Ilion High School - Class of 1939

It took 70 years, but Oneita (Bluett) Bouchard finally received her perfect attendance certificate. Bouchard, who worked to organize a 70th year reunion gathering for the Ilion High School Class of 1939, said it had bothered her that she had gone through four years of high school with perfect attendance - never absent, never late - and never received any recognition for it. Sunday, she finally received it with the presentation of a perfect attendance certificate during the class reunion.

It took 70 years, but Oneita (Bluett) Bouchard finally received her perfect attendance certificate.

Bouchard, who worked to organize a 70th year reunion gathering for the Ilion High School Class of 1939, said it had bothered her that she had gone through four years of high school with perfect attendance - never absent, never late - and never received any recognition for it.

Sunday, she finally received it with the presentation of a perfect attendance certificate during the class reunion.

Bouchard said members of the classes of 1936-1942 were also invited to attend the gathering at the Ilion-Frankfort VFW.

The event included a Walk Through Time presentation, selections by the Ilion High School Choir, entertainment by Linda Roemer and a turkey dinner.

The 1939 Senior Class History as reported in "The Mirror of 1939" was quoted in the program handed out to those in attendance. The account included such information as the names of class officers and accounts of class activities.

"Satirized the Class of '38 in the Class Night Program by a play whose cast included Doug Baxter, Viv Day, Lou Day, Joe Derby, Betty Prosser, Kink Steber, Flossie Shaw, Keith Smith, Betty Frankish, Bernie Egger, Betty Noble, Gwen Jarvis, Rex Hinman and gene Hall. The latest in burlesque was presented by the Flora Dora Girls, a chorus of the pink-and-blue garbed Bob Whittemore, Harold Smith and Tom Lester," the class history recalled. It also stated that the class "Entertained some 130 seniors at their Holiday Dance. The affair, being open to the public, padded the rather depleted treasury to the tune of $16."

Information gleaned from newspaper clippings brought back memories of the Ilion-Herkimer football game that went on despite the fact that someone opened a fire hydrant on the 40-yard line and flooded the field. The game went on anyway with Ilion losing 18-0 to unbeaten Herkimer, but the news clipping from that time described Ilion's 11 as "courageous and inspired."

The program also recalled the Bomber Beavers, a group of eight members of the class of 1939 whose friendship began in school and continued over the years. "It all began in Earl Planty's home room in good old Ilion High School with the ‘Beaver Board' and still thrives today," Frank "Kink" Steber wrote in a 2002 account of the group. All eight served in World War II and returned home.

"Many times they had reunions or even accidental get-togethers involving four or five couples and one in awhile all eight," according to Steber.

A photograph from a 1988 reunion showed all eight: Jack "Berk" Berckemeyer, Vernon Cool who died in 2001, Lynn "Doc" Coyle, Bill "Jeep" Fay, Frank "Hannes" Hart, Thomas "Tom" Lester, Frank "Kink" Steber and Bob "Whitt" Whittemore.