Senior Picnic

Although I'm using a magnifying glass, I might get some names wrong.
Left to right in front: Sharon R. and Ebba L. waving; Daisy W., Darlene H., H.A. Hoff, possibly David S. sitting in the shade, Ken Z. and Norman G. with his head turned. Left to right, standing up is Nancy S., sitting Carolyn M., Judy T., Mary Jane F., then possibly either Priscilla D. or Mary Lou S. waving, and Sally O. next to Darlene. Then back to the left again, I can't tell who is next to Nancy S. behind Carolyn's head, then Barb E. and Diane B., Kay A. and Lynne F., Nancy L. and Sara Y., maybe Pat B. with her head down, next to Ron D. and would that be Darrell M. with the open shirt? His head is down--can't see the face. I'm guessing the partial head there is Mike B. Then left side again I see Dorothy R. and behind her Nelson P., Jerry T., Jerry W., maybe Glenn R., then standing with the hat might be Greely, John M. showing some leg, Melvin K. and Nancy G., Francine K., and Dave B. I don't know where everyone else is--I'm taking the photograph. Maybe we divided into two groups or were waiting for some to return from hiking. I'm betting we had more than one chaperone! It was the 50s after all!

I didn't have this identified, so I'm going to guess that this was also the Senior Picnic because of Nancy L.'s shorts, and that they are ready to get on the bus. If it is the picnic, someone has shorts on under his jeans. Left to right, Nancy L., Norman G., Steve B., Jon M., and Bob C. I'm thinking Steve got a whole lot taller after graduation, because when he said, "Hi Corby," at the 20 year reunion, I looked up and asked him his name.

Greely and Glen

Nancy L. sent this photo taken in March 1953, so I have no idea what's going on except Greely M. is acting silly and Glen O. is helping him along--what a surprise! It looks like they were playing softball. I also can't tell what street they are on. There are parking meters, but I don't see any businesses. But didn't we have nice curbs and sidewalks in those days? Our little town was way ahead of the others. Does anyone remember when parking meters were installed? Do they still take pennies and nickels?

Who were the thespians?

Here's a group I'd forgotten about--the Thespians. According to our Freshman yearbook (1953-54) it was the school dramatic club and one became a member by trying out. I would rather have my fingernails pulled than perform or try out, so I probably never even considered this fine group and the advantages of learning to speak in front of a group. That year they gave 2 one-act plays for the public and 3 for the student body. I'm impressed! Plus they had an initiation banquet in October and attended a play as a group in May. Three members of our class were in Thespians that year--Sara Y., Mike B., and Neal J. John Ross, the English and Journalism teacher, was the adviser.

The next year's annual shows no calendar of the club's activities, but it does say they presented a short play for an assembly program, introduced the assembly programs, and attended one stage play. Our class membership expanded a bit and Carolyn M., Kay A., Sally O. were added, so our class had six. Richard Myers was the adviser (he played the organ at our wedding).

The theme of the next annual (1955-56) was a playbill using terms like directors, producers, playwrights, stars, understudies, etc., but I can't find the Thespian Club, and instead there is a small group (6) in their first year of organizing as Forensics. Neal J., and Carolyn M. were members. It picked up a number of underclassmen the next year, and for our senior year included Nancy L. and Carolyn M., but Neal J. had left us and gone to college early. Mrs. Price was the Forensics Club adviser. In 1956-57 the group presented three plays at school assemblies.

Does anyone remember the story on the name change? I see there were a number of student skits which seem to be ad hoc--not members of these groups--in our senior year a skit on proper attire (Darlene H., Sharon R., Nancy L.), a skit on courtesy, and a Christmas play that included Carolyn M., Ron D., Dwayne Z. and Duane B.

I've got some photos of the senior class play--not from the annual. Coming soon. . . The Red House Mystery.

Ladies' Breakfasts

The women of the class of 1957 have often met in July before the class reunion for breakfast. I'm a bit fuzzy on the details, although I've attended quite a few over the years, but here's the history as Lynne recalls it:

"For fifty years the ladies of our class have met for breakfast. After our graduation, some married, some went off to college and trade schools, others entered the work force. It became our custom to get together as often as we could, as many of us that could. These early breakfasts were held in my mother's kitchen or dining room depending on how many showed up. We sent out notes or called--e-mail hadn't been invented yet! All came who could. We'd catch up on boyfriends, work opportunities or college activities. The subjects changed over the years to finding jobs, finding husbands, having babies, and buying houses. Then we moved on to middle age issues (for some finding new husbands and new houses) such as the right school for the kids, and then on to aging parents, retirement and for some, widowhood."

At some point, it became a bit more formalized and we began meeting in restaurants. The first one I remember attending was around 1979 and I think it was at Maxon's. The photo below, sent by Nancy S., was taken at the restaurant in the Oregon Conover Square, and because I'm wearing glasses and had a perm, I'd date it as 1993, but she says 1990 was written on the back.


Left to right: Francine K., Diane B., Sara Y., Jean M., Sylvia T., Nancy S., Norma C.

This photo is from 2003 and the women of the class of 1957 met with those of class of 1956 at the restaurant at the White Pines State Park. Neither class was having a reunion that year, so there weren't as many people in town.


Front row left to right: Diane B., Francine K., Priscilla D., Katie Dirksen, our PE teacher in high school, Carolyn D. (56), Jane K. (56), A.J. O. (56) Sylvia T., Beverly B. (56), Phyllis G. (56). Back row, left to right: Marion D., Jean M., Norma C., Barb N. (56)

Lynne F., Sylvia T. and Norma C. in 1999
Lynne writes: "We'll all be looking forward to meeting again on June 30 (time and place tba) for the annual ladies' breakfast."

Our two high school buildings

I thought the class of 1957 was the last one to use the red brick building built in 1918, but when I checked our annual, I see that the 1955 yearbook had a large photo of the classes streaming across the street, just as I remember. So the class of 1958 must have also had classes there. The yearbook of 1956 doesn't exactly say, but it was dedicated to all the members of the community who helped get the "new" building done, beginning with a study in 1946 which projected an increase in enrollment. It says the first unit ($483,263.27) was opened in September 1952, and the second ($421,736.73) had no date given, so it must have been fall of 1955. (Yes, R. Miller left a comment here at the photo of the incomplete building.)


For some reason, I remember the layout and classrooms better in the old building than the new. Study hall. Don't even remember that in the new one, but certainly remember some funny events in the red brick building. And assemblies. We used to have some pretty good programs. And watching the teen lovers in the cars in front of the school as the boyfriends would drop off their girlfriends. It was an interesting, educational lunch time activity. Someone will have to update me on what happened to this building. I know it burned some time after it was no longer used as a classroom building.



The photos were sent by Nancy S. and much appreciated.

class of 1957

Ruth and Ralph Crowell

A number of us in the class of 1957 knew this couple who lived on Hitt Street. Ruth and Ralph Crowell had no children--except the Corbetts, Potters, Burkes, Zickhurs, Balluff, Rittenhouses and Leopold. Ralph would get down on the floor of their living room with us with the box of toys Ruth kept for that purpose. After lots of giggles there might be a cookie or two appear from the kitchen. Ralph spent time in the back yard casting his fishing line for us to chase. I still have a cloth doll that Ruth made for me. She made two, but I loved the other one to death. Sadly, Ruth died of a heart problem in the late 1940s. Ralph was a WWI veteran and served in France. So when all our fathers were gone during WWII, he enjoyed his role as a stand-in. I don't think I ever saw him without a cigarette.

Eighth Grade Trip to Chicago

Early on a May morning in 1953 the whole 8th grade class boarded a yellow school bus bound for Chicago and the city sites--and as it turned out, smells as well.

It was the custom in our district in the 1950s to treat the 8th graders to a trip at the end of the school year. The destination was always Chicago, 90 miles east. First stop, Chicago Stock Yards. We were all small town kids and our village was surrounded by farms, but one whiff of the stock yards and everyone on the bus gave out with a collective P-U and windows were quickly closed.

I don't recall where we had lunch, but the afternoon was spent at the Museum of Science and Industry. It was an exciting experience--our eager young minds taking in the simulated coal mine, the vintage cars, seeing yourself on TV, so many scents, sounds and sights--the wonders of science.

Photos by Nancy L. and Norma C., memory by Lynne F.

Mike S., John Jon M. and Ken Z., possibly Glenn O. in the foreground. Might be Bob C., Jerry B., Larry S. in the background. Sara Y., Salley O. and Sylvia T. in the background. Some of our teachers on the top steps. Add a name in the comment if you recognize anyone else.

Left to right: Francine K., Norma C., and Priscilla D. "We're still all friends today," says Lynne.


Kay A., Sally O., Sara Y.
class of 1957

Proud to be Girl Scouts

Every store I've been in this week has a table set aside for the Scouts selling cookies. My neighbor came by with her granddaughter to pick up the donation I'd promised instead of purchasing cookies. So here's a wonderful memory written by Lynne F. with photos submitted by Nancy L., whose mom was our leader.

Our class had a large, very active Girl Scout troop in the 50s. We hiked, biked, had camping trips, rolled back the sod, cooked our hobo stew and made S'mores. We also had one memorable trip to Chicago on the train and two nights at the Palmer House--the hotel was never the same! We girls thrived on this and we were blessed with two leaders who were very good sports, Mildred Lamm and Velda Plum. Some girls stayed on and were Senior Girl Scouts through high school. My personal motivation may have come from that Hollywood movie magazine of the 50s which said Debbie Reynolds had been a Senior Girl Scout. I like to think it was the fresh air, exercise and friendship. To this day I buy Girl Scout cookies.

Left to right: Barb E., Norma C., Sara Y. and Nancy L. ca. 1951. Photo submitted by Nancy L. Verso says: "Ready to leave on our 2 day camping trip." Norma says: All I remember of G.S. camping is the cows coming to our tents and scaring us. I think this street is Emily.

Left to right at a Girl Scout play day, Robin Hood theme, April 1952: Carolyn M., Darlene H., Sharon R., Norma C., Donna B., Sara Y., Deb P. Salley O., Fran K., unidentified, Diane B., Marion D., Kay A. Back row, left to right: Nancy L., Lynne F., Mrs. Lamm, leader, unidentified.

Lynne remembers: This photo brings back a flood of memories. One hike we all took was the back way to the White Pines State Park. The roads were gravel then and it was a hot and dusty hike. Our leader, Mrs. L. had us take interval breaks in the shade. On one such break we all flopped down but soon. Fran K. was up jumping and gyrating like nothing we'd ever seen before. She had landed on a hugh ant hill and they took exception to it! Mrs. L. had us form a semi-circle while first-aid was applied to Fran's back side. Years later while watching the 60's program Laugh In and realiized that was Fran's dance they were doing--a cross between the Funky Chicken and the Watusi. Fran survived and so did the story. Fran K ever the good sport and joy to this day.