Onarga Township High School - Onarquois Yearbook (Onarga, IL)

Page 27 text:

.THE ’43 ONARQUOIS SENIORS or Future Features CLASS HISTORY As our old teacher would say to her classes on the first day of school, quote, “If you were to go up in an airplane and fly over the United States, you would see hundreds of boys and girls starting for their first day of school.” So was the case in Onarga back in 1931. Well, maybe there weren’t hundreds but there were 41. 41 little - - - trotting off for their first day of school life and all with the burning desire—not to become great scholars, but to get their hands on that big merry-go-round at recess. Our first grade. Here we learned to spell our names and proved it on every available piece of paper. Miss Cain, our teacher, saw to it that we knew our alphabet and also how to count to one hundred without getting lost around 60. The next two years proved very little if anything. Outside of turning out a bunch of hepcats in the second grade known as the Rhythm Band and our black-faced stage production in the third, nothing happened. As a matter of fact, we found that they didn’t even bother to keep our records. I could mention that Bettie Russell joined us in the second grade and that our teachers were Miss Trotter, now Mrs. D. L. Reed, and Miss Black who is now Mrs. Winston Cultra------remember, Duane? As 1934 rolled around most of us were regretting that we had ever heard that little poem that went “First grade - babies Second grade - tots”. Yes we were now in the fourth grade and - - - how would you like to be called that? Here we developed a slight case of what might be called the “big-head”. You see, our room was the largest — so it was used for all of the programs. Yep, we got to see all of ’em. Say, remember all those old songs Miss Wand taught us? For the first time most of us discovered that we couldn’t sing. Moving on now, let’s see, 3—4—Oh yes, 5. Here Mary Kinrade and Ferris Crozier joined us. Miss Dunlap took over the duties of our instructor and she made it quite clear that “Dunlap” was spelled with an “n”. Kee-ver must have some fond memories of the fifth grade, for it was here that he was given his first glimpse (that was all—just a glimpse—that’s all he needed) of that—instrument of correction. Just what did that hose look like Lefty? Now for the sixth grade and our first Phys. Ed. For most of us it turned out to be just phys. Miss Yaw tried her best to make artists out of us, but it was no use. Joyce Kilmer might have thought trees beautiful but I’ll bet he never drew one.

Page 26 text:

HAROLD WARNS That very quiet boy who doesn’t spend much time with any thing but food. ROSADELE SIEBERT The girl whose favorite song is still “Jim . G. A. A.: 1. 2. 3. 4 Heme Ec. Club: 1, 2. 3, 4 Chorus: 2. 3 Onarquois: 2 Narghi News: 2 Thespian: 2. 3, 4 Class V. Pres.: 3 Onarquois: 1. 2 ROY WHITE The Seniors are really bad, they’re evar. got a boogie” man. Narghi News: 3. 4 Ornarquois: 3, 4 N. Y. A.: 2, 3. 4 Thespian: 3. 4

Page 28 text:

THE ’43 ONARQUOIS. Starting in the seventh grade we found a change of scenery. While the old building was being remodeled we held our classes in the Odd Fellows Hall. We couldn’t get used to the idea of going to school and being up town at the same time. If there had only been matinees on week days, everything would have been great. Here in the seventh grade we had our first taste of what high school would be like. By that I mean we had more than one teacher. Mr. Wright and Mr. Beavins were our class sponsors with Miss Artz and Miss Yaw taking over on music and art. These teachers remained throughout the eighth grade with Miss Ross (now Mrs. Clifton) helping out on art. James Kitsmiller joined us in the seventh and most of us thought him pretty much of a dude. But he turned out to be a regular-fella in spite of Chicago’s influence. Remember how Mr. Beavins would tell about his trip to Mexico? And those matches he brought back! Down there they make ’em with two heads because the Mexicans don t know which end to strike. As the eighth grade came around Mr. Wright seemed to be pretty much in charge of things. The boys became full-fledged members of the Safety Patrol with Llovd Keever, Captain and Duane Cultra, Lieutenant. The entrance of Eva Marie Beasley and Dorothy Jackson along with Betty Burnett brought the total of our graduating class of 27. GRADUATION — and all the glory, traditions and heartaches that go with it. The night we had looked forward to for eight years was here and most of us were sorry that it was. Although we were eager to become high school students, we hated to say good-bye to the grades. The graduation exercises came off in grand style with the Legion Awards for that year going to Darleen McFadden and — and — oh, I’m too modest. Well that winds up eight years. Now to get used to the idea of going to school all day with no recess. Golden Rule Days September, 1939 --Judgment-day is here. Who said our education • was free? We paid for it this year. Yes, like all freshmen, we had to be initiated. The initiation program wasn’t too bad, but that bowing to seniors got awfully tiresome. 35 members comprised our freshmen class so the seniors had their hands full. We found that many of our former classmates were not with us and that their places were taken by students coming in from the countrv. What a time we had the first few days—“What’s our next class?” — “Where’s room 16?” — “Two minutes between classes? Why that ain’t enough time to sharpen my pencil!” But we finally got the routine down pat and from then on things went smoothly (a figure of speech). Miss Reed acted as our class sponsor and under her direction we gave our first class program.-Form your own opinions about it, I’m not talkin’. For class officers we elected Ronnie Black—Pres., Todd Frazier—Vice Pres., and Dorothy Fishback—Sec’y. Treas.