February 2003                                                    The Megaphone                                                                Page 2
Sweethearts
From: sullivan@manitoulin-island.com
Subject: Blair & Lillian Sullivan
   Our story is one one being high school sweethearts. Blair moved to Alex from Anderson in Fall of 1941.He had beenin school in Moose Jaw, Sask. before moving to Anderson. We had our first date on Sept.27,1941. Went to Anderson to see Gone with the Wind. We have been a thing for almost 62 years. Blair was drafted out of his senior year in 1943. He was in the army for 3 years and came home from E.T.O. in March 1946 and we were married in July 1946. He entered Ball State in Sept. of 1946 and graduated at end of Aug.1949 and went to work as Biology and English teacher at EHS on Sept.2, 1949.
From: skdell@pocketmail.com
Subject: Leon & Shirley Fite Dellinger '54
   In 1960 I went through a very bitter divorce and decided that I would not marry again. That was a strong statement with me being only 24 years old. At the time I was working at XLO at Elwood where I was hired in 1955. I was single, dating different ones and not looking for marriage. I had a 5 year old daughter and all I wanted was to make a decent living for her and I. After 2 and 1/2 years I would have a date, go out and wonder why I did, because I wasn't having a good time. About that time I was walking through the factory when I spotted Leon on a ladder and preceded to tease him about falling. Later a friend of mine was telling him he should ask me out. Now if you had known Leon at that time you would have known that he was very bashful. A friend of his kept telling him to ask me out. Finally one day he came rushing up and asked if I would go to dinner and a show with him on Saturday night. I said yes I would and he rushed away. About three days later he came up to where I worked and I figured he was goin to cancel the date but he just wanted my address. Well on Saturday I almost backed out because he was four years younger than me and I thought that was too much age difference and I was never nervous bout a date but I was about this one. Anyway he did pick me up and we went to the White Spot at Alexandria to eat and then to Anderson to a show. It took him three fourths through the show to get up the nerve to put his arm around me. Don't ask me what we saw because that is one thing I don't remember. I had told my friends if he left early that I would come over to the Union Hall at Anderson. He brought me home and I asked if he would like to watch a movie on television and he said yes. We watched a movie and he got ready to leave about midnight. We went to the door and I knew he didn't know what to do to end the evening so I briefly kissed him. He kissed me back and said he would be over Sunday afternoon if I didn't care. We went bowling on Sunday and then we was together whenever we could be. I had him for dinner several times and this one time I had salmon patties and Christy picked hers up with her hands and started to eat it. I about freaked out for she had never done anything like that. He accepted her and finally she accepted him. Then all three of us would go places. During that time he got laid off at XLO and had gone to work at Fisher Body and was working nights so we didn't get to see each other like we used to. One night he gave me a ring and asked me to marry him and of course I decided maybe I did want to be married again so I said yes. Part of his family wasn't happy because I was four years older, divorced and had a child but that did not stop him. Some of the people at XLO said I would ruin him and the marriage wouldn't last. Well he is rotten and onery now and we are still together. It will be 40 years on May 24th. He is my very special valentine. The amazing part of this story is that we had our first date on March 16, 1963...he gave me a ring on April 18, 1963, and we were married May 24, 1963.

Who ever said opposites doesn't attract?

Shirley Fite Dellinger '54


Closer Together

Subject: [pantherden] Hi
Date: Mon, 10 Feb, 2003
From: "CINDY CINDY" <cindy719@hotmail.com>

Hello All,
   Just thought I would say hi to everyone before bed. We had a nice week end, my grand daughter spent the night . . . thank goodness for a queen size bed. She sure does move around.

   We put a home gym up this afternoon, now if I will just use it. I really prefer the tread mill. I like walking better than doing sit ups, and pulling weights.

   The HC [Hall Clock] was quite amusing - I really don't know how I became Cindy (x 3.548) . . . guess I'll just have to check out that "McDoggie Nosescan" to see if I can get a little help.

   I was reading an article the other day, about things from the past . . . being a "baby boomer," growing up in the 60's as compared to growing up today, there are many more choices today than when I was a kid. We had black and white television, and only 3 networks. We had a record player, and radio. There were no vcr's, cd's, and of course no internet. There were fewer programs on t.v., and as a result, most of us watched the same
things.

   It tended to bring people closer together. Today there are so many different kinds of shows, it tends to seperate us. Most homes, even those in the south, did not have air conditioning. The population was about half of what it is today. Teachers were not paid more than they are today, but they were respected enormously . . . it was considered a most honorable profession. I wanted to be either a teacher, or a nurse when I grew up. Males over the age of 18 were subject to the military draft. Most males recognized they
would likely have to serve in the military. Most of our mothers didn't work outside of the home, probably because we didn't need video games, 3 or 4 t.v. sets and more than a hundred channels.

   I think this is why I take part in this den site . . . it brings us all closer together.

   Hope everyone stays warm, we are suppose to get more snow. Yeah!

Hugs to you all,
Cindy (x2) Benedict Odom '69
Franklin/Hopewell, IN

to Page 3