By Jean Thurston Harris '48
Greetings from the Classen Museum! The hot summer will soon be over making way for Fall and football and I am ready for both!
Since our last writing we have received many great donations! Ethel Burnham Meece ’38 sent her first published book entitled Listening for the Rain Crow - A Memoir. She tells us that a number of readers will find themselves in the pages of this book. She wrote an entire page about the book and failed to explain the title - What’s a Rain Crow - and why listen for it? She says the book will have to be read to find the answer! The book may be ordered directly from her and the cost is $20.00. If you are interested in ordering her address is 126 Walter Hays Drive, Palo Alto, CA 94303, telephone 650/328-2086 or email ethelmeece@msn.com.
Eileen Steeds Hoskins ’48 gave us approximately two dozen NCL’s dating back to very early volumes! We’ve really come a long way with our NCL due to the hard work and talent of many people over the years! Dannie Hoskins ’48, Eileen’s long-time spouse, sent a picture of the 1942 sixth grade class at Linwood elementary school. The people in this picture were in my class and many are still very recognizable! Amazing, isn’t it?
Buddy Donley ’51, one of our museum volunteers, brought us many interesting mementos that he had purchased at various places. There were just too many to mention individually - it would take the whole article! Thanks, Buddy!
James Thomas ’50 donated a 1936 Orbit that he found at a sale and originally was owned by Rex Walters. James had the misfortune of unexpected major surgery in May but we are happy to report he is on the full road to recovery! James is a very vital part of our NCL publication and when he is gone he is missed much more than I can tell you. Welcome back, James, you are the best!
Charlotte Wilson Patty ‘42 sent us the acting edition of “You Can’t Take It With You”, a New York play in three acts. This book was copyrighted in 1937 and was the edition designed for the use of non-professional acting groups. In the front of the book it states “A reading edition of this volume, in cloth covers, is available for one dollar a copy.” She also enclosed the program of this play presented by The Classen Little Theater held in the Classen Auditorium. There is no date on the program but I am guessing it was 1941 or 1942. So interesting! Charlotte, thank you for sending this and it most certainly will not be thrown away as you indicated might have been done!
Jacqueline Montgomery ’55 M.A., P.T., donated a copy of the most recent edition of a book she coauthored to the museum. Jacqueline is the former director of Physical Therapy, Rancho Los Amigos National Rehabilitation Center, Downey, California. The title of the publication is Muscle Testing - Techniques of Manual Examination. She enclosed a copy of a recently published review of the book. Thank you so much, Jacqueline. We are very proud to add this book to our Alumni Author Alley that includes many books composed by our very own talented alumni of Classen High School! I do wish that all of you could visit the museum if only to see this wonderful collection of publications! It makes all of us very proud! I think it clearly indicates what a wonderful education we received and the outstanding teachers we were fortunate to have at Classen High School. This combination was certainly a factor in the success of so very many of our alumni.
We have been privileged to receive many visitors to the museum this past summer during the various class reunions. Approximately two hundred alumni toured the museum and we expect more during the July and August reunions! We were delighted! Thanks for coming! We were disappointed that our museum entry was not completed as promised but that just gives all of you a good reason to return and see the impressive new entry and door! A sincere thanks to the volunteers who hosted the museum reunion visits. They were Buddy Donley ’51, John Dewar ’65, Jane Dewar White ’60, Hyla Harding Glover ’54, Pam Caughron Stottman ’63, Sarah Powell Newcomb ‘64, Ralph Newcomb ’63, and Frank and Delma Jo Robinson ’48 who helped me during our ’48 class reunion! Yours truly was most happy to welcome the class of 1943 to the museum during their class reunion with the assistance of Earl Cunnyngham ’43.
We are looking forward to Camp Comet, the annual event held to introduce the new sixth year students to Classen School of Advanced Studies. They will visit the museum with their mentors on August 29th.
The senior class of the Classen School of Advanced Studies (CSAS) brought us their 2003 banner which is hanging in the museum with banners from all the other classes.
Ken Nash ’48 brought a 1950 license plate with “Classen Comets” on the top along with some old copies of The New Classen Life. Ken Young ’48 brought a 6A grade school picture from Hawthorne school taken in 1942. Pete Thornton ’48 brought a complete set of NCL’s beginning with the very first volume! Lu Larkins Hester ’49 donated a class of 1949 Reunion Book from their 1983 reunion and a 1926 Senior Class play program which belonged to her mother, Dorothy Downing Larkins Burg ’26.
Frank Williamson ’46 and Sally Freel Brunett ’54 donated a beautiful picture which displays the American Flag and the national motto of The United States of America “In God We Trust” which was adopted by Congress July 30, 1956. The Texas Legislature unanimously passed bill HB219 which encourages the display of this motto in every classroom in Texas. This beautiful picture is now hanging in the museum. Our thanks to Sally and Frank.
Oscar Ballard ’53 sent two items. One was his CHS Graduation Activity Ticket which was required to receive his cap and gown at graduation, and his Meteors Pep Club card stating that he “was a member in good standing.” He apologized for their worn condition due to the fact that he had been carrying them in his billfold for a long time!
As always, thanks to all the volunteers who have hosted in the museum on Thursdays during this past quarter. They are: Harriette Westervelt Boatright ’47, Sally Freel Brunett ’54, Norma Williams Colston ’54, Janie Anderson Cotton ’50, Buddy Donley ’51, Marie Russell Harkey ’38, Jeanne Porta Mager ’45, Stan Purdy ’40, Alyse Myers Ramsey ’47, Pam Caughron Stottman ’63, Lois Brown Street ’45, Mary Ellen Wells ’50, and Suzanne Yowell ’50. Come by the museum some Thursday and meet these fine people - they are so generous to donate their time to open our museum each Thursday!
Until next time be safe, enjoy the rest of the Summer, and we hope to see many of you at the museum who did not visit us during class reunions!
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