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

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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.

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.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.

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.THE '43 ONARQUOIS Our Sophomore year found us on the giving end of the Frosh-Soph Reception. As things turned out, we merely softened them up for the Seniors. Our sponsor for this year was Mr. Ross, affectionately known as “T. B.” T. B. really was short for Thomas Baker, but we found other things. Mary Kinrade left us this year so we gave a big party in her honor. (Not in honor of her leaving). What a party! A scavanger-hunt and Scorchy’s “Captain Kidd Highballs” (black-cows to you). Boy that reputation we acquired back there didn’t do anyone any good. The going got a little tough and it seemed that the teachers had only one mooto—“Ye shall not pass.” Before I forget (which maybe I should) our class officers were: Lloyd Keever— Pres., Wilma Neal—Vice Pres., Newt Dickenson—Treas., and Darken Mc-Fadden—Sec’t. As Juniors we found another student leaving us. Elra Lambert left us to take over the deck-swabs for the Navy. So another party was in order. We also tried to cut in on Jack Benny’s stuff. Our jello might not have been of the highest grade but we had 14 flavors — all different, of course. Say! did you ever have spring fever? Well, we had it this year — in the form of our Junior class play. We’re still under the effects of that. And our class program! WOW! Wrote it ourselves too. Boy, were we cuties and I do mean “Can-Can” (those cans are for this corn). In case you’re wondering about that jello, I’ll tell you. We used it to make money for the Junior-Senior Banquet and Prom. You see, it’s up to the juniors to give the seniors a big send off. And with Ross Melk and his orchestra doing the sending it was quite an affair. The orchestra’s theme “Linger Awhile” really fit the mood of most of the seniors. This year we really had to watch what we said. Miss Dryden was not only our English teacher but also our sponsor. For class officers we had—Duane Cultra—Pres., Rosadele Siebert— Vice Pres., Jim Kitsmiller—Treas., and Bettie Russell—Sec’t. Well, here it is—our last year. Yep, now it’s our turn to be bowed to. We caught the freshmen off guard and really let ’em have it. When we finished with them they knew they had been initiated. That was the first big event and now that it was over most of us settled down to some study in order to get out of those finals. That’s one thing the seniors always look forward to—not having to take that last exam. We now see the value of Mr. Reed’s math.—rings, pins, cards, announcements — more money! Will we ever get out of debt? Speaking of Mr. Reed, as our sponsor, knowledge of parliamentary procedure came in mighty handy, especially in electing our class officers — namely, Lewis Osterbur—Pres., Ronnie Black—Vice Pres., Wilma Neal—Sec’t., and Dorothy Jackson—Treas. As the year wore on three things were upper-most in our minds and after much debating we finally decided on them. Class colors: Blue and Silver. Class Flower: Carnation. Class Motto: “In Unity There Is Strength.” Oh by the way, if you are wondering about the senior play — we suddenly developed a case of stagefright (stranger than fiction . Heading into the last two months of school the war really hit home. Duane Cultra, one of the six to finish to-