Mount Ayr Record-News
Mount Ayr, Ringgold County, Iowa
Thursday, May 19, 2005

The graduating class of 1940 met May 11, 2005 at the Windrow in Creston for a noon meal and visitig. Carnation boutonnieres were furnished by Robert and Dorothy KELLER for the ladies in attendance.

Those who attended were Robert and Dorothy (PACHA) KELLER, Maxine (VANDERPLUYM) MAY, Pauline (VANDERPLUYM) HILL and Jessie (CARSON) IBBOTSON, all of Creston; Dick and Marjorie (DOWELL) YASHACK of Diagonal; John and Martha (SHIFFLET) WATERS of Atlantic and Guelda (STAMPER) BARKER of Mount Ayr.

There were 15 in the class of '40 and as far as we know, there are four deceased: Ivan DOWELL, Arden BONEBRAKE, Bud BEYMER and Maxine (PAYNE) McCALL.

The other class members were Anabeth (GRACE) TRABER of New York, Georgia (HAYDEN) ANDREWS of Wyoming, Violet (REYNOLDS) DILLENBURG of Rock Island, IL, Don CAMPBELL of California and Juanita (MORROW) MATTHEWS of Diagonal.

Transcription by Sharon R. Becker, September of 2012

Mount Ayr Record-News
Mount Ayr, Ringgold County, Iowa
Thursday, June 23, 2005

The Classy 40 luncheon ballooned in numbers on Saturday, May 31, when they held their 65th class reunion. A delicious meal was prepared by the Wishard Chapel ladies and served at the Extension social room. The committee making plans was Mary McCREARY, Donella JOHNSON and Lorraine REASONER.

As the members and guests gathered, they enjoyed greeting one another and visiting until the mealtime. Letters from those who could not come were shared. Donella had prepared a quiz program reminiscent of events of the past at school and in the town.

Helen THOMAS BROWN traveled the farthest to be with classmates. She lives in Stockton, CA. Others attending were Donella JOHNSON and husband Ralph, Mary McCREARY, Lorraine REASONER and husband Daughn, Elizabeth LYNCH, Burl STULL, Dorothy MAIN, Jake DAILEY and wife Geri, Betty BLESSMAN and husband Wayne, all of Mount Ayr; Jim WATSON of Barnard, MO; Lyle GOLDNER of San Antonio, TX; Lyle NEWMAN and wife Wathena of Des Moines; Margaret DAUGHTON HORN of Sun Lakes, AZ; Eleanor MILLER and husband Delmar of Altoona; guests, Nina SALTZMAN and Donna GRIEMAN of Mount Ayr and Charles SKINNER, husband of deceased classmate, Marian RICHARDS, of Des Moines.

Some signed their names to be included with those sharing the Round Robin Letter.

The committee for the reunion in three years will be Jake DAILEY, Liz LYNCH and Betty BLESSMAN. They announced it to be the same time and place, the last Saturday in May.

Transcription by Sharon R. Becker, September of 2012

Mount Ayr Record-News
Mount Ayr, Ringgold County, Iowa
Thursday, July 29, 2010

September 1936, 60 freshmen (some from the one-room schoolhouse in Ringgold county and the remainder from the Mount Ayr elementary school) came together in a new school building. Entering a brand-new building with the long halls, rooms with numbers posted outside the doors was very confusing. Students were faced with lockers using padlocks with combinations to memorize. Both "country kids" and "town kids" had to master many new changes. After 70 years of educating thousands of students and sending them to all parts of the world, it was time for a new school. No doubt the students who recently moved into the new building were challenged as much as the 1936 freshmen. May they collect as many good memories as those who graduated in 1940.

Saturday, May 29, 2010, 12 members of the original 1936 freshmen met at the Senior Center in Mount Ayr for a reunion. Those in charge were Lavena WIMER, Dorothy MAIN, Lorraine REASONER and Mary McCREARY. Lyle GOLDNER welcomed the classmates. Helen BRANT provided games, old Student Ayr news items and an early eighth grade exam.

Letters were read from Margaret DAUGHTON HORNE and Mrs. William REYNOLDS.

Jake DAILEY told about his recent Freedom Flight trip to Washington, D.C. The rest of the afternoon was spent visiting and reminiscing.

Classmates attending were Helen THOMAS BRANT of Windsor, CO, Ione THOMPSON EDWARDS and Eleanor CAMPBELL MIlLER of Des Moines, Lyle GOLDNER of San Antonio, TX and Jake DAILEY, Liz BUTLER LYNCH, Dorothy BIRD MAIN, Mary HOGUE McCREARY, Lorraine LILES REASONER, Burl STILL, Lavena FLETCHER WIMER and DonElla TAYLOR JOHNSON, all of Mount Ayr.

Guests attending were Vickie BRANT CROCKETT of Bainbridge Island, WA, Val BRANT of Windsor, CO, Aileen HOGUE DICKERSON of Lenox, Zoe ELLIOTT NICHOLS of Des Moines, Linda and Mike GOUGER of Omaha, NE, Sheryl GOLDNER of San Antonio, TX, and Tom TEALE and Terry WHEELER of Urbandale.

Transcription by Sharon R. Becker, October of 2010