The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.
by Barb Walker, Class of "54
With the 54 Fords parked outside and the juke box playing inside the gym, the class of 1954 had a blast from the past.
The weekend started with a breakfast at Traveler's Inn (Tastee-Freez) for our first meeting with our graduation class of "54'.
Some faces, a quick remembrance; others, slow but sure as "of course and oh yeas went around the tables.
Then to Barb (Gillett) and Ronnie Walkers to decorate the float. While we visited, ate chili and drank Weirs Farm cider brought by Bob Lee, who also drove the float truck. The day was brisk, a perfect kind of day for Homecoming.
Donning class picture sweatshirts and purple and gold pompom mums for the ladies,a we were all set. Bob drove this proud and happy group up and down Main Street of La Harpe as is the custom for our town.
After the parade was over, we stepped down from the float (via step stool for a few), the group parted ways until our Saturday activities.
Little Swan Lake, the home of Mariana (Bainter) and Ken Schrader, our classmates and their spouses met for a bountiful buffet. The place settings on the tables were set with a 50's remembrance made by the hosts granddaughter. Casseroles, homemadae baked goods and a beautiful fruit bowl made with pineapple sent to them from Hawaii by their daughter.
Ray Claycomb, our class president, handmade a peg game for us in the shape of Illinois and also inscribed it with class and date of our meeting. A great keepsake.
Pontoon rides for all on Little Swan Lake with Ken as captain of his boat to end another meeting but just until evening.
Saturday evening - Wow - back to our high school days! "54" Fords in the parking lot, a newsstand displaying the Quill with our Senior picture on the front page, and "Elvis" was seen in his "54' Ford drinking a coke, of course. Waving to him on our way into the Christian Church gym, we met for dinner, music and entertainment at its finest.
Invited to the evening festivities were the classes of "1953 and 1955. Gathering at 5:00 p.m., everyone enjoyed visiting and seeing all the decorations. Some of our teachers also joined us. Mr. Shoaff came from Minnesota; Mrs. Gracia (Barnes) Waddill from Iowa; Mr. and Mrs. Pohlman and Mr. and Mrs. Don Corry from Illinois. Also Mr. and Mrs. Dan Gillett, who arranged for much of our wonderful decor of the evening and Kim Peters.
Dining tables decorated in school colors of purple and gold, pictures from school days and some more memorabilia were centerpieces. Framed pictures of all three classes were place markers to be taken home. Place mats at each setting depicted our class picture. It was a delightfully designed table for all to enjoy.
Dinner, served around 5:30 p.m., was catered by our own R. and D. Foods, which of course, meant a wonderful repast. Serving that evening, most graciously, was the Sunday School Class of our late classmate Elaine (Eddington) Berlett.
Our class has experienced the loss of six classmates, Jerry Rodeffer, Ellen Johnson, Raymond Woolridge, Gene Reed, Elaine (Eddington) Berlett and Shirley (Lenix) Woodside. We arranged a memorial table in our class colors of blue and white with a gold framed 5x7 picture of each, a lighted candle and a vase by their picture.
Our Emcee of the evening, Mariana, told a little something about each one, Phyllis (Fark) Foster placed a white carnation, our class flower, at each picture. A sad moment for all. We also had a memory table filled with school announcements, pictures, a class ring, letter jacket, play programs and many other pieces from our days together. All around the gym you could spot something that brought back a memory.
Mariana continued the program with some thoughts for all to remember. Then turning the program over to our music director, Nancy (Bradshaw) Nystrom, Nancy emceed the style show complete with music played by Gladys (Bennett) Huston.
Starting off with a freshman Home Ec project, an apron, designed, sewn and worn by Marilyn (Kraft) Eddington, with Mrs. Barnes Waddill looking on from the audience (mentally giving her an A+). The audience then participated by wearing or holding school sweaters, prom gowns, FFA and GAA jackets and sweaters, a graduation robe and dresses with 24 inch waistlines (oh boy), hats galore and even a fur collared coat and furry mittens brought and worn by Joan (Bell) Siegworth, who incidentally supplied us with a number of our style show items. Nancy (Mueller) Woodside wore our gym suit and demonstrated her basketball prowess. She was one of a few with the 24 inch waistline.
Afterward, we all sang some old songs led by our music director and at the piano, Gladys Huston. A game of "Name That Tune" was started as the "Committee of Nine" retired to the dressing room to prepare for the finale.
Entering the room to the accompaniment of "When We Are 64" and aided by our walkers and wearing hospital gowns, we maneuvered our old bones through the crowd. The crowd, who were sympathetic, helped us to the front of the room where we did our dance routine with walkers to the music of the Beatles tune "When We are 64", choreographed by Nancy.
Thus ended the weekend of remembering "The Way We Were".
Back Row: Bob Lee, Norma McClanahan, Carl Shipman, Wayne Burkhart, Ray Claycomb, Eugene Foster, Alvin Woodside, Carl Kline, Middle Row: Joan Horner, Cliff Shipman, Phyllis Foster, Barb Walker, Sally Young, Bonnie McKeown, Front Row: Nancy Parrish, Nancy Nystrom, Mariana Schrader, Marilyn Eddington, Creed Chance