Ottawa High School - On Ottawa Yearbook (Ottawa, OH)

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Under the guidance of Miss Alta Thrapp we began our last year in grade school She tried to prepare us for what lay ahead and succeeded in most cases. We gained five new members this year and it looked as if we would enter high school with a large class. These five were Cina Owens, Eugene Rigdon, Bob Millager, Phyllis Hastings, and Dorothy Taylor. I know we all remember how we started every day of that year. A portion of scripture was read from the Bible and then the flag was saluted. We felt at last we were beginning to grow up. Our dreams were fulfilled. We were in HIGH SCHOOL! The horrible name of Greenies was tacked on us: and after the first day, I guess we lived up to the name pretty well. Now that we think back, initiation was loads of fun. At the time, however, the lipstick and mascara didn't seem so funny.. With Mrs. Foster as our adviser we put on a Thanksgiving Chapel and an April Fools' Day Assembly. Four of our classmates dropped out during the year. They were Don Newland, Ray Kohle, Ada and Earl Metcalf. Carol Gerig, who had left at the beginning of the year, rejoined the class. With the coming of the next September, we received a new name, Sophomores. We also had two new classmates, Ann Hart and Norbert Drum. Our adviser, Miss Ditmer, found us full of money -making ideas.- Somehow we never managed to carry them through. I wonder how many remember our class party at the end of the year, With fishing poles in hand and smiling faces we set out for Riley Creek. Two hours later we were soaking wet and empty handed. You guessed it: the little white clouds had cr ied . Owing to an old educational custom, the Sophomores became Juniors the following year. At last we could order our class rings and they arrived on October 20. By this time our number had decreased to six. Bob Millager had left us to attend prep school and others had dropped out. Dorothy Neal and Audrey Garrick increased our number to eight, but Audrey left soon after she came. Mary Lou Schwab moved to Belmore at the end of the year but came back to finish her Senior year. Because of this small number we decided not to put on a three- act play. Some of us took part in the one -act plays to make up for it. As Juniors we had charge of the concessions at the gym. None of us to work, but everyone pitched in and did his share. We also sold pencils, hats, and Christmas cards to raise money. The prom was a great success! We chose a Dutch theme, after much consid- eration and spent many hours after school, making tulips. May 11, the night set aside, finally arrived. Of course it rained but Miss Stauffer, our adviser, said it was one of the nicest proms she had ever attended. And now we come to the fourth and greatest year in the history of the class. Only three remained of the ten who had started in the first grade. These were Annbeth Sommers, Bill Pope, and Betty Frey. We had come a long way since that September morn in 1941. The class elected its officers the second week of school. The results were: President, Annbeth Somrners: Vice-President, Bill Pope: Secretary, Cathern Radabaugh: Treasurer, Mary Lou Schwab. We also selected our class colors, blue and gold: and our flower, the yellow rose. The motto we chose was The Higher We Rise, the Better the View . On April 23, we began the activities which were to end our twelve years in school. This was a party sponsored by the Temperance Board of the Methodist Church. On May 25, Baccalaureate services were held in the Methodist Church and the next evening we received our diplomas. There was an ache in our hearts at the thought of leaving Ottawa Public forever, but we smiled through our tears and bid farewell to our Alma Mater.

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Class History g Friends and classmates: As you're leafing through this yearbook in years to come, I hope you'll pause at this page and remember the class of l952. Its life continued but twelve short years, yet every day of those years was crowded with events. When the members of this class have all achieved the fame and honors that are bound to- corrne to them the memories of these twelve years will linger in the hearts of each and everyone. It was in September, 1941, that we entered the halls of education as ten, frightened boys and girls. The members of our class were as follows! David Buckland, Betty Frey, Polly Garverick, Darrell Kidd, Jo Ann Blaydes, Bill Pope, Barbara Tobias, Annbeth Sommers, Ada Metcalf, and Bertha Michel. We were afraid of our teacher, Miss McDowell: of the older students: in fact, of practically anything that moved. At that time the first and second grades were combined, and we were always jealous of the second graders, because they were permitted to stay a half hour longer than we were. That made us feel like such babies! Oh to be a second grader! That moment finally arrived, but then they moved the first grade to the west building and we never got a chance to show our superiority. We gained eight new members this year, Guy Shadrach, Jimmy Goedde, Ronnie Wilson, Billy Ward, Teddy Etling, Sara Moore, and Florence McDougle: but we lost one, Bertha Michel Our teacher was still Miss McDowell, whom we had found to be a wonderful friend. In the summer after our second year, we lost one of our classmates, David Buckland. David drowned while playing near the river. We began our third year at the west building with Mrs. Hauck as our teacher. How some of us hated that long walk on cold mornings! Remember the trouble we had with our leggins and boots? We never would have managed if the boys had not helped to tug and pull. We added three new persons from Leipsic this year--Cathern and Dorothy Radabaugh and Paul Reynolds. We lost six, however-- Polly Garverick, Jo Ann Blaydes, Jimmy Goedde, Florence McDougal, Guy Shadrach, and Barbara Tobias. ln September, 1944, we became fourth graders. The time was surely passing fast. By now we had learned the fundamentals of readin', 'ritin', and 'rithmetic. .Our number increased, for we added three new members--Gloria Naylor, Willis Kaufman and Martha Carnahan. Gloria left before the school year was ended. As fifth graders we were pretty mischievous. Now we were the oldest pu- pils at the west building and made the other kids realize it. And the fights we used to have! The class was divided into two teams, remember? Betty Frey cap- tained one side and Cathern Radabaugh, the other, We also had the task of learn- ing the forty-eight states and their capitals. Miss Marilyn Hitchcock, our teacher pulled us through those unforgetable months. Freda Smith joined th class, but left after a few months. Teddy Etling moved to Michigan during the summer. Only six of us moved on to the sixth grade--Betty Frey, Bill Pope, Mary Lou Schwab, Ada Metcalf, Cathern Radabaugh, and Annbeth Sommers. Paul Reynolds had moved to Leipsic: Darrell Kidd, to Lima: and others had dropped out, moving to various places. Our number increased to twelve, however, when John Schwav, Earl Metcalf, Alfred Tobe, Elsie Kaufman, Don Newland and Don Croy joined our ranks. We were again at the east building where we would spend the rest of our school days. Mrs. Kersting was our adviser. During the course of the year we gained and lost Jack Stout. As we entered the seventh grade we began to realize our grade school days were coming to an end. During the first semester our teacher was Mrs. Louise Schaeffer and during the second, Mrs. Mary Bergman. We gained a new member from Lima, Carol Gerig. Ed Hamilton also joined the class, but did not complete the year.

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Prophecy Listen my chilluns And you shall hear Of Granny's old classmates Long gone, I fear. There was Norbert Drum, A feminine creature: He gave up the opry To become a preacher. You know those spurs you're wearin', Zekie ? They was made by Betty Frey. She made spurs for Hoppy , also. Shame the ole girl had to die. Quite a gal was my old pal. By crickyl She was hearty and hale. Cathern Radabaugh, you know Was warden of the county jail Now Petey Croy was an ornery cuss: Never thought he'd get ahead. Finally used the one he had: Made millions baking 'Pumperknickle bread. Mary Lou Schwab - I recall her well. Left Ohio in '53, You'1l find her on the Sahara Desert Crying, Cannell Camel! Come back to me.' What's that song you're hurnrnin', Sadie? Billy's Rhapsody in Pink ? Jerome and George have nothing on Pope: According to me they all three stink! Now Granny's life has been excitin', Dodgin' cops and F,B.I. Counterfe iting's been my pastime: S'pose they'l1 catch me 'fore I die? Scamper, chilluns, this tale is told! Annie Sommers is gettin' tar'd. Off my knee now, Little Zeke, An' chase those chickens out of the yard. To the class of '52-you have a Good start, But Don't Stop Now to See How Far You Have Gone, Keep on and See How Far You Can Go. Eldon Powell, Class of '18