Prairie City High School - Plainsman Yearbook (Prairie City, IA)

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41 Ass ppopnscyr , ,, One fine spring day in the year of 1960, Old Mother Nature werzt out on the Plains to see what had happened to all of those clever,pro- mising, little Plainsman who had left her side some ten years hence. So she set about and by a little discreet question here and a little indiscreet evesdroping there she managed to find out what she wanted to know. The following notations are excerpts from her diary: WI found Bob Patterson working for the 'Sleepy Mattress Company' in Omaha. He would test the new mattresses by sleeping on them.H HI proceeded on my journey and found that the Colorado State Fair was being held at Denver. I decided to tour Midway and whom should I find but Ronald Bales, owner of the 'Barney Bales' circus, giving his opening sgeech.N N t ought I might as well go on to California and see if any of those little Plainsmen might have strayed out there. Upon arrival I decided to see the big Pro Football game that was being held in Pasa- dena between the Los Angeles Rams and the Chicago Bears. The whistle blew and the kick-off was received by the star fullback Gene Vande Lune of Los Angeles who ran 85 yards for a touchdown.H NAfter the game I proceeded on to Hollywood. There I fbundDw1ght Kennedy running a modeling agency. He was very busy keeping 'good fig- ures' on hand. His most popular model, Regina Sanger, specializes in bathing suits.u 'When I reached my hotel, the 'Bell Hop', Lowell Frazer escorted me to my room. After a good nights rest, the maid served my breakfast to me in bed.H WI then left for Arizona and while crossing the Mojave Desert I stopped to watch Larry Beaver trying to launch a 'Rocket Ship' but it refused to take off. with a few minor changes, the Rocket took eoff, and as far as I know it reached the moon safely.H WI then went on my way and finally reached Arizona. I was a mite hungry so I stopped in a swank restaurant in Phoenix called theuGreasy Spoonn which was operated by Mary Lou Helm. After a long chat wi.th Mary Lou she served me a delicious dinner of Vichyssoise and Roquefort cheese. She informed me that Doris Booth was vacationing at a near by ranch, so I paid Doris a v1sit.H Then I left for Ft. Worth, Texas but my old car conked out and I was forced to stay at a big fruit ranch which, to my astonishment, was owned and operated by Meredith Van Zee. After a breakfast and dinner of grapefruit I decided to try and get to Ft. Worth where I could get something to eat besides grapefruit.N NA filling station was my first stop. Much to my surprise I saw Esther Jabaai, the wife of the station owner.u WHy next destination was Stillwater, Oklahoma, where, I had been told, two of the Plainsmcn were teaching in Oklahoma A. d M. Slmre enough, there I found Mona Van Steenbergen in charge of the music d e- partment, and Marilyn Knight teaching physics.H WI started out for the Ozarks in Arkansas because I thought some of those Plainsmen might be hiding in some of the hills down there. I was surely surprised to find Ronald Vande Lune raising 'Razor-Back' hogs.N NI boarded a plane in Little Rock, destined for Indianapolis where the National Championship Auto Races were being held. Whom should I find but Ray McFadden and Jim Welcher competing in the five - hundred mile event.' nThe following day found me in Detroit, Michigan where Inman Tony Van Horn, a salesman for the General Motors Co. While visiting with Tony, he informed me that Duane Clark operated a large cereal mill in Battle Creek, and offered to drive me there in his new Cheverolet. We toured Duane s mill and had a nice chat with his secretary, Laura Belle French.N

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VThen we left Battle Creek, destined for Chicago. By this tlmelmy shoes were getting thin, and I was badly in need of new ones. I wentto Marshall Field's Shoe Store and who should wait on me but Laverne Rou- wenhorst. After purchasing a pair of shoes from Laverna I decided to attend the International Livestock Show, which was being held. I got there just in time to see Dwight Churchill carry away the honors h1Un market division.N UI then started on my last lap home. My plane landed in Newton and I decided to get my bus ticket before roaming around the town. Ap- proaching the ticket window I saw Shirley Walker, the cashier.n VAfter a short chat with Shirley, I decided to do a little window shopping. who should I run into but the former Mary Albright. Mary in- formed me that she and her husband resided in Newton. I gave Mary an account of her former classmates and asked her if she knewvdmre Icould find Eunice Enyart and Bob Jennings. She informed me that they were married and living on a farm just a few miles from Newton. She said she would be glad to drive me out there. When we arrived it wasjust about dinner time and Eunice invited us to stay. we had a nice visit with them and then I decided I had better be on my way.u NOn our way back to town, we saw a sign which read, 'Gopher Farm, Owners, Mr. and Mrs. Marvin Gilbert'. we thought we might, by sczme chance, find the former Mildred Pulver. Sure enough, as we drove into the yard, Mildred came out to greet us. Our stay was short, because I had to catch my bus.V After I boarded the bus I looked back over my notes, and was pleas- ed with the accomplishments of the Plainsmen. Senior Class History In the latter part of August, 19106, the door of the P. C. High School swung open to admit thirty-nine green freshmen to begin fouryears of toil. The members of the class included: Mary Albright,Ronald Bales, Larry Beaver, Virgil BoertJe,V1rgin1a Boot,Dor1s Booth Dwight Clnzrch- ill, Duane Clark Eunice Enyart, Lowell Frazer, Laura Prench, Harold Gertsma,Marlene draves,Bill Harmison, Clarence Harmison,EstherJabaai, Martha Jack, Robert Jennings, Dwight Kennedy, Shirley Lea McBride, Ray McFadden, Ted Parker, Robert Patterson Duane Porter, Mildred Pulver, Audrey Roorda, Robinette Ross Laverna houwenhorst, Regina Sanger John Snetselaar, Gene Vande Lune, honald Vande Lune, Anna Mae Vander Meal, Marjorie Vander wiel, Max Van Horn, Mona Van Steenbergen, Meredith Van Zee, Shirley Walker, and Jim welcher. Our sponsor was winifred Bowen. During the four year period we lost the following members: Duane Porter, Virgil Boertje, Clare ce Harmison, Martha Jack Shirley McBdde Audrey Roorda, John Snetselaar, Harold Gertsma, Marjorie Vander wiel, Virginia Boot, Ted Parker, Maxine-Hefley, Bill Harmison, Marlene Anne Graves, and Anna Mae Vander Waal. During our Sophomore year Mary Lou Helm and Marilyn Knight Joined our class. On the nights of November ll and l2,l948,we presented our Junior Class Play entitled WH1gh Pressure Hbmer', which was under thedirect- ion of Mr. Dolmetch. On the night of April 2L l949,we entertained twenty-seven seniors and the faculty and spouses at a Junior-Senior Banquet in the P.C. Methodist Church basement with nMex1coV as our theme. The girls were in formal attire and the boys in smart business suits. On the night of May H, 1950, we presented our senior play HStricb ly Formaln under the direction of Mrs. Brunckhorst. On May 25th twenty-six seniors attired in caps and gowns walked forward to receive their long awaited and much worked for diplomas and marched onward to take their places in the world of today.