Salisbury University - Evergreen Yearbook (Salisbury, MD)

Page 32 text:

I was certainly thrilled. So that was why the girls were together the night before. 1 was so overjoyed 1 wanted to dash right down, but decided against it, thinking that I ' d better pre¬ pare for the night. 1 went down to the Haber¬ dasher ' s and bought a green sweater in stock and a tie—what a flaming hue—then I ran up to my room, as fast as my leg would let me, and dug down until 1 found an old pair of brown checked pants. 1 put on a blue shirt, brown shoes, dark brown socks with red rings, the patents, tie and sweater. Then called up the garage and ordered my car. By the time 1 had purchased a small gift for each of the old pals, the clocks were showing seventeen o ' clock, so without further ado, I drove over to the Hotel. Despite the huge size of the lobby, I espied the group right away. Helen was sitting, as used to be her custom, smiling, and not saying a word. Louise Parker was busily chattering with Sam Carey, who having grown corpulent and quite hairless, acted pleased. Carolyn sat in the center of the group, looking very bored and smoking a cigarette. Raymond had left a very dear friend for the sake of this meeting, and was com¬ menting on those who passed to Dorothy, who was almost convulsed with laughter. Frances Robinson seemed very quiet, and a little sad, though Jean Koch, who was sitting next to her was pointing out several handsome men at a distance from the group. ' When I reached them, they all stopped talk¬ ing. An air of incredulity spread over their faces; when I said hello, they gaped as if at a creature from the other world. The war had certainly changed me far more than any of them, and my heart sank; after a while they got over their shock, and began to chat of old times. Once the grotesqueness of my features had become familiar, they began razzing me, in the old way, about my clothes and my habits. A furtive tear started, for while we were trying to be desperately gay and familiar, it was of little use. We were strangers. At the first hour of the new day, I begged to be ex¬ cused and left with a burnirig heart for days never to be replaced. 28 always in thought word, and deed, distinguished not only for the fad that it was the last three-year classes, but that it was a class in which nc two of its members were alike. Its character, expressed in class neutrals, rather than class colors, have symbolized its individuality. White—sincerity, the key¬ note of success; black—the depth of character which make.c; lifo rirhp r

Page 31 text:

Then to my dreaming mind came snapshots of those happy, mad years. Twin Lanterns, fire alarms, Crisfield, Pop ' s Schack, River Road, night raids, picnics, doughnuts, coffee, Thomp¬ son ' s Grill, Mayflower, then to Lil ' s, dances and more dances . . . and the undercurrent under the froth . . . Where are we going? How will we make out in school? What ' s the use of it all? And beneath the surface we were being molded, formed into definite individuals . . . the lava was flung into the air by mighty forces, and cooling before it landed, took, each piece, a unique shape. Slowly but surely our class had diminished in numbers. Dixon, Morton, Mitchell, Spence, Towers, Cissel, Howard, and many others were lost in the reshuffle of a new term. The class of fifty had dwindled to thirty-five, then to twenty-two, and after the three-year course ended, only five of the original class of ' 36 returned for the degree course. Of course there were a few others in our group to graduate in ' 37. I remembered Louise Parker, Raymond Jump, Dorothy Pruitt, and Frances Robinson; they had all come back f or a degree. By that time most of us had settled down, were very sedate, and filled with the weariness of the sophisticate; it seems impossible that we really had thought so. About the most vivid recollection of that fourth year was the class trip to Philadelphia, to hear a concert. We had heard Kirsten Flag¬ stad, and had we been thrilled! The ride there and back had been filled with a great deal of comment, especially between Carolyn Riley and myself. The others would join in, thus making it very merry. The curtain bell rang, and snuffing out my cigarette, 1 mingled with the crowd returning to their seats. I walk slowly because of my new leg, so many people pass me on the way. Four middle-aged ladies nudge me as they go by, and upon lifting my eyes from the ground, I behold old friends. Carolyn, Helen and Dor¬ othy, wal king together in gay conversation; they had not seen me, and my first impulse was to let them go by, but thinking better of it, 1 called to them. They turned, but did not recognize me; they glanced through the crowd, and I, suffering from self-consciousness, did not address them again. So, like ships in the night, we crossed paths and separated into the unknown again. After the play was over, I decided to find out something about my old classmates with¬ out their knowing it. Twenty years seemed too long a break to span again in friendship. I called up the Bureau of International Vises, and asked the Under Secretary, who was a friend of mine, to give me all the information which he might possess. He was very oblig¬ ing in the matter, visitelling it to me in a half hour. While we were chatting, he mentioned a message which had come to the office for me. I opened it and read; Gathering of the old clan. 01 ' 37 is painting the town red tonight. See us at the Hotel McPherson at eighteen o ' clock. Sam. 27

Page 33 text:

THE JUNIOR CLASS A. JEROME FLETCHER Waldorf, Maryland President Twin brother to Frank . . . He ' s Johnny-on- the-spot ever ready to lend a helping hand . . . One of the future educators! Jerome Fletcher MIRIAM ANNETTE BEACHLEY Hagerstown, Maryland Vice-President The junior stylist—petite—clever in matters of art, drama, and make-up . . . Remember when a certain flaming youth blossomed into an almond-eyed chink with a queue? WALTER LYNCH McALLISTER Salisbury, Maryland Treasurer His slow, wistful manner gives him the air of a dreamer. Perhaps he does dream about a certain freshie . . . One never knows, does one? FLORENCE LEE WATERS Oriole, Maryland Secretary The chemical compound in our class, H 2 O . . . Hence her interest in the chemistry department . . . She may be a dolly to some people, but she ' s just a big tease to us. (MRS.) LOUISE SCOTT ADKINS Newark, Maryland Few brunettes possess her tranquillity and charm of manner. F. Waters L. Adkins W. McAllister M. Beachley 29