Paxton High School - Reflector Yearbook (Paxton, IL)

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At the first mention of the name, I looked eagerly at the face of my questioner. “Why, Samuel Adkins!” “It’s odd that you wouldn’t recognize an old schoolmate,” he laughed. There was an exchange of hearty greetings and an explanation to the Ambassador. A little later in the evening, I had an opportunity to talk with Samuel. “What’s happened to all our old classmates?” queried Sam. “I haven’t been able to keep in touch with all of them but I do know what some of them are doing.” “Perhaps between us we can get a line-up on them.” “Janet Anderson is a nurse. She did very good work in helping to exterminate the recent epidemic of Anophagestinism at Loda, Illinois. Marie Carlson is married. She and her husband are specializing in scientific farming in Michigan. Dorothy Carlson is a housekeeper in the White Mouse at Washington, D. C. Mabel Kroon has a stenographic bureau in Boston, Mass. Thelma Henry is a hostess at a large television station in Birmingham, Alabama. John Cleary is mayor of Ludlow. Benjamin Anderson is a designer of ladies’ hats, and from what I hear, he is certainly making a success of his profession. Maurice Frank is a professor of Criminology in the department of law at Yale University. He always did have a psychological turn of mind. Marie Gurley is librarian at Loda. Howard Miller is chauffeur for Mr. and Mrs. James McDevitt. James is head accountant for the Palmberg Banking Establishment at San Francisco. Mildred Stiegman is national chairman of the W. C. T. U. of Canada.” “Her mind has certainly turned to serious things, hasn’t it?” said Samuel. We both laughed as memory brought back a few of Mildred’s humorous pranks. “Edna Reep,” I continued, “ is a book agent. She works in Paxton and vicinity. Howard Coulter is the minister of the Chicago Gospel Tabernacle. Evangeline Johnson bought out the famous Fannie May Chocolate Shops in Chicago, and she is now proprietor of the famous ‘Evangeline Chocolate Corporation.’ Irma Goodwin is an overseer in the Elite dressmaking establishment in New York City. Austin Kirk is a great stage tragedian. The latest newspaper reports stated that he was performing at Topolabampo, Mexico. Alvie Lindgren is a bellhop at the Hotel Belmont on Long Island. Milford Skog is first saxaphonist in the United States marine band at Washington, D. C. I’m not just certain, but I believe that Arthur Pearson is a real estate agent in Rankin, Illinois.” “I saw in yesterday’s paper that Doris Weberg was working to lower the tariff on peanuts,” said Samuel. “She would. I don’t believe that I know what any of the others are doing. It doesn’t seem as if we all ought to be so widely separated, does it?” The old memories that this discussion stirred up made us both

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33. Ruth Noble, my laughing brown eyes, to Lucille Trickle. 34. Gordon Palmberg, my Ford, to Paul Gavert. 35. Arthur Pearson, my dimples, to Donald Wrede. 36. Edna Keep, my soft and delicate voice, to John Schofield. 37. Carl Rickard, my artful manner of making baskets, to Arthur Sandberg. 38. Albert Scatterday, my laugh, to Marie Redman. 39. Milford Skog, my rosebud blush, to Frank Sisson. 40. Mildred Stiegman, my ability to play the trombone, to Louise Weidner. 41. Gilbert Tinberg, my knowledge of French, to my brother Perle. 42. Elzora Urban, my debating ability, to Harriet Hill. 43. Doris Weberg, my dark wavy hair, to Margaret Dale. 44. John Weidner, my hair cut, to Francis Stone. 45. Lorene Johnson, Mary Rutherford and Ruby Draper, respectively, will our reputations as the “High School Flirts,” to Virginia Johnson, Dottie Elofson and Helen Miller. PROPHECY Being private secretary to the United States Ambassador to Spain affords a great many experiences, but in all the five years in which I have been in the employ of Ambassador Van Moor, the experience that pleased me most occurred only a few evenings ago. It was my pleasure to attend a ball at the Casino, in Madrid, as the guest of Ambassador Van Moor. During my brief stay in Spain, I had heard much praise for the distinguished Mr. Devalero, who had won a nation-wide reputation as a political leader and public speaker. I learned from various conversations that this gentleman was to be an honored guest at the ball. This was my first formal affair of the kind in a foreign country. I was overcome with admiration at the beautiful sight which the ball presented. Suddenly the talking subsided, and everyone turned toward the reception room and eagerly watched the doorway. What could be the reason for such a sudden change? A trumpet was sounded and an attendant announced Mr. Devalero. There was a great burst of applause as he appeared in the doorway. I was surprised to find that he was not a Spaniard, but an American! He walked across the great hall, nodding first to one side and then to the other. He was coming straight toward me. As he bowed low in front of me, he said: “Pardon me, senorita, are you not from the States?” “Yes,” I answered. “I would have guessed as much. Do you not know me?” “Why—yes,” I answered with puzzlement. “You are Mr. Devalero.” “You don’t recognize me then?” “What do you mean? Surely there is some mistake.” “Not unless I am mistaken in your identity.” “I hardly think you know me, Mr. Devalero.” “Don’t you remember Samuel Adkins?”

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feel rather melancholy. “What about Gilbert Tinberg?” I queried. “He was always so small.” “He is the preacher of the First Lutheran Church at Paxton. El-zora Urban is a missionary in Korea. I wonder how she is getting along with the heathen. John Weidner is a United States representative to the Hague Conference. I always said that he was doomed for a diplomatic career. Albert Scatterday is traveling with a road show.” “A road show?” I asked with surprise. “Yes, he’s a fortune teller. Carl Rickard is editor of the Paxton Daily Tribune, which has a circulation of fifty thousand. Ruth Noble is wardrobe mistress and designer for the Paramount picture studios at Hollywood. William Mull is a model for the advertisements of Hart, Schaffner Marx clothes. Ruby Draper is on the stage. I saw her do a very clever tap dance a short time ago at Salt Lake City. Ralph Brown has taken up the carpenter trade in Paxton. Eugene Crowe is proprietor of a Chinese inn at Buckley, Illinois. Robert Edgren is a ballroom dancing instructor at the Madison Square Gardens, New York. He seems to be taking quite well with the ladies. John Coulter is a Senator from Illinois. He is married too. Howard Froyd has been admitted to the bar. Recent statistics show that he has won most of the divorce suits in the past year. He has been married three times himself. I recently heard that Herman Garner had entered the pugilistic ring, and that he was at the time of the writing located at Miami and going strong for a heavyweight championship. Herbert Johnson is an importer of Brazil nuts. He has his main offices in New Orleans. Russell Foster is manager and sole producer of the biggest musical comedy hit of the season. Russell wrote all the big musical hits for the production, himself. I don’t believe I know what any of the others are doing, or even where they are.” “Well I think that’s about all of them anyway,” I answered. “Oh no it isn’t either. Marian Johnson is a clerk in a department store in Oshkosh, Wis. Perle Burkard is head coach at Purdue University. L’Dora Meister, now Madam Sylvia Me-aster, recently became a member of New York’s exclusive Fifth Avenue Society. Lorene Johnson is entering the international Bathing Beauty contest at Atlantic City. Mary Rutherford is a mannequin in a dressmaking establishment in Champaign, Illinois. Cletus Bess is sole owner of one of the greatest glider ports in the United States.” “But what happened to Thelma Lientz?” asked Samuel. “She is running a home for mistreated old maids on one side of the Kankakee river, and an old bachelor’s home on the opposite side, and a matrimonial bureau in conjunction. “She certainly is aiding humanity, isn’t she?” laughed Samuel. Just at that moment, the crowd of admirers claimed Samuel for their own, and I walked slowly back into the great ball-room to meet the Ambassador. Justine Ahlstrom.