Reitz Memorial High School - Memorial Review Yearbook (Evansville, IN)

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Pflgea 8 THE REITZ MIRROR Senior Edition, 1946, USO Openin Brought Cheers from tudents Dailey, Jean Da Vault, Martha DeVillez, Joan Hammer, Hazel Harmon, Betty Kanowsky, Ruby Letterman, Doris Lewis, Donald Martin, Paul Mehl, Donald McWil- liams, Mariam Schmitt and Alice Unferferth. We held our first class social event on April 212, during school hours. Dancing to the music of the juke box provided the chief entertainment. One morning, glass and shat- tered window panes were every- where-and it wasn't the result of Halloween or a riot. When an un- expected hail storm hit Evansville on Tuesday, April 2-7, it caused several thousands of dollars of damage. Three hundred and twenty window panes were broken at Reitz. Workers from the school maintenance department were on the school property early the next morning, breaking out the old glass and getting ready to repair the damages. Warm weather of May brought the old desire for the outdoors and less books. Part of the wish was granted and many picnics were held by student groups, clubs and classes. On May 26, after that first im- portant year of academic and war- time social ach-ievement, school was dismissed for the summer. PART Ill. Vacation was over and we trudged back up the hill for our second year of high school. Five new teachers were here to help teach our classes. Mr. Garrett was back after having taught a semester at Stanley Hall grade school. Beth Seiler took over her duties as president of our sophomore class and was introduced to the freshmen of the class of '47 in their induction assembly. The oth- er class officers were Warren Cox, vice-presidentg Archilee Hobgood, secretary, and Bill Rommel, tr-eas- urer. Right after school started sev- eral sophomore boys helped with the harvesting of 150,000--bushel apple crop by attending school four days and picking apples two days a week. Physical fitness classes for all boys were started this year in ac- cordance with the nation-wide phy- sical fitness program for high school boys. All boys were very much delighted with this new class and especially with the new ob- stacle course. Well-some of them were, anyway.. Reitz went all out for the war effort and sold enough war bonds and stamps to purchase five jeeps. Rationing was then in full swing and several sophomore girls had the opportunity to work in the OfPA and OCD offices? Thirteen sophomores were in- ducted into the National Junior Honor Society in an assembly on October 14. The new members were Billy Aud, Ruth Aud, Mary Ann Cotton, Dorothy Dailey, Jean Da Vault, Joan Hammer, Hazel Harmon, Betty Kanowsky, Ruby Letterman, Doris Lewis, Betty Leonard, Jerry Schukraft and Alice Unferferth. Blue and grey sailor caps were given to boys in a pep assembly by the Royal Crown Cola Bottling company. Girls soon took the situ- ation in hand and more girls had little sailor caps than boys. Fol- low this was a snake dance from the auditorium to the gym where the pep assembly was concluded in grand style. Mary Riieber, Nora Lee Ander- son and Susie Folz were atten- dants for the 1944 football queen. The fall play this year was entitled Ever Since Eve. Sopho- mores in the play were Lois Mc- Atee, Archilee Hobgood, Billy Aud, Mary Ann Cotton, Warren Cox, Al Brandau and Laddie Montgom- ery. Halloween rolled around and ev- e1'yone donned his witch or clown costume and dashed off to trick or treat. More fun! Biology was required this year, if you didn't take physical science. Not only were we compelled to hold snakes in Biology but there was the operation day. Every student had the opportunity Qwho wanted it?J to take a pair of scis- sors and make an incision on some poor little frog who was reeking with formaldehyde. If you hadn't fainted by then you took little eye brow tweezers and proceeded to pull out the innards. We found a cross section of a frog's eyeball very interesting. In the Annual Winter Concert, Elaine Morgan, sophomore, played a marimba solo. Shirley Cato, sophomore, was maid of honor to basketball queen Edna Mae Tieman. Susie Folz and Mary Rieber were two of the at- tendants. Five more sophomores became members of the National Junior Honor Society in March. They were Archie Hobgood, Valada Koenig, Cuma Lamont, Betty Pemberton and Alice Maidlow. Five others of our class in the seventh AlleCity Band concert this year. These students were Shirley Cato, Paul Mehl, Billy Aud, Rose- mary Reller and Donald Deutch. Mrs. Gaylord Cato, Shirley's mother, was elected president of the P.T.A. for the coming year. The USO opened on May 19 tc the joy of Evansville high school students. Little did we know the fun and good times we were to have there-all the basketball and football victory celebrations. The few remaining days before vaca- tion went rapidly, but we still con- tinued to see all our old school chums at the USO every Friday night. ' PART III. Late summer we came back as 321 juniors and more important than ever because we were high and mighty upperclassmen - ri- valed only by seniors. After rushing about for a day or so, as is customary with the beginning of the school-year, we settled down to a long semester of learnin-g and living. We found that during the sum- mer months Reitz had blossomed out in the most becoming of colors -Reitz had been painted. All the window facings had been painted a pure startling white. The doors that opened the halls of our dear old Alma. Mater were sporting a HEARTIEST CONGRATULATIONS to our SENIORS OF 1946 r With a goal in view And perseverance backing you, A pathway of success will Surely accompany you. -l REITZ P.T.A. new gray paint. The air-intake guard and the mail box were a brilliant green and even the fire- escapes had been refreshed with black paint. Besides having somethinlg new in freshmen and paint, Reitz had five new faculty members: Miss Eloise Blanford, Mrs. Dorothy Kreipke, Miss Ethel Nantz, Cecil Couts and Stuart Guthrie. Two veterans enrolled .at Reitz to resume their studies with our class. Noble fthe swoon boy of Reitzj Hart had served overseas with the famous First Division of the Marines and Billy Frick had served with the 591s-t Airborne Di- vision. With the beginning of curricu- lar and extra-curricular activities, the names of boys who were to play on the Panther football squad were announced. The boys were Donald Dezember, Jim Wolf, Pat McCaffry, Bob Freeman, Archie Owen, Bill Rommel, Jim Witt, George Ruedlinger, Clarence Mor- tis, Carl Burdette, Jack Siebeking, Jerry Shukraft. Bob Stahlschmidt, Charles Hatcher, Leroy Covey, Jack Naas, Paul Peters, Jack Miller, Russel Butler, Warren Cox and Raymond Jameson. Our yell leaders prepared for the grid season along with the football team. The new yell lead- ers for the year were Dorothy Scherer, Betty Todd, Jeanne Nich- olson, Ralph Gill and Chuck New- comb. War was still continuing and the call to arms was given to girls. Many Evansville high school girls heeded the call and joined the Civil Air Patrol, which was a military ground cours.e in aviation. Instructions were given the girls every Thursday evening. The 9 o'clock incident will be remembered by those affected on the evening of the first and last 9 o'clock football game of the 1944 football season. Students without cars, inevitable jalopies or other means of transportation, were left stranded in town, as most of the buses had quit running by the close of the .game-many waited in a large group for their chance to ride home in a packed taxi or as a last resort walked. It was fun though, getting to stay out until the early hours of the morning and with a plausible excuse! Climaxing the gridiron season, the football royalty was elected. Kathryn Palmer was elected queeng Mary Reiber was maid of honor. Kathryn was crowned by acting captain George Ruedlinger. The eight lovely attendants were Mary Ann Steinhauser, Kathryne Jeffries, Nora Lee Anderson, Helen Akin, Dorothy Grubbs, Jeanne Nichols-on, Shirley Cato and Susie Folz. Preceding the actual presiden- tial election of 1944, Reitz seniors and juniors voted in a school pres- idential poll. Franklin D. Roose-

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Senior Edition, 1946 THE REITZ MIRROR Page 7 ir Raid Drills Held at Reitz Four Years A o The day that many students have long anticipated is almost here, May 29-the dcqy that we, the class of '46, will graduate. On that day at five o'clock the secondary education of the grad- uating class of '46, clad in gray robes and rnortarboards, will near an end. After that will come the higher lessons of 'life and educa- tion. Now as we face our last few days at Reitz, we know that these past few years spent in securing this higher education were price- less years of study and fun and as the years go by we will look back and fondly remember when we were in high school. PART I While we were still in grade school we visited Reitz. One pretty day in the spring of 1942., eighth grade students from grade schools in both the city and county toured Reitz to investigate its general layout and its functions. We were pleased with the school that we sanw and the people we met. This strange school was soon to be our school and the students would be our classmates. We found that Reitz was a dignified and thorough school and that it had a very beautiful campus. On our first day of high school in the fall of '42 we as freshmen tempted to make a nonchalant en- trance. The attempted glorious entrance was only half successful, though, because upperclassmen discussions of Look at all the green freshiesf' and Gee whiz, were we ever that dumb! punctured our ego. After a week or so of being teased about being green freshmen and receiving false explanations, we finally realized that we too, were finally becoming a part of this new, but wonderful school. The stories about h.aving to bl-ly ball and elevator tickets grew old. Learning to recognize the more outstanding features of Reitz, many students decided among themselves that other than the school building, the Bowl and the parking lot were also very inter- esting parts of the campus. The Reitz Bowl became indis- pensable to us for the pleasure it afforded athletes and sports fans. The Bowl's splendid structure on the side of Reitz Hill was some- thing to be proud of. The rail that borders the Bowl soon became an accepted part of our lives, for it served as a week-day meeting place to exchange chatter fand gossipj and to oogle at others. A part of our inheritance when we en-tered Reitz was the parking lot which was, of course, to park jalopies and other cars on. This part of the campus was land isj very beautiful in the sun light, but it has been said by many oth- ers, including our class, that the view of The Beautiful Ohio from the Hill was land isj extra special on a starry evening. To begin a whirl of extra-cur- ricular activities, clever signs and drawings on the blackboard were used to influence the sale of ac- tivity tickets. World War II, which had for the past ten months given almost: every organization a more serious air, rooted even further into the heart of every student a grim de- termination that the war must be won. This was the first time in the history of Reitz that a school- year had begun under the stress of war. One of the most im.pressive of the school war-time activities was the practice air-raid drill. Air- raid shelters were designated each homeroom. Following the rules of safety, six square feet of floor space was allowed for each stu- dent. The enormous lunch line was impressive, but that impres- was of an exasperating na- also sion ture. ' Jim Millen of the class of '42 acted as chairman when our class was officially inducted into Reitz. Within a month after enrolling, our class had shown its social cons- ciousness. Many had joined clubs, participated in and planned other activities. The girls of our class were guests at a big-little sister party. A theme of My Sister and I was carried out with big and little sister silhouettes of various colors pinned on each chair cover. Hundreds of people thronged the Reitz parking lot on the morning of October 31 to view one of the most remarkable sights ever wit- nessed in Evansville. They were gathered there to see the first ship built in the Evansville ship- yards slide down the ways into the waters of the broad Ohio. It was a spectacle hard to believe true. Twelve months previous, the thought of such an event would have seemed ridiculous. A year ago at this time Pearl Harbor had not been bombed. With each high school gridiron season, invariably, football royalty is elected. Bernice Stucki was elected Reitz' 1942 football queen. Nora Lee Anderson, of our class, was maid-of-honor. The boys admired the queen and her at- tendants and the girls were thrilled over the football players and the coronation convertibles. Plans were made for the Victory Corps. This was a war-time vol- unteer youth organization that of- fered practical training for worth- while participation in either the armed forces or on the home front. The former formal custom of the annual Mistletoe Frolic was changed for the first time because of gas rationing and material shortage. Girls wore street length dresses and many couples rode city buses to the dance. Late fall, the ever-wpopular song, White Christmas was first in- troduced to the American public by Bing Crosby. At that time Frankie, Van and Noble Hart were still without a bobble-sox follow- mg. The Mirror staff sponsored a campaign to stop the abuse of the commandment, Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain. Fifty-three Reitz girls were ex- cused from classes for part-time or full-time work in groceries and downtown stores during the 'Christ- mas rush season. These girls vol- unteered for the work to help elim- inate the labor shortage. By the beginning of the second semester we were full fledged high school students. We had experi- enced the thrill of watching foot- ball games on chilly days and ar- guing with students from Central, Bosse and Memorial, dancing and especially formals, clubs, the honor roll, the planning of careers and-many other things. In the first tin-can drive of the war, 25 Reitz boys, together with boys from Memorial, Central and Bosse collected two railroad car- loads of tin cans. Beginning the first of February, meatless days were observed at Reitz every Tuesday for the re- maining school year. Americans were requested to draw their belts tighter. The nation was rationed canned, dried, and frozen foods. A scholastic assembly was given in honor of Reitz students who had attained high scholastic av- erages for their freshman year. The following members of our class were honored: Ruth Aud, Rachel Buchanan, Mary Ann Cot- ton, George Cummings, Dorothy Reitz Bowlfthe stadium which serves as a landmark for out-of-town visitors and as a source of pleasure to citizens of Evansville. It was here our class and alumnae participated in many athletic activities and it was here that fans have thronged for many years and will continue to come in the future.

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Senior Edition, 1946 THE REITZ MIRROR Page 9 Sheik of Arab Came Dis uised as G.l. velt won the presidency and Harry Truman won the vice-presidency. Late fall, the girls expressed the latest in feminine style by appear- ing in begged, borrowed and stolen boys' clothes. Blue jeans, the largest plaid shirts to be found, wool bobby socks and gigantic bows of ribbon composed the out- fits. Our public appearance in such garb was of a one-day duration, however. The boys didn't like- but we don't talk about that, any- more. A patriotic Minuteman Flag was awarded Reitz when 96 per cent of the students purchased war bonds or stamps before December 7. With winter came the annual Mistletoe Frolic, and of course, Christmas and the holidays. The second semester started with the discontinuation of the old grading system and a new grading system was employed. The new grades were A, B, C, D, and any grade below that was Cand isj too bad. Cupid's Fling was the appro- priate title of the all-school dance early in February. Pictures of our beautiful cam- pus were taken by Mrs. Opal Moon. Many students purchased these pictures. Late winter, Eton caps and dog- collars were quite the rage with the girls. A less-noise-in-the-hall request was made by teachers and monitors in order to quite things down to a more mannerly stage. Students at Reitz were asked to not wear unauthorized, unearned letters on sweaters around the schools. The basketball team was defeat- ed in their second game of the sectionals by the Central Bears. The B-osse Bulldogs were the sectional winners and later the .state basketball champions for the second consecutive year. Again, the Kiwanis Club of Evansville gave the champions a tea dance in their honor with Blue Baron and his orchestra in the Coliseum. All high school students were invited. Although F.J.R. is perched on the highest point in the city, it was s-till affected by the flood. At- tendance was at a low point and the best excuse Reitz students had to use for months was I had to stay home to help my family move our furniture! Optimistically enough, conversations centered on the pos- sibility of the dismissal of school for the temporary flood period, but realistically enough, school wasn't. The Girl Reserves had .an Easter Parade. A 1945 style show was giv- en in the auditorium. There was a musical title for each model as best suited the model's costume. Our clas-s of potential graduates had its day of big-heads in March when we selected the ring of our choice. This was the first actual acknowledgement of our coming graduation. Most of the students in our class had reached the eligible age for operating a car, so many of the boys and the girls alike, either learned or attempted to learn how to drive a car. The Quill and Scroll had its an- nual initiation dinner and Law- ence Wheeler, head of the Indiana University Foundation, was the CONGRATULATIONS itoi THE 1946 GRADUATING CLASS Our best wishes go with you for a bright, happy and prosperous future -a healthy one, too, for without health, few things are possible. And may we, while on the subject of health, mention with pride in our product, this fact: The amazing per- centages of power packing energy vitamins and minerals found in Ideal Milk make it a food worthy of its high batting average. But forgetting these food values . . . It is a known fact that we drink milk for its true taste and flavor. Those knowing the Ideal taste of Homogenized Vitamin D milk can attest to a food beverage unsur- passed. Pure Milk Company guest speaker. The following mem- bers of our class were inducteclg Esther Bergner, Mary Ann Cot- ton, Dorothy Dailey, Monna Lou Dugan, Ronald Hilgeman, Betty Leonard, Ruby Letterman, Joyce Martin, Charlotte Rupp, Betty Titzer and William Steiner. In the most solemn assembly ever given at Reitz, the late Presi- dent Roosevelt was honored in a memorial service. At the ringing of class bells at 10:30, on the morning of April 13, students and faculty walked slowly and quietly to the auditorium. This was in marked contrast to the gaiety and chatter that usually characterized other assemblies. Outside under a partly clouded sky the flag hung at half mast. When everyone was assembled, the orchestra played The Star-Spangled Banner and Handel's Largo, Dan Lehman read the dedication, and Miss Karch read the poem, O Captain! My Captain. Then a capella chorus, composed of fifty-five girls on the stage sang The Lord's Prayer. Rev. M. B. Mc- Clure of the Howell Methodist Church, offer-ed a prayer, Roy Greenfield played the taps: and the program ended with Benedic- tion. The annual Junior-Senior Prom was postponed a few days due to President 'Roosevelt's untimely death. Lilac Time was the theme of the Prom. Betty Elmendiorf was crowned Miss Pan America in a colorful Pan-A-merican D.ay assembly. Bet- ty's court was composed of girls, each representing a South Ameri- can country. The news spread like the wind through the corridors and class- rooms: The war in Europe is over! It was Monday morning, May 7. Many teachers and stu- dents. waited by their radios the mofmng of M9-Y 8 to hear Presi- dent Truman proclaim: The Al- lied Armies . . . have wrung from Germany a final and unconditional surrender. That made May 8 the official V-E Day. Stores and busi- ness houses closed, but schools re- mained in session. During E.C.A. period the students and faculty at Reitz marched to the auditor- ium for the solemn and thanks- EIVIUS V-E Day program. In the proclamation President Truman designated Sunday, May 13, as a national day of prayer. The Distinction Day program centered on the wild dream of a G. I. who thought he was the Sheik of Araby in his harem. Students and teachers of Reitz were organized along Army lines for the city-wide census taken on May 17 and 18. About 500 chosen students from Reitz took part in the census. All students were lieu- tenantsg teachers were captaineg district supervisors were majors and Neil Pierce was a colonel. The Reitz MIRROR Senior Edi-