Minnehaha Academy - Antler Yearbook (Minneapolis, MN)

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Senior There it was, in big, bold letters written above the door, Minnehaha Academy, the place where we were to spend our next four years in intense study. The first day brought twenty-three timid freshmen into a labyrinth of Minnehaha. After hearing rumors the first couple of days about sun decks, elevators, and the such, we finally settled down to become normal little freshmen. At the first class meeting Eva Hedman was elected President. By the way, kids, remember that horse tail she wore in her hair? The word mixer , the meaning of which was unknown to freshmen, was heard quite often around the corners of M.A., and when we finally found out the meaning, it was too late! The dreadful day was upon us. Of course, like all little freshmen we played the usual pranks on the faculty—putting tacks on the teacher’s chairs, tipping over wastebaskets, throwing books out of the window, and setting a certain time for everyone to cough or blow their nose. Our penalties were those seven-forty-fives. The freshman Pow Wow was one of the main events of the year. Two teams battled it out in a rough, exciting game of baseball. The second semester added six lads and lasses to the joyful group of freshmen. Helen Thurston ruled as President, and Lars served as Vice-President. In the spring a new girls’ octette was introduced in a chapel program. The Old Nash” with its musical horn served as a climax to the year of 1943. The strains of I Will Make You Fishers of Men still ring in Mr. Adell’s ears. Well, Sophomores now! My but we’ve grown! Not only as individuals but as a class. The fall of ’43 added a large number of students to the Sophomore Class, thus making it the largest class in the school. We had great fun getting acquainted with everyone, getting used to our new classes, and playing the same old pranks on unsuspecting classmates. Biology was a fascinating subject. We had great fun cutting frogs apart, and finding out that the earthworm has insides too! The boys carried the worms out of class in their pockets, and in many another class a piercing female scream was heard as a legless invertebrate dangled in front of her face. Quite a few of us got into Singers that year (after driving our families out of the house with our practicing during the summer.) Remember how we carried the music of From Heaven Above with us wherever we went, trying to learn the words and music and being afraid that Prof” would call upon us Saga to sing the song alone, before all those kids. Weren’t you relieved when he called upon the whole group to sing it? The Sophs gave a big rollerskating party in St. Paul. Some of the kids practiced up a few days before and were so stiff and sore that they could hardly skate around the floor on the Big Nite.’’ It was great fun! Ugh! a few freshmen turned up at the shindig and together with sophomore girls they made cut couples. Just ask Janet, Eva, and Helen. Our lunch hours were riotous times, what with K. Strandbcrg being carried around in the trash baskets and the Dushkas and Kraz-na-Holtz trying to sing above the razzing of the boys. Spring arrived at M. A., and that meant couples on the river road. Clyde N. took the girls for a spin on his bicycle built for two. One of the victims still has scars on her knees from taking a spill with another friend. They didn’t know that at least one person has to know how to ride a bike. The main closing event that spring was the benefit concerts, at which the famous Negro singer, Roland Hayes, was soloist. A memory that will live in the hearts of all of us is the memory of the event that took place on September 19, 1945, for on that day the Spirit of God was felt by all the students at M. A. It was wonderful to see so many of our classmates accept Christ as their Lord and Master, and those who had accepted Him, pledge themselves to a much closer walk with Him. With that event burning in our hearts we started a bigger and better year as Juniors. Football was the biggest event that autumn. The students were excused at noon in order to attend the out-of-town games. There was the time a large number of kids took the bus up to Delano. What ever made three girls and two boys sell their return tickets? The answer to that question is that they thought a bus left in the early evening. Were they ever fooled! It didn’t leave until the next morning. Homecoming was an exciting event. Char Peterson reigned as our beautiful queen and H. Thurston and B. Bisdorf served as her lovely attendants. The juniors had a skating party at the Minneapolis Arena. Everyone was supposed to end up at Hasty Tasty afterward. Well, only one-third of the class showed up!! Wasn’t chem lab a riot? Yes, we found out that H2S has a definite aroma—that of rotten eggs. We (Continued on page 30) Page Fourteen