Ozark News Article about Rockford school children gathering 1700 pounds of
scrap paper for the American Junior Red Cross in 1944. Also End-of-School
Festivities and Graduation:
Source: April 27, 1944 issue of the Ozark News.
Extrapolated and formatted for the internet by Sue Cooley from a hardbound
collection of The Ozark News newspapers graciously lent to me by Robert Pierce,
son of Guy Pierce, editor/owner of The Ozark News. The photo could not be
scanned suitably for inclusion here, but the caption and article follow:
photo caption: Students: Mont Johnson, Jr., Johnnie Lee
Redhage, Benjamine Wieda, Richard Nappier, Kenneth Kommer, Verna Brown, Virginia
Frossard, Mildred Redhage, Henry Redhage, Berniece Kommer, Lola Banderman,
Kenneth Johnson, Donald Kommer, Dorothy Wieda, Carl Brown, May Frossard, Delma
Huff, Roy Montgomery, Betty Ann Medley, Donald Johnson, Jacqueline Redhage,
Clara Frossard, Edna Frossard, Harold Kommer and Miss Mildred Brown. Another
pupil, Mildred Evins, is missing from the photograph. Photograph not included
here.
American Junior Red Cross: The accompanying
article states that most of the students are members of the American Junior Red
Cross, which was not fully organized that year. Collecting scrap paper was one
of their activities. They collected about 1700 pounds and sold it – the money
was to be used for furthering the work of the Junior Red Cross. Virginia
Frossard was President of the Junior Red Cross at the school, Verna Brown was
Vice President, Lola Banderman was secretary and Dorothy Wieda was treasurer.
Last Day of School: Friday, April 14, 1944 was
the last day of school that year. On Thursday the entire school went on a hike
and wiener roast. They climbed the bluff. The girls picked flowers and the boys
went fishing. On Friday, the parents came for a basket dinner. After dinner they
had a short program.
Graduates: Dorothy Wieda, Delma Huff, and Henry
Redhage were their graduates for the spring of 1944. Henry Redhage was
valedictorian and Delma Huff was salutorian. The graduates were planning to
attend the county-wide graduation on April 20.
Other Awards and Activities: All 25 pupils
received their Reading Circle Certificates that year and the three graduates
received their Life Reading Circle Certificates. Dorothy Wieda, Verna Brown,
Kenneth Johnson, Donald Kommer, Carl Brown, Kenneth Kommer, Delma Huff, Benjamin
Wieda and Mont Johnson, Jr., received attendance prizes and certificates. Eighth
children received spelling prizes. Candy was passed out, report cards presented,
and school closed with everyone planning a pleasant vacation.
