Neponset High School - Zephyr Yearbook (Neponset, IL)

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 PROPHECY In the year 1985 I decided to take a trip to visit all my 1960 classmates from old ’N.H.S. I decided to make my first stop California. I had just read in the newspaper that Gary Stabler, my old classmate, was soon to make a daring flight to the moon in his space ship. I was astonished when I discovered the pilot of my plane to be none other than Gary Stabler. We talked about old times and he told me Sam Berry was a very successful business man in San Francisco. When my plane landed I decided to hunt up my old classmate Sam. It didn't take me long to find him for when I entered the reception room of the airport I recognized him instantly. He told he was the President of the CUTE COOKIE CORPORATION and that his secretary was Mrs. Dick Foes, the former Carolyn Pratt. He said she had a lovely set of twins eight years old. Their names are Alma Jean and Albert Francis. Sam gave me her address and that afternoon I called her. I not only got to see Carolyn, but also Linda Shaner who had come over to talk about the twins behavior in school. Linda said she had been teaching for fifteen years, is unmarried, but is still hoping. Carolyn told me Butch Pratt had recently taken Arthur Murray's place as a famous nation-wide dance and ballet instructor. The next day I stopped by the studio to see him. He told me one of his star pupils was Paul Heberer I was so surprised I could hardly believe it but I guess their ROSEBUD performance was quite an incinitive. While I was still there Paul came in for his lesson. I asked him what he was doing besides dancing. He said he was manager of the Pierre DelMouse beauty salon in Los Angeles. The following day I boarded my plane for Austin, Texas where one of our more studious and quiet students, Alan Kaiser was owner of a hugh 3,000 acre dude ranch. His foreman Ivan Bennett met me at the airport and brought me to the DEW DROP IN ranch. Ivan said he was married and had a small family of 10 children. I enjoyed my visit very much and I was sorry to leave. On my flight back I found I was seated across for Dennis Yepsen and with his wife and children. They were just returning from the National Music Makers Hall where he had just conducted the Blast Away Symphony Orchestra in which his children participated. They were under the supervision of Mrs. Donald Kruger the former Verna Miller. I went to visit with Verna and she told me Dolores Moore was the head supervisor at the Kill 'em or Cure 'em hospital. I read in the papers that John Bennett is now the leader of the syndicate known as the Untouchables in Chicago. His only menace is trying to elude the Chief of the FBI who is Marshall Holmes. John's right-hand man is Allan Baby-face” Bates who can handle an atomic gun like A1 Capone. The two leaders of our class, Gary Coates and Jack Scott are carrying their leadership ability into politics. Gary is running on the Democratic ticket for Governor of Illinois and Jack is running for U.S. Senator on the Republican ticket. That is quite a surprise since he was a strong Democrat while in school. Now that my trip is concluded, I have gone back to my old job managing the old maid’s home in Neponset. I am looking forward to our next class reunion in the year 2010. EILEEN GOLBY «—■

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Junior Senior Prom 1960

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 HISTORY of the Class of 1960 The history of the class of 1960 covers twelve years, from first wade through high school graduation, because approximately a dozen of those beginning together in first grade were among the seventeen graduating from high school May ‘27, 1960. Of additional interest are the seventeen other students who were classmates for a time, but who left the ranks, in from two and a half months to seven years, and the fact that this was the last class to attend public school in three different buildings in Neponset. Sixteen wide eyed little girls and boys were greeting by Miss Lewis the last day of August, 1948. By spring the entrance of Sandra Swearingen and Verna Miller made eighteen squirming first graders for Miss Mary Lewis, besides a class of cocky second graders, in the same temporary” room, in the old Town Hall building. Eleven of them: Allan Bates, Sam Berry, Gary Coates, Eileen Golby, Alan Kaiser, Dolores Moore, Carolyn Pratt, Jack Scott, Linda Shaner, Gary Stabler, and Dennis Yepson, completed all twelve years together—starting in the old Town Hall their first year; attending the brand new Neponset Consolidated Grade School for most of the second grade; and entering Neponset Township High School for their ninth year, 1956. Verna Miller and Forrest Pratt were also with the class the full twelve years minus only a few months. Verna entered in February of first grade. Forrest attended Galesburg High the first semester of his junior year. The others graduating in 1960 were Paul Heberer and Ivan Bennett who were with the class from the second, John Bennett from the seventh, and Marshall Holmes from the ninth grade. Of those who were classmates for only part of the twelve years, two lived in Neponset long enough to be missed more than the rest. Kay Bennett, with them for five years, grades three through seven, moved to Osceola, graduating, an outstanding student, from Toulon High School, Michael Yordy, with the class the first four and a half years, moved to Atkinson High School where he, too, graduated with honors. The fifteen other students, who will be remembered as classmates for varying lengths of time, together with the grade entered, were first: Sandra Swearingen, Robert Berry, Judith Foltz, Robert Bennett; second: Harvey Armstrong, Roger Failon, Ruth Ann Swearingen; third: Donald Frederick; fourth: Robert Hill, Larry Byrd, Stanley Lathrop; fifth: Robert McClain; sixth: Karla Krughoff; seventh: Fred Sutton, Rosemary Hansen; ninth: George Boehne; eleventh: Richard Tasker. In the second grade the class was divided. Eleven of the class were taught by Miss Lewis along with the first grade, and twelve by Mrs. John Mock along with the third grade class. It was again split in the third grade. Mrs. Mock taught twelve of the class and the second grade, and Mrs. Ruth Gould taught the other twelve of the class and the fourth grade. The class of ’60 finally got together in the fourth grade and reached, during that year, their highest enrollment peak: twenty-five students. Mrs. Gould was their teacher. Mrs. Charles Berry taught the class in the fifth and was their sixth grade homeroom teacher, teaching their social studies through the eighth grade. The sixth grade meant the beginning of departmental work. Mrs. L. H. Whaples taught language arts and, during their seventh grade, had charge of the twenty-one students in home-room. Miss Agnes Golby guided the seventeen remaining through eighth grade and taught them mathematics and science in sixth, seventh, and eighth. Personages of vital incluence during this period (1948-1956) were principals: Miss Golby, Mrs. Whaples, and Mr. Paul Slocum; athletic coaches: Mr. George ( Gerrond and Mr. Slocum; band directors: Miss Jeannette Miller (Mrs. Robin Lahman), Mrs. Gene Kessler (Mrs. Stinson), Mrs. Besse Heck, Mr. Edward Skwierawski, Mrs. L. Renner and Mr. Howard Sandlund; music and operetta directors: Miss Shirley Stabler (Mrs. John Pickering), Miss Miller, Mrs. Kessler, Mrs. Heck, and Mrs. John Gerrond; and custodians: Mr. Frank Stout, Mr. Gerrond, and Mr. Tom Bigham. Practically unnoticed by the class of '60 were the worthy men serving on the grade school board those years: Marvin Kuster, Theron Lyle, Dr. William Bertelsen, Tom Studley, Cecil Cinnamon, (presidents); Ralph Stabler, Wilbur Blake, Joe Papacek, Charles Wood, Willard Stabler, and Dean Scott. Memories of operettas every Christmas and spring time, band contests, basketball and track, cheerleader contests, recess fun, parties, and Mr. French speaking at eighth grade graduation form a bright mosaic to illustrate the history of the class of 1960.