Maumee Valley Country Day High School - Weather Vane Yearbook (Toledo, OH)

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that she was the champ of the lake and that she could show me a shining array of trophies won from different parts of V ,irlf , the country. Then he told me her name, and I was astounded 'X' Q ' V' to learn that she was one of my nine seniors. Sailing seemed 92' 'S I to me a suitable occupation for this girl, who is so sociable, -.fl , mischievous. and gay-skimming over the water by sail-boat in swift, quiet grace, or dashing by speedboat in throbbing beauty. She is a person who makes quick decisions, always sees the humorous side of the situation, and if people were snakes, she would become famous for charming them. Her eyes truly smile and as a slightly pouting mouth parts, these eyes turn into curved lines. I often wonder how many people who have crossed Gerry's path have gone on with new zest for life. Ah, here comes Muff with the water--and cookies tool Now take it easy, Ruff-there are enough for all of us. Umm! That water feels good-my talking apparatus was all dried up! Now, where were we? Oh, yes. Last year i11 june, there was some outstanding front page news. One of the class of '42 had been at the head of an expedition which unearthed, down in Mexico, a whole city dating back to the Aztec Indians. just think, Cubs, a whole city-undreamed of! I had heard before of her great prowess as an archeologist-bringing old records into the light. This girl has a quiet curiosity that surprises you because you are so unaware of its presence. Her sense of humor has no limit and that giggle-infectious V is the word for it. If she went down the street, you would recognize her because of that saucy walk if not by the unusual f hue of that shock of hair. If you should ever stroll out to A I 4 I, the stables-you've guessed it, Puff. She rides very well K Q., and that is stating it mildly. The results of her prowess are pinned on a large board-yellow, white. red and blue ribbons, blues predominating. How she can sail over those jumps- horse and all! VVithin the next few years, I don't suppose she will ever touch a horse's back, for there is some talk that she is planning to make a trip to Australia for excavation-Marian, the great archeologist. 'i it l f 'GQ ,. fvlxx ' Ruff, do you remember that book that I showed to you last week-the one written by one of the seniors I am telling you about on new discoveries in science? just yesterday I went out to see the author at her home. Her face alight, both hands outstretched, she squealed a greeting in that familiar voice. We talked over old times, and I discovered V, that she had made quite a few contributions to the world of 15 science and that they were mentioned in her book. During -A our chat. I could faintly hear children's voices, thumpings and A occasional crashes. My hostess sat calm through these slight disturbances-quite a contrast to her former days when she x ' was a live wire. No, she has not extinguished the flame: she ,V now uses up the excess energy in her full life instead of in continual activity and speech, as she was wont to do. She has started a business of breeding horses and hunting dogs and she is beginning to be known for her fine stock. Besides she entertains a great deal fsihe is an ideal hostess-so sincerely sociablej, reads many books, indulges in sports, and' cares for five children-Louise, the modern mother. Let us go inside, 1ny cubsg the mosquitoes are biting. You take the pillows, Puff, and you take the tray and glasses, Muff, please. Ahhh! This is much better-no longer will we be fed upon. Now, where were we? . . . That's right, I have told you about four of them and there are five more to come. I rem-ember one day when I was at an art exhibition in New York City. 21

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RUFUS REMINISCES Rufus is getting old. His round beady eyes have become dimmed, his ears which were once soft, perky, and round are now li1np and tattered. I-Ie no longer has a plump solid tummy on which to rest his paws when napping. Rufus lives on Stuiifedpet Street. Only those persons who love to fondle supple, fuzzy, and in most cases, antiquated figures representing animals can realize where this street is. Papa Rufus lives in a little stucco house with his three cubs, Muff, Puff, and Ruff, who are just what their names suggest with a pinch of fun added. One day Rufus was sitting in his rocking chair out in the garden, pulfing on his pipe and snapping at the mosquitoes, his three cubs sprawled at his feet. Muff, Puff, and Ruff wanted to hear a story. They loved most to hear their Papa Rufus tell of the times when he was the mascot of the senior class at Maumee Valley Country Day School for Boys and Girls on Reynolds Road near Maumee, Ohio. Rufus had told them about his rides on the big orange bus and of his sliding off the seat at the driver's slightest pressure on the brake. He used to be carried by his arms, legs, ears and also piggy-back. fThis was infinitely the most pleasant, he would tell them.j There were those sad days when he was left to himself in a dark locker through which he could hear the shuffle of feet, voices and laughter, banging of locker doors-really deafening- and sometimes a noisy buzzing. These tales they had often heard, but today the three cubs, Muff, Puff and Ruff, wanted to hear what had happened to the nine senior girls. This is the way Rufus told his story: So you want to know what became of these girls. Careful, Ruff, I almost rocked on your paw. NVell, now, that is a pretty large order because a lot has happened in ten years and I don't see them much. any more, but I will tell you as much as I know. One girl now lives in a world of suspense, bright lights casting weird shadows, gleaming instruments lying in neat rows, white swathed figures, odor- iferous atmosphere, and oxygen tanks. Back in 1942 this quiet unassuming and good natured girl was a hard worker and had ambitions. Maybe her consideration for others led Ther to her career. How was she to know when she fussed because of a long biology assignment that she would one day be holding the thread of life in her control? Her offices are located in A the center of a swiftly moving city-New York. Two weeks ago when I was in this city to get a new glass eye at Schwartz's Toy Shop, I happened by her building and decided to drop in to see her. Now can you imagine my surprise to discover it impossible to get to her offices? The ground floor was jammed with people. I finally managed to grab the sleeve of a clerk also buffeted by the crowd, and to ask him what the attraction was. '-I Ll. 371' ff. , 17 ' . '17 Pr ' A . .1 UI 'Oh,' he said in a bored tone. '-This is one of Dr. Bancroft's busy days.' Muff, would you like to get me a glass of water from the pantry? That's a good cub. Never mind the ice and hurry back. Wiel1, speaking of water makes me think of a day that I spent on the lake last summer. A friend and I were sailing along at a pretty good clip, enjoying the sunlight and ducking as the boom swung from side to side. Suddenly we heard a splashing off the port side. I was stirred from my concentration of the sky's blue depths, and what did I see speeding by us but another sail-boat manned by a slight figure with flying dark tresses and dressed in white. I asked my friend whether he knew this remarkable sailor. He proceeded to tell me 20

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No. 1346 . . . No. 1345 . . . No. 1347 . . . Ah, yesl 'The Dawn painted by Miss Alice Rathbun, awarded second prize in the national showing of nature paintings' Alice Rathbun! Could it be? 'l2ZO VVest Park, Greenwich Village, New Yorkf 1 knocked on the door and a. dour old landlady let me in. I asked for a Miss Rathbun and was informed that she was down in Rockefeller Center, skating. I-low like dear Alice! I was shown her studio and told to wait. I knew that I should have to wait a long time, for Alice is X X obsessed with a wild passion for the ice. I wandered about My , p her studio looking at her pictures. Behind one of them, to QW' ,V my amusement, I found a tennis racket, a swimming suit, and QRS various other outlets for Alice's sport-mindedness. Since she ,' X is a versatile person, there were also books and doodling pads. I 1 spied underneath one of the books a greyish leather-bound 'I p manuscript. I chuckled to myself to find that Alice still writes stories of Chinese castles, happy leaves, and eyeless dolls. Beneath this manuscript behold the Ufeaflzcr IYUJIE of 1941. Alice Rathbun, Editor-in-Chief, Alice Rathbun, Captain of the Brown Team, Alice Rathbun, strewing the book with her whimsical little drawings, Alice Rathbun. . . A noise of dropped skates and munched carrots turned my eyes to Alice. Hig eyes wide with surprise, hair flying, a grin emerging, she rushed at me and threw her arms around my neck in a big bear hug. That very same day 1 happened to stop in at a ladies' dress shop to look over the stock, and there I saw one of the former senior girls modeling clothes. 'No. chin higher. Not your head-your chin, Miss Hiett. Let's try on the blue chiffon now. Remember not to look down.' Rather astounding for a stranger like me to be thrust into the midst of f a modeling school. Then she came in again. blond hair thick A ii over her forehead, deep blue eyes trying not to look down, her beautiful complexion set off by the blue evening dress. It is , patterned almost identically like the white one that she wore the june afternoon when she was graduated from Maumee Valley in 1942. NVell, class is over for the day and Dottie takes her leave, but I am seeing familiar sights, for there are at least eight men coming in to escort her home. That smile that appeased even the most wrathful teacher flashes across her face as she takes the arm of that man with the Yale pipe. But to my surprise, I see a blue convertible Ford zoom out of a parking place leaving me behind rememb-ering the days when Hiett just didn't have room for ten people, but took them anyway. I-. er 7 Last year I went to Detroit to see the president of a large banking concern. 1 was amazed to see, when I entered Mr. Nash's office, one of the class of '42 typing efliciently behind a little wooden railing. She gave me .Kai a cheery smile and rang the buzzer to inform Mr. Nash of my presence. I told Mr. Nash that I knew his little secretary, and , 7 he brightened immediately, eager to tell me all her good qualities. lf ,,, I., 'She is exacting,.quick, and has a charming personality. u g She has executive ability-in fact, I am thinking of turning 'T ' ,,,,gi, over to her the management of this whole departmentf Those were his very words. After our business was finished. 1 stopped to talk to my friend. I discovered that she was also teaching swimming and was fast becoming known in Detroit for her skill in teaching other sports. VVell, you remember my telling you that she was captain of the llrowns her senior year at Maumee Valley. She also had a job teaching Sunday School. Managing in general and children in particular seemed to be her 22