The Scribbler, 1930
Spartanburg High School, Spartanburg, South Carolina
Senior Class Prophecy
September 25, 1945 - Dispatch from Iodinia
SOUTH CAROLINA iodine has come into its own. The old State has sacrificed its former trades and turned its eyes toward
supplying the world with iodized Vegetation.
It is Indian Summer, the waving fields of goldenrod are splashed with the reddish tint of the early afternoon sun. The spacious acres of ripening crops lie to the left and right of us. As we amble down the rows of moss-covered oaks, we enter the little gate of the long picket fence which surrounds the home-site of the vast lodinia Estate. The latch clicks behind us, a great St. Bernard dog runs to meet us, and after a stroll up a flagstoned walk we mount the long marble stairs which lead to the wide porch which lies behind the massive columns.
James Hughes, money lender, farmer and property owner, seated on his wide portico, Panama cocked jauntily on his head, snake-skin whip in hand, was overlooking ten thousand acres of his iodised spinach.
Passing Mr. Hughes with his miser-like air, we enter the spacious mansion conducted by a maid, Vivian Taylor. We meet the lovely Mrs. Hughes, formerly Mary Dodgen (believed to have married Hughes for his tremendous wealth), who is extremely excited over the coming tea which she is giving in honor of Beaufort Allen. M. D., goiter expert, of Wellville. Accompanying Miss Allen is her secretary, Herbert Shapiro, and party from her music school. Mrs. Hughes recognized us as being members of the class of '30 and asked us to remain for tea and see some of our old classmates. We accepted with pleasure and were conducted to an upstairs drawing-room by a handsome butler, "Josephus" Johnson. The latter was overjoyed to see us and, forfeiting his "Yes, sir," lapsed into "Well, if it isn't ole C. O. How are you, ole thing? And how are you, Mrs. Hearon? I'm so
glad to see you both. This is indeed a great pleasure."
He turned us over to an upstairs maid, who was none other than Willie Mae Burlington. She showed us into the drawing-room. We had been there only a few minutes when another maid, Cema Chreitzberg, entered with her bright smile, carrying glasses of
vegetable cocktail.
Since we had over an hour to while away, we were given an under-caretaker, Bill Coan. to show us over the gardens. Here we found Bill Wideman replanting pansies. By his side was Burtie Burts, holding a pitcher of ice water and an atomizer of Coty's
"Gueaute" and a lavender silk handkerchief on a tray, He was waving a peacock fan and singing " 'Tain't No Sin."
Crossing a rustic bridge into a rose garden, we found Max Broom sweeping the gravel walk, while Frank Parrot was up in a tree pruning vigorously.
Down the long row of rose trees we saw Marion Boyd, Martha Long, Eleanor Gamble, Rosie Carlisle and Marguerite Miller picking roses for the tea. At the end of the garden we were shown into the hot house, where Geneva Blume was floral expert. We
saw Tom Willard trying to perform a graphical experiment on valley lilies, yellow roses, and sweetpeas.
Due to the fact that Frances Simms was one of his understudies, he had had no success up to the present.
Mr. Willard invited us to attend his class next morning', which was composed of Sara Cantrell, Louise Carter, Ruth Coleman. Mary Louise Grimes, Kitty Drummond (an admirer of the pro). Grace Poteat, Dorothy Proffitt, Sara Anderson, Helen Kirby, Beulah Mitchell, Elsie Sanders, Margaret McMillan, Louise Lowe, and Frances Humphries.
Leaving Professor Willard. we sauntered under the lovely rose arbors, o'er the velvety lawns, and to the racing stables of lodinia. where we beheld the thoroughbreds who are noted for their speed and endurance, due to the fact that they are born and bred
and raised and fed on S. C. Iodized Goiter-Proof PeaVine Hay (Giddap Mule!). Andrew Jamison, the stable master, escorted us In the viewing stand, where we saw the horses and their individual grooms. As they passed by. Jamison announced both the beast and the boy. They were as follows: "Traveler," led by Ronald Shores; "Don Patch." by Theodore de Liesseline; "Man O' War." by Butler MacDowell; "Blue Larkspur." by A. D. Cudd; "Polly Moran," by C. C. McMillin: "Lightning." by Joe Allen; "Maria Dressier," by Joe Bussy; "Prancing Patsy," by Carrol Collins; "lodinia's Best," led by Willie West. We were unable to see the rest of the horses because we were interrupted by a maid, Lily Steele, who quietly announced that Mrs. Hughes was ready for us to take our places in (he receiving line.
On entering the house, we found to our surprise that we were to be accompanied in the line by our old friends: Iva Gibson, a returned missionary; Vera Branyon, tennis champion; Marion Ball, a representative to Congress from lodinia; Elizabeth Jones, a
violinist of some "note"; Clare Trimmier, dancing teacher: Mildred Burgess, Latin instructor of lodinia High School; Pearle Deery, petite opera star; Mr. and Mrs, Floyd Crouch (Floyd, the Mayor of lodinia, had married Effie Fike): Fitz Martin, recently from
Africa, with his two helpers. Frank Wardlaw and Sanford Wilburn, who had been assisting him for the past two years on his baboon farm; Oscar Huskey, a Scout executive from Nome, Alaska. and Major-General Paul Craig, of the United States army.
The orchestra was just assembling, and we noticed among the members some of our class. Roy Barnett was director and had devoted the past years in whole-hearted effort to training his "Dozen Dimpled Darlings" from "Squeedunk Academy for Females."
They were: Etta Spencer, Mildred Smith, Miriam Lowry, Lillian Champion, Agnes Smith. Sara Belue, Ruth Simmons, Bobby Wolfe, Mary Wood, Beulah Hall, and Josephine Bass.
Assisting Mrs. Hughes in serving tea were: Ruth Henshaw, Claire Morris, Mary Lousie Tinsley, Clothiel Wood, and Ruth Tinsley.
We, in the receiving line, were talking when another butler. Robert Simpson, announced Dr. Tom Diseker and wife, nee Frances Hendley. In rapid succession came many more. Among them were:
Richard Rollins. Paramount Director, and his fiancee, Helen Avent, fashion model of Hollywood; Max Little, good-will ambassador to France in the interest of lodinia, and his lovely secretary, Frances Baxter; Miriam Hall, indorser of "Stay-Neat" hair-nets; Anna Belle Smith, Energetic shoe demonstrator; Marguerite Mason, kindergarten teacher; Callie McCulloch, cartoonist; Mr. William Kinard, chief of police, and his wife, Miriam Hawkins; Mr. Ray Bishop, farm agent, and his wife, the former Dorothy Emmrich.
At this juncture, two maids, Edna Mooneyham and Annie Townsend, bringing in Rose tea, collided with Billy Cannon and Elizabeth Wallace, guests, spilling the tea On Miss Wallace's lace dress. The latter was taken upstairs by a lovely little maid, Evelyn Gentry.
After this disturbance had quieted, Mrs. Hughes announced that Katherine Kennedy would sing a song in Spanish, accompanied at the piano by James Isom.
In the midst of the song, the tea was suddenly brought to a close by the deafening drone of a high powered sport plane which swooped down over the mansion, causing the whole party to rush out with sky-crooked necks. As graceful as a "buzzard." the
pilot settled the ship on the private landing port of the Hughes. On reaching the plane, we found the pilot to be Tom Gore, accompanied by Jack Brady.
They had just flown from Death Valley, California.
They told us of the expected arrival of a squadron of transport planes which was rushing east for a shipment of iodized asparagus.
All the guests having gone, Mrs. Hughes asked us and the pilots to give them the honor of our presence at dinner and the theatre. Since the squadron would be in at 11:30 that night, we would get back in time.
After dinner the big limousine was brought to the door with Frank Wilkie at the wheel. On the way uptown we passed Lee Simpson and his wife, the former Thelma Martin, out walking with their six sons and daughters. On down the street we saw
Grover Eaker, with his secretary, Mary Huntley, leaving his uptown office.
When the footman, Clifton Lancaster, opened the door, we got out of the car and entered the magnificent Lark Theatre. On the right in the lobby was a life-size portrait of the donor of the playhouse, Marvin Lark. At the ticket window we saw Clarabel
King, chewing gum and stealing glances at the head usher, Fred Metler. We were taken to our seats by a meek little usher, who was none other than Norman Johnson.
When the show began, we saw Henry Willard, movie favorite, and Lula Clement, comedienne, having a heated discussion over the crime which had just been committed. As the play went on we kept hearing a low mumble behind us. As the plot thickened, the mumble grew to a whisper. We could not mistake the voices, ones we had heard so much. They were:
Alice Hecklin, Cecyle Ferguson, Frances Hannon and Emily Turner.
Coming out of the theatre, we chanced upon Elizabeth Ballenger and Juanita Johnson, who said they had just returned from a trip on the Graf Zeppelin in search of specimen of bugs. We were talking with them when the managers of the theatre, Electra Scott and Lewis Hunter, came up.
We finally made our way out of the place and started for home. We arrived there just about 11:30.
Knowing the planes would soon be in, we went hurriedly into the house for heavy wraps and then went to the port.
As we arrived, the first of the planes was circling the field. The pilot gracefully landed the ship and taxied to the loading dock at the end of one of the great warehouses located at the edge of the port. As he stepped from the cabin, we noticed that it was Willie Robinson, accompanied by his mechanic, J. B. Clinkscales. No sooner had he placed his ship than another plane was in.
This kept up until ten planes had made port. The pilots and mechanics were all escorted to the beautiful Hotel Parris, owned by one classmate, Ellis Parris. Upon arriving there, we recognized the guests as: Luther Burrell, Robert Deadwyler, Lewis Sizemore, James Buckley, Ralph Foster. Robert Leonard, Warren Furber, Talmage Tanner, Cleve Dunagin, Jack Jolly, Ray Lancaster, W. F. Rogers, Robert Sams, Walter Taylor, Woodrow Wilson, Leonard Smith. Marvin Woolen, Calvin Gowan and William Lancaster.
Before we left the hotel, the gracious Mrs. Hughes informed us that there was to be a swimming party at the private pool the next morning while the ships were being loaded. She also said she had been fortunate enough to secure a troupe of dancers and several professional swimmers who would give an exhibition for the party.
Next morning at 10:30 breakfast was served to us on the sun-porch by a maid, Elsie Sanders. While eating, some lovely hot house roses were brought in by one of Prof. Willard's students, Grace Garlington.
The stroll to the pool took us through another garden, where there was a huge aquarium. Here we found Elizabeth Lee, Ruth Moore, Ida Lynch and Grace Lands feeding the goldfish.
Arriving at the pool, we saw Mildred Amos and Sara Jones, life-guards, seated on the tower. At the end of the pool, in the shade, two girls were serving refreshing drinks. They were Mildred Brice and Eleanor Wofford. On the springboards the professionals were giving diving exhibitions. These were Lucille Key, Florence Pitts, and Emily Collins. At the other end of the pool, Cara Bourne, Jenelle Hendley, Helen Pugh and Carlene Taylor were playing bridge on a floating table. The same orchestra which
had played the afternoon before had begun one of the latest dance hits, and a chorus of lovely girls danced out on the pier: Virginia Prather, Lucile Setzler, Nell Foster, Gladys Frazier, Kathleen Stephens, Edyth Taylor, Annie Rose Taylor, Elizabeth Elam, Dolly Gilbert, Mary Hertzog. Allene Blowers, Arvinger Gosnell, Thelma Langford, Sara Huntley, Mattie Lee Tucker, Vera Thomas, Chrystelle Smith and Margaret Wolfe. After this lovely dance was over, we were entertained by Betty DuPre imper-
sonating Louise Fazenda. We were all pleased to the nth degree with this unique performance.
As we were going to our car, a very hilarious group of pretty women from a neighboring community passed. As they breezed by in the Packard phaeton we recognized them as our old friends: Leola Powell, Marian Bishop, Willie Bryson, Althea Foster, Bernice Martin, Eugenia Savage, Kathleen Taylor, Elizabeth Timlall, Sara Butler, Mary Lou Clary, and Marguerite Witherspoon.
Thus—a day in Iodinia (nee South Carolina) in the year A. D. 1945. Stop, Look and Listen!
Mary Arnold.
Charles Hearon. |
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