CLASS PROPHECY
The first rays of the eastern sun had just begun to touch the horizon as I paid the ca fare, took my bags and entered the express way which sped with me and a number of other sleepy-eyed travelers to the rocket port. The distance of about 75 miles from Greater New York to the port in Central Pennsylvania took a little less than 15 minutes. When I got off to be lifted to ground level, the sun was still not up. I had a little time to waste since my rocket didn't leave until six so I decided to look around the port as much as possible. Even at this early hour there was a great deal of activity around the loading platforms where products were being sent out all over the world. I soon grew tired of the noise and went down to the second level. It was much quieter down there and my nerves were just getting settle again when I was nearly run over by a man dressed in a pilot's uniform. He stopped to apologize and then it came to me that I new him. I asked him if he wasn't Lloyd Martin. He said he was and that he thought he recognized me. I asked him how he had become a rocket pilot. He explained that after driving a Chrysler it had been a simply jump to jen planes and form there to rocketships. He had to hurry as he was piloting a ship which took off at six so i let him go on his way and prayed that my ship would not be under his guidance.
Making my way back to ground level I arrived just in time to see a motorcab drive up. I knew it must be a government official since after the roads became filled to capacity in 1968 and accidents kept increasing all non-government vehicles had been banned from the road, the express ways having been built at this time for travelers. The official climbed out of the center car and entered the same ship I was to take. I was curious to see who it was but I restrained myself long enough to down a quantity of ham and eggs for breakfast.
I then entered the ship and took my seat. I immediately recognized my traveling companion as he did me. I hadn't seen George in a long time but i recognized George Heitmann, our ambassador to Russia, with no difficulty at all since his pictures had been in the papers quite frequently.
George was returning to Moscow after a short vacation in South Kortright where he had been cutting down the woodchuck population and thoroughly enjoying himself. His family was doing fine, the kids growing like weeds. He'd left them in Moscow because he didn't want to break up their school year. I explained that I was going to be in Moscow a while myself checking up on a new electrical power plant there trying to improve operations.
We were interrupted at this point by our flight stewardess who turned out to be Edith Barnhart. She told us she had been asked by the rocket company to take this job in order to improve service on the line. She was now going from passenger to passenger to see if they had any suggestions on how to improve the service. After telling us this she left us and went on to the next passengers.
After a little more conversation I succeeded in getting a dinner invitation. I was interested in how the rest of the class of 1952 were doing and George was willing to tell me all I wanted to know but since we were only in the air for an hour I had to content myself with waiting until the next night at dinner to hear about the rest of the class.
At the American Embassy after a delicious dinner George began to talk. I learned that Roland Gropped had become the first head of the Mason's Union and then had started his own union which was rapidly growing to compete with the A. F. of L.
Marilyn Sturgess had become the head of the League of Women Voters and had become one of the best known figures in politics. It was thought that she might be nominated as the first woman president in the United States. The whole country admired her for successfully combining a happy married life and a political career.
1952•18
The 1952 Almedian - South Kortright Central School Yearbooks - SKCS 1952 Almedian
