Paxton High School - Reflector Yearbook (Paxton, IL)

Page 14 text:

HORRORSCOPE After my commitment to Happydale, a beautiful old brick structure surrounded by large, green, billowy shrubs that concealed the iron fence from us inmates, I was confined to my cell-er, I mean—room; and sitting in an easy chair with my well-tailored jacket to protect me from the balmy breeze, I wondered what had happened to the rest of the class of ’45. Just after I had settled down and made myself quite comfortable, my nurse, Mary McGauley, came in to tighten my long sleeves behind my back. 1 was alone again and immediately set about trying to recall the whereabouts of all my old classmates. As I remembered, with the exception of five or six, most of my fellow graduates had settled in Paxton. Bill Overstreet, through a political pull, was warden of the State Penitentiary. He was very popular with the prisoners because he allowed an afternoon session of pool, and he was the undisputed champ with a cue. Glenn Cook had landed in Arizona and was punching cattle when he wasn’t operating a small movie house in the nearby town of Hotchos Spotchos. Warren Johnson was in the South Seas and had set up a private kingdom on a small island of seventy-five population—no immigrants were allowed unless they were blond and had blue eyes. Barbara Given was singing in one of the many Chicago bright spots that appeared after the war. Jean Reid was in Denver working as a proofreader in a company that printed the “Batman” and “Superman” comic books. Oh, yes, one of the outstanding members of my class was John Peterson, who was trying to bring back vaudeville with his familiar wit and slapstick comedy. Quite a few of this graduating group had found strength in unity. Gustafson and Gustafson were renowned judges of farm animals; and with John Doty as chief barker and general handyman, they organized a traveling fair. Merle Lun-deen played piano for the Flora Dora chorus girl act, and Raymond Williams was a dare-devil driver of obsolete 1942 Packards. When this group stopped at Paxton, Ray Johnson won the hog calling contest, with some of the porkers coming all the way from Thomasboro to hear his breath-taking roars. Gene Allen was now serving as night-cop, and he and Mrs. Allen had quite a police force of their own. Policeman Allen and Jack Thorstenson worked together in this way: Gene shot the bandits; and before rigor mortis set in, Jack had the corpse embalmed and covered with six feet of Paxton sand. It seemed to me that Don Anderson was connected with gasoline in some way—oh, I remember, he had opened a station on Route 9; joined to Don’s gas station was a cafe operated by Catherine Kofoid. Marjorie Gunning was her chief chef, her specialty being chop suey. Since the Middlecoff had enlarged, Opal Hanson was working there as an elevator operator and had set a record by going from the lobby to the twelfth floor in a minute and six seconds! Another one of the girls, Wilma Shore, was in charge of the Hotel’s first-aid station, which did a tremendous business since Jack Kenney took over as official bouncer.

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FIRST HOW- MASON, PAUL- Transfer from Sycamore, 111., 2; Drama Club 3, 4; Math Club 4. NELSON. CARLEY—A Cappella Choir 4; Rand 1. 2. 3; Ensemble 3; Glee Club 1, 2, 3, 4. OVERSTREET. WILLIAM—Basketball 4; Class President 1; Junior Play; Math Club 4; Student Council 2; Second Vice-President 3; President 4. REID, JEAN—Blue and Gold 3; Class Treasurer 3; Red Cross 1. PEARSON, WILLIAM— ROBERTSON, BETTY—Band 1, 2; Blue and Gold 1. 2; Class Treasurer 1, 4; Ensemble 1.2; Glee Club 1,2; Junior Play; Student Council 3; Swing Band 1. SECOND HOW PETERSON. JOHN—Aero Club 3; Blue and Gold 2, 3, 4; Glee Club 2, 3, 4; Junior Play; Math Club 4; Hefl«» tor; Student Council 4. SANDERS, CLARICE- Transfer from Fairfield, 111., 2; Drama Club 2, 3, 4. THORSTENSON, JACK—Transfer from Dana. Ind., 2; Band 1, 3, 4; Patrol 1. SHORE, WILMA—Transfer from Armstrong 111., 3; Glee Club 3, 4. WILLIAMS, RAYMOND—Aero Club 3; Band 1, 2, 3. 4. THIRD HOW TERRELL. NORMA—Class secretary 3; Drama Club 2; Student Council 4. WOODWORTH. ELIZABETH—Blue and Gold 4; Drama Club 2; Glee Club 2. 3, 4; Home Nursing 3. WARNER. CATHERINE- Drama Club 1.2; Ensemble 3; Glee Club 1, 2, 3, 4; Home Nursing 3; Mixed Chorus 4. VAN SYCKEL, JOAN—Transfer from Tipp City, Ohio, 1; Glee Club 1.

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Betty Frank had settled down in Paxton and was holding down the position of office girl at P. C. H. S. Mention of Bettv reminded me that Richard Erickson was assistant manager of a local hardware store. There was a new beauty parlor on Market Street operated by Dorothy Hollister. She did all the face-lifting and Lois Hanson ran the hair styling department. 1 almost forgot about Paul Mason—he was in the White House at Washington, D. C. He served as butler and “Man Friday” to the President. Paul’s time was usually taken up trimming the chief executive’s beard so the ashes from his cigarette holder couldn’t start a fire. One of the graduates turned to the field of adventure and experiment. Betty Robertson had organized a female submarine crew that was in search of some other submarine. By the way, Catherine Warner had settled down and was leading the life of housewife. I was now at my wits end for I could recall no more of my classmates. Just then, however, I saw Doris Foster and Eva Brown pushing a couple of supper trays into a room opposite mine. I inquired of them whether they had seen or heard of any of the rest of our old friends. They said that Clarice Sanders was at the information desk in Happydale’s lobby. I came in the back way so that’s probably why 1 didn’t notice her. Just then the last call for dinner was sounded and one of the attendants came to escort me to the table. The man was of great height and the picture of masculinity. He was strangely familiar; and as he herded me down the hall, 1 recalled his name—Lee Carlson! Upon entering the dining room 1 saw Violet Bricker and Ruth McClain serving the first course. I was seated next to Joan Van Syckel, whose visit at Hap-pydale was merely to rest and get away from her worldly troubles. I learned now that Harold Ingold was dealing in old Fordson tractors. These he improved by converting the hard, steel seat into a cushioned armchair. As I was served by Ruth McClain, she mentioned that Betty Lawhead was a secretary at Kiest’s Dairy and that Mary Jean Hammerstrand worked in a typewriter factory where she put the ribbons on the machines. Our conversation was interrupted at this moment as Ronald Hayes gave the benediction at the end of the meal. While eating I had continued inquiring of the whereabouts of the rest of the class. I learned that Carley Nelson was clerking in a dime store and Norma Terrell was ushering at Grauman’s New Chinese Theater in New York. On the way back to my room I was allowed to go through the lobby. Peeking through an open door I saw Elizabeth Woodworth hard at work in the library. I was allowed to visit the garden so I stopped in to borrow a butterfly net from an old friend, Barbara Burton. She said she was sorry but her butterfly net was being used by Dan Keefe. As I said before, Happydale is a beautiful, old brick structure, surrounded by large, green, billowy shrubs that conceal the iron fence from the inmates.