Mendota High School - Atodnem Yearbook (Mendota, IL)

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Just then a girl immaculately clean, with beautifully marcelled hair and highly manicured nails, turned disgustinglyunfroih- the crowd, and her very air seemed to suggest that she did not care to listen to the discussion of such things as foot ball and garages. Later I learned that she was none other than Ester McAvoy, and that she had started a beauty parlor on Michigan Avenue and had been rewarded for her excellent work by the patronage of the leading society women of Chicago. Most of the men had congregated in one corner of the room, which cer- tainly made it look like old times. There in the midst claiming the attention of all was Robert Sillars, with that all conquering smile that won't come off. He had acquired a great deal of dignity which sat, rather uncomfortably upon his shoulders, I thought, but it seemed tonight that he was trying to forget his great responsibility as President of the United States, for later I heard him say that he had cut and run. A figure near by was none other than Elmer Schaller, former Secretary of State, who had been quite conspicuous in the newspapers, but who had been asked to resign because of his radical ideas. This reunion was really exciting and I walked around the halls eager to find and recognize more faces. There on the main floor standing by the bubbling cup, as one might natur- ally expect were Margaret Vogler and Cecelia Ahern Htalking shop. Cecelia was taking life very easily, she was living in a flat over Erbes's Meat Market, and according to her still jolly disposition, the location seemed to suit her beau- tifully. Margaret, who had evidently become reconciled to country life, was living 011 a farm near La Moille. On hearing this I wondered who the man was that could persuade her to give up city life for the farm, but I was not kept long in doubt for a man soon come up and spoke to her, whom I recognized immediately as Gilbert Truckenbrod. While we were standing there talking Neva Billings and Hazel Montaven came up. Neva who had not changed greatly was a Red 'Cross nurse in Chicago, and one could almost imagine her soft touch as she moved among her patients. Hazel was much more dignified as her position as principal of schools in a large city in Ohio demanded. I could well remember how pleased she was the day she 1'eceived notice that she had passed the teacher's examination. It did not greatly surprise me to hear of the high place she had attained. We all went to the gymnasium and there in the corner were Charles Harris and Donald Cummings in a very hot discussion over some political question but I'm sure I couldi' not say who would win out for each was confident of his position and stuck persistently to his point. Charles who had succeeded Gillet as Speaker of the House, had been found so useful to his colleagues that he still filled that position. Donald since his term as Vice President had been minority leader of the senate. T lvenfy-eigh t

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Prophecy of Class of '21 MONG the various pieces of mail matter found upon my table was a small envelope, post marked Mendota. I opened it and found that it contained an invitation-the form of which had not changed greatly in ten years-to at- tend the reunion of the class of 1921, at Mendota, Ill. The class of 1921, of dear old M. H. S! What a host of memories the words recalled! How long had it been since I had heard from the class or even the school? I wondered if it would be possible to gather the members together, scattered as they were to the four winds. I hoped that they wbuldr all respond to the invitation the same as I intended to do, regardless of the distance. On the appointed day, early in the mxorning, I rang for my aeroplane driv- er and we started on our trip. After steadily winging our way through the air for some time we arrived at Mendota. How wonderful it seemed to be back! True it was that many things had changed, but it was still the old town of my school days, and it filled me with eagerness to behold once more the faces of my dear class mates. Before the hour set I wound my way up the old familiar streets to the high school, but upon arriving I saw that there were others ahead of me for the halls were all lit up and I could see figures moving up and down the hall. For a moment after entering the building I felt like a stranger in a for- eign land, for none of those assembled were familiar to me, and 1 thought I must have stepped into the wrong place. But the confusion reassured me for it could issue from nothing else save a '21 class meeting. From the doorway I scanned the crowd, trying to recognize a face. A woman of medium height was relating very energetically, in a voice now high, now low, her experiences of plantation life. Suddenly I realized it was Letha Schmidt, and as near as I could make out from the snatehes of conversation, she had married some years ago a member of our faculty of '21, and had set- tled down in the south on a plantation. Another woman now joined the group. One could not easily mistake Grace Serven, our old high school editor. She had become editor of a Journal in Chi- cago, and had made it famous internationally. Always with an eye to business she had scented a story in Letha's accounts. At this point Helen Easter Cliasterdayb rushed up to the group exclaiming impulsively, What will I ever do! Horn has just come, and instead of stopping at the house for my music, he came right over from his garage at La Moille. He is so stupid-and now I will not be able to sing for you. Oh well, I sup- pose he thinks he can entertain you just as well by telling about his wonderful success in base ball and foot ball games around the country, and his garage. Twenty-.seven

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'hx ...,h I I was detained from meeting more of my class mates by the announcement that dinner wouldibe served in a very few minutes. When we were seated in the dining hall, which had been a new and very necessary addition to the school, I made it n1y first duty to become acquainted with those who were sitting next to me on either side. On my left sat Olive Johnson, whom I recog- nized at once. She informed me that she was doing exclusive dress making in New York. On my right sat Grace Keeler as small as ever, and who when I asked her questions as to her past life smilingly replied that she had settled here in Mendota, and was very much interested in the garage business. Directly across from me sat a very attractive young woman, whom I was unable to recognize at first, but on asking someone else who she was I found out that she was none other than Millie Phelps CBeattyJ the world famous star dancer and singer. She was 11ow playing leading role in one of the two greatest modern plays. At the close of the dinner we were happily surprised by toasts from some of the class members. Mayor Nauman was the first to speak and in talking, he told us briefly about his work as mayor of the now large city of Mendota. Another speaker was Dick Smith our old high school athletic champion. My howj proud we were of him then, and he was now making a big record at Harvard as coach of that team. Two girls arm in arm attracted my attention. I recognized them as Phyllis Moore, and Mabel Swope. I had noticed them before dinner sitting in the cor- ner of the gymnasium talking. Mabel was dressed in black, and she seemed to want to avoid the madden- 1ng crowd but as the evening wore on she brightened up considerably . Her husband had been very ill, but was now convalescent and insisted upon her attendance at the reunion. Phyllis who was jolly enough, but had a bored air, was a society leader in the great metropolis of Boston and one could probably not blame her for her not enjoying the informality here. We were just leaving the dining hall when one of the waiters rushed in and said that another one of the attendants had fainted in the kitchen. Robert McIntyre who was head of a large clinic in Rochester was summoned and with the aid of Josephine and Cecelia Miller, who were both Sisters of Mercy, the attendant was soon relieved. In the confusion I was jostled against Irvin Knauer. He had graduated from Notre Dame and was now claiming great success in the field of com- merce. Leroy Faber who was now famous for his record of globe circumnavigation, by airship, was there looking on indifferently. Mere things of earth no longer in- terested his soaring soul. 0. Twenty-nine 'Rik 1