Class History
At the beginning of our journey through high school we numbered twenty-seven. That same year we gained three members, Robert or "Shorty" Billings, Al Conklin and Pauline Vermilyea, thus raising the total enrollment of the Freshmen Class to thirty. Mr. Snow was our homeroom teacher and was very well liked. The highlight of the year was "Shorty's" great affection for Miss Jackson and Mr. Snow. I am sure we all recall some of the amazing adventures of the Freshmen Social Studies Class. We lost one member in our first year. John Bone left to stay at home on the farm.
As we came to our Sophmore year rating (some say heredity did it), we were blessed with two more classmates, Tony Lunt and Lee Kalmas, but they were destined to leave before the year was up. Our number was cut considerably that year. Paul Jensen and Pete Every left to become members of the United States Marine Corps; Howard Hinkley and Fredd Hitt, to become farmers, and "Shorty" Bilings for places unknown to writers of this class history. We will all remember Miss Paulsen, Mrs. Eckert, who was our homeroom teacher and class advisor. Mrs. Eckert is now a member of the Waves.
We recall our Junior year with a little less pleasure. Our happieness was marred by the sudden sickness and death of Mary Barbara Rich. We will always remember her as a true friend and companion. Under Mr. John Casey's hand as class advisor and homeroom teacher, we voted on a selection of class rings and everyone was satisfied. This year we lost Pauline Vermilyea to Don Hadden, her prince charming. Bernard St. George, a new member of our class that year, left to join the Navy. Dortha Dart joined our group in this year, making the total membership in our class twenty-three at the end of the year.
At last we became proud (not altogether dignified) Seniors. Under the excellent and welcome guidance of Miss Parsons we produced a Senior play entitled "Swing Fever." This year we also sponsored our first dance. They were both pronounced a success. This last year we lost Donald Hait to the Army and Dorothy Robertson to the Junior class who are to take our place.
As we leave behind our high school days, we remmber the past, our classmates and teachers. We will not forget our class, blue and white; our flower, the red rose, and our motto, "Always Higher." Here we embark into the world to attempt to uphold that motto.
Margaret France
Albert Conklin
1945•20
Class Prophecy
South Kortright, New York, June 1, 1955.
Dear Barbara:
In reply to your letter concering the banquet to celebrate our tenth reunion, I am enclosing a list of addresses so that you may contact the other members. I shall tell you a few matters of interest about our classmates.
Our class president, Don Pardy, always was one for having his name in the papers -- first with the Marines in World War II and now as the famous forest ranger. After the last big forest fire, Betty MacDougall nursed his severe burns, which he recieved while saving Charley McCarthy who was visiting his grandmother.
Betty is well known for her work in the Pacific area during the war and is now an industrious Red Cross worker. Don better be careful, Nurse MacDougall is noted for her feminine touch.
It is amazing what you see on television, isn't it? I watched the American All Stars, coached by Porky Gunther, play a wonderful game of football with the Russian Red Devils, the other afternoon. After the game, I left the television on and saw and heard a beautiful singer. She was accompanied by Ruth Rose.
You know, Barbara, I'm thinking of getting Ruth to accompany me on my Good-Will Singing Tour through the silands of the Pacific next fall. Do you have any better suggestion? Perhaps you might consider joining the party to manage our publicity.
I flew over to Derry and Peg's the other night. Stan and Betty were there. It is just a hop from Stan's farm in Schoharie valley to Derry's. Stan's farming it on a big scale. It's lucky Betty took the business course. She has three maids to do her work in the house while she does Stan's book work.
Derry is really in the money now. He owns the whole of Bovina Mountain. You remember the little hamlet they called Bovina Center, don't you? Well, that is now known as the "Lifgren Manor."
Bill Haynes lunched with me in Paris about a month ago. He is now a noted civil engineer. He is very well liked and hsi greatest enjoyment is owkring for the Grange. He is the National Grange Master now and represents the United States in South America.
Despite household duties, Dottie Dart still holds the championship as the world's best typist. Good going, Dottie. It pays to be nimble fingered.
The Hait Brothers are in Denmark now. They've been looking for dams to improve their herd, which is already the best in the Western Hemisphere. They bought the Roses Brook farms from Mrs. McLean, you know, so they are doing Okay.
Claude Parker sold them one of the famous "Russian Sure to Kill Swatters" before they left for Denmark. It's some complicated machine you tie on the cow's tail that swats the flies when they swish. Claude is the salesman for some Russian Farm Machinery Company.
I attended a church service not too long ago and heard Miss Dorothy Visser, the world evangelist. She just rocketed over from her main headquarters in Africa.
Bertha Parker and Laura Travell are now in India acting as dietitians for Ghandi. After the strenuous years of fasting that he has been through, this is a full time job and keeps them quite busy. They say he wears clothes now which help to cover up some of the "bones."
Jigger Smith hops up to South Kortright for the week-end now and then. He runs his own fleet of planes out west. I guess they dust wheat fields or something.
Murphy's chicken farm is well known throughout New York State. I understand he tied with the Rich Brothers in this profit-making enterprise. Of course, he sells all his eggs to a dehydration plant.
Speaking of dehydrating, I was leafing through last month's "Scientific American" and i ran across a write-up on the discovery of a dehydrated Sunday dinner. It was interesting as it showed you could now have corn in tablets instead of on the cob, and who should I find had discovered this but George Miglianti.
When I turned the page whose picture should I see but Al Conklin's. Al has invented the machine for finding friends in a city. (We wonder if he could keep them after he found them).
Well, Barbara, I have told you all I know about our old classmates. Why don't you answer this and tell me anything you know about them. I know you will be very busy planning the banquet and if there is anything I can do to help, please be sure to let me know.
I'll see you at the banquet. Until then, I remain,
Your friend and classmate,
"Larry" Gilmour
Lawrence Gilmour
Barbara Cook
1945•21
The 1945 Almedian - South Kortright Central School Yearbooks - SKCS 1945 Almedian
