With World War II over, Center's class of '46 got back to business of being normal

    With the end of World War II, the people of Shelby County, like people all over the country, tried their best to get back into a normal routine.   Rebounding from years of the Great Depression and an unprecedented global war, the people of Center worked hard to put that all behind as the pursued the American Dream.   Many Center High School students went to the war while many other, particularly the class of 1946, were wondering if they too would someday be heading overseas to places with names like Saipan, Iwo Jima, Anzio or Antwerp.  But, the war ended before anymore of Center's young men had to experience the reality of the battlefield, although many of them did go onto serve in the military services.  "We had one fellow from our class, the first one to die, Billy Stephenson, he as in the Navy and he was washed overboard."  Jane Ruth (Ingram) Morrison, class of '46 said.   Despite the magnitude of the war, life back home for the young people was not much affected by the war.  "I don't know that the war affected us all that much, Course we were 15 or 16, and you don't know much about war anyway," Mrs. Morrison said.  "There was no TV to keep you so close.  If you went to the movie once a week you could see the newsreel to show what was going on on the other side of the world."  The class that precede them, the class of 1945 was more affected by the war.  They didn't have a senior trip that year or a yearbook, due to rationing of gasoline, paper and tires.   By the time the Class of 1946 graduated, things had returned closer to normal, although they too missed out on a senior trip.  They did have a yearbook again that year, however.   One interesting effect of the war was that many returning servicemen are listed as 1946 graduates.   "We had a lot who came back who had dropped out of school, and they did their military time, and they came back and got their degree with our class.  There were probably 10 fellows, so they are listed as graduating with our class, "Mrs. Morrison said.  "They never actually attended class with us, though they did get their diploma.  They gave them credit for their military served.  I thought hat was a nice thing.  There have been lots of changes since 1946.  It was a wonderful time, "  Mrs. Morrison said.   "We didn't have the problems to cope with kids have now." "We didn't have a lot of exciting things happen, but we thought we had a good time.  The big thing was to go to the Rio Theatre.  At that time we had two theaters, the Rio and the Crystal.  You could go to one on Friday night and the other on Saturday night."   Center has grown since that time, too.  The high school was located close to the edge of town and the students had to walk through the wood to get to their favorite hangout, John C. Rogers Drug Store.  In fact, walking was the main means of transportation around town for young people.  "Howard Parker and his cousin Jack Parker were the only kids that had cars, " Mrs. Morrison explained.   "I lived over here on Pecan Street, an I walked to school and home for lunch and back and had plenty of time.  Of course, kids don't do that anymore,"   she said.   The students of the 1940's didn't have the large variety of extracurricular activities available to today's  students either.  There were only a few clubs and organizations or sports to participate in.   "There were not many clubs like they have now.  We had FFA, home economics club, band and football.  There was no gym, so there was no basketball team, though."   Another difference between the class of 1946 and class of 1996 is age.   "We were 16 when we got out.  We only went 11 years.  They added the 12th grade about two years after we got out."  Mrs. Morrison said.  Some of the teachers and administrations Mrs. Morrison remembers are F.L. Moffett, Robert J. Eddins, Opal Liem, Grace Slaughter, Jim Ann Taylor, Virginia Hanna, Eloise Hester and Ann Voohris.  We're looking forward to a large number coming to our reunion.  I think we have about 25 class members who are coming and we are looking forward to that,"  she said.  "We've always met with the class of '45.  That has always been a successful outing.  Some coming this year never came before, making special effort for the 50th.

REPRINTED FROM THE LIGHT AND CHAMPION, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 11, 1996

BY DAVID DANLEY, STAFF WRITER

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