rean War, and Weber was part of that exciting time. The old squeaky wooden halls of the West Central Building, the Central Building, the president's home, the Gym Building, and the old wooden barracks for the Union Building all fronted on 25th Street. The Business Building was down on Adams, the Moench Building on Jefferson, and the L.D.S. Institute on 24th Street. The quadrangle was in the center of the block, where various activities took place on the lawn. I would visit on the steps of the Gymnasium or Moench Buildings with friends and enjoy the college atmosphere. Weber was my best two years of college life, and I am sure many of you here feel the same. We were a small college, a close-knit school with almost everyone knowing everyone else. The professors took a personal interest in each student and gained our respect and friend- ship. They also participated in out-of-class activities with us. We held matinee dances, hiked to Malan's Peak, and went on field trips. We participated in intramural sports, weekly assemblies, plays, operas, music fests, talent shows, sports, special activities, and school dances with big bands. Some joined school clubs and participated in their fun and wholesome activities, although some may question the wholesome activities at times. We had fun and got educated at the same time. The caring friendships and relationships I gained with faculty and students have been priceless to me throughout my life, and I hope it has been the same for each of you. The clang of the Victory Bell at one of Weber's football games was the spark plug for everyone to rally together. We enjoyed the weekly assemblies, especially the ones the students put on. Many of us helped on clean-up days at the new campus and worked on the entrance to the campus. I think most of us thought we were pretty big during our sophomore year. We certainly knew everything there was to know and had the energy to prove it. I remember that when Phoenix had its Spring Fling dance, a very special dance at Olie's in Salt Lake City, members arrived at the dance hall to find it closed, dark and deserted. Excelsior had called the dance band and canceled everything. However, Phoenix wasn't going to be completely defeated that night and finally got the dance band to come and open up the dance hall and still had an enjoyable evening with a little excitement added. I remember a greased pig catch on the campus quad and what fun it was for the participants as well as the onlookers. I remember the great field trips that we participated in with Walter Buss to Zion and Bryce Canyons. These took place in late April or early May. I recall that on one of those trips several of us talked some of the girls into climbing Lady Mountain. Lady Mountain was across from the Lodge, and you could look down on the top of the Great White Throne. Joanie Shaum was one of the girls we talked into climbing to the top. When we started back down, she was so scared that we were afraid we would have to leave her there because she wasn't going to go back down under any conditions. I believe we finally talked her down by a rope being tied to her by a boy below and above her. We barely got down before it was totally dark. Some other things I recall about Weber were the purple and white beanie that I had to wear during the Freshman Orientation Week and also the 19-inch leather paddle that was used on me during rush week with some familiar names signed after they finished their exercises with the paddle - Owen Burton, Ralph MacFarlane, Kay Shupe, Phil Evans, and Dick Myers, to name a few. I remember the great school administrators in our sophomore year as President William Miller, Robert A. Clarke, James R. Foulger, William D. Stratford, Marva H. Gregory, and Clarisse H. Hall. Our student leaders were President John "Pop" Elzey, Myrna Larsen, Jim Wheeler, Gordon Clawson, and Evelyn Bieler. Our sophomore class leaders were Dex Farr, Ruth Noe, Joanie Shaum, and Marilyn Johns, and our two sophomore reps were Dee Hadley and Morris Lee. Our Homecoming Queen was Vivian Pett. Our Outstanding Sophomore Girl was Myrna Larsen. Acorn editor was Marian Underwood, and staff photographer was Vern Call. We had great instructors such as J. Clair Anderson, Walter R. Buss, O. M. Clark, Farrell Collett, Dello Dayton, Delmar Dickson, Wendell L. Esplin, John A. Gaz, E. Carl Green, Sheldon P. Hayes, Milton C. Mecham, Leland H. Monson, Fred S. Rabe, Merlon L. Stevenson, Reed K. Swenson, and Orson Whitney Young. As alumni, we have all looked back at the many wonderful times we had during our stay at Weber College, whether we were there a quarter or for two years. The freshman beanie 122 The things which we learned and enjoyed during those months are what we recall today. Yet, at that same time we probably gave few thoughts as to what we were accomplishing or what the faculty or administration of the college was doing for us. Today, we can look back and appreciate what Weber College did for us, and perhaps we can show her a sense of gratitude by becoming active alumni to help further the greatness of this university. We are proud of the graduates of the class of 1954 and the success they have had in their diverse careers, for example: business, medicine, law, education, and engineering. We alumni appreciate the dedication of those employed at Weber State University and what it can mean in the lives of our children and grandchildren. One thing that we as adults should never forget is that "The wealth of our nation lies in the brainpower of men and women." Through proper education, technology, research, and dedication, knowledge is obtained to help the individual and mankind. Society is the primary beneficiary of the education of its members, and, with a higher education, can be produced a higher civilization. May I take a few minutes for a special recognition?. I'm sure if John "Pop" Elzey were still with us, he would be standing in my place. We all loved John; he represented our class as student body president with maturity, ability, dedication, and great leadership skills. He was involved with almost everything that went on at Weber. He loved to perform in the theater, especially at the the-ater-in-the-round in the basement of the Bertha Eccles Hall. And of course, this became his career with many more dedicated years on the faculty at Weber. While John was in France in the Air Force, he and Muriel bought a little gray Austin car and shipped it back to Ogden when he was released from military service. This was even before the Bug became popular in the U.S. I don't think the Austin weighed over 800 pounds. Anyway, one day as he was ready to leave the college, he couldn't find his car. He looked all over and finally found it in a narrow passageway by the Gym Building, not much wider than the car. The passageway was only about twenty feet long until you hit the Gym Building, but you had to step down over about a twelve-inch wall to get to the pas- sageway. He couldn't get his car out. He finally found enough students to pick it up and carry it over the wall so he could drive home. I don't think he ever found out the students that put his car there in the first place, but if any of you are here this evening, and have had a guilty conscience all these years, I will be available for confession right after the banquet. While John was student body president, he took some of the student leaders to Salt Lake City to talk to the State legislature. He gave an impassioned plea to these lawmakers for the state not to give Weber College back to the L.D.S. Church, as they were debating this issue at the time. However, he felt disappointed and disgusted with the legislators during his plea because they basically ignored him. After all, he was just a college student. We all know the results, and maybe what he had to say did help in keeping Weber a state school. John loved the college and was dedicated to enhancing its image his entire life. In appreciation of all that President Elzey did for the class of 1954 and all other classmates who have passed on, we would like to recognize each one of them and their memories by presenting to John's wife, Muriel Elzey, these beautiful roses in memory of our friends and departed classmates. It has taken many years of dedicated hard work by faculty, stu- dents, and alumni to bring the University to its present status. The class of 1954, as well as dozens of other classes, has helped build the excellence of today's Weber State University. Our class of forty years ago was looking forward to and striving for today's campus. In obtaining status, sometimes you can lose the very thing that made college days so memorable. The closeness of students and faculty and personal interest of faculty in each student may become lost in today's size. I hope not. I also hope that memories such as ours may be experienced by today's students and staff. May I remind the class of 1954, as well as all alumni, you are always invited to visit the Alumni Center when you are on campus. It was built with the purpose of being your home on campus. Congratulations again to the class of 1954 for your new status as Weber State University Emeriti Alumni. Ruth Noe, Dexter Farr, Joanie Shaum, and Marilyn Johns 123