Paxton High School - Reflector Yearbook (Paxton, IL)

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FRESHMAN: In 1940 we faced a new world—the P. C. H. S. world—as green freshmen, eager to take the place reserved for us in the merry halls of Paxton High. Our class leaders were: Dwain Parker, president; Bill Smith, vice-president; Barbara Thilmony, treasurer; and Juanita Easterling, secretary. Student Council representatives were Bud Turner and Mary Elizabeth Eagan. Murrell Fancher was a varsity cheerleader. With the help of Miss Gracen and Mr. Bidner as advisers, we soon became adjusted to our school life. SOPHOMORE: As sophomores, we were slowly but surely climbing the ladder to success and were glad to be called upper classmen. Our success was backed by our two class advisers, Miss Swinford and Miss Strong. This year Arthur Smith was president, Bud Turner was vice-president, Joanne Anderson was secretary, and Jean Wirth was treasurer. Our Student Council representatives were Bill Brid-well and Barbara Thilmony. Joan Archer was a varsity cheerleader for P. C. H. S. We had one football letferman, Ronald Sivill. JUNIOR: The first big event for our junior year was the class play, “Plane Crazy”, coached by Miss Strong. It was presented on November 16, with enthusiasm shown by both the cast and the audience. We were represented in football by Fred Whitcomb, Bill Smith, Wilbur Ogle, John Lateer, and Robert Kenner; in basketball, by James Nuss, Vincent Purn, and Wilbur Ogle. Joan Archer was varsity cheerleader. The president, vice-president, secretary, and treasurer were Fred Kellar, Lester Carlson, Audrey Lind, and Leland Fancher, respectively. Dorothy Houston and Cecil Plackett represented us in the Student Council. Ruth Harrington was secretary-treasurer, and Bill Bridwell was vice-president of that body. On May 14, we presented a pleasant and memorable evening to the seniors in the form of the Junior-Senior Banquet. SENIOR: And finally, as we are sitting on the top rung of the ladder which leads us to our diploma and future life, we look back on four gala years which shall long be remembered. Mildred Gee was our president, Cecil Plackett was vice-president, John Lateer was treasurer, and Charlotte Fields was secretary. Ruth Harrington was president of the Student Council. Our other two representatives were Virgil Teter and Audrey Lind. Our letter men in football were Purn, Kenner, Turner, Lateer, Trager, Ogle, Smith, and Whitcomb. Basketball lettermen were Purn, Ogle, Smith, Doty and Whitcomb. As the tradition goes, we were guests of the juniors at the annual social function, the Junior-Senior Banquet, on May 12. We presented to the public the play “Second Fiddle” which was given May 15. Baccalaureate services were held on May 21, and Commencement exercises on May 23. And thus, we bid P. C. H. S. a fond good-bye.

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the former Mildred Gee, who were heads of the International Secretarial Association. Among their assistants were Evelyn Hustedt, Eloise Stirewalt, and Marilyn Frette. Upon arrival in New York, I registered at the Park Plaza, where Mary Elizabeth Eagan was chief receptionist, with Marjorie Gregerson and Agnes Graham as her assistants. Charlotte Fields was hair stylist in the hotel and had as her clientele many Broadway stars. Charlotte told me that three of her patrons were Mary Frump, Dorothy Houston, and Evelyn Vest, who composed a dancing team called “The Three Thrilling Thumpers.” They received so many telegrams of praise that it kept the Piper Telegraph Company busy. Lois Piper was the president of this company, with Ruby Watson as her able assistant. Later, 1 visited with these people and learned of others I knew. At the City Library, I found Betty Engdahl, chief librarian. She directed me to a lecture room where Dorothy Anderson and Audrey Lind had just completed a lecture on post war adjustments in Europe. Leland Fancher, Professor of Psychology at New York University, was congratulating them. He said that he was on his way to a Big-10 game between Coach Vincent Purn’s team. The Winning Wolves, and Coach Wilbur Ogle’s team, The Scrapping Skullbreakers. I wanted to go with him, but I had yet to see John Lateer, chief designer for a large automobile company. When I visited him, he told me that James Nuss was his new partner, and the two got along beautifully, for their ideas on cars were very similar. Barbara Thilmony, their ready and able secretary, was also in charge of all the company’s foreign offices. Back on the avenue, I spied a familiar pair of fifteen years ago. They were Joan Archer, the journalist, and her husband, the Admiral. They were hurrying to keep an appointment with one of New York’s leading playboys. Said playboy was none other than Bob Trager. He had once been a radio-man at Radio City until he went abroad in 1945. Robert Kenner was his publicity agent, and quite a good one at that. Everett Robertson had taken Bob’s place in Radio City and was Assistant Manager of all television stations. He had done away with musical tone beats sounding every half hour; he gave a firm and professional beat on his drum, instead. Bill Smith, a United States Senator, was vacationing in New York with his wife and family. They directed me to the heliocopter terminal, which I wanted to see. As I reached it, I saw two young ladies rushing to the ticket window. They looked like Phyllis Peterson and Joanne Anderson—but they weren’t—anymore! They were rushing back to their Illinois farms and husbands. And that reminded me—I must hurry too, for if I was going to be in Illinois in five minutes, and in time for dinner, I would have to get started. In the twenty-four hours I had been on Earth, I had been pleasantly stimulated by renewals of many friendships . . . possessions which are and always will be of value in your life, and mine.

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First Row Allen, Eugene; Anderson, Donald; Blundy, Mary; Bricker, Violet; Brown, Eva; Burton, Barbara; Carlson, Lee; Cook, Glenn; Crowe, Marjorie; Doty, John; Erickson, Elmer; Foster, Doris; Frank, Betty; Given, Barbara. Second Row Gunning, Marjorie; Gustafson, Ronald; Gustafson, Warren; Ham-merstrand, Mary Jean; Hanson, Lois; Hanson, Opal; Hayes, Ronald; Ingold, Harold; Johnson, Bill; Johnson, Raymond; Johnson, Theo; Johnson, Warren; Keefe, Dan; Kenner, Delores. Third Row Kenney, Jack; Lawhead, Bette; Leech, Donald; Lundeen, Merle; Mason, Paul; McClain, Ruth; McGauley, Mary; Nelson, Carley; Overstreet, William; Pearson, Bill; Peterson, John; Reid, Jean; Robertson, Betty; Sanders, Clarice. Fourth Row Rotramel, James; Shorb, Grace; Terrell, Norma; Van Syckel, Joan; Turner, Clarence; Warner, Catherine; Williams, Raymond; Witt, Donald; Woodworth, Elizabeth. Camera Shy Thorstenson, Jack; Shore, Wilma. CLASS OFFICERS Warren Gustafson Donald Anderson.. Norma Terrell... Jean Reid....... ......President Vice President ......Secretary .....Treasurer Advisers Elizabeth Scott, Carol Watkins, Elsie Crosby.