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Class of 1948 Class Will
To Whom It May Concern:
We, the dexterous Senior Class of ’48, being of sound mind and memory, do hereby leave this last Will and Testament behind.
We, the Seniors, do will to Mr. Hilton our quiet dispositions and the pleasure of getting rid of us.
To Mrs. McCluskey, we will our excuses for the many absences during the year.
Mrs. Robinson will inherit our singing ability and speech defects.
To Mrs. Fleming we will our poor postures in hopes she may better them.
We, the Seniors, leave to Mr. Hughes all our bright remarks.
To the Freshmen we leave our ability to get by with our clever tricks and actions.
To the Sophomore class our many parties! We can dream, can’t we?
We have lingered long on what we should do about the Juniors. We cannot leave them our good looks, for we have none. We cannot leave them a trust fund, for we have always found it difficult to get the fund without the trust. We can leave them nothing to eat because we ate everything in sight at the Junior-Senior Banquet. All we have possible to leave them are our good times as being Seniors.
I, Elaine Epling, will all my steady dates to Bill Beard.
I, Margaret Walter, will the braces on my teeth to Lewis Beard.
I, Donald Larson, will my Regents Exam paper to Myron Brockway, along with twenty pounds of my weight to each of the first eleven of next year’s football team.
I, Kenneth Wilson, will my nights at Oakland to Janice Byram.
I, Helen Penny, will my red hair and big Farrens feet to Shirley Castor.
I, Velma Tippery, will my muscles to Beverly Conklin.
I, Maxine Pond, will my one and only dimple to Joyce Dunn so that she might put it with her one and only one.
I, Lloyd Warren, will my driver’s license to Mary Lee Eagleton. (Be Careful.)
I, Leslie Deman, will my Al Jolson voice to Glenn Hunter and Bob Farber.
I, Mina Young, leave my “Flirty Eyes” to Edwin Hanson.
I, Del Hightree, leave my bookkeeping ability to Bonnie Huffman.
I, Betty Erwin, will all the boys that look like Frank Sinatra (except one) to Roberta Hughes, and my quietness to Betty Malloy.
I, Vern Tippery, will my “Atlas build” to Albin Johnson and Dick Larson.
I, Lois Johnson, due to the meat shortage, will “Bacon” to Mary Murphy.
I, Muriel Way, will my height and volley ball ability to Gerald Newton.
I, Charles Stillman, will my Chicago trips to Donald McAllister.
I, Bill Phelps, will my ‘new’ pick-up truck to Donald Phipps.
I, Arda Bonneau, will my bow-legs to JoAnn Schneider and Edna Olson in hopes that they may put them to a good use.
I, Maxine Ford, will my typing paper to Raymond “Pete” Seymour.
I, Dorothy Hennig, will my Cornhusker Girls State pin to Ted Weaver.
I, Jerry Sage, “Rivets,” will my yellow socks and chicken farm to Wilda Y’Deen.
I, Paul Mussack, will my permanent wavy hair and ability to get along with women to Max Kellogg.
In witness thereof, we hereby affix our seal to this last Will and Testament at Decatur High School this 20th day of May, 1948.
Signed: Class of ‘48
Class Prophecy
Time: 1968
Place: New York City
From: Don Larson
I was flying to California to check on my West Coast banks. Upon boarding the new streamlined, deluxe, atom propelled Rocket Ship, 1-9-6-8, I happened to notice seated next to me was a small shriveled-up man with long white whiskers, and small glasses sitting on the end of his nose. He looked very familiar and upon looking closer I noticed a loud blue tie with basketball players on it. Then it all came back to me. He was none other than Mr. H. H. Hilton, my old high school superintendent. Striking up a conversation, I learned that he was now head of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He was flying to U.S.C. to help in some research on child psychology. We were talking about U.S.C. when he told me about Kenny Wilson being head coach there. He has had the post for five years, winning the Rose Bowl three of them. Kenny is one of the best coaches in the country today. After discussing Ken W., I mentioned that Muriel Elizabeth Way, better known as “Sis,” was in California and is now one of the best producer-directors in Hollywood. Her newest movie, “Atomic Passion Love,” would most likely net her an academy award. The stars for “Sis’s” new picture were none other than Mina Young and Lloyd Warren, who by the way are top-notch actors in Hollywood at this time. There are rumors that there will be wedding bells for Sis and Kenny soon.
Our conversation was cut short by the thrust of the exploding rockets. We continued, as we leveled off at about 25 miles up in the air.
We were discussing sports, when I told him about seeing Velma Tippery who is now one of the leading contenders for the woman’s heavyweight wrestling championship. She is also one of the greatest attractions that Madison Round Garden has had for a long time.
Mr. Hilton said that he heard from Dorothy Hennig who wrote and requested him to come to the State Women’s Home for Correction and give a speech on social behavior. Dorothy, herself, is a very proficient teacher of social science and has charge of disciplining all of the girls.
I almost forgot, I said to Mr. Hilton, you remember Betty Erwin, don’t you? She used to pester you in the office all the time. Well, she finally got her man, Tom Mason. They now are running a sardine factory in Seattle. They lie in a big mansion called Mason’s Hatchery. They named their oldest boy “Sharkey.”
We were interrupted by the Rocket Ship’s sudden lurching shudder. After many minutes of careful deliberation, Mr. Hilton told me he had come to the complicated conclusion that the jet motors just wouldn’t jet. We were a hundred miles up over Chicago when the trouble began. With a final shudder the Rocket leveled off and glided toward the Omaha station. Falling short of our destination, we crash landed about forty miles south of Sioux City, Iowa.
As the rocket settled to a stop, I got from my seat and helped the trembling, fear struck, old man out of his seat, to the doorway. After the pilot and I checked to find no one injured, I stepped to the door and started to crawl to the ground. I was practically knocked from my feet by a swarm of screaming little hellions! When I recovered my balance sufficiently, I counted fourteen little boys crawling all over the rocket ship. Looking around to see where they came from I spotted almost immediately, a little thatch-roofed bungalow. Upon closer inspection of the couple, I recognized my old classmate, Arda Bonneau. The withered aged old man beside her was none other than my old pal, Chuck Stillman. Slowly he spoke to me saying, “Wass yu doin, huh?” I could see now that Chuck and Arda had their own football team; they even had three reserves. Now they are living a mile north of the thriving metropolis of Bertha. Chuck and Arda directed Mr. Hilton and me over the hill to the next farm where we hoped to get some form of transportation.
Upon inquiring, I found the lady of the house to be Elaine Epling. She was doing the farming while Les Deman was in town running his used pickup shop. From the looks of things he needed a semi to haul around the sixteen little stars I counted. She agreed to take us to the hotel in town.
On the way she told us that we should know the owner of the biggest hotel in town. He was none other than Vern Tippery. Vern had left the farm to manage a hotel and dabble in local politics. He had been the people’s choice for Mayor of Decatur.
Driving down toward the river, we saw coal mines that were shut down. I inquired as to what the trouble was. We were informed that Bill Phelps had taken over part of the late John L. Lewis’ tasks and ordered his men to quit work until their employer met union demands. Bill told me that Del Hightree had turned into a great lumber and coal tycoon. He was almost entirely in control of the selling of Bill’s coal. Bill also told me that Lois Johnson is now a famous model in Paris. Helen Penny designs all of Lois’ clothes, so they both have their share of fame.
Elaine said we should get started for town because she had to get back to spring plowing.
As I started to get in the pickup I ripped the sole off my shoe. When we reached town I saw a leather goods shop. Elaine stopped. I got out and started for the doorway. I saw something that made me stop and stare! There beside the harness shop was my old friend, Jerry Sage. Of all things, he was selling pencils. I asked Jerry if business was good and he gave me two pencils for an answer. Business must be good.
I turned to go into the leather goods store and behind the counter was Paul Mossback. Yes it seems that after he got too old, his father had retired from the school board and Paul had taken over, running the store as a side line.
Asking Paul about the three remaining classmates, I learned that Maxine Pond is a beauty operator in Sioux City, Iowa.
Margaret Walter is teaching school out at the new three story school house, which was formerly called the Ball School. Her sailor, now her husband, is superintendent of all surrounding country schools.
Maxine Ford was happily married over in Pender. She was in Decatur celebrating her 25th wedding anniversary.
As Mr. Hilton and I returned to the repaired Rocket, it suddenly vanished. There before me stood a large, red object. On closer inspection I saw it was Mr. H. H. Hughes with a yard stick in his hand which was breaking over my head. Now as I sit in the office I still think it could happen, even it was just a dream.
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