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CATCH THE BUS
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Remember
those bus rides? From far or near, well, not too near or you had
to walk, the Excelsior bus was there for you. The ride to school
was a solemn, almost funereal, journey, while the trip back home
was cheerful and chatty. We always said, "catch " the bus, like it was
a fish or small animal, never meet the bus or board the bus. But
they were elusive, they arrived and left on their own schedule, not
necessarily when we were ready.
Excelsior was generous in providing transportation. The "activity
bus" gave us an extra hour on the campus when we needed. The
buses transported our teams, whether they were football or debaters to
their various competitions. Field trips by the school bus to a variety
of wondrous places were often taken for granted.
The following photo spread was initiated by Bob Hillskemper, Class
of 1946, whose father was a bus driver during the Second World
War.
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Buses were painted black in the 1930's. 1936 Annual.
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This tile mosaic adorns the wall facing the bus loading
area, a gift, most likely, from a generous class. Photo by Grant Hovey
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Head bus driver Howard Steward fuels the bus, reminding us that the bus system was more complex than we realized. 1941 Annual.
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| Unidentified
bus drivers have a chat, perhaps about the antics of their
passengers. The black bow tie was worn by many
drivers. 1941 Annual
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Bus
drivers during World War II included teachers and the brother of a
teacher. From left to right: Chris (last name unknown), unknown,
unknown , Donald Gahr, brother of teacher Richard, Bill
Storey, Bob Hillskemper, Arval Marcroft, Howard "Stew" Steward,
teacher Lindsey Boggess, Luther Ford, again, a faculty member,
and Ed Finch, a teacher who was also in charge of the bus
schedules.
Photo courtesy of Bob Hillskemper, Class of 1946.
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Aerial
view of the Excelsior campus reveals black buses in a line ready to
receive pupils. Remember winding around these buildings in order
to catch the bus? 1941 Annual.
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Students preparing to board the buses in 1945. Later, this area would be covered. 1945 Annual
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By 1940 the familiar yellow bus had made its appearance. 1940 Annual
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Boys only appear to be
boarding the bus. Are they on their way to a competition, or have
they crowded in front of the girls? 1941 Annual.
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