Wapella High School - Retro Yearbook (Wapella, IL)

Page 16 text:

CLASS HISTORY As we, the Seniors of 1950, glance backward to the fall of 1946, it seems hard to believe that we were once a group of pure-minded freshmen. “Green Freshmen” they called us, and we did our best to live up to the monicker pinned on us. As we remember, we did look rather ridiculous and awkward and even now, we wonder where the initiative came from that spurred us on through four years of this torture. By hard work and unending trials and tribulations, we made our way through the maze of problems our teachers put in our path. All of us wondered at one time or another why our teachers ever got paid, because wc did all the work. Nevertheless, we eventually evolved into a group of well-trained, high spirited men and women, called the Class of 1950. We began our freshmen year with thirty students. School had not been in session very long when Stanley Sympson and Analee Marris dropped from school. This left us with twenty-eight members on the class rolls, namely: Leo Mollet, Lawrence Hedrick, Doris Potter, John Morris, Robert Thayer, Gene Linderman, Glenna Thayer, Ruth Cooper, Wanda Bray, Rosemary Powers, Barbara Reynolds, Laura Jones, Lois Walden, Earl Woollen, Corwin Burris, Chares Luker, Meryl and Beyrl Nichols, John Holland, Ruth Bray, Richard Thayer, La Jean Short, Charles Underwood, Sammy Primmer, Wilbur Swisher, bill Spray, Jerry Corwin and Bill Duncan. The class elections were held, and the freshmen class elected Bill Duncan as president, John Holland as vice-president, Doris Potter as secretary-treasurer, and Lawrence Hedrick as reporter. Mrs. Pearl Stowell, the home economics teacher at that time, was elected as our class sponsor. Under her supervision and sponsorship, our main party, an all-school wiener roast, was held at Glenna Thayer’s home. The late summer of 1947 found twenty-two “Silly Sophomores” coming back to these ivied towers to resume our education. Class elections were held soon after school started, and the sophomore class elected Ruth Cooper as president, Wanda Bray as vice-president, Charles Luker as secretary-treasurer, and Glenna Thayer as reporter. Our English teacher, Miss Harreld, was elected class sponsor. The class sponsored an all-school St. Patrick’s Day party. We had a good attendance and a good time. During our sophomore year, Charles Underwood, Sammy Primmer, and Bill Spray were lost from class. In early fall of 1948, we returned to school as “Jolly Juniors” with twenty-two members in our class. During the first semester, the class lost Richard Thayer, Meryl and Beryl Nichols, Ruth Bray, Jerry Corwin, and John Holland. During this same semester, the class gained two new members, namely: Coraleen Blake and Wilma Rich from Clinton Page Twelve

Page 15 text:

GLENNA THAYER 'To Be Successful Band 2, 3, 4 Chorus 1, 2. 3, 4 Sextette 1, 2. 3. 4 Retro Jr. 3. 4 F.H.A. 1, 2. 3. 4 F. H. A. Vice-Pres. 3 Class Reporter 2 F.H.A. See. 4 Librarian 2. 4 Junior Play Senior Play ROBERT THAYER 'To Marry Girl With Oil Well F.F.A. 1, 2. 3, 4 F.F.A. Sec. 2 F.F.A. Vice-Pres. 3 Class Vice-Pres. 3 Class Sec. 1 Class Sec.-Treas. 4 Basketball 1, 2, 3 Chorus 1 Librarian 1 LOTS WALDEN Secretary F.H.A. 1, 2. ?. 4 F.H.A. Reporter 2 Chorus 1, 3 Librarian 2 Page Eleven EARL WOOLLEN Well Driller F.F.A. 2. 3. 4 Retro Jr. 3, 4 Chorus 2 Basketball 1. 2 Junior Play

Page 17 text:

Community High School. Their loss was Wapella’s Rain. Class officers were elected with Gene Linderman as president, Corwin Burris as vicc-pi esident, Wilma Rich as secretary-treasurer, and Barbara Reynolds as icpo. ter. Mr. A. L. Ilist and Mrs. Betty Kistner were elected as sponsors. Our Junior play, “Let Me Out of Here,” was a great success. In older to make more money, the junior class of 1948-49 teamed up with the Crowell Publishing Company and went over-the-top” in magazine sales. We also sponsored a Christy indoor circus as a money making proposition. Our list of parties included a skating party and a hay rack ride. As is customary here at Wapella High, the class rings are bought late in the junior year. Ours were purchased from Herff-Jones Inc. We agreed on the ring, and all had them by the middle of September of our senior year. With three hard years of labor and worry behind us, we were ready to embark on our last year at the hallowed halls of W.C.H.S. We elected our officers and sponsors. Wilma Rich was elected as president, Lawrence Hedrick as vice-president, Robert Thayer as secretary-treasurer, and Charles Luker as reporter. Mr. Schettler and Mrs. Blue were elected as class sponsors. The senior play, “Star Crazy,” was a great success; and our senior staff on the Retro yearbook has shaped up with Ruth Cooper as editor and Charles Luker as associate editor. Miss Ruth Cooper was chosen as D.A.R. winner for 1950. The senior class also sponsored a box social in the gym on March 10th. All in all, we have had four good years of school, and as we become history May 31, the underclassmen will remember the sophisticated Seniors of 1950 for what they are and what they will be. LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT Class of “50” KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, That we, the class of 1950, of Wapella Unit District No. 5, Wapella, Illinois, being of sound mind, disposing memory, realizing the uncertainty of life and the certainty of death, desiring to make a fair, equitable disposition of all our earthly estate, both real, personal, and mixed, do hereby make and publish this, our last Will and Testament, hereby revoking any and all former testamentary dispositions made by us at any time heretofore. I, Wanda Bray, will my beautiful swing to Helen Kleeman. I, Cord Burris, will leave Doris Wickenhauser (not because I want to.) I. Ruth Cooper, will leave without having to leave Lee Thomas to anyone. Sorry girls! I, Lawrence Hedrick, will leave—taking Barbara with me. Page Thirteen