Elmhurst High School Class of 56

David Churchward

Someone asked me to remember some of my high school experiences at good old Elmhurst. Well, unfortunately, my memory isn’t what it once was but I’ll try.

I suppose my favorite year at Elmhurst was my senior year, working on the year book and knowing I was about to graduate. It’s interesting how we wanted so bad to get out of there and later, on occasion, wishing we were back. I remember summer days at the rock quarries in Huntington, swimming in the deep cold waters. I remember Jim Gast, a great swimmer, pulling someone out of there by the hair one day. Was that me? Funny how the memory slips. I also seem to remember a day at Pogakon, perhaps senior day, when poor Tex Roof was caught off shore and relieved (unwillingly) of his swimming trunks which were then hoisted on a flag pole on the beach. I thought poor Tex would freeze before he got his trunks back.

I remember, one day in Miss Falls English class, Walt Freiburger, bent over a desk laughing while Miss Falls wailed away at his back side. The more he laughed, the harder she swung. I thought he would die laughing and she was going to have a heart attack. Oh, about John Skinner and the good looking girls we never met. I met one. She was a student nurse at Parkview. I seem to remember her and another prospective nurse climbing out the dormitory window after hours to spend some time with John and another Elmhurst Guy. Was that other guy me? I don’t remember.

Speaking of Miss Falls, who can forget her, Miss Wimmer and Miss Edwards standing in the hall together between classes, watching our every move? Do you suppose they compared notes about our activities? I remember, in Miss Wimmer’s chemistry class on the first day of school. She was having a bit of a problem getting everyone’s attention. We were all busy catching up on the past summer’s activities. Suddenly there was a crash of breaking glass. Followed by Miss Wimmer, calming explaining that the beaker she had thrown across the room and broken on the wall represented a physical change and, in her class, we were going to learn about chemical changes. We paid attention after that.

I also remember being a skinny kid and wishing I could get bigger and stronger. I thought if I could get to be 200 pounds, I would be perfect. Well, I still wish I was at 200 pounds, only I would have to lose about 40 to get there. Be careful what you wish for.

Well, I’m sure there are many more memories in my mental file cabinet. I just seem to have misplaced the keys. Perhaps at the reunion someone will help me find them.

Elaine (Fulghum) Satterthwaite

I remember so many things from EHS. Remember those ramps we had to trudge up and down between classes? If you were going up—you joked or “flirted”with everyone going down—and vice versa. I also remember learning to dance in gym. The Virginia Reel (ugh). Pranks between us friends in the cafeteria. I won't name names—but it is a memory that makes me smile. I even remember someone being sent home from school because she hiked her skirt up and showed her knees—no kidding. I also remember the Blue Room or was it called the Jug?? Whatever it was called, I was blue the few times I had to go there for lunch times. And how about that “wicked” music we all loved. Rock 'n Roll is very tame now in comparison. Like several others, my time at Elmhurst was cut short by pregnancy and I regretted leaving my school. But life goes on and I graduated from adult night school—went on to take some college courses—and retired from Magnavox as an Administrative Secretary. This is my 2nd marriage and it's a GREAT one. Larry and I just celebrated 43rd anniversary. My son is Band Director at Wayne High School and our daughter is a Paralegal at Beckman-Lawson Law Firm. God has blessed me and my life has been good. When I think back, so many of my values were learned at Elmhurst High School. The school and my classmates will be in my heart forever.

Burt Smith

Growing up in Indiana in the fifties was pretty much like the movie “Hoosiers” wasn’t it?  The little, underdog town of Milan won the State Championship with only 6 boys in the senior class, 5 of which were their starters...beat the mighty Chrispus Attucks of Indianapolis, (they were the closest thing to a present-day NBA team) and gave our little team hope!  Remember the dreaded Harlan Wildcats? Remember the fights after the games? Testosterone run amuck! Some of us not-so-popular guys could get some satisfaction, at least, with our fists! We sure had some gorgeous girls in our class, didn't we? (no names here, but you ladies know who you are!) I remember Mr. Arnold warning us in his wonderful Civics class that all the anxiety leading up to the Prom (and that possible rejection when asking that special girl) would only be matched by the nervousness AFTER the event!  I remember spending most of Prom night in my car falling passionately in love with my date: the validictorian, Miss Joyce Nieman...Wow—she taught me a few things…what a great summer, before buckling down to college! Those were pretty tame days, though…seems like the wildest thing we ever did was cut school one day and go to the Lake to drink beer! Of, course WE didn't do that….only HEARD about it! More days in “the Jug”, for us anyway…well, it will be a joy to see all of you at the Reunion, find out just what you've been doing for, oh the last fifty years or so, and MAYBE score a hug from some of you sweethearts!

Larry Blair

As a senior, I was roaming the halls for some reason. I noticed a young lady crying at the foot of the ramp that went up to Miss Falls room. I recognized her as a student teacher, not much older than myself. I asked why she was crying and she said the boys in the freshman English class she was teaching had “locked” her out of the room when she had gone out to get something. She was unable to get back into her classroom.

I told her to wait there. I knew that Miss Wimmer was the study hall monitor up at the top of the ramp. I went into the study hall and asked Miss Wimmer if I could talk to her in the hall. I told her about the situation and she went back into the study hall and came out with a rather large book.

We walked to the “locked” door and she threw the book through the glass and reached inside and “unlocked” the door. She then went in and grabbed the wooden pointer by the blackboard and whacked several boys on the head. Whether they were guilty or not didn’t matter—she got her point across!

Karen (Carpenter) Bjork

Freddie Blume, Howard Hamilton, John Skinner. What fun to read about their memories. I hope many more people will respond to this website and add their own.

Although I wasn't with this class for the junior and senior years, I still have many memories of Elmhurst High. I recall Fred Blume being an excellent golfer. John Skinner and Johnny Diehm taking a car load of us to Foster Park to squaredance.

Katherine Platt, Annabelle Tayler, Janice Richardson, Lorene Shearer, Nila McMahon, Rosie Davis, are just a few of the girls I had so much fun with,and cheering on the basketball team with ferver, and crying when they lost.

My high school career was cut short by pregnancy, but I went on to college when my children entered school and taught first, second and third grade for 28 years in Portage, MI.

Sally Wilson said she remembers "Tabu" perfume. I have a bad memory of that as my mother loaded me down with it and I threw up at a school dance!

Howard Hamilton

As I reminisce about the good old days I can't help but remember Mrs. Falls trying to teach us English, and my knuckles still smart from Mrs. Edwards ruler in typing class. How about Mr. Rollers talc from his wig (hairpiece) all over his collar, and who could forget everyone going to Dales Drive-In after the game and ordering a cherry coke or maybe even a pine float? I am really looking forward to seeing everyone at the reunion, that is if it is not too cold for us Floridians. Only joking see you all soon.

Louie Seibt

I have a memory from after graduation at Elmhurst. As most of the people from Fort Wayne know, I was an Allen Country Police Officer for 33 years. I was a Detective for 24 of those years. One time I went to Elmhurst with one of my Juvenile Officers. Bill Geyer (Mr. Geyer) was a guidance officer or something at that time. He got the kids we needed to talk to about something. I had a long talk with him, reminiscing about the past. I asked how we would have stacked up with his present students. He got one of those weird laughs on his face, then shook his head back and forth. “You guys, (and even your brother Bob) who spent a lot of time in the JUG, would not hold a candle to these goons we have here now.” You know Bill, he never pulled any punches about anything. I was kind of sorry I asked the question.

Sally Wilson

Hello from Sunny Oceanside, California. My memories of Elmhurst. Hmmm … what can I say? I guess it is the friends that I have kept for 50 years. I think often of Mr. Werling, what a great teacher and an amazing person. When I smell “Tabu” perfume, I automatically drift back into Ms. Edwards typing class. Other than that, it is the friends I remember and treasure. I just returned from five weeks in Fort Wayne, and it will always be home to me. I am so looking forward to next May and seeing everyone. Thank you to the great classmates who are making this reunion happen. Best wishes and see you in May. Happy Holidays to each and every one!

John Skinner

Loren, you have to remember this one. The ride from EHS to the Coliseum in Coach Petrick’s car while he smoked his cigar practically choking us all to death. Getting to the Coliseum and finding out the game before us between Ft. Wayne Central and Ft. Wayne South was going into overtime. Running out on the floor to a packed house, defeating Harlan HS, “Pete’s” former coaching job, and getting to play in the finals against Ft. Wayne South. Remember!!! It was the greatest rush ever!

Fred Blume

Take one sweet and tender kiss, take one stolen night of bliss, take four year at Elmhurst HS and you have a life time of good memories, at least that is the way it has been for me. I live in CA now and last winter I was in FW to see in laws (Married a gal from Kewanna IN). I went to the coliseum to see Elmhurst play some basketball. I was expecting to hear the old school song, see the cheerleaders lead the team to the playing surface, and maybe see some alums. What a disappointment, no school song, no cheerleaders, and the crowd was at least 15 TOTAL. Not like basketball at Central, with coach Fryback standing by the popcorn machine to monitor the unruly, “not me”, the school song still tugs at my heart, “that's me”, the parents who knew all about coaching, the ride home with your gal of the month or year. Wow those were the days, Maybe the best times of my life, sure hope my wife doesn't read this.