Paxton High School - Reflector Yearbook (Paxton, IL)

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24 Paxton High School Reflector khaki brown or the navy blue. These four are Austin Sandstedt, Chester Hammerlund, Walter Larson and Albert Overstreet. Walter Larson, '14. Walter Larson, who, for the greater part of three years, since his grad- uation, has been a student at the U. of I., enlisted in Co. G. of the First Illi- nois Infantry. This has since become the 131st U. S. Volunteer Infantry. He was first sent to Cicero. 111., then to Camp Grant, and still later to Camp Logan, Houston, Texas, where he still was when last heard from. He re- ports that lie is well satisfied with the life of a soldier, at least in so far as it has thus far become known to him. Albert Overstreet' 14. Saturday, February 9, Albert Overstreet, of the class of 1914, surprised all but perhaps his most intimate friends by enlisting as a mechanic in the aviation section of the Signal Corps, at Chanute' Field. He reported the Mondaj morning following for duty. And so the good work goes on. There is little doubt that our boast that a Paxton High School Service Flag with a hundred stars will soon be reached, possibly before this issue of the Re- flector comes from the press. Austin Sandstedt, '14. Austin Sandstedt enlisted in November, 1917, as a musician in the U. S. Naval Reserve band, New York city. He left at once for New York where he is at the present time looking forward with bright anticipations toward a musical journey across the stormy Atlantic, early this coming summer. Austin is an expert—perhaps we should say an artist, in the use of his favorite instrument, the baritone saxophone. We fervently trust that in some mysterious way the martial music which he will help to create shall not only serve to nerve our soldiers' hearts and arms, but will also serve in some mea- sure to soothe the savage breast of our cruel enemies. Corporal Chester Hammerlund, '14. ( hester Hammerlund is one of the four members of the Class of 1914 who are now wearing the khaki uniform. The other three are Walter Larson. Austin Sandstedt and Albert Overstreet. Chester drew a lucky draft number ((of course there are two ways of looking at this, but most of the boys take the optimistic view of it), and left Paxton with the second contingent from Ford County September 19th. 1917. For about six weeks he was‘in training at Camp Dodge, Iowa, as a member of Co. H, 346th Infantry. He was then trans- ferred to Camp Pike, Arkansas, and became a member of Co. L, 349th Infan- try. About the middle of January, he was advanced from the rank of private to that of corporal. A very good likeness of Chester may be found in the group picture on another page.

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Paxton High School Reflector 23 ment early In December and was assigned to duty as a bookkeeper Decern ber 2Cth in the Rock Island Arsenal. Word to his family Feb. 1st. 1918, in- dicated that he was to be immediately transferred to some other place, but that he was uninformed as to its location. Sergeant Randall Bear, '13. Randall Bear, of Ludlow, enlisted at Chicago, in the Quartermasters Department in December. 1917. He was assigned for training to Camp John- son. Florida. From there he was very soon transferred to ('amp Hill, New Port News. Va. He was made a sergeant soon after his enlistment. Randall entered De Pauw University in September after graduating from P. H. S. He later transferred his credits to the U. of I., where he continued his college woik until the time of his enlistment. We are informed that he has now completed the requirements for graduation, and will be regularly graduated from the University next June without being required to be present. Corporal Claude E. Stine, ’13. Claude Stine entered the National Army, September 4. 1917, being one of the seven from Ford county to volunteer to report at Fort Dodge, Des Moines. Iowa, as the first contingent from the quota provided in the draft for tuis county. The brief preliminary or advance training thus obtained re- sulted in his being made a corporal before the arrival, a few weeks later, of the major number that were ordered to report for training in September. Some weeks before the holidays, he was given a short leave of absence which he utilized in visiting relatives and his many friends in Paxton. He came over to the school house on military training day. and upon invitation of Mr. Thacher took charge of the drill and maneuvers that were in progress. The «kill with which he directed the work and the military pep he put into it’ most favorably impressed the high school students with the efficiency of his training, and his ability as an officer. Arthur Currie, ’13. Arthur Currie, who lives near Roberts, was one of the first to be called by ,he selective draft. He is now in training at Camp Pike. Little Rock. Ar- kansas. Arthur attended the University of Illinois a number of years since graduating from P. H. S.. and of course, military drill was not entirely new to him. Indirect reports from him indicate that he likes the life of a soldier in training very well indeed. A certain percentage of the soldiers stationed at Little Rock were recently called to France, and he expects to go in re- sponse to the next call, which is daily looked for. CLASS OF 1914. In the class of 1914 there were ten boys. Of these, four are numbered among the million and more young men of America who are wearing th

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Paxton High School Reflector 25 THE CLASS OF 1915. Although the class of 1915 was the largest one graduated in the history of the school, it had one of the smallest number of male graduates on record. Out of the thirty-three members, but six were boys. However, they have a good service record and their percentage ranks among the best. Two young men, LaVerne Archer and Chester Wesslund enlisted last summer and fall respectively, while two more, Clyde Darter and Clarence Danielson, will be with our great National Army before this number of the Reflector is publish- ed. Neither of the two above mentioned boys who volunteered their servi- ces, are of age and deserve special mention for this. Both are also non-com- missioned officers. Corporal LaVerne Archer, ’15. Corp. LaVerne Archer joined the First Illinois National Guard, now the One Hundred Thirty-first U. S. Infantry, shortly after war was declared, and !s now stationed at Camp Logan. Houston. Texas, anxiously awaiting the word to go across. I aVerne has the distinction and honor of being one of the two P. H. S. boys to receive an appointment to the U. S. Naval Academy at Annapolis, during the past twenty years. He attended that school a year and his many friends expected him to return last spring, but he chose rather, the shorter way of getting to France, namely the U. S. regulars. His ability and experience were soon recognized by military officers, and shortly after his en- ristment was made a corporal. He is a member of the thirty-third (Prairie) Division, and according to the statement of Secretary Baker, that bod is soon to be with General Pershing. Corporal Chester Wesslund, ’15. Corp. Chester Wesslund tried to enlist in the Navy about five months azo, but finding no suitable opening, he joined the first Illinois N. G., later made the one hundred thirty-first U. S. Infantry, and is now at Camp Logan, Houston, Texas, with his class-mate Corporal Archer. Chester recently passed the examination for the rank of corporal, and was one of the five out of sixty who were successful. As he is with the Prairie Division it will be but a short time before we hear the news that “Chet” is on the firing line. Clarence Danielson, ’15. Since the foregoing service record of the class of 1915 was in tjpe, word has been received that Clarence Danielson, another of the six male graduates of that class, enlisted at Chanute Field in some branch of the Signal Corps service. No further information is at hand, but the two who are already in. and the two who are expecting, to follow soon, will rejoice at the nearer approach to the 100% record in prospect for this class if the war holds out long enough. CLASSES OF 1916 AND 1917. When it is remembered that most high school students who graduate receive their diplomas when they are 18 years of age. it would hardly be ex-