"Every class that graduates has many secret statistics which ordinarily are never made known to the public. The following list was compiled by the W.D.H.S.G. (G standing for Gestapo) concerning the February class of 1943."
Featuring characters Wallie West Side and Aunt Addie as unofficial narrators, the 1943 Comet from West Division High School in Milwaukee, Wisconsin depicts its February and June graduates in both pictures and facts and figures. The ‘total poundage’ of all February 1943 graduates is listed at 12,720 lbs. The ‘total age’ meanwhile – 1,908 – ‘that’s older than Methuselah.’ Alongside graduating seniors’ portrait as well, Wallie and Addie take time to add in a few editorial comments about each. However, despite the light-hearted mood, factual descriptions of student life at West Division reveal an active participation in war bond drives and war-time fund-raising as well as attention to those recent graduates currently serving in the conflict. Take a look at the total number of miles walked by West Division students listed under the ‘secret statistics’ produced by Wallie West Side: what does the final stat line mean in stating ‘this mileage would be considerably lower if the OPA wasn’t so stubborn?'