Walnut High School - Walnut Tree Yearbook (Walnut, IL)

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— Ml 'The Walnut Tree -J01 1 Wishing to look around in the city before going to the races, I looked for a means to get down town. I saw only a huge Rolls-Royce car, so I went to ask its occupant how to get a train down town. The owner, Clarence Tornow, was delighted to see me and offered to take me any place I wished to go. When we were speeding toward the heart of the city in Clarence’s luxurious car, I asked him what his occupation was. Clarence whispered to me that he was a prosperous “bootlegger;” when I asked him where he got his “stuff” he confided to me that it was made in a brewery in Kentucky run by the former Evadell Anderson and her husband, a romantic southerner. Poor Evadell had expected to run a sausage factory north of Walnut, but fate had cast her lot in a Kentucky brewery. This amazed me a great deal but I concealed my astonishment. JJ In a short time my ride was over and I found myself in the midst of busy Chicago. There, standing on the street corner was Mildred Parlier, running a huge newspaper stand. She had been very successful and now owned a half interest in the Chicago Tribune. This morning she was on an inspection trip and was waiting for her husband, Donald Langford, to come for her. Mildred had married him ten years ago and he was still recuperating from the effects of his bachelor life before that. Donald’s spending money was furnished by his dutiful wife. Mildred also told me that Inez Langford, her cousin by marriage, was on a honeymoon in Europe with her fourth husband, a strong man in Ringling Bros, circus. 1 Taking leave of the newspaper stand I wandered up the street into a tiny cafe. Here I met Edna Wallace, an old maid school teacher, who was taking her pupils on an observation tour. We agreed to have lunch together that we might talk over old times; how surprised we were to find the petite waitress to be Edith Fordham, who still was as pretty as in school days. 3 After Edna had gone I went into the street again. There on the corner stood a man whom I recognized to be Arthur Gallentine in his Salvation Army uniform. Arthur was vigorously beating his tambourine and begging people to help his cause. I started to walk toward Arthur but just then a threatening speaker in the street attracted my attention. It was Stanley Sorrenson, a domineering traffic cop, who was “bawling out” a timid little woman for having squeaky brakes; he sounded very fierce and would not listen to her arguments, which made me smile as I thought of his arguments back in school. I then started to do some window shopping and was not a little astounded when I noticed that all of the furs at Marshall Field’s store were guaranteed to be direct from Alice Keithahn’s Fur Farm in the Ozark Mountains. As I was making my way along, I heard some one tapping at me from a store window. Glancing up I per- Paqe twenty-two 9

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The Walnut Trce Tomorrow By Dick C. Ross T was on a warm spring day of May, 1950. School had just been dismissed and the boys and girls were merrily making their way from the building. As I glanced up from the principal’s desk I thought of the years back when I had been a happy school boy instead of the principal in the same Walnut Community High School. Then I remembered what an unusual class mine had been and how talented were some of its members. What had become of all these friends of the past ? In vain I tried to recall where some of my classmates were but it was of no avail. I remembered the carefree times the class used to have and a great feeling of loneliness took possession of me. Little did I realize when at last sleep overtook me that night, how my wishes were to be satisfied on the morrow. 1 I had planned, as a short recreation from my school duties, a trip to the great International Air Races to be held at Chicago. I woke early that morning and soon was ready for the aeroplane which I had hired to call for me at six o’clock to transport me to Chicago. When my winged conveyance arrived, I scarcely noticed anything in my joyful anticipation of the trip but when the pilot stepped out, to my utter dismay it was none other than Melvin Huseman. Melvin told me that he had been in aviation for fifteen years and was one of the contestants in the great air races. 1 As the journey was progressing I happened to notice a huge barn with 1930 written on it in enormous purple ar.d gold figures. Curious to know who had our class colors and year painted on their barn, Melvin and I landed in a nearby field. When we approached the house a familiar looking woman surrounded by a great family of children stood in the yard washing. As we came nearer, we saw it was Imogene Ross, who had eloped with Gorden Norden right after graduation and had not been heard of since. Imogene informed us that Gorden and she had lived on this farm ever since the honeymoon and had a fine family of eight children. I would have liked to have stayed there all day, but as time was precious Melvin and I bade the Norden family farewell and took off once more. Later on, as we were flying over the suburbs of Chicago, Melvin pointed out an immense green house, which belonged to Grace Britt, who was a great horticulturist. She had specialized on “jonquils” and now had a type that bloomed the year around. The trip was not delayed then until Melvin left me safely in the great airport. W 7 7 —1 9 3 0 =r- = Page twenty-one

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jSky - - 0l The Walnut Tree ■ -J01 ceived Valda Epperson working in Woolworth’s “Five and Ten Cent” store. Valda started to say something, but was called by the manager and had to hurry away. | Then, noticing a group of people hurrying into a great cathedral, I learned that a great evangelist was speaking there. Wishing to catch a glimpse of him, I hastened into the building, and there speaking to the people stood the world’s most famous evangelist, Ormond Gerbitz. I was simply stunned and my astonishment increased much more, when Alden Mungor, piano player for Ormond, sat down and played several popular tunes in a regular “rag time” fashion. Listening to Ormond a few moments, I heard him praise Ovanda Cook for the wonderful missionary work she was doing among heathens in western China. Since the time was short until the races, I left the cathedral for the airport. CJ A voice calling my name from the street startled me and looking toward the source I saw Dale Exner sweeping the street. Dale stated that he had taken the job as street sweeper, because his finances had suffered a depression. Feeling sorry for him, I suggested we have a bite in a nearby barbecue stand. We found the owner to be Ethel Kruse, who was thus consoling herself after an unhappy marriage. 1 As I passed a huge theatre a sign entitled “Alice Parsons in ‘Passionate Love’ ” caught my eye. Before giving the air races a thought, I hurried into the theatre with the intention of seeing Alice act. The play was rather absurd but I enjoyed the chance to see an old friend again. On my way out of the theatre, I bumped into a man and when I turned to excuse myself, I beheld Verner Birkey dressed in the latest styles. Verner informed me that he had been very successful with his home for stray cats and dogs. He was furnishing many of the Chicago meat markets with weiners and bologna and the leading fur corporations were soliciting his trade. CJ When Verner had gone I realized that it was too late to attend the International Air Races, so I determined to go joy riding on a bus. As I boarded the bus I heard a familiar voice and turning I looked into the face of Raymond Ross, who was calling streets and taking tickets. He had no time to talk then, but told me to look w'ho was riding in the front of the car. I made my way along to the front and there in a handsome sailor suit sat Ivan Peach. Ivan was going back to Walnut and marry some quiet little woman who would make a home for him. Riding along through the park Ivan called my attention to a nurse maid sitting on a bench flirting with three policemen. When we came closer, we recognized the nurse maid as Jane Birkey. Jane looked up and blushed a W------------------' 1 9 3 0 Page twenty-three