Owensboro Senior High School

“To former pupils of the Owensboro Senior High School who are now scattered all over the world with our armed forces, we dedicate this 1943 ‘Owensboran’ in appreciation of the great sacrifices they are making to uphold the ideals of our nation and to maintain our liberties.”

Though the overall tone, martial cover imagery and two-page Honor Roll listing of all former students currently in service in the 1943 Owensboro Senior High School yearbook could lead one to assume that student life during WWII was entirely consumed by the war, the listing of humorous nick-names such as ‘Purdy,’ ‘Rough House’ and ‘Short Stuff’ alongside graduating senior portraits belies this image of all war work and no play. However, the large influence of the war was undeniable as several updated notations of senior portraits indicating students who had died or been killed in action strongly attests. This 1943 yearbook is interesting as well as it appears to have been circulated at a 50th and 60th high school reunion. If you were allowed to list a nick-name in your high school yearbook what would it be and why? Do you think that would still go by that nick-name at your 50th high school reunion?