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Page 23 text:
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As we took leave of the El Swanko, we pulled onto the highway, and a shrill blast of an airhorn revealed to us in the rear view mirror the smiling face of Shirley Tilstra. Shirley was at the wheel of the BigMacKelleher, which was slated to be retired with her father, but which is back on the road due to Shirley’s driving desire to be a tailgater. As we proceeded down the main stem of Onarga, the soft spring breezes bore faint strains of music. A figure approaching in the distance caught our eye, and the question arose, “Who’s that coming?” And John replied, “That’s the Man With the Banjo.” Closer observation revealed Frog Wilson with a tattered old 5-stringer and closely behind tagged one Wendell Bewsey with a fiddle. Between the two, they were emitting melodious strains that were second only to a symphony at Carnegie Hall. While touring the fertile country side around Onarga our heads were turned by a white picket fence stretched as far as the eyecould see, and which John informed me enclosed the vast acreage of the Rusty Pool estate. The only way to describe Rusty’s success is to say that he is a real cool Pool. The Pool estate is bordered on the west by the plush pasture lands of Ann Smith, the cattle-baroness. Ann is our former classmate Ann Snow. Annie still has Morris around to do the milking. She said she was talking to Ann Wasmer Fisher over the back fence on the whereabouts of her husband, Larry, who skipped out on his farm duties for a day with the old’ rod and reel. Trails of smoke in the sky caught our eye and John told me that Florence Townsend is coining a small mint as a sky writer, and is realizing her secret ambition, to herd an F-80 across the wild blue yonder. Her flying mechanic, Jasper Bailey, is still just tinkering around. John went on to tell us about our old classmates, Una and Dorothea. Una is now the wife of Rev. Sonny Shepherd, and Una, Dorothea, and Sonny are missionaries in darkest Africa. The girls find that the natives are very good pupils, and the reason is the fact that they can’t understand what they are listening to. Mickey Harding, mow the wife of Paul Bailey, is in the Nursery business. She and four of her boys grow trees, while Paul and their other four boys plant them. John tells us that Beverly Kietzman is now traveling from army camp to army camp with husband. General Bob Zirkle, who is conducting a nation wide survey on “wat the soldiers are saying”. Bev. takes the quotations down in shorthand. We are informed that Ruth Egley is now President of the Onarga State Bank where she sits at her desk, thumbs through $100 bills and whistles “The Wearing of the Green”. Roberta Ford, so the story goes, is still up in the chemistry lab. trying to perfect a hydrogen bomb that will kill mosquitoes only. As we drove past SandraLathrop’s wesawHerb Becker’s car out front, and John told me that Herb is still trying to take Sandy away from it all”. But Sandy still doesn’t want to go. Just up the street we came to the Military School, and the fact that Alice Jone’s car was parked there prompted John to tell me that Alice is teaching Religious Education there. Teaching is not one of Alice’s major accomplishments, but the Military School is. Jot in completed his cycle of fond memories when he told me that, “Fifi” Joan Haerr, married an oil tycoon, and decided that she wouldn’t have to share it all with him, so she pushed him in an oil well and put herself in full control. Now she drives slowly around through the teeming throng of common working people in her big Cadillac with a loudspeaker on top, shouting You, fools, you I With John back in Shepherd’s Fold, Wilfred and I headed back for Kankakee with joy in our hearts for all the home town kids made good. Bye, for now. Your old buddy, Mary Lou
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Page 22 text:
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I, Bob Sumrall, will the sheet music of Old Man River to Larry Salmon. I, Herb Becker, will my ability to play shortstop to Andy Empey. I, Bill Hayslett, will my ability to get my schoolwork done in one period to Quin Cultra. I, Shirley Tilstra, will my long, naturally curly hair to Pat Barringer. I, John Shepard, will my perfect attendance record to Shirley Seggebruch. Besides these bequests we leave our best wishes to any and all who may desire them. Finally, we do hereby name and appoint as the sole executor of this, our last will and testament, our class advisor Mr. Jones. In witness thereof we, the Class of 1954 have underto set our hands, and seal of our class, this 19th day of May in file year of our Lord, one thousand nine hundred and fifty-four. Witnesses: ONARGA HIGH SCHOOL 1. Dorothy Zarcoff CLASS OF 1954 2. Hugh E. Jones CLASS PROPHECY Mary Lou Schulz. RN. BSN, BS. OTR. Kankakee State Hospital Kankakee, Illinois May 18. 1954 Kay Taylor, 1st Class Navy Nurse Dien Bien Phu Indochina Dear Kay, Thanks loads for the package of Chinese band-aids. I’ve never seen anything like them. I used one of them on a small cut about j inch long, and it left a 6-inch scar. They’re really quite remarkable. By the way Kay, I was back in good old Onarga the other day. Received news of every member in our class. Isn’t that surprising? As my chauffeur, Wilfred Cook, pulled up at the four-way stop, I found myself directly in front of Shepherd’s Fold formerly DuVall’s Cafe. JI was in file back seat of a big car.) John bought out the business after Bill retired a multimillionaire. And John, See-all, and Know-all, and Tell-all Shepherd was brimming over with glad tidings of old schoolmates made good. As he twirled his mustache he briefed me on the business exploits of one James Randall Cultra and associate Cedric Wiehunt who have dedicated their lives to the beautification of the world. WhileRandall’s business takes him far and wide, he leaves the business with his second in command, the former Mary Ann Gibson, who divides her time between the adding machine and the family, which is growing faster than Randy’s thriving business. Then without much adieu, John consented to escort me on a conducted tour of this now very thriving metropolis. As we ventured south on 45 I was anxious to see how the Ford business in Onarga had grown. Upon further investigation, we were informed that classmate Bill Hayslett had confiscated the Ford Motor Mart in Onarga, and is very modest about his success. We thenproceededtotheElSwanko, formerly the Chief Cafe, which is now owned and operated by Audrie and Betty Haskins. We arrived just in time for the floor show, and who else should obtain top billing but Joan Zirkle, world renowned dramatist. Joan is now doing her famed bubble-dance with basketballs, she has decided to change with the seasons. I pity her when baseball season comes around. Sure hope she isn’t interested in ping pong. As we were sitting there reminiscing, we were distracted by a riot which was started by the local rowdy, Jim; oneround, Forrest. He was voicing lurid opinions of the customers, and was promptly ousted by the bouncer, Jim PooL As the swinging door gently swayed to and fro, I was astonished to find the rumor boldly confirmed that Pat Skates, and Dolores Hendricks were bar-maids. Further investigation into the matter revealed to us that Bob Sumrall had procured the position as male vocalist with the much publicized Jolly Sailors who have played before the crowned heads of Europe.
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