Ridgway High School - Elker Yearbook (Ridgway, PA)

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PS-ff' I930 I Dl'0llh6CY Df tht? Cla!! Df I930 I had been living in Los Angeles for the past twelve years and in this time had not had a glimpse of my old home town. For this reason, in the summer of 1945, I decided to take an auto trip back home. When I arrived at the garage I met Frank Frederico who is a traveling salesman for Slesnick 81 jefkin. NVe talked for some time and then went on our way. My next classmate whom I met was Paul Fahey, who has a permanent job as Life Guard at Salt Lake City. He informed me that his bosom pal, Dan Dwyer, had secured a position teaching the South Sea Islanders how to swim. But what surprised me even more was the fact that Richard Mercer was serv- ing a ten year term for bigamy, having married Anna johnson and Miriam Golden within two weeks of each other. In Denver I met Helen Whelan, who had just returned from Reno, where, on the ground of wife-beating, had secured a divorce from Laverne Olson. Robert Taylor has taken for his life work the making of apologies. He has been so successful that the University of Denver has created a special depart- ment for this and appointed him as head of the department. In Cheyenne I attended a rodeo in which Franklin Reed was billed as the World's Champion Bronco-Buster. My own conclusion was that the experi- ence in driving the old Ford, has helped him much in his new occupation. I had a head-on collision with a truck in Omaha. The big driver got out and we were just about to tangle, when I called out his name. It was Rich- ard Starner. He told me that he was forced to drive a truck in his spare time so as to earn enough money to keep Ruth Klawuhun, his wife, in clothes. While I was traveling through Kansas City, I stopped ot? to watch a ball game. I thought I knew a player and a coach, so after the game, I went down to investigate. The player turned out to be Russell VVeston, and the coach was Paul Streich, who had obtained this position through his gift of gab . I arrived in St. Louis just in time to see Mary Giffi break the world's flag-pole sitting record for women. In a circus I recognized a fortune teller as Clare Wicks. She told me that her husband, Harry Tourtellott, forced her to pursue this occupation, and then spent all the money on drink. NVesley Nelson has broadened quite a bit and is the fat man in the same circus. Several of my classmates have moved to Chicago. W'illiam johnson has achieved notoriety, being known as the biggest and best banker in the city. Raymond Anderson, Carlton Anderson, Mary Anderson, Elizabeth johnson and Pearl Johnson are all in vaudeville where they are known as the Italian Quintette. I11 Cleveland, I ran short on money, and as my check was not acceptable, I intended to pawn my watch. I entered the pawn-shop and discovered the proprietor to be Mike Ziki. VVe had a long and friendly conversation which he brought to an end by offering me two dollars for my fifty dollar watch. Pittsburgh held no great surprise for me. However, Frank Pompey was the sports editor of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette while James Horning was the efficiency expert of the largest steel company in town. And then on to Ridgway. I stopped at the Valley Service Station to buy some gas and out came a short, bow-legged man whom I had no difficulty in -..-,gf 26 13..-

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11 ll ll I' College Preparatory. A. A. Z-3-4, Hi-Y 2-3-4, Boys' Glee Club 1-2, Hi-Y Cabinet 4, Tattler Staff 4. Zim is courteous, honest and ambitious. He goes into all his work with zest and always knows his lessons. Commercial Course. A. A. 4. Tall and quiet, seldom heard, he studies hard at his lessons and will make a great success, QI ' HISTORY OF THE CLASS OF '30 The class of '30 entered High School fifty-five strong, and as fresh and bright a class as ever entered I--ligh School. After entertaining their friends and relatives for an hour and a half with their Commencement exercises, the class held their First party as high school students. This party was held in the gymnasium and was a great success. fear. Al- At the beginning of the next year we advanced upon the high school with though we had always looked forward to being there, now that the time had come, we were not so sure of ourselves. Our fears were ungrounded, however,.because only a few mis- takes were made and the teachers were not the ogres that we had pictured them to be. During this year two parties were held. The only big thing that occurred this year was a terrible inter-class fight. This was held during the last week of school and lasted for three days. In this battle the Seniors were opposed to the combined forces of the two underclasses. The iight was won by the underclassmen fwith the help of the Sophomores of coursej The generalship on both sides was fine and the forces were moved about like armies. This was the last fight because of injuries to some of the participants. After our all-too-short vacation, we returned for our junior year with enthusiasm so strong that it burned itself out in a few days. We were experienced by a former year's work, however, and it did not take us long to settle down to a more or less hard struggle. About the middle of the school year we met to select our class rings, which are the prettiest and most appropriate rings that have ever been purchased. VVe returned for our last year as dignified Seniors, surveying the underclassmen with lofty contempt. This year everyone entered into the work with an unprecedented zeal, because we realized that much hard work was before us, if we desired to have our diplomas at the end. Many class meetings were held this year to decide on our plans for graduation night. These meetings were conducted in a very satisfactory manner by President Richard Mer- cer. We decided to have a banquet before the graduation exercise, and after this to have our Senior Prom. These three years spent in High School have been very pleasant ones, and our rela- tion with the instructors have, on the whole, been of the best, and it is with mingled feel- ings of sorrow and joy that we must leave this noble hall of learning, To the future achievements of the Classof'30. HISTORIAN-RICHARD STARNER, '30 -..gf 25

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I93O 'R 1 recognizing as Peter Niedzwecki. Pete told me that he was the owner of the station and had finally progressed to the point where he could repair major motor troubles. Glen Blakeslee, after many years of hard and faithful work, has been promoted to the managership of Kantar's store. Clarence johnson went to Mexico where he mastered the Spanish lang- uage so perfectly that he was recently elected President of Mexico. Virginia johnson is now teaching art in the Ridgway schools. Ralph States has improved his spelling so much that he is now the first grade spelling teacher. Carl Fitch went to Africa to hunt big game. james Daugherty, after trying for five years to get through his freshman year at Pitt, married Lillian Taylor, and is now the proud father of quad- ruplets. Richard Knecht and Chester Swanson are authors. Richard's latest book is entitled VVomen as I Have Known Them, while the title of Chester's is My Experience with Curling Irons. Martin Brehm and Eldon Leidwanger are both pianists. But after I heard Eldon playing, I was -forced to believe that his hair had more to do with it than his ability. Mack Weaver has become Justice of the Peace, and is known as the best dressed official in Ridgway. john Fay has grown a mustache, dyed his hair black, and is now taking john Gilbert's place in the talkies. Ida Heist gave Sl00,000 to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Homeless Cats. XVhen questioned by the reporters she replied, I did it for the kitties. - Gerald VVilson and Hazel Brunner are happily married and are living on Gerald's farm. Frederic Greiner has been sent to China as a missionery, taking along his ever faithful wife, Emelyn Larson. After investigation I learned that Grant Miles was spoken of as the Mental Marvel. It took him only five minutes to recite Bryant's Thana- topsis backwards. Elizabeth Smith is lecturing on the topic How to Keep That Slender Figure. While in town I received an invitation to a double wedding, one half of which failed to materialize. Donald Beck, the bridegroom, did not arrive. His bride-to-be, Gertrude Beugger, had an attack of fits, from which she never recovered. The other wedding went right on. Robert Zimmerman be- ing joined in holy wedlock with Martha Leilous by the Reverend Kenneth Bennett. Harriette Secor has made biology her life work and has finally learned to distinguish between the different orders of the insects. James Prindible and Anna Perry eloped in an airplane, which shed its wings over the Atlantic Ocean. And as they ended, so ends this. -ARNOLD SCHILK, '30. 27