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Schools

Panora Class of 1942

Submitted by Candi Knowlton Thompson

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I believe this photo was their 25th year reunion. Front Row: Zelda Bullard, Lorena Clark Gibson, Lavone Nettleton Gibson, Mildred Wall, Irene Larson Winters, Doris Fidler. Middle row: Clair Davies, Max Knowlton (Dad), Lyle Nesselroad, Duane Bradley. Back: J.R. Hodges, Eugene Wilson, Glen Kilmer, Arden Woods & Hank Beeber. (This is according to the back of the photo.)

1. Anna Allison wills her basketball talent to Irma Tuffin.
2. Doris Bailey leaves her feminine charm to Margaret Babberal.
3. Henry (Hank) Beeber wills his snake dreams to Charles Dupuy,
4. Duane Bradley leaves his choice for many girls to Bill Pardee.
5. LeRoy (Jiggs) Bryan leaves his auburn hair to Norma Ratcliff.
6, Claire Davis wills his tackle position in football to Max Morgan.
7. Kenneth Downing leaves his love for riding horses to Avis Erb.
8. Mary Dudley wills her necking ability to Gene Bradley.
9. Lorena Gibson leaves her healthy constitution to Jeanne Gregg.
10. Beulah Hafner wills her way with men to Beverly Lee.
11. Melvin (Stub) Hennen leaves his atheletic ability to Bob Klinklefus.
12. Marjorie Henson wills her giggle to Mary Lou Nesselroad.
13. J. R. Hodges leaves Avis Erb to Johnnie Richey
14, Vernon Isminger wills his appeal to women to Donald Richey.
15. Nadine Johnson leaves her form to Helen Kastner.
16. Glenn Kilmer leaves his love for redheads to Warren Bennick.
17. Max (Squeaky) Knowlton wills his hookey playing to Norman Tucker.
18. Irene Larsen leaves her quiet study hall to I.ois Godwin.
19. Lucille Love leaves her ways and means of getting rides to the dances in Stuart to Barbara Alexander,
20. Ruth Mills wills her “V” for victory to the Arganbright brothers.
21. Robert Moore leaves his love for freshman girls to Norman Holmes.
22. Lyle Nesselroad wills his trail of broken hearts to Ernest Petersen.
23. LaVonne Nettleton leaves her shapely form to Wanita Eastman.
24. We pleaded and we begged, in fact, we got down on our knees and
 begged Barbara Newport to give Norman Holmes to some girl, but she refused.
25. Bob Olmstead leaves Kathryn Whitney to LaVern Knapp for safe keeping, until he returns from the Navy.
26. Evangeline Phillips wills her teaching ability to Phyliss Godown.
27. Virginia Phillips leaves her scholastic record to be challenged by any student.
28. Leland Purviance wills his secrets to Doris Miller, so she can deliver them to her sister, Margaret.
29. Mary Jane Reynolds leaves her Navy blues: to LaVonne Stotts.
30. Merle VanNote wills her jitterbug steps to Shirley Wirt.
31. Norma Vogel leaves Eugene Wilson to Catherine Flannery,
32. Rita Vogel wills her desire for Army boys to Helen Fisher,
33. Marcelyn Wall wills her success as “Whizz Queen” to Herta Hanson.
34. Mildred Wall leaves her position as class leader to Anita Bennett.
35. Morris Wernli. wills any girl he can get to Glenn Capehart,
36. Gerald White leaves his methods of dating strange girls to Shorty Morris.
37. Eugene Wilson wills his Ford to Marion courting days.
38. Arden Woods leaves his Freshman girls, and hopes they will be Sophomores next year.

Anna Allison, her husband, J. R. Hodges, and their five children decided they would like to visit there old friends of ‘42. They had lost all track of their former classmates, Of course, they knew Marjorie Henson was living in Casey now adays. She, Harold, and Harold Jr. were getting along fine. They had also seen LaVonne Nettleton working hard out there on the Alberts farm, but the rest of the class-we1l they hadn’t seen them since that unforgettable day in May, 1942.

Their first stop was in Des Moines. There they had met Rev. Claire Davis and family. Since Mrs. Davis and Mrs. Hodges were sisters, they had a very nice family chat. After church they dined at Bishops. There they met Vernon Isminger, who is now head waiter. The main attraction of the entire floor show was that charming and alluring Marcelyn Wall, now a famous ballet dancer and blues singer. At the table across sat Senator and Mrs. Kilmer, the former Nadine Johnson.

After an enjoyable day with Rev. and Mrs. Davis, they stopped next at Chicago. While in Chicago, they stayed at the Sapwood Hotel, which was owned and managed by Morris Wernli, still single and claiming that title he was always known as in Panora, “Man about town.” The Hodges attended the heavy weight boxing match on the second evening of their vacation. Who should be the challenger? No one but Leland Purviance, himself, and the other pugilist was a very old friend--Lyle Nesselroad. They stayed only a few days in Chicago, as they didn’t find any of the rest of their friends.

They time they started for New York. The conductor turned out to be Robert Moore, so they had a nice chat with him. He and Marie were living in New York, and were the proud patents of twins.

After arriving in New York, J. R. and Anna and children started out to have some fun. At the famous Stork Club--the first of their stops--they happened to meet another old acquaintance--none other than the now famous

Fred Astaire--I beg your pardon, Kenneth Downing. After the show they were invited back stage to meet the Downing family. Were they surprised! Mrs. Downing turned out to be the former Mary Dudley. Mary had been a school teacher, craving the exciting New York City life, and Kenneth just happened along--at the wrong moment.

Next, J. R. and Anna visited Bermuda. After traveling, they were hot and tired, so they thought to indulge in swimming would pep them up a little. Who should they see lolling around on the beach but. Ruth Mills, Evangeline Phillips, and Norma Vogel! The three had just entered a beauty contest, but had been beaten by that beautiful, blond of ‘42--still the prettiest girl around, Barbara Newport. She had just returned from Reno, where she had got rid of that Holmes pest, but married life seemed t3 agree with her by the way men were flocking around her.

After Bermuda the Hodges family came back to United States, First stop was a Texan ranch. Who should be the owner and the toughest looking cowboy you ever saw, but Melvin (Stub) Hennen! He had married one of those sweet Southern gals, who was just dripping with sweetness. One of the best hand’s on the ranch, so said Melvin (Stub) as he introduced Anna and J.R., pointing to a tall, handsome blond Eugene Wilson.

Next stop was the Swope Park in Kansas City. The lion he was in his black joqphers and white shirt. The vacationing family came on up to St. Louis, Missouri, where Mrs. Hodges went to the beauty parlor for repairing, Who should be there to give her a new face but Lucille Love! Lucille had been working for six years now, and liked it very much. Virginia Phillips, and Lorena Gibson were rating high in St. Louis. They had private secretarial positions, and seemed to be doing very nicely for themselves.

After visiting for a few days in St. Louis, without succeeding to find any more former classmates, they headed for California. There they met Mildred Wall, and family. She and her husband, whom we did not meet were very well. Mildred was living in one of the newest style bungalows, and had three sweet children. They also visited the Army camp in California, and there, the prettiest nurse to be found was Merle Van Note. She had just secured the position and hadn’t time to find out if she liked it. One could tell that she was going to, however.

After deciding they couldn’t find any more of the 1942’s graduates, they were ready to give up. They still couldn’t account for ten, but they couldn’t spend any more time or money looking for them. But maybe if they went back the Southern route--that is, through Texas again, up through Norfolk, Virginia, Boston, and back through Indiana and Illinois they could find the bigger share. While driving through Texas they stopped at Randolph Field to watch a few flyers take off. Someone slapped J. R., on the back about knocking him off his feet and was J. R. surprised! Why Jiggs, old boy, what are you doing down here. After J.R., Had asked him, he noticed his uniform. Jiggs explained that he and Gerald White and joined the Air Corps to see the world, but so far they hadn’t seen anything but blondes and redheads. Gerald joined the group and the four started recalling old times. Gerald hadn’t thought of matrimonal problems, but Jiggs had. Oh yes, he had a blond all picked out, if he could land her. That was a bigger problem than getting along with his pilot instructor. After a few days of sightseeing with Jiggs and Gerald, they left for Norfolk, Virginia. As Norfolk has a large Navy yard, they strolled toward the pier. Who should they see but a very close and dear friend of the Hodges--that’s right it was Mary Jane Reynolds. She was waiting for the fleet to come in. We didn’t get to talk to her, for about that time some tall, handsome sailor caught her eye and she was gone. She did wave a cheery smile and flashed that bright smile, but business called her elsewhere. They heard from other sources that she had changed her name to Bole, and was a happily married sailors • wife. They also accidently run into Admiral Henry (Hank) Beeber and first class seaman Bob Olmstead. They discussed old times for a couple of hours and left Norfolk to continue their ‘classmate search”. After a few hours of traveling they pulled into Boston, Massachusetts. While hunting for a place to grab a bite to eat and rest their dogs, they caught sight of Doris Bailey coming down the street. They hailed her, and found that she had just came to Boston for the weeked. She was not a private secretary in the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company in New York City, and enjoyed her work very much. She was interested in her old classmates of ‘42, so Anna and J. R. Spent some time visiting and sight seeing with Doris.

After leaving Boston, their next stop was Illinois. They ate lunch at Bloomfield, a small town where they met Irene Larsen and Beulah Hafner who had just finished teaching for the day. They had been teaching for some time, and had their B. A. degree and their Masters Degree, so were well equipped for any teaching job. Continuing their vacation and journey, they stopped off at Peoria, Illinois. They ate their firstmeal in the Montana Grill, and who do you think was chief cook! Yes, you’re right, Rita Vogel claimed that title.

They explored Bloomfield for a few days and on their last day there, J. R. needed some fishing equipment to use when he got home, so he walked into the hardware store. Who should be standing behind the counter, eyeing J. R. With a curious eye, but Max (Squeaky) Knowlton. After shaking hands and a lot of excited chatter, J. R. found out that Max was owner, manager, and hired help, because he owned the store himself. He had started out the second year after graduating, with the idea in mind to own his own store and ho accomplished his wish. Mrs. Hodges and Mrs. Knowlton, a local girt from Bloomfield, went shopping so the day was complete. But they still couldn’t find Arden Woods, a very close friend of .J. R‘s. They had decided to come on back to Iowa, hoping against hope that they would encounter him somewhere on the road, but where he could be, no one knew.

After traveling for quite a few days, and being their route brought

them through Adel they stopped for a while. Who should be the first person they should meet in Adel, but Arden. He was farming and wasn’t doing bad for himself, but when asked what he was doing, he replied that old line be used in high school - “between farming and trying to find a girl that hasn’t been I am very busy”.