenberg with a gold throne in it. A white chauffeur takes him around. When one of the followers answers the phone, he always says, Peace, Mrs. --'s residence, and when you say good-bye, he will say, Peace, have a good time. They are not allowed to say Hello or Good-bye. Father Divine has done much good in this so-called mission. Faith said she used to be a strong underworld character who smoked and drank all the time. She has scars all over her face and neck

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The Spectator Thirty-five I feel as though they were speaking hypocritically, or maybe they are too stupid to know when they are well off. In a way it is true. High school years are the happiest in our Youth, but there are so many happier years in a woman's life. So, don't feel too blue because you fear to leave all happiness behind you. There are compensating joys for each of the responsibilities that you, as an adult must take on. When you grow up you find the joy of living for another's hap- piness. I shan't lecture any longer. It wasn't intended to be that really, but I didn't want my little girl to feel unhappy about such poppy- cock. Enjoy every bit of your day, and forget as much as possible the tears for lost years. There is entirely too much for you to look forward to for you to harbor such thoughts. Your Father and I have been very busy lately as the President of the Company came down yesterday. Father brought him in for lunch without any warningfwhich is so like a man. We gave a cocktail party for your Aunt Betty who is only here for the week-However all the guests have gone now and the house is quiet. Through the still evening Father and I have been listening to the ocean roar, the low groan of a steamer's fog horn, and the bell of the littlef Methodist Church around the corner. They all make us think of you and how you love these peaceful evenings. We are counting the days 'till you will be back with us. Your Father sends all his love to you. We will be thinking of you, and if you do think of us in the rush, remember we are close to you, no matter how many miles are put between us. With much love, Your Devoted Mother. 1 Mist Mist rises from the earth, steaming and white. It covers the foundations of the very world And leaves only, the peaks and pinnacles Standing, dreamlike, floating, changing, Rising and falling with the gentle currents Of theair. Then it flees, silently as it came. , The world, is real and hard once more. Stevenson, '41