Wapakoneta High School - Retrospect Yearbook (Wapakoneta, OH)

Page 31 text:

When I Was A Fresh What did I do when I was in high school?” quavered Grandpa to one of his many grandchildren. Wee-ee-1, I'll tell you,” he said as his grandchildren crowded around him to listen. I was in the class of 1945, yes sir, I went to Blume High School in Wapakoneta, Ohio. We were the best gol-dumed class that ever graduated from that school if I do sav myself. Why when we were freshmen, we made the upperclassmen sit up and take notice of us. We were that bright. They didn't get much of a chance to call us greenies. let me tell you. We got right into things. There wasn't a lot for us to do but everything we did, we did well all right. There was the singin'. A lot of us were in that and some of the girls were so good that they got into quartets and shows and were always singing for something. There wasn't one among us that couldn't do things. Now, take athletics. When I was only a freshman I was playin' football and basketball right with the seniors. Why, I remember once, Hafe Leitz,—yes, I mean that famous coach. He was captain of our teams, and he sez to me, he sez— You're gonna' be as great a ball player as Jim Whalen. That's what he said. Let me see. Who were some of the other boys out there with me? Oh, yes, Kenny Urich, Mark Killian, 3ud Shuster, Walter Brown, Mike Wellington and Dick Bitters. I don't know how Blume High could have gotten along without us. Why, besides bringing glory to the school in athletics, it was the freshmen who kept the school looking nice. We called it a lawn beautification project and we kept the school grounds looking spic and span too. We went out free periods and really cleaned it up. Then at the freshman- sophomore dance we shone. Yes sir, we did our share working for it and most of us went to that dance and all the rest of them too. We liked dances and parties but since we weren't in the clubs we couldn't help give many of them We had our homeroom organization though, and we had fun ' .n them. Some of the boys were members of the Jr. Hi-Y. I was one and so were Abner Schuler, Roland Gierhart, Mark Killian. Fred Pepple, Kenny Urich, Dick Bitters, Wilbur Schmaltz and Jack Lament. A number of them joined the Future Farmers of America. ' That's why there are so many good farmers today. It's those boys who were in the F. F. A. that are making money on the farm now. Just look around and see. There's Paul Weber and Chester Hittepole, Tom Brandt, Allan Kah, Bernard Schaub, Donald Schultz, Brooks Knoch, Keith Hawisher, James irl, and Charles Copeland. They were all F. F. A. members. So you see even when we were freshmen, our class did many things. Got off to a good start, that’s what we did. V e cleaned up the lawn, helped put on a big freshman-sophomore dance, joined all the activities we could, started ut some top athletes, had our homeroom organization, and elped in school government. No sir, freshmen aren't so green, et me tell you. Now. children, it’s getting late but I'll tell you what we did in our sophomore year the next time you visit me.

Page 30 text:

Freshmen % In the glee clubs too, you will find new faces this year for Mary Jo Werner, Mary Lou Mougey, Martha Shaw, Virginia Haman, Alice Wintzei, Onnolee McClintock, Susan Shuler, Mable Myers, Dorothy Bowman, and Bill Hartup all go regularly to the music room when the glee clubs practice. Mary Jo, Susan, Onnolee and Alice were selec;ed from glee club to sing in Blume's choral group. This proves that freshmen do have ability in the vocal department. We wish more powe: to them. They displayed a definite interest in school government by sending a member from each homeroom to sit in on school council meetings the first half of the year. The last half, Jim Kent, Roland Gierhart, Doris Snavely, and Mary Jo Werner, were chosen to represent their homerooms permanently and they have done an excellent job of it. Jim Frazier and Louella Gierhart became substitute cheeleaders and drew a lot of favorable attention with acrobatic yells during the basketball season. First Row— C Mault. C. Maxson. Q. McCIcan. O. McClintock. C. Marts. C. Metzger. M. Mougey. M. Myers. M. Myers. R. Marker. D. Omlor, J. Pnrlctte. F. Pepple Second Row— M. Presar. V. Rickert. G. Ritchie. J. Rostorfer, G. Ruck. B. Schaub. W. Schmaltz. M. Scheid-erer. L Schierholt. J. Schneider. D. Schuler. A. Schuler. D. Schultz Third Row— M. Shaw. H. Sholler. S. Shuler. R. Shuster. I. Slattery. R. Smallwood. 1). Snavelcy. M. Stroh, E. Stolzenburg. B. Taylor. H. Truesdale. K. Urich. L. Veit Fourth Row— M. Vorhee . V. Vorhees. M. Walker. B Wallace. P. Weber, M. Wellington, p. Wentz. M. Wer-ling. D. werllng. M. Werner. M. Wildermuth. O. Wilges. A Wintzer. F. Wisener. J. Woolf.

Page 32 text:

n A Days Work For those who do not necessarily wish to extend their studies on to college, Blume has Home Economics courses for girls, Industrial Arts classes for boys which include drawing, wood work, metal work, foundry, printing, and auto mechanics. A class in agriculture is also offered to those interested in farming. Hulda Helmlinger, our oflice secretary, and the librarians have difficult tasks. Everyone is his boss . Hulda is asked for information about everything by students and teachers, while the librarians are expected to locate roferences on any subject. To them we say, “Thanks for your capability and patience in helping us. Blume students are very fortunate in having access to the library for references and reading at all times. The library has cooperated with the school by allowing students to study there six periods a day and by supplying the various departments with books tor use in the classroom at school.