Moline High School

Moline

Stories set here

Circle Skirts, School Dances, and Teenage ConfidenceDee recalls crafts in the Peppy Steppers 4-H club, teenage fashions, and her lack of interest in food preparation, contrasted with Carol’s prizewinning baking. Though shy and unsuccessful at sports even after getting glasses, she loved school dances and a satin polka-dot dress bought at Kay Bee. She remembers her first crush on Merle Ericson, spending her socially difficult senior year with Carol and her friends, trying pizza at Frank’s, and graduating in 1959 with straight A’s in art.
A Gold Tassel and a School That Still Feels Like HomeCarol recalls entering high school timidly in fall 1954 and graduating boldly in 1957 in the top fourth of her class. She still treasures her gold graduation tassel and drives past the former school when returning to Moline, mourning its conversion into an architectural firm while retaining a sense of belonging. Ironically, the new Moline High School was completed in 1958 within walking distance of her childhood home.
From Kindergarten Tears to a Published SketchRobert recalls crying on his first day of kindergarten until Iris came for him, attending several schools after a move, and graduating in 1955. He remembers junior high plays, working on scenery and props, taking art classes, and having a log cabin sketch published in Illinois Junior Historian. He reports good grades and continued learning through classes, workshops, seminars, and the school of “hard knocks.”
A Robin’s Egg Blue Chevrolet and a Cherished FordAt sixteen, Bernard acquired a ’36 Chevrolet to drive to Moline High School. Its unfinished robin’s egg blue paint, missing parking brake, and shabby seats embarrassed him, but Dad kept it running and Bernard bought seat covers with his own money. He cruised Moline on a dollar's worth of gas and drove to Chicago with Herman Nelson one New Year's Eve without permission. He fondly remembers a black ’41 Ford with chrome and a radio, priced at $150, but cannot remember whether it replaced the Chevrolet, was shared with Bob, or belonged only to Bob.

Events here

1959
Graduation from the new Moline High School
Attended the newly built school during her senior year and graduated as an average student with straight A’s in art.
1958
New Moline High School completed
The new school was completed a year after Carol graduated and was close enough to where she grew up that she could have walked there.
1955
Graduation from Moline High School
The high school was still on 16th Street when Robert graduated.

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