Vermontville High School - Verhian Yearbook (Vermontville, MI)

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HISTORY by Priscilla Hall In nineteen forty-three, forty-seven freshmen left the carefree days of the grades to enter the serious years of high school. Frightened and bewildered by the apparent superiority of the upper-classmen, we were very meek and subdued, but soon we became brave and confident and took our rightful place in all activities that were ours. Our first clas-. officers were as follows: Albert Heath, president; Gene Walker, vice-president; Jacob Lenik, secretary; Orson Austin, treasurer; and Mrs. Gertrude Montgomery, advisor. Jacob Lenik and Rachel Viele were elected from our class to the Student Council. The Freshmen initiation by the Sophomores that year will always be remem- bered as a thoroughly terrifying experience. To this class and our teacher, Mrs. Hallenbeck, goes the credit of originating the now annual event--the Biology Banquet. It was a grand affair. This class also ranked highest in bond sales. In our sophomore year we had thirty-five class members. Miss Boyd was our advisor. Our class officers were: Orson Austin, Jacob Lenik, Rachel Viele, and Beverly Rogers. We wracked our brains to think of outstanding initiation stunts to try out on the new freshman class. The menu included angle-worm chowder, moth-ball stew, and sour milk. Among this year’s activities was the debate with the juniors on the question of Compulsory Military Training. The juniors won, but we felt it had been very much-worthwhile to inform ourselves on this timely subject. In September, 1945, our junior class numbered twenty-six. Class officers were: president, Jacob Lenik; vice-president, Priscilla Hall-; secretary, Pat Dickey; treasurer, Gloria Carey. Mrs. Allen was our class advisor. Due to her capable leadership we accomplished some very successful money-making ventures. The first one was a box social, then the magazine drive, and Christmas card sale, and last, our junior play, “Spring Fever,” directed by Mrs. Lamb. One of the greatest events of our junior year was presenting the seniors with a tentful of entertainment at the Junior-Senior Banquet. Having done our duty by the seniors at Baccalaur eate and Commencement we were ready for our Senior year. Here it was at last! The year that we had all worked and striven for ! Our officers were: Gloria Carey, president; Vernon Trowbridge, vice-president; Rachel Viele, secretary; Orson Austin, treasurer. The senior play, “It’s All in Your Head,” was one of the best mysteries yet produced. Albert Heath gave a memorable performance as the villain. Among our many and various money-making projects were; Christmas card sale, magazine sale, and rummage sale. We also sold refreshments at the dance in connection with the Syrup Festival. All were successful and brought us gradually closer to our trip to Washington.

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History (Continued) In May, the juniors honored us by presenting a lovely banquet, one that we shall never forget. And now that Commencement is here we, the seniors, long renowned for our volubility, have no words to adequately express our joy and appreciation for all that has been done for us. May we simply say, “We thank you, all! It has been a perfect graduation time. CLASS PROPHECY by Patty Dickey and Orson Austin THE SETTING: Patty Dickey, a very ambitious and adventuresome young woman, has spent some time traveling in the Far East, and has made some very interesting dis- coveries concerning devices for the revelation of the future. She has purchased a globe from an old native in India which has the power of revealing future hap- penings with unfailing accuracy. A chance meeting with Orson Austin ends in an interesting evening spent at the Good Luck Restaurant, Vermontville, in prophesving the future of their old classmates which reads as follows: JACOB LENIK is publicity manager of the “Saturday Evening Post.” He is following the rule “Always Sell Yourself To Your Customers. DICK WEILER is now president of the Kaiser-Frazer Motor Company in Detroit, and has as his secretary someone whom we know very well. Wonder who that could be ? JOE CASWELL, is now business manager of the “Detroit Free Press and doing fine work. In another two or three years he will probably own the newspaper. He has donated many fine printing machines to the Vermontville “Hornets’ Tri- bune”, whose circulation has now reached its 60,000 mark. RICHARD SCHNEIDER has a cute little candy store of his own in New York. We all know that Richard was always very fond of sweets and always made the girls happy with his many contributions. GLORIA CAREY, Vermontville’s Brain Buster, who taught school for a number of years in our own little town, is happily teaching her own little six--one pair of twins, one set of triplets, and a singleton. PRISCILLA HALL is a pharmacist and assistant to Mr. Fred Meade. Her friendly air and flashing hair may always be seen in our local drug store. ED ZEMKE is an all-star basketball player on the United Nations Team. He is doing very well and has an annual salary of $2,000,000 a year. Nett bad for a starter ! As you enter the new million-dollar high school building in his home town, you will see a bronze plaque bearing the inscription: E. Zemke, Donor.