Port Byron High School - Echo Yearbook (Port Byron, IL)

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Senior Class History A ?age from the Past Each member of the class of '48 has his own special memories of the four years spent at Port Byron High. There are so many ex- periences upon which we look back with joy, a few which we re- member regretfully, and perhaps one or two which we think are better forgotten. But now, before we leave four pleasant years of high school behind us and look Htoward new horizons,H let's go back in our book of memories and read a page from the past. August 28, 1944, thirty-two very green Freshies walked meekly, silently, up the steps of Port Byron High to begin their high school career. Lfter a week of trying vainly to adjust our- selves to new teachers and sophisticated upper-classmen, we were properly initiated. what'does a Freshman fear more than initiation? It wasn't enough for the dear Sophomores to make us dress up in the ridiculous manner which they thought befit our position as Freshies, but to every upper-classman we were forced to kneel and repeat a silly verse. It was humiliating to say the least! To make matters worse cameras seemed to pop up all over the place, recording our embarrassment for genera- tions to come! That evening the Sophomores gave us a party to make up for their previous cruelty and to give us a chance to show off our best party clothes! Yes, we had our sorrows as Freshmen, but we had our joys, too. Uho can forget those roll- er skating parties at the Prom in Davenport? If our young class sponsor, Mr. Eklund, and the new Coach, Mr. Nelson, were lucky enough to arrive at the rink at all in their dilapitated old car, they usually had to spend most of the time picking up one of their Freshie charges from the floor. Back as Sophomores in '45, we thought we were adjusted to high school life. But a nearly fatal accident to one of our class members dimmed our spirits a bit. When Elinor came back in Oc- tober from a long stay in the hospital, we initiated the Fresh- ies as was the custom, but with a little less enthusiasm than usual. In November, we worked like beavers selling magazine subscriptions and turned up with a Nfirstn in the school con- test. Perhaps it was subtle salesmanship that did the trick! We dragged our sponsor, Mr. Christensen, CChristy, to the swoon ing female members of the class? over to the skating rink again this year. But, if I remember correctly, we spent more of the time eating hamburgers and finding our way home than we did skating. Under an able instructor in Home Ec II, we girls learned the housewifely art of cooking, if you want to glorify our attempts by that name. But we never had to worry about our failures going to waste, the boys always ate everything and they still do! Our Junior year was very gayg we are sorry to say it is past. The boys showed who was boss by completely running away with