Yale High School - Bulldog Yearbook (Yale, MI)

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CLASS PROPHECY ( Continued ) Anne: From Detroit I started East by way of the Great Lakes. Just as I was leaving port another steamer docked. Walking over to get a closer view of this huge vessel, I detected Leonard Meharg among the many sailors, as staunch as any of them, but, as he later informed me, the name of Pee Wee still clung to him. Since I had previously heard that Helen Halsey was making her debut as an opera singer at Carnegie Hall, I made it a point to stop in New York for a few days. After her appearance, which naturally was a splendid one, I attempted to get back stage to have a few words with her. However my at- tempts failed, the crowd was so thick! The next morning as I was sight-seeing in the city, my steps carried me toward Tammany Hall. Speaking to several politicians I overheard the name Palmateer. On further inquiry, I found it was Eldon Palmateer, who after first trying his hand as a bus driver, then changing to the more adventurous aviation field, finally decided to devote his life to politics. Since his political career was broadening, Eldon em- ployed Rita Miller as his private secretary. Although the rumors may be false, it has been said the secretary and the boss are rather intimate com- panions. As I visited here and there, I found that New York was a great at- traction for many of our old friends. For one day while visiting a broadcast- , ing station on the Great White Way” I had the privilege of hearing Lawrence Spencer, America’s great comedian, perform. That same evening Viola Young broadcast her Hints to housewives on the quest for beauty.” Then I also found that Beatrice Ryder, a divorcee three times, was considering marrying for the fourth time ?ome nobleman of Spanish descent. I learned, too, that Bernita Hazzard had recently arrived from Paris, as the world famous fashionist. And what happened to you about this time? Lois: Well, when I left Michigan, I started for California. My goal was Hollywood, because ever since I was in high school I wanted to visit that place. n ight I was there I went to a show. It was Priscilla Young, starring in Captive Wife.” I had never seen Priscilla Young but I went and guess what? The star of the show was none other than Remelda Gerlach. That just proves that we haven t been keeping track of our school chums or we would have known that Ramelda is a movie star. I spent quite a bit of time in Holly- wood, seeing no one in particular. Still about a week later I saw in the paper that Josephine Samson had a big part in a vaudeville act. Of course I had to go and see it. Her singing and dancing were superb, but it didn’t surprise me much because I knew she had it in her. Russel Maplethorpe also climbed to stardom with a bound. It appears that he is the second Robert Taylor. One afternoon while I was buying some clothes in a Hollywood dress shoppe, I met Elsie Barr who was working there as a saleslady. She told me that she is happily married and that her husband is a traveling salesman. When we started talking about old times she said that Donna Hall is a newspaper editor. It seems that being the editor of the annual in her senior year, started her out on a career in newspaper work. I hadn’t seen Donna in years as you know, so I went to see her. She and her family live in a comfortable apartment ( Continued on next page ) 19

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CLASS PROPHECY The time is 195 8, Lois and Anne, two bachelor girls, have just returned from an extended trip and are seated in their cottage talking over their ex- periences. Lois: My, it’s good to be home again. It seems as if we’ve been away from our dear little cottage for years. You know I’m glad that the first place we visited was Yale because we certainly did meet many of our schoolmates in our old home town, didn’t we? Weren’t you surprised to see Thelma Beal, or what is her name now? Anyway I feel very sorry for that hen-pecked husband of hers. Their hotel is very accommodating, but didn’t you notice how uncom- fortable the beds were? It was very good of her, though, to give us informa- tion about the whereabouts of some of our other classmates. I was surprised to see Jean Sparling as an auburn-haired beauty parlor operator. Can you ima- gine Jean dyeing her hair red? This was quite a contrast to the plain housewife that I expected her to be. The farmers around Yale certainly are prosperous, especially George Graves. He and Ida seemed very contented with their family of six children. They were quite obliging to take us to see the former Marion Collins, now happily settled in a cottage built for two in Avoca. After leaving each other in Yale and taking our pre-arranged tour, where did your journey lead you? Anne: You can’t imagine what interesting contacts I made on that trip. The minute I arrived in Detroit I looked up the society matron Berenetta Park and her husband, Jack Colden, who reside in one of the most exclusive resi- dential sections of Grosse Pointe. That evening they entertained me as guest of honor at a dinner at which Senator Chandler and his practical wife, the for- mer Helen Graves were present. Across the table sat Clarence Fair, slightly greyed, but spots of red hair could still be discerned, one of the most promin- ent business men of Detroit. Later in the evening Helen and I escaped from the group to talk over our school days. To my astonishment she informed me that in a nearby hospital a few of our acquaintances held positions. Therefore on the following day I visited there. As I was walking through the halls, whom should I meet, but those two inseparable pals of those dear old schooldays — Treasure Groat and Irene Hilliker — the ideal nurses. They told me that their career was their sole ambition, and then directed me to a ward where I beheld the white-clad figure of Charles Radloff as doctor, well up on his way to becom- ing a heart specialist. But I would like to hear more about your trip. Lois: When I left you I had the most unusual experience. As I was riding along on a cool spring morning, at a distance I saw a peculiar looking indivi- dual. Coming closer the features of this person seemed familiar. On still closer observation I recognized this country tramp to be Tom Mullaney. He rode with me to the next town while we talked over the good times we used to have in Yale High School. When I left Tom, I came in view of a little white church. There seemed to be a service going on so I stopped in and who should be the pastor, but Rawland Clemens, eloquently preaching a sermon! What were some of your experiences when you left Detroit? (Continued on next page )

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CLASS PROPHECY ( Continued ) about two blocks from the newspaper office. She knew quite a bit of news. She told me that Phyllis Meharg is a telephone operator for Major Bowes’ suc- cessor, Major Green, Lucille Carless is a dancing teacher with a class of thirty children, Margaret Armstrong is married to a Los Angeles banker, quite well- to-do, and Elsie Bybee is Tyrone Power’s secretary, who must be up in years by now. She also said that Alvin Shaw and Faye Norris are living on orange plantations not far from Hollywood. I went to see them both. Alvin has quite a place. Faye lives in a cosy little house too. Of course her name isn’t Norris anymore but I can’t remember it. The last day that I was there, when I was roaming around the lots, watching them shoot scenes, I came across Kenneth Kook who was one of the photographers. Anne: Since I had all the time I wanted to take, I started toward Massa- chusetts. Naturally, my first spot of interest was Harvard University, where I attended for two years. On my inspection of the college I found that Morton Clark had a position there as professor, and that Al Boughner was head coach. I witnessed one of the games his team played, and it was spectacular. When I went to one of the classes there was Marion Shaw, now be-spectacled, and grinding away for dear life. What surprised me most, though, was that Ev- erett Shaw made his home in Massachusetts, and turned out to be the inventor of a more efficient printing-room cleaner.” Leaving this section, I headed South, encountering nothing of interest until my arrival at a hotel in Florida where I met with Jennie Wixon who holds a position as stenographer to a busi- ness man. On my way homeward I made a stop at Memphis, Tennessee, and there I heard so much about Eleanor Durski and her latest book, Wings of an Angel,” that I made it a point to speak to her privately. She is now a writer as well as a contented housewife. Before reaching home in Chicago, my last stop was in Springfield. A friend of mine was a witness at a trial and I was interested in the case. As I entered the court the trial had already begun and I nearly fainted when I saw that Anna Conroy was the lawyer for the defendant. And so my tour ended, and I am indeed happy to be back in dear old Chicago. Lois: Yes, I am too, but I must go now. I want to listen to the radio. Har- old Rector and his Gang will be on in about two minutes. I never thought he’d be an orchestra leader, did you? They say he’s quite a ladies’ man, too. -Lois Middleton Anne Jerlecki 20