1939 - 1943
West Valley High School

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The Freshman Year

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The West Valley News was a good representation of what highschool years were like at this time. We learned the words to "Alma Mater," and "On West Valley":

Hail! Alma Mater
Loyal friends and true!
We pledge allegiance
West Valley to you!
Then, hit the line, West Valley!
West Valley wins today!
We shall show the sons of Central (Central Valley--our most infamous rival)
That our colors still hold sway.
Sweep down the field again!
Victory, or die!
And we'll raise the grand old cheer, boys
As the orange and black sweep by--
Rah! Rah!

On West Valley! On West Valley!
Plunge right through that line!
Take the ball clear oe'r the goal,
A touchdown every time!
On West Valley' On West Valley!
We will fight for thee.
Fight, fellows, Fight! Fight! Fight!
For Victory!

Although the kids from the small four-roomed Trent School were all but unknown to the other West Valley classmates, I was voted president of Miss Maurer's Home Room, according to the WV News dated October 18, 1939. I was very flattered.

WV News, October 4, 1939

Baton Twirling group - 24 girls practice in front of the auditorium before school. The WV band will have experienced drum majorettes before long.

We were in the Lilac Parade the following spring. Our costumes, which we made ourselves, were double breasted orange jackets and black circle skirts lined with orange. We felt we looked quite sharp! Oh, yes, and we had orange pill-box hats and white tasseled boots.

I was also in the "tumbling" group, but that wasn't exactly an athletic endeavor.

Favorite candy bars according to the candy counter were A to Z, Three Musketeers, Big Bonus, Mounds, U-No, Caramel Slice and Freshie.

Pal Night was a good bargain, and we took advantage of it many times.

As a freshman, I dated several boys: Art Thayer, a junior, whose younger brother, George, was Opal 's occasional date; Ron Johnson, a sophomore, a guard on the football team, 5'8", 156#; Vernon Foss; and Jim Hobbs, a senior. Ron Johnson dumped me for a redhead, Marian Adams -- a junior. They later married. I was quite broken-hearted for a short while.

Best Friends

At this time, Opal's and my best friends were Margaret and Alice Rappe. Margaret was my age, and Alice was Opal's. Margaret dated Layne Johnson, Ron's brother, and they were married soon after WWII. Alice had a short try at marriage, and then because of mental illness, was committed to an institution in Oregon. Mom visited her there, and reported to us that Alice was unresponsive and untidy, which was not like the Alice we had known.

A teacher at West Valley High School wrote this letter to a certain student's mother:

West Valley High School October 9, 1939 Bob Nance is the most conscientious , capable student in my U. S. Government class. I expect him to continue this excellent work. Weston A. Niemela

Weston A. Niemela

WV News, November 22, 1939

Style Favors Hair Bows
Now hair ribbons and bows are popping up in profusion again and bow language should come back in style:
Right Side - Unattached and seeking
Left Side - Going steady, out of circulation
Middle - In love, but getting nowhere
Back - Pursued but running
Two bows - Anything goes
Huge bows - Much too young

Noon Dancing Sponsored
The Eagle's Claw decided on Tuesday they will sponsor noon dances. The first of these dances was held in the gym on Friday, November 17. The boys are still working hard in order to keep good conduct in the halls,

Edgecliff Views Program
A talented group of WV students entertained a very attentive and appreciative audience at Edgecliff Sanatorium Monday, November 8. (The sanatorium was for tuberculosis patients.)

Nickelodeon here
Boys! Now is your chance to learn to dance. It's the best music you can get! A new nickelodeon was secured December 7. Don 't forget the candy. It may be bought while you are dancing. The candy counter was placed down on the gym floor. Let's see everyone, boys and girls down on the dance floor at all dances.

Noon Movies - Small fee; some free

During home room meeting of February 2, Leta Keener was re-elected President of Miss Maurer's Home Room.

Print Dress Day
March 22 Event
Gingham Dress Day, or Print Dress Day, as it is now called has been an annual event for the girls of WV for the past 12 years. It will be celebrated March 22 this year.

The style 12 years ago was gingham dresses with the low waists, short sleeves and knee-high skirts. But today, the styles are greatly modified even though the skirts are still rather short. The waists have gone up where they belong and many, many flattering styles have been made in home economics classes.

Examples of such styles will be worn by Leta Keener in her stunning pink polka dot, Ila May Davidson in her tan figured spun rayon frock, Pearl Grater in her beautiful blue flowered princess dress, Julia Napier in her lovely green figured dress, and many, many other exciting and fascinating frocks.

(Being creative with my sewing, I made all my dresses using my own design. With a pretty basic pattern, I modified it so I could have clothes of the different materials and styles of my choosing.)


The Treble Clef Club sang at Cheney and we received a rating of excellent.

Bob Nance

This next item in the March 22, 1940 WV News was not of interest to me at the time I was a Freshman, but as you may know, this junior was significant by the time summer rolled around:

Junior
Bob Nance
Eyes - Green
Hair - Dark Brown
Height - 5'10"
Favorite song - South American Way
Hobby - Photography
Pet Peeve - Bob Miller and Dick Jeanes
Ambition - To be an educated bum
Movie Star - Buck Jones

And also in the same issue:

The Let Down
My love, I adore you
More than words can say;
I dream of you
The live long day.

I think of your teeth
So snowy white,
Your hair gleams like silk
So alluring and bright.

Your face is as clean
As freshly washed clothes.
Your dimples are cute
And oh! What a nose!

I think of you
Wherever I roam;
In city and country
Abroad or at home.
Ahem! Do you have
A quarter to loan?
--- Bob Nance

(Probably Bob meant this to be for Patty Wiseman, his girlfriend at the time.)

On July 6, 1940, Leo married Phyllis Watts in Coeur d' Alene, Idaho. Her family lived in Trentwood and Leo and Phyl had known each other all through their school years. For a short while the young couple lived in the garage apartment in back of my grandparents' house. They fixed it up a little to make the bachelor accommodations more pleasant.

The Nances lived one-half mile from us, and we knew the family slightly. I often took the S-I, Spokane Idaho train (a small line completed in 1915) to Spokane and back. It made passenger runs through the area we called "Subway." This is where on one occasion Hazel Nance and I both were boarding the same train. When Hazel returned home she told her younger brother, "Bob, you should go with Leta. She's cute!" This was told to me later by Bob.

Hazel Nance

In the West Valley 1940 Yearbook, the following was noted:

Senior Class Prophecy
John Panther has taken Ben Lindberg's place on radio with his horse, TNT. (Ben Lindberg was a "cowboy '' singer well-known in Spokane, with his old horse "Dynamite," and John Panther was the brother of my good friend, Ruth. I met him later in Tacoma where he was in the Army.)

Del Hardie is the lifeguard at Miami Beach. Only the girls get rescued, the men either sink or swim. (Del was my very first love.)

Pauline Eliasen has decided to be a hermitress. Her drawings appear in the New York Museum as the work of the "Mysterious Miss" (Pauline was our childhood friend/neighbor.)

James Hobbs went to Turkey so he could have a harem. No one has seen or heard from him since. (He sort of pursued me this year, but I made him angry.)

Bob Nance and Leta Keener

During my Sophomore year, Bob, a Senior, and I were well-established in fact as "going steady." Bob worked at delivering the Spokesman-Review helping out his mother who had been widowed for about two years. Also, he picked "pickles" in a field across the river.

We danced together at noon. These 20 top songs listed in the WV News were on the nickelodeon:

1. I'll Never Smile Again (Played 11 times during the month)
2. Pomton Turnpike
3. Can't Get Indiana Off My Mind
4. Madame Will Drop Her Shawl
5. Trade Winds
6. Huckleberry Duck
7. Ferryboat Serenade (Played 21 times)
8. When the Swallows Come Back to Capistrano
9. Only Forever
10. The Call of the Canyon
11. Blueberry Hill
12. Get the Moon Out of Your Eyes
13. I'm Home Again
14. Seminole
15. Tennessee Fish Fry (22 times--most popular!)
16. Six Appeal (10 times)
17. The Same Old Story
18. Crosstown
19. Hot Lips
20. We're All Americans, All True Blue

WV News, September 25, 1940

Bob Nance - Secretary of the Boys' Federation
Leta Keener - Study Hall Librarian, third period
Bob Nance - Vice President of the Camera Club
Leta Keener -Member of Treble Clef Club.

WV News, October 9, 1940

Three B s Buzz New Yells
Those three whooping gallivanting boys who are trying to keep together and say the same things at the same time (and with success!) are the new yell leaders, Bob Miller, Bob Nance, and Bill Bulley.

The odd part of it is that all three of the boys’ first names begin with "B." Maybe they should be called the Busy Bee Boys. The three Busy Bee Boys are buzzing along with a lot of vim and vigor, hoping to get everything running sweet as honey.

Of interest -- the school was searching for girl cheer leaders to augment the group, and trios of girls tried out for the honor. Since I was Bob's girl, two very popular (and tall) older girls thought if they worked with me in their tryouts, there would be a good chance that we three would be chosen.

Cheerleaders

We didn't get the votes. Probably because the three who won had more pep, or maybe because we looked like bookends with a small-sized book in the middle--me.

WV News, October 23, 1940

Picture Group Holds Picnic
The WV Camera Club staged an initiation party last Thursday in the form of a picnic at the Bowl and Pitcher in Downriver State Park. After a picnic supper was served, a fireside program was provided by the initiates.

Those taking part were Mary Buckland, Harriet Chamberlin, Frances Duff, Jeane Brown, Zella Wilson, Wes Almandinger and Beatrice McConahay, with Bob Nance as Master of Ceremonies, and Wally Keltner furnishing the fireside music. (Bob took many of the pictures that were reproduced in the 1941 yearbook.)

The association members will become active members when they learn to develop and print pictures. (Bob learned to develop, print and enlarge pictures. We have albums full of pictures exhibiting his ex- pertise.

Drama Class Active
The dramatic arts class is giving several interesting plays this semester. The students apply their own theatrical makeup. Each play has a student director.

"The Reefer Man" was presented October 4. Helen Brischle, Lyle Arnold, Bob Harrington, Douglas Stuart and Mitzi Bliss were cast in this play. Douglas Stuart directed.

October 11, "The Necklace Is Mine" was given with Dorothy Bline, Leta Keener, Ruth Kegley, Patty Lacroix and Lila Lea.



The following plays will be given this semester:

"Little Prison," Evelyn Batson directing, Martha Gorremans, Beatrice Hathaway, Thelma Thompson and Elaine Tucker.

"Sunset by Slantsky," Pat Aucutt, Patty Lacroix, Zain DeBorde, Bruce Fennen and Bob Harrington, Dorothy Bline directing.

"Ring and the Look" with Pat Aucutt,Mitzi Bliss, Virginia Fosler directing, Leta Keener, Ruth Kegley, Bernice Swanson, Elaine Tucker, Lyle Arnold and Bob Meyers

The class will present a play for students and out-siders in January. They are choosing the play now. (They picked "New Fires" WV News November 27.)



Play Dates Change
Holiday causes "What a Life" to be postponed a week
The dates for "What a Life" all-high play, have been changed from November 22-23 to November 29-30 because of a change in Thanksgiving vacation.

The walk-on parts have been assigned to Elva Crawford, Leta Keener, Judy Bush, and Les and Laurence McFarlen. Mary, the colored girl will be portrayed by Mitzi Bliss.

Howard Capell, stage manager, has appointed Don Greenslitt as his assistant. The cast rehearsed three times aweek.

West Valley Boys' Gym to be finished March 1, 1941.
The boys got the new, big gym while the girls were "given" the old one. (Girls' sports were not important in those days.)

WV News, November 27, 1940

The complete list of the 20 most danceable tunes we have had on our nickelodeon in many a moon. If this selection won't induce more boys to try their skill at dancing, nothing will!!!

1. Rumba Jumps
2. Pomton Turnpike
3. Wham
4. Madam Will Drop Her Shawl
5. Hop Toe Hootie
6. Huckleberry Duck
7. Ferry Boat Serenade
8. Beat Me Daddy Eight to the Bar
9. I'm Home Again
10. Six Lessons From Madame Lazonga
11. Blueberry Hill
12. Li’l Boy Love
13. Practice Makes Perfect
14. Cherokee
15. Only Forever
16. Down by the Ohio
17. Johnson Rag
18. I'm Nobody's Baby
19. Our Love Affair
20. Four Beat Shuffle

About this time I had an attack of acute appendicitis. After a whole week of excruciating stomach pain, I had alternating chills and fever. That was when my appendix ruptured, according to the doctor. Mom was told I was a pretty sick girl, and I might not make it! I had to have a drain tube in my incision for the time I was hospitalized. I missed out on six weeks of school, but made up work, and got all my credits. In fact, my total credits enabled me to graduate in three and one-half years, in January, 1943.

A letter to me (and all) from Dennis, dated December 25, 1940, Pearl Harbor, T.H., said he worried about me since he got Mom's letter saying I was in the hospital and quite sick. Dennis wrote the letter on the inside of a menu from the Mele Kalilimaka. On the front of the menu was printed:

U.S.S. San Francisco, Christmas, 1940. The bill of fare was a asumptuous dinner featuring turkey and ham, pumpkin pie, fruit cake, ice cream, cigars and cigarettes.

Dennis told me : (The copy was in capitals as the radio messages on board ship were received in CAPS.)

Will try to write you a letter today while I am sitting around letting the big dinner that I finished eating digest. We certainly had some meal, everything that it says on this menu and plenty of it too. Well, I suppose that we'll suffer all next week by having hamburger or something like that all the time.

Gee, sure doesn't seem like Christmas out here, the weather is still plenty warm although it has been a little cooler the last couple of days. We wear shorts all the time yet so you can see that it isn't very cold.
I sure was glad to get your letter today Leta, I have been worrying about whether you were getting along all right ever since I got that letter from mama saying that you were in the hospital and pretty sick. Sure am glad that you are getting along so well but I suppose that by the time you get this letter you will be home again and probably back in school. Sure hope that you don't miss out on your part in that school play, would like to be there to see it but it just couldn't be done. Well, next christmas I'll be out of this navy and maybe I'll be around Spokane some place close and will be able to see some of the football games and things like that, Sure hope so anyway.

By Christmas, 1941, Dennis would have finished his second enlistment, but no one could foresee the USA's involvement in World War II, which started December 7, 1941. He was at Pearl Harbor aboard his ship the USS SanFrancisco. It came out of this with no damage. He had to stay in service until another 4-year enlistment ended in December, 1945, at which time the horrible war was finally over.

I took very easy subjects in high school -- art, dramatics, home mechanics, woodshop, and mostly got S+'s. My last half year I had only one book, and that was Biology. College was not in my plans as I wanted to get married as soon after graduation as possible.

My favorite subjects were dramatics and shorthand. Mr. Ralph Doud who taught dramatics and Senior English was my favorite teacher. He often brought philosophy to his classes, which made sense to me, and which I will always remember. Ralph Doud taught at Otis Orchards High School before he came to West Valley. Shorthand was a skill I thought would come in handy someday, and it did.

A group of us always went to Saturday night dances. Favorite places were usually at a grange, such as: East Spokane, Greenbluff, or Trentwood; others were Graffmiller 's and Mitchum's Barn Dances.

In summer we enjoyed the All Valley Picnic which was held annually at Liberty Lake. There was always the chance to show off my marksmanship at the shooting gallery where I was able to shoot down 12 moving ducks in sucession. I thought I was really impressing the boys with my ability. My old sharp-shooting skills from earlier escapades along the river seemed to still be with me. The Liberty Lake dance pavilion was built out over the water. We occasionally went to the dances at Honeymoon Bay on Newman Lake.

At a dance at Mitchum's, during an intermission, Bob took a guitar from its stand which belonged to one of the musicians and began to play it. I noticed my friend, Margaret, had a horrified look on her face, as if he would surely be in trouble. But, she realized that Bob did know something about playing a guitar, and was in fact pretty good on it.

Betty Smith's parents had a cabin at Newman Lake, and Opal and I were often invited to spend a night or two. We dearly loved Betty's mother, Nora. She had a good sense of humor. Once she was sitting in the outside toilet and hadn't bothered to shut the door -- it was a very private area. Betty and Opal sneaked up and took a picture of her sitting there. She shouted, "Oh, don't kids, I was just wiping!"

A lot of the West Valley kids went to Cotter's for a hamburger at lunchtime. I was envious because I never had the money to buy lunch. Cotter's was a small restaurant next to the school. However, on dates I occasionly had hamburgers and root beer at the Triple X Root Beer Barrel or the Top Hat.

WV News, December 18, 1940

Concert Pleases
Treble Clef Club presented the following:
Beautiful Dreamer . . . Foster
In Silent Night . . . Brahms
Zella Wilson, violinist, Dark Eyes . .Russian Folk Song
Children's Prayer From Hansel and Gretel . . . Humperdinck


Junior Prom Plans Begin
The Prom will be January 17 (It was on my 16th birthday) at the Masonic Temple in Millwood from 9 to 12.

I wore a marine blue taffeta floor-length formal and Bob gave me a gardenia corsage. It was a magic night. I vividly remember that I felt sooo grown up! The scent of gardenias will always remind me of a special time when I was very much in love, and very, very young!

Toy Drive Con Given
"Christmas Gift" is the title of the play given at the Girls' League Annual Toy Drive assembly yesterday. The play was written by Agnes Emelia Peterson and has a cast of six.
It has a modern setting in two scenes.

The Treble Clef and Mixed Chorus, directed by Mr. Sherwood sang several Christmas carols.

The impression of Christmas in Many languages was given by the Les Auteures and the Pep Club presented a skit.

Bob Nance sang "Winter Wonderland" and Eleanor Rudolph sang "Ave Maria."

WV News, March 5, 1941

Keyhole Kapers So Opal K and Tommy Jeanes are broken up for good. Two good catches on the stag line. Tommy sang the popular Red Foley song, "Old Shep," to Opal and we were quick to tease her because it always made her cry.

Opal Keener

About this time, I wanted to date other boys, and got Bob to agree that we should quit going steady. I figured I would date around, and still go out with Bob whenever I wanted to.

With a fellow named Merle Hart, I went to the Natatorium Park where a big dance band, Kay Kyser, was playing. I enjoyed myself dating others until I began hearing rumors that Bob was taking out this lovely, tall, blonde Freshman, Jeanne Stanley. I was told they had gone to see the movie "Yankee Doodle Dandy." I was devastated! Soon I got across to him that this was NO GOOD! And we got back together.

I was being "taught" to drive in Bob's car. At one time we were on a road on Peone Prairie. I was concentrating hard on trying to steer the car and take orders from the kids who were helping me "learn." One said, "Turn here!" and another said, "No, don't!" So what I did was I drove half-way in between, and ended us up in a ditch.

Another time, Opal, George Thayer, Bob and I were going to the grange dance with one of my former boyfriends, Art Thayer, at the wheel of his parents' car. We were going along Bigelow Gulch Road which was very curvy. Art looked in the back seat where Bob and I were sitting to say something, and when he looked back at the road again, it was too late! The car went off the road and down off the bank and turned over on its top, It was near the gardens of a Japanese family. I was in shock and couldn't see anything at first. Everything went black! I was taken to hospital emergency. I was okay, it was temporary. An article in the newspaper read:

A 16-year-old girl, Leta Keener, was treated for minor injuries received in an accident at Biglow Gulch.

Opal continued on to the dance with George.

WV News, March 26, 1941

Keyhole Kapers
What is it Laurence Kegley and Jim Reed talk about in Metal Shop . . . We know, Leta.

WV News, April 30, 1941

Rates Superior
Honors were bestowed on the Treble Clef Club at Cheney Music Meet. A superior rating was given to the club, the only superior rating given to WV this year. Junior
Tom Jeanes
Eyes - Brown
Hair - Brown
Height - 5'11"
Song - Li'l Boy Love
Favorite Sport - Dancing
Pet Peeve - Blondes (Opal?)
Ambition - WPA
Movie Star - Gene Autry

WV News, May 21, 1941

Treble Clef Excels
Wins high rating at Tacoma meet
The Treble Clef Club's hours of work were well rewarded in Tacoma at the National Music Meet on May 15, 16, 17 and 18. Competing with eight other schools in the "B" division, they came in second, which is the same as excellent. Clarkston was rated first.

Friday morning the girls sang at the Jansen Lee school and received their rating of excellent. A dance was held Friday in the Crystal Room of the Winthrop Hotel. Mrs. Taylor accompanied the girls. (Then a list of the girls who participated.)

Bob graduated in June, 1941. The yearbook had the wrong middle initial with his graduation picture. When 1942 and 1943 classes were Seniors, there were no yearbooks because of the war and the paper shortages.

The Keener Family - 1941

The summer of 1941 Mom married George Goldsmith Walker on August 30. He brought us four step-siblings: Melvin, Delbert, Willard, and Bernice. Melvin didn't make much of an impression on us; Del was very good-looking with a smooth way; Willard was also extremely handsome; Bea was sort of pretty and had an outgoing personality. Willard was at Lowry Air Force Base in Colorado and attended our ceremony when Bob and I were married in Boulder, Colorado. He was sent to England during the war. His plane was subsequently shot down and we were notified that he had lost his life.

WV News, September 24, 1941

Leta Keener Presides


At the first Girls' League meeting September 4, Leta Keener, Vice President, presided, since President Dorothy Bline did not return to school. Corinne Redlin read the minutes of the student council meeting emphasizing the rules for election of a new president. Mrs. Taylor welcomed the girls to WV.

First Play Comes Soon
Play is Double-Cast - Scheduled for November 21 and 22
All High Play entitled "Young April."

Bob Miller is going to Spokane Junior College. Bob Nance also attended SJC for one semester, but then, had to go to work at what was then the Spokane Portland Cement Company. His job was lab work, taking test samples. Early, 1943, he felt drafting into the Army was near-at-hand, so he signed up with the Navy. Boot Camp Training was at Farragut, Idaho, began March 17, 1943. Bob Miller was Bob's closest buddy, and we saw him and his wife, Bobbie frequently after the war. Bob Miller was a geologist and was several years with the Atomic Energy Commission in Australia. Later years we renewed acquaintances with them and went out to dinner every week. They were lovely people.

I am including the words to a song which was printed in the "WV News" because it was a favorite of mine -- Bob had green eyes:

Green Eyes
Your green eyes with their soft lights,
Your eyes that promise sweet nights,
Bring to my soul a longing, a thirst for love divine.
In dreams I hold you,
to find you and enfold you.
Our lips meet and our hearts too, With a thrill so sublime.
Your cool and limpid green eyes,
A pool wherein my love lies,
So deep that in my searching for happiness I fear
That they will ever haunt me,
All through my life they'll taunt me
But will they ever want me?
Green eyes, make my dreams come true.

Keyhole Kapers
Leta K, how was the show Wednesday night?

Triple Five members are: First Soprano, Phyllis Bush, Elsie Hefferman, Jean Mariner, Dorothy Monico, Pat Philley, Eleanor Rudolf and Jacque Shultz; Second Soprano, Marilyn Jensen, Jacque Johnson, Leta Keener, Patty Lacroix, Mary Palmer and Patty Wills; Alto, Barbara Mariner, Noreen McDow, Ruth Panther, Carol Reinemer, Betty Smith and Jean Wilson.

WV News, November 5, 1941

(This was before Pearl Harbor, December 7, 1941):


Clop! Clop! Clop! Wonder who's coming down the hall this time? Is it one of those girls? They are wearing tan or white wooden shoes that account for the clop. (Opal had them.)

Wooden Shoes



Last summer everyone was helping in the aluminum drive. Now, West Valley girls are willing to do away with leather shoes to wear wooden ones, in order to help the defense program. (And also because it was the very latest style.)

Certain materials are being used in the national defense, so girls are running to the kitchen and attic for substitute materials for jewelry. Macaroni, pumpkin seeds and candle drippings are the latest style and, this way jewelry is less expensive.
(I don't remember candle drippings --)

Navy Uniforms Attract Girls
With national defense so prominent throughout the country, service uniforms have caught the eyes of girls in every state. West Valley girls are no exception.

Although situated far inland, our local lassies long for the sea. They prefer navy uniforms. Several girls recently interviewed stated this as their preference.

Students Purchase Many Bonds - Many students are buying defense stamps.

Keyhole Kapers . . .when asked what they wanted for Christmas):
Opal Keener - White figure skates

Extra!

On December 7, 1941, Dennis was at Pearl Harbor when the Pacific fleet was attacked by the Japanese, sinking or putting out of action all eight battleships, three of seven cruisers (Dennis' heavy cruiser, the San Francisco, was spared) and three destroyers. I was literally physically ill from worry and imaginings that this would be the end of the world! We finally heard from him, and he was well. He was an Ensign (Radioman), and later on in the war, he was made Lieutenant jg (junior grade). At school and everywhere there was an atmosphere of upheaval.

WV News, January 21, 1942

Headlines in this paper were:
Air Raid Advice Given

Buy Bonds

School Custodian Aids Defense
Merle Pfile has helped organize the defense auxiliary police for civilian defense in Spokane. He holds the rank of Major and has command of 425 men.

WV News, January 21, 1942

Service Flag to Honor Boys
A committee has been chosen to make plans for a service flag in honor of the WV boys in service. Each boy who enlists will be represented by a blue star, to be replaced by a gold star if he loses his life.

Students also will observe a few minutes' silence in memory of any West Valley boy who loses his life in the service of his country. The first such observance occurred January 14 in tribute to Lieutenant Charles Page.

WV News, January 21, 1942

Girls Knit for Red Cross
Two groups of girls are knitting for the Red Cross and meeting each week on Monday and Tuesday in the home ec. room.
(I did not knit at that time. I didn 't learn until I was pregnant with our first baby.)

WV News February 11, 1942

Many Grads Enlist
NAVY

Byran Batson (In 1965 he was my boss, the Sales Manager at the Inland Empire Paper Company)

Jim Banta (The Millwood Justice of the Peace who made wills for Bob and me. His brother, Dean, Banta was Vice President and General Manager of Inland Empire Paper Company when I worked there. I was in awe of Dean, and I was never to work for a more gentle, honest and sincere man.)

ARMY
James Cole (A long-time neighbor and older brother of Gordon Cole who was a thorn in my side in my early years because he had a good relationship with my Aunt Ida and Uncle Perry; and Gordon was the one to whom I gave the bloody nose as we were walking to school that long ago day)

Homer Smith (The older and only brother of Betty)

John Panther (Ruth's brother)

MARINES
Bob Miller (Bob's best friend) Bob Miller dated Opal when he was on leave.



Bob and I, Bob Miller, and Opal went for a picnic at the Bowl and Pitcher located at the Spokane River. The two Bobs were attacked by a swarm of yellow jackets. They did some fast dancing and swatting before they were able to ward them off. Another unfortunate happening, so our dates thought, was that Opal put a red hot pepper on top of the ketchup bottle -- when my Bob slathered his hamburger with ketchup, he had a mouthful of something very very hot, and he let Opal in so many words know just what he thought of her little joke!

Teachers Organize for Defense Aid
The following divisions were cited: Fire; Morale; Precautionary; First Aid; Finance; Sewing-Knitting; Buildings.

WV News, February 11, 1942

Extra Holiday For Students
The fact is, every day, first period, the Northern Pacific train goes by and whistles just in front of the school. This takes about two minutes a day. Two minutes a day means that in 30 days, we have an hour when it is impossible to make yourself heard.

There are 180 days in a school year so that this makes six hours, or one school day. Let's give a vote of thanks to the railroad!

WV News, March 4, 1942

This must have been the time I changed my middle name from "May" to "Louise," because I had written "Leta Louise" all over this school newspaper as if seeing how it would look? I had it done legally and think it cost me 50 cents.



Dr. Bayne Dies
School Board Member Passes Away In Portland After A Brief Illness. (This was Opal's and my nemesis, our menacing dentist.)

Boys Who Enlist May Secure High School Credits
High School credits for military service have been authorized by the State Board of Education. The ruling: "High schools are authorized to grant to students not more than four credits toward graduation upon submission of satisfactory completion of nine months of service in the armed forces of the United States."

More Boys Enlist
Larger List of WV Grads and Students in Service. .In the article Dennis Keener was named on the list.)

Keyhole Kapers
Why is it Opal Keener likes Greenbluff so well? Could it be the saxophone player or a boy who brought you home. Opal, we know it's G. F.

Fingerprint 500 Students
Complying with the Spokane County Civilian Defense Council, West Valley has supplied fingerprints and records of a majority of students, 500 being fingerprinted.

Pupils Aid Defense
Youth Defense Auxiliaries are now being organized in connection with defense councils in towns, cities, and states. Composed of representatives of local youth organizations, the auxiliary will be very glad to receive any new ideas from patriotic girls and boys,

"The spirit of sincere patriotism that American girls and boys are showing is inspiring," said Mr. Ericsson, Coordinator of Junior Defense Programs.

Teachers Study First Aid

Science Students Save Scraps (. . . Newspapers and metal)

Shop Classes Build Planes
For national defense, shop classes are constructing a fleet of some 50 "solid scale" airplane models for the government, The ships -- all being built at accurate scales of 1/72nd of original, range from a Jap Mitsubishi and German Messerschmitts to British Spitfires and American Bell-Airacobra.

WV News, March 25, 1942

Rules Given For Air Raid

Students also sacrifice? ? ?
The candy counter lacks many candy bars because of shortage sugar, peanuts, peanut oil, and coconut, It is expected defense stamps sales will boom if students can't sink their nickels and dimes in candy.

WV News, May 20, 1942

Keyhole Kapers
Who's the handsome lad from Rogers, Opal K?

WV News, September 30, 1942

Five War Casualties Former Students

WV News, November 4, 1942

Boys Collect Scrap Metal For Drive (Collected $49.43 worth)

Girls Busy in Mechanics
This last semester I took Home Mechanics and Wood Shop, I enjoyed the creativity and also the freedom from books. I received highest grades in woodshop, and the teacher said he graded us all according to our abilities -- and not as to gender.

WV News, December 2, 1942

West Valley Senior Councilors are very proud of their new pins designed by Leta Keener. The pin is in the shape of an eagle with SC on it. A guard connects the eagle with the letters WV. I have kept this pin.

WV News, December 23, 1942

In commemoration of Pearl Harbor Day, students went "all out" to purchase Defense Stamps.

Keyhole Kapers
Leta, that's a nice wristwatch . . . This was a "friendship" graduation gift to me from Bob Watts, Phyl's brother. As far as I could discern, he was hoping I would take him seriously. Maybe not, although the watch was a beautiful Elgin with a rounded rock crystal.

The West Valley graduation class of 1943 had 14 graduates in January and 73 in June. I was Salutatorian for the January class so I had to give a speech at our graduation ceremony. It was held with a dinner at the Desert Hotel. When I nervously began my little prepared talk, I was doing quite well until I glanced at Bob. He looked as though he was having a hard time keeping his composure, and to me he seemed to be trying hard not to appear embarrassed. I began to giggle, and was just barely able to finish . . .