The class of 1937 dedicated their yearbook to Charles Candler with the following comments: "To Charles Candler, or teacher and advisor, we dedicate this Orian.
"Charles Candler has been of signal service to Marietta High School. This is his seventh successful year in is capacity as chief faculty advisor to the Orian.
"He received the degree of A.B. from Bluffton College and took postgraduate work at Miami University. His experience in the education field includes twenty-seven years of teaching. Until 1930 he was principal of St. Marys, Ohio, High School.
"His is a student of astronomy and a collector of coins." (During my time at MHS, Candler taught mathematics.)
Joe Markley was president of the senior class, but unfortunately, although I have two copies of the 1937 year book, the names of the remaining officers were not printed.
The editor-in-chief of the Orian in 1937 was John Skipton, and following this information Sallie White and Neil Schultz were listed as associate editors; Bob Mullenix (father was assistant principal) was advertising manager; Patsy Gray and Waldo Siegfried ( Siegfried's father taught English at MHS) were assistant advertising managers; Ruth McKinney (father owned the Marietta Times) business manager; Helen Gramlich, assistant business manager; Edna Zimmer, photo editor; Jeanne Leonhart and Alida Hall, organizations; Joe Markley and William Rose, sports; Paul Haddad, Fannie Lincicome and Jean White, snapshots; Rachel Hammet, senior class; Dorothy King, classes; Kenneth Mathers, faculty; Phyllis Wood, Harriet Ann June, and Mary Jo McGrew, features; John Withum, music; Jean Anderson, alumni; Vera Mae Burchett and Hayward Canary, art editors; Wilma Willison, Lelila Thrasher, Richard Porter and Carl Young, typists.
Faculty advisers were Charles Candler, director; business and features, Kathryn Torner; literary, Beatrice Kremer; typing;, Ethelwyn Baughman; art, Florence Hennis.
The Music Department was under the following: "George Siegler has been at Marietta High School for 17 years. This long period of service deserves recognition; it comprises half of his entire teaching career.
"Miss Minoma Benson is completing her second year as director of vocal music in the high school. Under her direction the glee clubs have presented excellent musical programs, among which was the Christmas assembly program. The opera, 'The Pied Piper,' was presented under her direction.
"Mr. Whetstone inaugurated a special course in Theory and Harmony of Music. The class began with an enrollment of 14, and it is probable that this will be made an academic course in the future."
The opera "The Pied Piper" had the following cast members: Norman Baker, mayor; Robert Mullenix, piper; Dan Baker, lame boy (for those of you not remembering, Norman and Dan Baker were brothers); Ruth Strecker, dream lady; Graydon Davis, townsman; Kenneth Coffman, Francis Matthews, Richard Meister and Robert Siegfried (father was Siegfried the English teacher at MHS) ; Marjorie Cooke, Virginia Donaldson, Ruth Meisenhelder and Ninabelle Stedman, prologue.
The dances for the show included The Toys - Toy Soldiers, Jumping Jacks and Tops, Dolls, Dance of the Night Wind Sprites, and Rustic Dances. Coaches for the production incljded Miss Benson, Miss Lucy Stacy, and Mr. Siegler. Properties were taken care of by the Vocational Club under the direction of Delbert Swartz. Miss Cornelia McGee and Miss Ruth Palmer had charge of costumes.
Stage managers were Waldo Siegfried, John Block, Neal Christy and Vernon Gatewood. A selected orchestra furnished music for the opera, with Betty Wendelken and Virginia Donaldson at the piano.
Donald Whetstone established the high school band. Coronets included Garfield Suder, Dean Wark, Earl Metts, Jack Greenlees, Robert Shoop. Roland Riggs, Richard VanDusen (he went on to perform with professional bands and was outstanding), Kenneth Riggs, and Robert Tabor. Listed under horns were Robert Kiggans, Richard Porter, Richard Stanley and George Farley. Saxophones were played by Elden Zinn and Kenneth Zinn; basses by Richard Baker and Don Alexander; bass drum, Graydon Davis; baritone, Clifford Fleming; snare drum, Frances Matthews (He played the drums around Marietta for many years and was one of the best); Dean Schramm (I believe his family owned Shramm's Bakery on Putnam Street for many years), Arliss Hayes, and Bill Toller; trombones - Bob Mullenix, Jim Stowe, Harry Chorpenning (Had his own band in the area for many years.), Harry Salzman (He became a teacher and married Lois Pfaff- their son is Dave Salzman, a nurse at Selby Hospital), Lloyd Sievers and Robert Adamson; Clarinets were played by Richard Meister (Died during World War 11.), Neil Schultz, Robert Walters, Bennie Perry, Cecil Swartz (His father was Delbert Swartz, teacher at MHS), David Rood, David Barry, Crawford Reimenschneider and John Tabor; Larry Gale (I believe he became a doctor) played the oboe; Kenneth Mathers was drum major.
The Senior Orchestra, under the guidance of George Seigler, included, First Violins - Victor Ruby, Leon Brachman, Marion Parsons, Harriet Ann June, Inez Park, Mary Jett, Helen Dye, and Berneda Walters; Second Violins - Frederick Barth, Robert Sutton (My brother.), Delbert Weber, and Regis Waxler; Piano - Virginia Donaldson, Mildred Becker, Edna Zimmer, and Albert Weber; Clarinets - John Withum, Neil Schultz, and Richard Meister; Horn - Robert Kiggans; Cornets - Garfield Suder, and Kenneth Coffman; Saxophone - Elden Zinn; Trombones - Robert Mullenix and Harry Salzman; Bass - Richard Baker.
The football team, under my father Frank Sutton, won the championship of the Central Ohio League the first year MHS participated in this league. The basketball team won the Southeastern District Tournament for the second straight year, and went on to the quarter-finals in the state. The football team included Wittekind, Utt, Spies, Sutton, Nichols, Andris, Burkhart, Forshey, Lawrence, Spindler, Willison, Stephens, Keerps, Burke, Rhodes, Williams, Curtis, Ralph, Haddad, and Weyrich. The basketball team included Carlisle, Nichols, Bules, Hill, Ross, Meister, Thorne, Rose, Markley, Willison, Utt,
Siegfried, Lawrence, Williams and Haddad.
Those were the days of outstanding teachers who took time to work with students and who were given the right by the school system to punish those who were trouble makers. (That doesn't mean they were paddled.) If a student was punished at school, the parents usually punished him or her again at home.
Joan Pritchard is a longtime columnist for The Parkersburg News and Sentinel. Contact her at joprit@sbcglobal.net.
