New Athens High School - Vespa Yearbook (New Athens, IL)

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Custodians I he excellent condition in which our school and grounds arc kept is creditable to the unceasing efforts of Mike Erb and Emil Ziegler, school custodians. 7 heir friendliness toward the students and their cheerful attitude with which they dt) their work encourages students to take pride in the appearance of their school. I heirs is a job never done, yet always well done. Mike Erb ond Emil Ziegler Cafeteria Cooks Mrs. Martha Lischcr and Mrs. Laura Herzog, our cafeteria cooks, are to be complimented on the delicious food and pleasant atmosphere which they provide the students and faculty throughout the school year. Their patience with the hungry bovs and girls who mob the cafeteria at noontime is to be admired. They are always willing to cooperate with the school organizations in preparing and serving banquets and parties. We are grateful to them for their excellent services. 8 Laura Herzog ond Mortho Lischer

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Senior Class History Since our freshman days, we, the members of the Class of 1955, have looked forward to graduation from high school with anticipation and joy—for this was our goal at the end of four years of work and toil. But now with graduation so close, the picture has taken on a different aspect for we see not only the toil and labor hut also the fun and pleasure which we have had in our high school years. As we kx k back over these years, we cannot help hut feel a bit of sadness that we must now leave each other and go in different ways. As we reminisce, we find that we have learned and accomplished much—not only in our school work, but in our relationship with others as well. Our first year at school was very happy and we found many new friends and enjoyed many good times together. The highlight of the year for us was our initiation. On initiation day, it was decreed, we had to come to school in unusual dress and be the servants of the upperclassmen. That evening we were formally initiated before the student body of the school. But even this event proved to be a happy one! During our freshman year our class chose as its motto, the phrase: Find a way or make one. Since that time we have tried to carry out this principle-in all that we have done. We believe that we have succeeded, for manv times when we did not find a way clearly defined for us, we set out to make our own path. For our first class officers we chose Edward Casle-ton as president. Burke Potter as vice-president, Bettv Knewitz as secretary, and Laurence Stookev as treasurer. We owe a great deal of our success to our first sponsors, Mr. David Wilson and Mrs. Mary Floski, who aided us so much in getting a go(xl start. In order to make money during our first two years, we sold ice cream at ball games and other school activities. One of the highlights of our second year at N'ACI IS was a box social which we gave in the spring. We found this venture to be most enjoyable as well as profitable. We received much assistance on this and other projects from our very kind and helpful sponsors, Mrs. Wilma I lutton and Mr. Russell Meri-dith. Our class officers during our sophomore year were: Erwin Rettinghouse, president; Edward Casle-ton, vice-president; Beverly Priest, secretary; and Laurence Stookev, treasurer. In May we were honored by being asked to serve at the junior-senior banquet. Our next year was a very busy one indeed. Our officers for the year remained the same as the previous year except for our new secretary, Joanne Emge. We were now juniors, and with this privilege came the responsibility of giving a class play as well as the annual prom. With the co-operation and advice ol our sponsors, Mr. Wayne Doyle and Miss Betty Me-Kemie, we began to make plans for these two big events. In order to finance the prom, we sold candy and soda throughout the school term. After much deliberation we decided that our play would be a mystery-comedy and on March 15, 1954, we proudly presented Jav Tobias's “You’ll Die Laughing which was very successful. Soon after we had given the play we began to work on the prom decorations. We had already selected “Mardi Gras” as our theme, and this choice was a closely guarded secret. We decorated the gymnasium in the festive mood of New Orleans during that famous celebration. The prom, which was held on May 15, was preceded by a junior-senior banquet at which we were host to the Class of 1954. The main event of the evening was the crowning of the king and queen of Mardi Gras, who were chosen by vote from the members of the junior and senior classes. We were very happy to have Alice Weidemann and Burke Potter both members of our class, gain these honors. As our fourth and last high school year began, we had many things to do. We decided to give as our class plav “The Moonstone,” an adaption of Wilkie Collins's famous mystery novel of the same name. Soon after school opened, Miss Elizabeth Shaughnessv and Mr. Edward Thies, our sponsors, selected the cast for the production which was given October 26, 1954. We were also faced with the making of several decisions concerning the publication of our annual. The editors were selected and it was decided to change from the usual kind of yearbook to the engraved type of book. We soon began work on the book and started to make plans for a class trip to New Orleans. We decided to give a carnival in the spring to help finance these undertakings and assist the local Lion's Club in their Buy a Bag of Bulbs campaign. We also saw to it that the freshmen were properly initiated in the traditional fashion and manner. Irene Nuernberger was elected class secretary for our final vear and all of the other officers were re-elected. Now as we come to the end of our high school life and reflect upon what we have done, we feel proud of our achievements. Although we regret some of our actions, on the whole we can point with pride to our record. We are grateful to all of those who helped us on our way. We salute this fine school from which we are graduating for all that it has done for us. May it ever continue onward and upward! 10