News: School, Iowa City High Graduation, June 1939

160 GRADUATES

Posted By: Stephen D. Williams (email)
Date: 11/21/2004 at 19:21:27

Iowa City Press-Citizen
Iowa City, Johnson County, Iowa
Wednesday, 9 June 1939
page 12, column 1-5

160 Iowa City High Seniors Receive Diplomas Thursday Night

LARGEST CLASS
IS GRADUATED
FROM CITY HI

---
Dr. Lane Advises Class
To Stake Lives on

Upper Side of

Life

---
The largest and the last class to graduate from the old Iowa City high school building--160 seniors--were wisely advised to "stake your lives on the upper side of life" by Dr. J. Stoddard Lane, pastor of the Plymouth Congregational church of Des Moines, who delivered the commencement address to the graduates of "Life Is An Adventure."
The commencement services were held in Macbride auditorium at 8 o'clock Thursday night. Relatives and friends of the largest graduating class of the Iowa City high school jammed the main floor and balcony of the auditorium to witness the ceremony. The class filed through the auditorium from the north entrance and onto the stage where they were seated.
"Life is an adventure," the commencement speaker declared, "it always has been and still is. The future is a gamble and the only certain thing about tomorrow is its uncertainty."
He told the members of the class that everything in life is a gamble--"your life; choosing your vocation, even going to school."
"The question is not whether to gamble but where to gamble our lives," he pointed out.
The Des Moines pastor implored the members of the graduating class to "bet their lives on the possibility of progress and advancement."
"The people who have made progress are those who believed progress could be made. Future progress will be made by the same kind of people," he prophesied.
In pointing out the path for the graduates to follow in life, he warned that greed, violence and dictators win victories but that such victories are never permanent.
"no victory of evil over good is ever a closed case and you can bet your life on that--
"So, graduates, stake your lives on the upper side of life."
Miss Mary Elizabeth Mercer, in her salutatory address, reminded the class that this is the last to be graduated from the old high school building. She reviewed the history of education throughout the school system in Iowa City and reminisced on activities of the graduating classes of the past. In closing she extended best wishes and success to the underclassmen "in the years to come who will have the new building and the new school facilities to enjoy."
Miss Jean Elizabeth Knight, valedictorian of the class, pointed to the advantages of a public school education and to the "tolerance that exists in the public schools." She declared that all nationalities, members of all religions and all creeds are honored and respected as they study side by side in the public schools.
Supt. Iver A. Opstad presented the commencement speaker to the class and the audience and Principal W. E. Beck presented Mr. A. B. Sidwell, president of the school board, who in turn handed the diplomas to the graduates. Mr. Beck said this was the largest I. C. H. S. graduating class.
The invocation and benediction was given by the Rev. John Bruce Dalton, pastor of the First Christian church here.
The high school orchestra, the madrigal group, and the flute quartet presented the musical selections for the program.
Honor roll graduates are as follows:
Jean Elizabeth McKnight, Mary Elizabeth Mercer, Mary M. Barnes, Margaret E. Bittner, Alfred R. Bothell, Naomi Braverman, George K. Devine, Phyllis Mae Gehlbach, Ellinor G. Goodwin, Viola M. Hayek, Howard H. Hines, John D. Lemons, Joseph O. McGinnis, Marion Pickering, Virginia Kay Shank, Jean Rae Wells.
Other members of the graduating class are:
William Albrecht, Salvatore Amato, Rose K. Amish, Lorraine V. Amish, William Arn, William J. Baumgartner, Robert W. Beck, Alberta L. Belanski, Kenneth Duane Berkey, Merle L. Blexrud, Ruth Betty Bowen, Lester Brenneman, Dorothy M. Brown, John A. Brown, Robert M. Buckley, Dorothy J. Burger, Evelyn L. Burke, Una Lee Butler, Ellen L. Carson, Robert A. Carter, Doris E. Christensen, Jack Cockerell, Carolyn E. Colony, Dolores V. Crain, Dorothy E. Crossett, Betty J. Crum, Clarence C. Crumley, Maxine M. Delsing, Doris J. DeMoss, Mary F. Dunkel, Nicholas Duros.
Dolores A. Eichler, Derry O. Falligant, Robert R. Falligant, Donald I. Feay, Harry W. Ferguson, William Fischer, Eugene Floyd, Helen Mae Gardner, Phyllis D. Gardner, Dorothy H. Gay, Lois M. Gilson, Leslie H. Griffith, Marianne Grillet, Maxine Grimm, Kathryn V. Gunnette, Paul R. Hanson, Clifford C. Heacock, Marjorie V. Heidt, Russell R. Hirt, Norma L. Hobbs, Eugene S. Hubbard, Harold A. Hudacheck, Robert F. Huff, Dorothy Huffman, Marjorie Huffman, Adele Hughes, Ethel M. Hughes, William A. Hull, Georeg E. Hulme.
Betty Ivie, John H. Joehnk [Joan Helen Joehnk appears instead in two prior listings], William Johnson, Virginia A. Jones, Robert Kanak, LaVonne H. Karel, Nona M. King, Goldie M. Kinney, Harold A. Knotts, Violet M. Lackender, Florence Lubin, Francis J. Lynch, Joseph S. McElhinney, Jr., Phoebe McLaughlin, Patricia V. McVicker, Jack Mahr, Marcia Marie Marner, Meyer Markovitz, Patricia L. Maruth, Edward E. Mason, Michael F. Mathews, Cornell H. Mayer, M. Joan Meardon, John H. Miller, Ralph Miller, Ira J. Montgomery, Irene M. Montgomery, Stuart Mueller, Beverly Negus, Helen M. O'Leary, Anna-Margaret Orr, Alice L. Oshner.
Mildren D. Palmer, Laura E. Parizek, Ted Parks, Robert S. Paukert, Wilma J. Powers, Martin L. Poland, Charles Putnam, Joan Records, Betty Rogers, Khairom H. Rummells, Katherine C. Ruppert, Sarah M. Ruppert, Patricia C. Scannell, James R. Sapp, Betty Schillig, Clara D. Schrag, Vernon Schump, Elena Anne Serup, Louis J. Shimon, Evalyn Katherine Shaffer, Marie Rose Shimitz, Barbara Smith, Dorothy I. Smith, Ruth E. Smith, Robert L. Snider, Albert Stieglitz, Earl M. Stimmel, Walter I. Stoner, William A. Stoner, Ruth Strub, Ruth E. Swaner, Lois Maie Tallman, Mary-Helen Taylor, Cleo J. Thomas, Marion E. Thompson, John R. Truitt, Keith M. Tudor. Agnes Vana, Ruth L. Voelckers, Melba H. Vorbrich, Sarah V. Wallace, Allen D. Wallen, Kenneth E. Walsh, Mary J. Weidner, Nadine M. Wharton, John G. Whinery, Loring White, Marian M. White, Miriam A. Williams, Edwin E. Wise, David C. Wright and Phyllis E. Zager.

[Persons with middle names appearing in previous listings which do not appear above are:
Mary Margaret Barnes, Margaret Evelyn Bittner, Howard Harry Hines
Rose Kathleen Amish, Alberta Louise Belanski, Merle LaVaunne Blexrud
Dolores Vae Crain, Dorothy Ellen Crossett, Betty Jane Crum
Maxine Marie Delsing, Doris Jeanne DeMoss, Mary Frances Dunkel
Dolores Ann Eichler, Derry Osborne Falligant, Donald Ivan Feay
Harry Wallace Ferguson, Helen Mae Gardner, Phyllis Delores Gardner
Dorothy Helen Gay, Lois Marline Gilson, Marjorie Vivian Heidt
Russell Robert Hirt, Norma Lorraine Hobbs, Harold Arthur Hudacheck
Ethel Mae Hughes, Virginia Anne Jones, Nona Mae King
Goldie Marie Kinney, Harold Alvon Knotts, Violet Maxine Lackender
Francis John Lynch, Joseph Stinson McElhinney, Jr., Patricia Louise Maruth,
Edward Eaton Mason, John Herman Miller, Ira Jay Montgomery
Helen Monica O'Leary, Alice Louise Oshner, Laura Evelyn Parizek
Wilma Jane Powers, Khairom Harolde Rummells, Sarah Mary Ruppert
James Russel Sapp, Clara Dorothy Schrag, Elena Anne Serup
Louis J. Shimon, Evalyn Katherine Shaffer, Marie Rose Shimitz
Dorothy Isabel Smith, Ruth Eleanor Smith, Robert Lee Snider
Ruth Eleanor Swaner, Keith Merton Tudor, Ruth Loise Voelckers
Melba Helene Vorbrich, Sarah Virginia Wallace, Allen David Wallen
Mary Joan Weidner, Marian Mable White, Miriam Alice Williams
Phyllis Eileen Zager.]

[Bracketed notes were added by the transcriber: S.D.W.
Sources for notes:
* Iowa City Press-Citizen, Tuesday, 2 May 1939, page 2, column 1, "150 Seniors Are Eligible to Graduate at Iowa City High School -- SENIORS WILL GET DIPLOMAS HERE JUNE 8 -- Few More Students May Be Eligible Through Improved Work Says Beck"
* Iowa City Press-Citizen, Wednesday, 24 May 1939, page 13, column 1-2, "I.C.H.S. Commencement Will Be Held on June 8 -- MORE THAN 150 SENIORS TO GRADUATE"]