New Ross High School - Blue Jay Yearbook (New Ross, IN)

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Class Prophecy Speeding down U.S. 136, newly rebuilt super highway, in our atomic powered automobile, we could see ahead of us, a large city. Glancing up at a big sign, we were surprised when we read Welcome to New Ross Population 200.000, Having trouble with our atom distributor, we stopped at a building on which the sign read, Al's Auto Maintenance and Repair. Coming to greet us as we pulled up was none other than Alva Paxton. He said that he was having very good luck with his business and invited us inside. There, bending over a rocket powered race car, was Maurice fSonnyl Stierwalt. He informed us that he was preparing his auto for a big race next week. Wishing them both luck, we left to see more of the town. Passing a music store we spotted Freddie Thompson inside. He told us he worked for a local television station and was on from 7:00-8:00 P.M. Monday through Friday. As we left the music store, we saw a sign across the street that said D. E. Pennington Veterinarian Clinic and G. W. Ebaugh Farm Research Center. Invest- igating, we found it to 'be our old friends, Don and George both working very hard. They said that one of their best scientists was Don Cornett who was doing much to further agriculture. When we asked about Don Dice, they told us that he was Presi- dent ofa large department store down the street. We thanked them for the inform- ation and went to see Don. H Walking through the department store toward Don's office, we saw Patti Baker buying school clothes for her four children. She said that she and her family were very happy in their new home. After leaving Patti, we asked a clerk how to get to Don's office. When she turned around, we saw that it was Jeanie Haley. She told us that she was Head of Women's Fashions there and that Susie Todd and Donna Huffman were modeling in her department but were away for the afternoon. Following Jeanie's directions, we reached Don's office. We found him behind a large desk giving dictation to his secretary, Janice Bailey. We talked to them for awhile. Then realizing it was nearly time for lunch, we left with the directions on how to reach the cafeteria in the basement. Just outside Don's office, we ran into another old friend, Bill Stout, He told us that he was a traveling salesman selling men's clothing and that Don's firm was a regular customer of his. We said good-bye to Bill and went on to the cafeteria. While we were eating, we saw Mary Manning who was head waitress. She said she Liked her job very much. We asked Mary where we could find Torn Burk. She said that he was President of the Fourteenth National Bank. We thanked Mary, paid our bill, and left. As we entered the bank, we saw Art Buck. He informed us that he had a large ranch in Texas on which were several oil wells. While we were talking to Art, Tom came from his office. After talking for a few minutes, he said he had a very import ant business appointment and had to leave. Before he left, he told us that'his brother Bernie, was Mayor and that he would be very glad to see us. We bid them farewell and started for the city hall.

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Class History It was a bright sunny day in the year of 1942 when Walnut Big Top got on its way. The ring leader was Miss Norma Everhardt. The performers were Pat Baker, bare-back rider, Art Buck, knife thrower, Betty Canada and Don Cornett, trapeze flyersg Don Dice, Carolyn Norman, and Donna Huffman joined together and presented a unicycle act. Mary Manning was the bearded ladyg Lloyd Perry, ticket sellerg Phyllis Spangler, Bobo the magician, Freddie Thompson, assistant band leaderg Susie Todd and Beverly Ward were tightwire walkers. Everything was going fine and in the second year the ri.ng leader Was Miss Margaret Proffitt. It was in the third year of performing that the ring leader position was given to Mrs. Gladys Smith. The next show was to go on in the town of Darlington. At this scheduled per- formance two more members were taken on and givena job. They were the Burk brothers, known better as Tommy and Bernie, the juggling team. The fourth year of performance was great. We lost none of the performers. This year the circus was under the leadership of Mrs. Irene Bryant, and everything went along smoothly. In the fifth year of performing the Walnut Big Top gave jobs to three more per - formers. The first was in the town of Jamestown where we picked up George Ebaugh, who was known as the Strong Man . Our next stop -was Thorntown. Here we found another performer who fit into our show perfectly. She was Janice Bailey, the bare-back rider. Our last stop for the season was Perry Central. On this stop a job was given to Jean Haley. She was known as the elephant trainer. This year had been something new to all of the perform .. ers. They had a ring master who was Mr. Edwin Miller, and an assistant ring master, Mr. Denver Feltner. The sixth year of show was wonderful. We lost no performers nor gained any. Mr. Feltner had worked hard enough to become ring master. His assistant was Mrs. Hilda Barnett. It was in the seventh year of performing that Mrs. Helen Mason led the Walnut Big Top to a successful year of performances. We stopped in Whitesville long enough to pick up another performer who was Alva Paxton, the clown. Mr. Norman Evans set the circus off to a big start for the eighth year. In this year we stopped in Ladoga. This stop proved to be very successful because it was here we found another talented performer, Billy Stout, who became the lion tamer. The first performance of the ninth year was scheduled for the town of Perrysville. Here Don Pennington got a job with the circus as a fire eater. Mr. Max Barnett led us that year. The ring leader in the tenth year was Mr. Charlexs Gerrard. This was another event- ful year. Mr. Richard Moore took the ring leader position for the eleventh year. The main performance of this year was on October 31. It was Hillbilly Wedding . This turned out to be a big hit with the crowd. The twelfth year of performing under the big top proved to be very intere sting. First, all of the performers sold magazines to make extra money so they could go to Washington D.C. It was while playing Fillmore, we hired a new sword swallower. I-Ie was Maurice Stierwalt. In April, the Big Top gave another performance. It was the Senior Play. There was a lot of excitement when everyone learned they could sell a yearbook. They were thrilled at having their pictures includedin the book. , On May 8, the Big Top left for Washington D.C. The band leader, Mr. Paul McDaniel was ring leader on this occasion. The memories of the Walnut Big Top will be cherished by all.

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On the way to the city hall, we met Carolyn Norman with her three children. She told us that she was a very happy housewife and had married soon after grad- uation. Upon reaching the Mayor's office, we were disappointed in finding that Maymr Burk was away at a conference with several other city officials. While leaving the city hall, we went past the Police Departrnent. Behind the Chief's desk was Lloyd Perry. We were happy to see that he had done so well in the department. He said Betty Canada was head nurse and that Phyl1is.Spang1er was doctor at the hospital. When we found them, they were just leaving the mater nity ward where Beverly Ward and her new set of twins were coming along fine. Having discussed old times with all of them, we told them that we must be on our way. As we walked back to get our car, discussing our visit in New Ross, we real- ized that we had either seen or heard about all of the friends who graduated from New Ross High School in the class of 1955.