Greensburg Daily News
Greensburg —
Can you guess what year these things happened; the Brooklyn Dodgers beat the New York Yankees to finally win the World Series, popular new song was Rock Around the Clock, President Eisenhower sent the first U.S. advisors to South Vietnam and Gunsmoke was on TV for the first time.
Saturday lunch earlier this month at the Mulligan Grill was a complete pleasure as always but especially at the reunion of Greensburg High SchoolÕs class of 1955. Mind you now, I did not graduate from Greensburg or graduate from high school in 1955. No, it was a matter of having friends that gave the invitation.
Jim and Sheila Doerflinger, Rondal and Mary Harmon, Dennis and Carol Siefker Doerflinger, Marilles Berry Terry and I sat at the same table where the conversation was lively. We talked of the various locations of the post office in Greensburg before the one on the corner of Franklin and North was built.
We talked of their memories of The Galley and the fun the young people had there in those days. Jim Doerflinger told a story about when he was in Korea. After learning that Joyce Thurston Springmier was also there he got in touch with her and the two Greensburg natives had lunch in Inchon, Korea. Jim had been on guard duty but put his rifle in locker although it was against the rules because they were to have their rifle with them at all times. They enjoyed their lunch but when he tried to pay for it Joyce pointed to the bars on her shoulder. She outranked him. I loved that story but canÕt tell it as well as Jim.
It was 20 years after graduating before one of their classmates died. Now, 55 years later, 21 are deceased. There was a prayer and memorial service for those who have died since graduating and a gift is given in their memory. Most of the class members still live in Indiana with the majority of those living in Decatur County. Others live in Ohio, Maryland, Mississippi, Texas, Florida, Nevada or Oregon.
As master of ceremonies, Jim Doerflinger shared some humor about maturing. He commented about the many contributions the class members have made to our world and there were many. The committee also gave each member of the class a chance to tell something about themselves, their career, their children and grandchildren. Every class member was given a paper weight, made by Kramer Kreations, thatÕs made of polished white marble with a picture of their High School building on Walnut St.
Greensburg had the best football season in 1955 that the school had experienced since 1948. The team only lost two games out of the eight they played. They won over Martinsville, Hagerstown, Rushville, Batesville, Franklin and Shelbyville but lost to North Vernon and Columbus. Jack Spencer was football coach. Norman Bramblett was the star football player but others on the senior team were Rondal Harmon, Joe Buell, Jack Borden, Don Haley, Jack Baldwin, Tom Linville, George Schick, Ralph Hahn, Bill Land, Jim Huber, J.P. Morgan, Bill Greiwe and Norman Branblett.
Rondal Harmon was also on the tennis team. Marilles Berry Terry, Jim Hess and Nancy Kessler were cheerleaders. Harold Smith was basketball king.
The yearbook was exceptionally creative with a nautical theme. The superintendent of schools was ÒAdmiralÓ Alexander, ÒCaptainÓ Davis was first mate, etc. Someone drew clowns for the yearbook that look similar to those that we could get from a computer now. The clowns are posed so that they spell out the word SHOW. I regret not finding out who did that.
The 1955 class presented two plays in the Play Shop; ÒShock of His LifeÓ a short and very funny play about a person that makes all kinds of mistakes while taking telephone messages for others and a play called ÒRaspberry.Ó The 12 Little Maids received a first in their division in the annual district contest. The school had a Chorus, led by Ben Niles, and a Harmony and Theory class where the students learned Òto appreciate dissonance as well as consonance.Ó They composed some music too.
Bill Gannon, who came to Greensburg earlier this year when he and his brother gave part of his motherÕs button collection to the Historical Museum, was one of several who could not attend the reunion. He was in Washington DC for security training for his job but he, no doubt, spoke for others who couldnÕt attend when he said, ÒI did enjoy my years at GHS and I really missed seeing my old school mates. It has been a long time.Ó
The lunch was only one part of the reunion that weekend, and I was delighted to be there.
