Harmon’s Histories: Missoula County High School’s 1928 yearbook was ‘all Lindy’
By Jim Harmon
John Duresky, a fellow author and researcher, contacted me the other day through the Missoula Current.
John’s the co-author of and historical researcher for “Relentless Hope, the biography of a young artillery officer and West Point graduate who endured the horrors of Bataan, the Death March, and numerous prisoner of war camps and hell ships during World War II.”
John was interested in my research and stories about Charles Lindbergh’s connection with western Montana. We’re both a couple of old fossils. I’m 78. He’s a couple years younger. We had quite a pleasant conversation.
It prompted me to look back at those stories about Lindbergh, and at the Missoula County High School’s 1928 yearbook. It was “all Lindy,” from cover to cover.
The faculty page featured the image of a Spirit of St. Louis plane dropping bombs of knowledge onto a group of fleeing students.
The faculity photos which followed were, in many cases, downright depressing. These poor teachers look as though they were trapped with no hope of rescue! I offer, in evidence:
The students, on the other hand, seemed downright gleeful by comparison.
“In the year of our Lord, yea '24, Four hundred Freshies entered our door.
Awed by the Seniors, lost in the halls, We endured much trouble and many downfalls.”
The yearbook staff wrote, “May this volume with the passing of time be of increasing interest and pleasure to you, bringing back pleasant memories and resurrecting the joys of the school year ending in the spring of 1928.”
“We have done our best and have endeavored to make this book worthy of him and to whom it is dedicated, Charles Lindbergh and the Missoula High School.”
“It is with the hope, that every graduate of our institution will go through life conscious of Lindbergh’s spirit and ideals, that we present this 1928 Bitter Root.”
The yearbook contained the usual fare - photos of the seniors, followed by juniors, sophomores and freshmen, student groups, predictions, and all of that. But what I was after was humor!
Finally, near the end of the book, I found it.
“Grier E.: I answered a question in class today. Alfred W.: What did you say? Grier E.: I said, ‘Present.’”
Eugene was heard asking, “What’s the height of your ambition?” Dan was heard to reply, “Oh, she comes about to my shoulders.”
Another exchange reported in the yearbook was Sandy Durrant asking, “What kind of leather makes the best shoes?” Buggs Dwyer answered, “I dunno, but banana skins make the best slippers.”
Finally, “Mr. Keteham asked, ‘Harry, what do you expect to be when you graduate from college?’ Harry Lynn responded, ‘An old man.’”
I’m sure most of the class of 1928 went on to do wonderful things in their lives. Well, with the possible exception of Harry Lynn.
Jim Harmon is a longtime Missoula news broadcaster, now retired, who writes a weekly history column for Missoula Current. You can contact Jim at fuzzyfossil187@gmail.com. His best-selling book, “The Sneakin’est Man That Ever Was,” a collection of 46 vignettes of Western Montana history, is available at harmonshistories.com.