Stratford College - Iris Yearbook (Danville, VA)

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X f Senior Erfllegf Supcrlafiws Superlafizfcs lfimrxl Clmmrm'-Burnett Culvcrhousc lirxl-all-Amum!-Lois Williams Maxi 1'of1ulr1r-Barham Armcntrout H4-.xl Slmlvnt-Bcrxiicc Heard Max! IffIVflXl'IllHli1V4T'-EiiZZliJCf.h Grunt Brsl .flllzlclc-Bette O'Ncill Alex! Talrznlndfjcnn Tompkins Bas! IJ:-ms-ml-Bzirbara Shields Willicsl-Hclcn I-IofTman Bcsl Looking-Betsy Davis Fczgfccf Seuiar Ilair-Elsie Garvin Eyes-Charlotte Wm-sham Nose-Jean Gibbons N1014lf1'K3thRfil1C Benson Skin-Martha Laubenstein Ilands-Betty Barber Maynard F igurc-Agnes Swain Legs-Polly Rhyme Voice-Frances Lane Qafufff-Ene

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We Im Scrzivr Hvllege flisfvry The fall of nineteen thirty-nine had come! With no brass band to meet us, but with music in our hearts, we, the Class of '41, stormed the gates of Stratford. Frances Lane was chosen as conductor, and she has wielded the baton ably. Although many menial tasks were performed during Rat Week, it may be admitted that all dis- cipline was given and taken in good spirit. Our complexions were much improved, it's true, by the lack of make-up, and our hair grew curly as a result of being worn in pigtails for a week. We emerged from this, our first audition, ready to conquer the world. With the coming of snow and the jingle of Christmas bells, Gloria Sullivan was elected Strat- ford's Christmas-Card Girl for 1939. And to the accompaniment of choral music, our Madonna of The Nativity, jean Tompkins, stirred the hearts of all. Refreshed by a welcome Christmas vacation, and with exams safely over, we proceeded to show our ability both inharmony and as soloists. With a powerful serve, which could not be withstood by even the mightiest Senior, Bette O'Neill won laurels as tennis champion. Not content with this, however, we sent Libby Grant to Winchester to represent Stratford as Apple Blossom Princess, while here at the school Mary Evelyn Jefferson made a big success of Spring Planting Day. After a grand finale of final exams, the curtain fell on our first year at Stratford, and an inter- mission of summer vacation was called. Sk Pk if ,F fl' Harvests were ready to gather in when we returned to Stratford, high and mighty Seniors to greet our year. Midst fall leaves and under an autumn sun, our Class President, Frannie Lane, reigned graciously as October Day Queen. Sponsored by the Senior College Class, Good-Manners Week came and went with great success, and later in the year we produced a Good-English Week not to be equalled in fun or in achievement. To Jean Gibbons goes the credit for bringing the Whites through as successful a Senior year as had been the Freshman year under Libby Grant. Again from among our group was chosen the girl to whom the honor of portraying the Madonna was given. Christmas in 1940 found Lois Williams bending over the manger breathing a prayer for the Holy Infant. With the spring came the glorious flowering of fruit trees, and Betsy Davis went to Winchester as our Apple Blossom Princess. At home, in regal splendor, Elizabeth Grant, reigned as May Queen. And so, with a clash of cymbals, we graduated into the world-a liner group-instilled with love and gratitude. Lois WILLIALIS

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7fze Im Senior Cfrfllegf Will and Przfplzecy Wh.ile I nodded, nearly napping, 5-uddenly than came a tapping, A5 of .romeone gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door. The familiar words startled me. WVorn and weary with studying Chaucer, I had picked up the little book of poems from a neighboring table and it had opened to these melancholy lines. And at the same time it seemed that I could hear a faint, but insistent, tapping at the library window! Filled with a dread I could not name, I arose in my chair, half expecting to see an ebony Raven take form from the velvety blackness beyond the open window. But instead a Hoot-Owl stepped across thc sill and flew to the top of a bookcase, perching under the portrait of Christine Burns. Who-who are you? I asked, trembling. With his wise, blinking eyes, the bird looked down at me, and then he spoke: I am the Past, the Present, and the Future. 1've come to tell you what a mistake you are making. There you sit, hunched over those books as though there were nothing in the world more important. You are so concerned with things long dead that you take no thought of the living people about you. He spoke so seriously and yet looked so ridiculous that I laughed aloud. Yes, laugh if you will, he said. But tell me: How much do you know of the sorrows and joys, the hopes and dreams of your classmates here at school? When June comes, you will all separate and go different ways. It will be too late then to learn to understand them and, because of this understanding, to love them.', Well, how much do you know about themfi' I asked defiantly, disturbed by his grave challenge. I know everything, he answered, and even more. I can tell you more about those classmates of yours than they know themselves. To them the future is foggy and mysterious, but I can sec clearly five, even ten years from now. Intrigued by his words, I eagerly implored him to tell me of our class and what we would all be doing in ten years. There was a loud roar of thunder, and a bolt of lightening must have struck a power line somewhere, for the library was plunged in sudden darkness. Only the eyes of the Hoot-Owl shone in the darkness, and his feathers glowed luminously as he started speaking in a low sing-song voice: Fame lies ahead for some, and I see much happiness. The graduates of this year go out into the world to fulfill their highest dreams and greatest expectations. Jean Tompkins, who declares she leaves her histrionic ability to Bucky Harris, manages to beg, borrow, or steal some more, for she becomes the leading actress on Broadway and thrills audiences of millions. Frances Lane, whose versatility and powers of leadership she bestows upon graduation to Beth Lamonby, becomes the first woman president of the United States and remains in otlice for four terms. She is said to be the greatest orator ever to live in the White House. I rannie's chief aide is Martha Laubenstein, who gave up a very alluring private life to do her duty for her country. Tell me, Mr. Hoot-Owl, what becomes of Bee Williams? I interrupted to ask. She already seems to have her future quite definitely planned for herself. Yes, came a twinkling reply, and so do some of the others in thc class, though not everybody knows it. Elizabeth Grant, for example, leaves her May Queen dress to the member of the Freshman class whom it fits best, but she does like the idea of a long, white train. Helen Hoffman, though she doesn't know it yet, is due for a very short, but ardent, courtship this summer to be climaxed by an elopement before she can even get her breath. The whole thing will be quite a surprise to several people, I imagine. Then there's Jean Gibbons, who leaves the Whites to the Hall Seniors and the Hall Sophomorcs. After ten years of research work, she is just completing a book on philosophy. The live-volume master- piece, To Be or Not To Be, is expected to revolutionize the whole realm of philosophical knowledge. Tall, stately Burnett Culverhouse, who bcqueaths her flair for making faces to jean Loughead so that she can carry on the job of haunting Stratford, becomes the wife of the Duke of Frankenstein, continued the Hoot-Owl, as he gravely shined his spectacles on the soft feathers under his wings. Speaking of Dukes, I interrupted again, tell me how Charlotte Worsham fares as a doctoris wife. fffontirzuzrl on Page 301