In 1931 these students graduated in the middle of the school year. Why did these students leave school? There were very few jobs available to them. I'd like to find out what each did:
Christopher S. Shanks -- was the son of Christopher and Matilda Shanks. His father was a boilermaker at the rail yard, and the family lived at 901 White Oak Road in the 1930s. Christopher was born in 1912 and died in 1952. He married in 1943 to Margaret Schwartz. He was a bookkeeper at Wannamacher Garage at the time of his death. During the Depression he had jobs as a waiter and a driver.
Sylvia Gross -- Sylvia was attending ISNU in 1932 and was active in theatrics there. Her parents were Louis and Bertha Gross, who were Polish immigrants. Her father was a professional photographer and in 1930 Sylvia's sister Anne worked as a photographer with their father. In 1935 Sylvia was a stenographer, but then she disappeared from the record.
Monte Greeness -- was the son of Bert and Nellie Greeness. Bert was a railroad city railway. Before Monte began working in the Woolen Mills Store he was a musician and vocalist with a dance orchestra in Bloomington. He became the manager of the men's and boy's furnishing department and then purchased it in 1940. In 1944 Monte joined the navy and sold off his interest in the Woolen Mills Store, with the option of purchasing it again. After the war he owned another clothing shop and in the fifties was the buyer for Livingstons. He died in 1964 in Bloomington.
Florence Diefenbach -- was the daughter of George and Catherine Diefenbach. She was born in Ohio but moved to Bloomington in 1927. Mr. Diefenbach worked for the candy factory in 1930, but by the time of Florence's marriage, the family had moved to Arizona, except for Florence. In 1944 Florence married Paul Kelly of Normal. She was working at the Social Security board in Bloomington at the time of her marriage and her husband was a court reporter in the courthouse and later Circuit Clerk for McLean County. Florence was a member of the McLean County Women's Republican Club and the Auxiliary of the American Legion. Florence had no children. She died in 1952.
William Seeger was the son of Fred and Olga Seeger. Fred Seeger worked at the book bindery in Bloomington and after graduation William worked for Pantagraph Printing eventually. William married Bernice Weatherford in 1937 and they had two daughters and moved to California after the daughters were grown.
Eva Meredith -- was the daughter of George and Effie Meredith of Danvers. Eva was a teacher at the Bloomington School of Music in 1931 and was composing her own music. Before her marriage Eva attended IWU, Wheaton College and the University of Illinois. She taught music at Arrowsmith and Cooksville for one year before marrying George DeLong in 1940. In the spring of 1941 Eva Meredith DeLong directed an operetta in Congerville -- "An Old Kentucky Garden." After marrying Eva and her husband disappeared from the Pantagraph.
Geraldine Capps -- was the daughter of Marcus and Flossie Capps and lived at 810 W. Oakland. Marcus was a laborer in the railroad shops. She married Ralph Montgomery in 1935 and had two sons. Her husband was a pilot in WWII. They moved to California in the 1940s.
Dorothy Bardwell -- was the daughter of Barney and Mable Bardwell and lived at 1406 N East Street. Barney was a fireman with the railroad. Dorothy attended ISNU and worked at State Farm after her schooling ended. In 1940 Dorothy was a contestant in Miss Bloomington a contest that took place over a series of weeks with votes being cast through local retail businesses (with purchase required!!!) The entire contest was sponsored by the Pantagraph and the prizes offered with trips to either San Francisco or New York City for the Fairs. She married George White in 1940 in Virginia. She died in 2010 in Bloomington. George and Dorothy had three children. Dorothy died in 2010.
Florence Manskey -- was the daughter of Frank Manskey of 1109 N. Clinton. Florence was a popular accompanist on the piano for her sister Marian and other violinists while she was still in high school and after. At the graduation ceremony she played a solo. Florence married Edward C Wagner and lived in Quincy and Chicago after their marriage. They had four children. Florence died in Arkansas in 1995.
Carita Zombro -- was the daughter of Elmer and Nina Zombro and lived at 911 W Mulberry. Elmer was a locomotive fireman and Nina was a saleslady. Carina married Lloyd Barnes of Akron, Ohio in 1933. She moved to Akron after her marriage. (The Zombro name goes back to Virginia in 1840 and further.)
Rose Stalter -- was the daughter of Albert and Bessie Stalter of 409 E Locust. Rose worked at the Shriner's Hospital in Chicago after graduation. She married Harold DeLong in October 1931. She died at the Mennonite Hospital January 28, 1933, aged 20.
Albert Neubauer -- was the son of Rose Neubauer of 206 N. Roosevelt. Albert was a singer with multiple churches in Bloomington and continued appearing in musical revues after high school, especially at the English Lutheran Church. After his marriage, he moved with his wife to Middletown, Connecticut where they were in charge of a Lutheran Home for the Aged.
Frieda Trimmer was the daughter of Mrs. Fred Trimmer, 1004 E. Front. Frieda married Karl Novinger of Kirksville, MO in 1940. They began their married life in Ottawa, IL. Prior to her marriage Frieda worked at the McLellan company.
Inez Bond -- was the daughter of Fred and Bertha Bond. Inez married Richard Arnold in 1941. He served in the African and European campaigns of WWII and died 8 years after the war at the Veteran's Hospital in Dwight after an 8 year "illness." They had no children. She remarried in 1960 to Ralph Anderson, and he died in 1967. Inez worked all her life at State Farm. Inez died May 6, 1983 in Bloomington.
Phoebe Balding - was the daughter of James and Vella Balding. Her parents were both deceased at the time of her marriage. Her father had been a self employed button maker in Scott County, IL. His WWI draft registration indicated that he had just one leg. She completed her education at St. Joseph's and worked as a graduate nurse before and after her marriage in 1938. She married in Seattle, Washington to W C Edmundson and died in California in 1994.
Richard Loar -- was the son of Arthur and Daisy Loar of 704 E Front. After graduation he joined the Army air corps, receiving his training at Chanute Field and then Langley. Richard Loar was an insurance underwriter at Union Auto Indemnity and died in 1991 in Arizona.
Russell Myers was the son of Charles and Maude Myers of 1408 Clinton. Charles Myers started as a farmer but retired from farming at the age of 30 and was later associated with the Graff Agency, a real estate and loan company. Russell graduated from Northwestern and was working as the manager of the Delavan Theater in 1937. In 1937 there was a shocking shooting of the bride of James Crabb, the son of a wealthy Delavan banker. Russell had been present at a dinner/drinking party the night of the shooting and testified at the inquest. Russell was later associated with his father's company, the Graff Agency and worked all his life as a realtor/land developer. During WWII he served in the Pacific, entering the war as a private despite his advanced degree. He married Rebecca Shoup in 1940 and had two children. He died in Normal in 2003.
Mary Edna Walker, was the daughter of Julius and Lizzie Walker. Her father was a driver and servant for the Spencer Ewings for thirty five years. In 1947 he retired, with a pension from the Ewings. His father had been a slave until he was 14 years old. Mary's mother died when Mary and her brothers were very young. Mary attended ISNU and after graduation she kept house for her father. She married Ramsey Gordon in Peoria in 1950. She died September 1975. There no children from their marriage. She was active in the Baptist Training Union at Mt Pisgah Church and was a pianist for it in 1950.
Virginia Nicholson was the daughter of Samuel and Bertha Nicholson. Samuel was a preacher in Holder and his daughter lived in Bloomington to attend high school. Virginia also attended ISNU and did her student teaching at the Price School. Virginia disappears from the record in 1935. Her family lived in Schuyler County in 1940, and her father died in Metamora in 1965. It is interesting to note that although her father had nothing more than a fifth grade education, Virginia was afforded the benefit of a college education.
Iberia Orrick -- was the daughter of John and Pearl Orrick of 1002 N Morris. John was a helper in the C & A Shops. Iberia continued her education for one year at ISNU and then taught shorthand, typing and accounting at the YWCA, Farina High School and Bishop School in Towanda. She married Walter Gang in 1940 and continued teaching at the Bishop School. Her husband fought in WWII, and Iberia was very active with the Home Bureau for many years as well as teaching. Iberia died in 1997.
Harold Delong -- was the son of Glenn and Clara Delong. He married three times: Rose Stalter in 1931 and she died in 1934, Mary Margaret Hoehnen in 1938 (died 1999) and Neva Clovis in 1943. In 1931 he was involved in an automobile accident in which he killed a six year old girl who darted into traffic. Two months later he was the pedestrian in a vehicle vs. pedestrian accident when he was hit by Paul Beich. Harold was a clerk at Campbell Holton. He moved to Springfield with his third wife in the 1940s.
Lucille Hoettels -- was the daughter of Louis and Edith Hoettels of 1125 S Barker Street. Louis was a janitor. Lucille married Frank Fike in 1959 (her first marriage). She worked at State Farm beginning in 1940. Lucille died April 5, 1997.
Paul Thompson -- was the son of Owen and Margaret Thompson. They had a farm on West Washington. He married Katherine Dodson in 1937. They had two children. He was a brake man on the railroad. The Thompson's left Bloomington in the late 1940s.
L Rosa Clark -- is the only graduate on the list who I was unable to trace.
Harold Loch -- was the son of Harold and Francis Loch of 711 W. Jackson. Harold Sr. was an advertising agent with an agency. Francis was a seamstress working in a private home, and Harold's grandmother was a "modiste." Harold married Florence Hoeft in December of 1937. Harold died in 1972 in Morton, Illinois.
Ralph Prochnow -- was the son of William Prochnow of 1403 S Center. Ralph married Helen Meyer in 1942. Both Ralph and Helen had graduated from ISNU. Ralph was working at the Piggly Wiggly when they married. Ralph died two years later at St. Joseph Hospital at the age of 30. Their were no children from the marriage.
Goldie Dowllar -- was the daughter of Mrs. Clara D Reinhold, who lived at 1411 W Olive. In 1935 Goldie had a job as a clerk at the Metropolitan Life Insurance Co. She married in 1942 to James Holland. She made her home in Champaign after her marriage. Goldie died in Florida in 2009.
Merwyn Johnson -- was the son of William and Ruth Johnson who lived at 508 S Lee. William was a deliveryman for a department store in Bloomington. Merwyn left Bloomington in 1932 for Gary, Indiana where he had a position with the Church Loyalty crusade. He married Ruth Todd (Pontiac) and became a Methodist minister. He died in Bloomington in 1998.
Russell Lathrop -- was the son of Clark and Della Lathrop who lived at 1305 S Madison. Clark was a traveling salesman for a meat packing house. Russell married before 1937 and left the city before 1935. He was a statistician and attended college for 5 or more years. He died in Riverside California in 1998.
Of these 29 students, 9 went to college for one or more years. Only two couples married within three years of graduation and 9 married 9 or more years after graduation. The Depression must have put a real damper on the desire to get married. The one African American student who had the courage to see it through also received a college education. Only one graduate was a first generation immigrant. Does this say something about the opportunities available to immigrants -- in the work force and in the schools?