I was delighted to be asked to share a
few memories of my Class of 1943. Perhaps my main claim to fame is that
I attended the public schools in Paso from kindergarten through high
school graduation and four children have followed in my footsteps - Lyle
1966, Janet 1968, Debra 1972, and Gary in 1977, and now our grandson,
Jorgen Thompquist, in this centennial year of 1996.
High school "way back then" was
the ivy-covered building on 24th and Spring streets. We chose Jimmy
Taylor as our freshman class president and Mr. William Otto as our
advisor.
We weren't very creative because four
years later we repeated the rite, except we poured oodles of sweet
perfume all over them. We had big sisters (or brothers) and mine was
Ruth Hatch. We also wore school uniforms - navy blue skirt, kerchief and
white blouse. We were checked first period, and too many checks resulted
in demerits!
In our sophomore year, we elected Pepper
Martin as our class president and Mr. Ilias Dean as our adviser.
In those days, we had dance programs, and
it was customary to dance the first, middle, and last dance with your
date, and fill up the rest with others who might be cuter, taller or a
better dancer.
When we returned as juniors the next
year, we chose Cliff Woodrell as our class president and Miss Easterling
and Mr. Snyder as our class advisers. You could call Miss Easterling
"Easterburg!" Mr. Snyder, along with Miss Martha Swanson, Miss
Charlotta Reideman from junior high (a two-story building where Marie
Bauer school is at 17th and Vine streets) and Coach Henry Beiden have
been most faithful in attending our reunions.
The best surprise that year was beating
San Luis 7 to 6 in football for the first time in 17 years. I was so
hoarse from yelling I couldn't talk the next day. As it turned out, that
was our last game in our high school years because of the gas and the
rationing that followed Pearl Harbor.
When we became seniors, World War II had
brought many changes. With this seriousness, we chose Pepper Martin our
class president and Mr. Beales as our class adviser. We went without
things like shoes and sugar that were rationed and saved money to buy
war bonds and stamps. To replace athletic equipment, we had the Victory
Corps divided into groups: Aircraft (Identification), Model Planes,
Geography, Electricity, Morse Code, Gardening and Farm Mechanic,
Semaphore, First Aid, Home Nursing, and Community.
Instead of the traditional Ditch Day, we
had a bond drive and canvassed the whole town. We put our hearts and
souls into it and sold $21,000 worth of bonds and stamps.
Five of our boys left - Kurt Burk, Henry
Casloni, Charles Schinbine, Jimmy Taylor and Leo Woodwar. I'm happy to
report all five of them came through the war, but later ones were not so
lucky. By the time we graduated on June 4, 1943, there were ten
asterisks after names denoted "in Military Service."
KENNETH G. HARRIS'
STORY 
