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

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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-

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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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Page 10 THE REITZ MIRROR Senior Edition, 1946 Peace Restored For Final Year tion 'staff of 1945 presented the class of '45 with a super Senior speeches were based on the Con- Edition, on May 25. The highlight of the Edition was a class resume dedicated to G. I. Joe. On June 1, students and faculty looked forward to an eventful summer-a summer that came to be one of the most important sum- mers in the history of the world. The war that started on Sep- tember 1, 1939, was ended with the surrender of the Japanese on August 14, 19445. Peace was once more .with all the peoples of the earth. Man was again free from the terrors of war. PART IV. Then came our senior year! It has been wonderful! Our first peace-time year start- ed off with a bang fand that doesn't mean just lockersll. Mrs. Virginia Tyree, Miss Mary Reiff, Mrs. Delores Riley, Mrs. Elizabeth Schaefer and Charles Epperson joined our teaching staff. They weren't the only new things up on the Hill either. Al- most 500 freshmen came up this year. Archilee Hobgood, that capable red-head from homeroom 301, ably led our class this year. She was assisted by Jim Peva, vice presi- dent, Lois MoAtee, secretary and Bill Rommel, treasurer. Jim Clark, Jim Peva and Joe Schenk saw that order was main- tained during lunch periods. Of course, it would have been impos- sible without all the monitors. - Snafu fSituation normal, all fouled upj was the fall play this year, directed by Miss Mary Louise Williams. Tommy Webb ex- cellently portrayed the teen-age veteran. Our class rings finally arrived in October--their delayed arrival worried us for awhile. Our own Mrs. Opal Moon met and heard President Truman play the piano while in her hometown, Caruthersville, Mo. The Homecoming festivities were gala. A giant pep assembly started off the day. After Reitz defeated Memorial that night in football there was a big dance in the gym. Joyce Martin, Charlotte Rupp and Dorothy Dailey represented the Mirror at the annual Indiana High School Press Conference at Franklin College. We were really proud of our football team, defeated only once this year. Many students went to every game. They had very un- usual experiences-especially when we played New Albany and Wash- ington of Indianapolis. Zounds, what a trip! Pat McCaffry made the All- State team and Charlie Ogg and Bill Rommel made the second team. Pat also won the Kiwanis trophy for being the most outstanding player on the Reitz team. Veteran yell leaders Jeanne Nicholson and Betty Todd re- turned for another year of yell- leading bringing with them Dan Hartman, Giles fBillyJ Kelley and Don Eissler. They did a swell job leading our cheering sections. Mary Reiber, a senior lovely, was football queen this year. King Bill Rommel crowned her between halves of The Thanksgiving Day Reitz-Bosse game. Susie Folz was maid-of-honor. Other queen can- didates were Nora Lee Anderson, Jeanne Nicholson, Sylvia Corns, Betty Elmendorf, Shirley Cato, Rita Adcock, Katie Jeffires and Mary Ann Cottotn. The girls were attired in pastel skirts and sweaters. Hugo Schuessler, a Reitz teacher for over 15 years, left Reitz this year. Harry Hart replaced him as band director. Charlotte Rupp, senior, won a 31,000 scholarship to Evansville College as the top bond salesman at Reitz. Beth Seiler headed the National Honor Society this year. Other of- ficers were Bill Rommel, vice president, Miriam Schmitt, secre- tary and Warren Cox, treasurer. The end of the war brought back several Reitz teachers including Constance Frick, Staley Berry- man, Fletcher Jaquess, James De- Long, William Trott, Wayne San- defur and Henry Luerssen. Betty Leonard headed the Reitz Quill and Scroll chapter. Monna Lou Dugan was the vice president and Ruby Letterman, secretary- treasurer. Along in January we had our annual class party. We had a swell time dancing to the Reitz dance band in the cafeteria. During the March of Dimes, sponsored by the Mirror at Reitz, over S100 was collected. English Literature II was of- fered, by popular demand, for the first time at Reitz during the second semester. Dave Millen, a sophomore, out- talked the other contestants and H. A. WOODS DRUG CO. Downtown Druggist MOSER PRINTING COMPANY OPrinters of 'Dhe Reitz Mirror, The Centralian, and many other outstan-ding local publications. 1110-1112 MAIN STREET PHONE 2-7362 won the American Legion Ora- torical Contest this year. Valada Koenig, senior, was second. The stitution. Evansville was the State Cap- itol for a day. Many state offi- cials were in town for Govern- mental Conferences at Central and Bosse. About 2500 seniors from all over southwestern Indiana at- tended the meetings. Dorothy Dailey and Betty Leon- ard, of the Mirror staff, met and interviewed Govern-or Gates that afternoon. A transcription of the interview was made for station W'LW. The following Week, the two student journalists received letters and personally autographed pho- tographs from Gov. Gates. The journalism students had an- other unusual experience this spring. When Cliff Brooks, local newscaster, was on vacation, stu- dents from Reitz, Bosse, Central and Lincoln took over his broad- casts. Dorothy Dailey, Ruby Let- terman, Betty Elmendorf, Mary Crow, Charlotte Rupp and Betty Leonard prepared the programs on Reitz' days. Charlotte Rupp and Betty Leonard read the scripts. Blonde Susie Folz made a beau- tiful basketball queen. Bashful George Byers, king, bestow-ed the honors with crown, flowers and a kiss. The scene was the Central gym and all the girls were lovely in their prettiest formals, The at- tendants were Nora Lee Ander- son, maid-of-honor, Mary Reiber, Mary Ann Cotton, Shirley Cato, Betty Elmendorf, Jeanne Nichol- son, Rita Adcock, Patsy Estes and Kathryne Jeffries. Versatile Paul Mehl was very active this year. He headed the Student Council, won first in the Rotary speech contest, was the drum major and still found time to play basketball well enough to win the Kiwanis basketball award. Our high school career was threatened this April. Strikes were the order of the day for week maybe would be betterl. Following the dismissal of Glen Bretz as Central's basketball coach the students of Central, Bosse, Best wishes for cz bright and happy future. You're big girls now, but remember to keep sweet 'n lovely in clothes from The c1RLs'ndTEENs 5 SHOP i 2nd floor The Baby Shop 404 MAIN STREET of Seniors Reitz and Mechanic Arts decided there was too much politics in the school and that the School Board responsible for this should be oust- ed. Several demonstrations were given, but about a week later school attendance was normal. However, the feeling for strikes remained with the student body. The P.T.A. .and various other civic groups became interested in the problem. Senior Distinction Day was held May 10 and the Junior-Senior Prom attracted so much attention this year that for the first time the dance was held in the Armory. The girls, doffed their bobby- socks and donned beautiful, filmy formals, and the boys dresed in those hard-to-find suits, danceo the evening away to the music of Charlie Kroener and his band. Many other senior activities have been planed for the remain- der of this month which will end with our graduation. CONCLUSION A philosopher once 'said You can't take it with you, but an- other wise person also contended fGod gave us memories so that we may have roses in December. -And we do have a lot to remem- ber. The End. HATS and FURNISHINGS HILL-TOP high in style and Quality ,UHUQ fa :F S THE sI-IUB HENRY LEVY8: sons i 427-429 MAIN STREET Men's - Boy's Women's - Misses' OUTFITTERS STROUSE 8- BROS. , 524 Main St. PANB 9.5 CW mc 223 Main Street