History Matters

Class of 1924By Phyllis Greely Hoeft, 1974
I was asked to go to the Elwin Petty home on Carnelian Lake Saturday afternoon to take the picture of the graduating class of 1924 at their reunion. I was given to read Selma’s copy of the excellent booklet composed of 20 mimeographed pages prepared for the event by Catherine Whannel Ray. She used notes from the record of Flora Brower Lee, who had preserved a very complete record of their high school years.

It was fascinating reading to me and I am sure that many of you readers would also find it very interesting to read in its entirety.

The account of the history of the class which started with 17 members and had 10 graduates is full of amusing incidents recorded in the booklet and give us an intimate look into a period when Kimball High School was still quite young. You know the oldest part – the front section – of our elementary school was built in 1911 so it was only one year old when the graduating class of 1924 were first graders.

In the Junior year of the class the account states: “Miss Nutting organized a Girls Glee Club and we practiced after school, usually two nights a week. Two songs with four parts, one of which was ‘The Gypsy Trail’ were sung at a school program and at a community meeting (in the old Town Hall – also the scene of all the basketball games).

“A Junior Senior Banquet was given about the middle of May. It caused the Juniors much worry and trouble, but was carried out with remarkable success. It rained all day and the kids who had to get decorations were soaked. In the evening the lights went out and candles were used.

“An interesting feature of the evening was the ‘Bachelors Dream’. Wayne represented the bachelor sitting before a fireplace in an easy chair, dreaming of by-gone days. The lights were made very dim and the Junior girls each representing one whom he had loved came in one at a time and appropriate music was played and sung for each one. Catherine represented the kindergarten girl; Flora, the school girl; Ruth, the High School graduate; Ailie, the College girl; Vern, the vamp; Selma, the society dame; and Mabel, the bride.” …

“Miss Sober began to direct a girls gymnasium class. One afternoon during the period, the girls played Leap Frog and were most entertainly watched by the boys in the Library. When this class was discontinued (did the Leap Frog bit take care of that?), a girls basketball team was organized. Harvard Ray was allowed to skip chemistry class to help coach.”

The booklet contained so much more and concluded with rather complete biographies of each member of the class, including the two now deceased, Mabel Braden Linn and Wayne Adkins.

No doubt Catherine and Flora will be amazed to read this material in this column – but it was, I felt, too interesting for so few eyes to see.

Text from the Tri-County News, Aug. 22, 1974.