Jim White’s Speech and Comments at 2007
Reunion
|
|
The
top three students were, Marjorie Carlson, Doris Merchant, Nancy Miller. All of whom I tried to get to make this
speech tonight and none of them would accept the challenge. Now I am
beginning to know why they were so smart.
Some
of our teachers were Alvin Stoner, Ruth Corbin, Ann McPhail, Olive Smart,
Marion Hamilton, Ruth Tilton, Vincent Studer, J.E Stewart, Principle, Gerald
Roudebush and Virgil Robbins, coaches. Our
class had 7 members in the band.
Doris Hodde (Brunton) had been our music/band instructor who brought
the marching band concept to the Morocco High School Band. It was requested that I introduce the
girls of our class by their full names not just their married names and I
request that our Class of 1947 meet every year from now on. Thank You. (The following article appeared in the OLD GOLD and BLACK
March 13, 1947) History of Class of 1947 The
school year of ’43 and ’44, forty-six green freshies entered the doors of
good, old MHS. Scared stiff, we were assembled, for the usual ritual of initiation,
in the high school assembly and given a thorough going over by the graduating
class of ’44. That year, we chose as
our president, Allen Myers, Miss Ruth Tilton sponsored the class. Our class, like all other freshmen classes
before us, led the traditional lives of dogs. Secretly we thought it was fun, for at last we had entered high
school. Six of our classmates
withdrew that year: Phyllis Hobbs, Norman Carroll, Virginia Mills, Kenneth
Wood, Ronald Davis, and Clyde Mingear.
Richard Franklin entered the class from Lansing: Marceline Ware came
from Rensselaer, and Jim White rejoined his classmates that Fall after his
recovery from an injury. The
sophomore year was begun with 48 members. Three new students had entered;
Stanley Morgan from New York, Maynard Rich from Donovan, and Louis Vraniak
from Chicago. Marjorie Carlson was
chosen class president and Mr. Alvin Stoner sponsored our class. That year we presented two Christmas
plays, and at the close of the year a majority of the class was voted into
History Club. Again we had a good
time on class night portraying the lives of teachers here at MHS. We’re afraid that the reason Miss Corbin
blushes when she hears the reference to “Pistol Packin’ Mama”, is entirely
because of that night. Ten members of
our class withdrew that year: Robert Christenson, Marshall Faucher, Dorothy
Flatt, Marcella Hough, Donald Love, Stanley Morgan, Robert Rainford, Ruby
Starnes, Earl Young, and Robert Gutherie.
The
next year we were juniors---at last. But the summer before, the army had
taken two of our boys: Don Robinson and Willis Parrish, while three other
members of the class withdrew: Richard Styck, Allen Myers, and Robert
Lomax. Mary Lowery and Jeanette
Hixson joined our class. That year
was prosperous, for we sold soft drinks, candy and ice cream during noon
hours and at the sectional tourney. In addition we sponsored the annual
Junior Prom. J.R.Sheldon was chosen as our class president and Miss Marian
Hamilton sponsored the class. Class colors of new gold and white were chosen
so that we might order class sweaters. Then
finally -------Seniors! Now we were going to get back on some of the under
classmen. We had a great time
initiating the freshmen. Although we had been scared to death when we were
freshies, we didn’t spare the rod where those poor freshmen were
concerned. Mrs. McPhail sponsored
the class of 33 members and Marjorie Carlson was chosen as president. At the beginning of the second semester,
Jean Pratt who had been a former student, returned from Texas. Jewell McCord, Leland Mayhew and Mary
Lowery withdrew and Gerald Iliff and Earl Swartz received their diplomas
after the first semester. We
sponsored a senior dance and presented an annual senior play “Cash and
Carrie”. Along with winning the class
tourneys for the past three years, we were honored by receiving the class
banner for the year 1947. During the
latter part of the year we planned trips to Lafayette and Chicago. We, as all
other seniors before us, ended the year with the traditional “Kid’s Day”,
“Senior Week” and “Class Night”. We
are happy to graduate, but we regret the fact that our high school days are
over. We
the graduates of the class of 1947, sincerely hope that in some way, we have
left MHS at least a little better for having spent our years here. Class
officers: President, Marjorie Carlson; Vice-president, Jim Rainford;
Secretary, Melissa Perkins; Treasurer, J.R.Sheldon. Class
Motto: Love, Labor and Laugh Class
Colors: New Gold and White Class
Flower: White Rose |