Lela Nell Johnston Elected Social Secretary

Last week I showed how ephemera from our family archive documents the story of Dave Lundquist. This week I can show that again.

My mother, Lela Nell Johnston, was a social butterfly when she was in high school. She was elected as social secretary for the Freshman class.[1] Lela was pictured twice in that year’s yearbook on the Freshman class pages, once as a class officer and once in the freshman class photo.[2]

After only one month as a freshman., there was already an article in the school newspaper about freshmen going steady. It was in the column “Vacuum Cleaner” in the Acalanes Blueprint.[3] She was going steady with John Reynolds. I did not find John Reynolds in the yearbook.

In October 22, she was reported as breaking up with Bob Stewart at the end of the previous week.[4] Bob Stewart was a sophomore. In the sophomore class, I found a B Stewart.[5]

In another issue, Vacuum Cleaner column listed Lela Nell dancing with senior Ron Maatta,[6] He is found in the yearbook.[7]

One other item we have from her high school days at Acalanes is the chart where she kept track of her dates. The first date was recorded in August of 1948 and she dated Bob Stewart on a regular basis until October 14, when she wrote they broke up. She went out once with Owen Babcock and then dated Ron Maata. There was no mention of John Reynolds—newspapers don’t always get things right.

I wish I knew more about what she did as a social secretary. Had she planned the dances for the freshman class? From the date sheet, we can see she went to a lot of dances.

#52Ancestors-Week 18: Social-- Lela Nell Johnston, Elected Social Secretary

This is my fifth year working on this year-long prompt, hosted by Amy Johnson Crow (https://www.amyjohnsoncrow.com/) at Generations Cafe. I write each week in one of my two blogs, either Mam-ma’s Southern Family or at My Trails into the Past. I have enjoyed writing about my children’s ancestors in new and exciting ways.

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[1] “New election Method Sought as Class Voting is Completed,” Acalanes Blueprint, 22 Oct 1948, p. 1.

[2] Aklan 1949, (Lafayette, California: Student Body of Acalanes Union High School, 1949), pp 32 & 33.

[3] “Vacuum Cleaner . . . We don’t pick up dirt,” Acalanes Blueprint, 8 Oct 1948, p. 3.

[4] “Vacuum Cleaner . . . We don’t pick up dirt,” Acalanes Blueprint, 22 Oct 1948, p. 3.

[5] Aklan 1949, (Lafayette, California: Student Body of Acalanes Union High School, 1949), Sophomore class, p. 29.

[6] “Vacuum Cleaner,” Acalanes Blueprint, 19 Nov 1948, p. 2.

[7] Aklan 1949, (Lafayette, California: Student Body of Acalanes Union High School, 1949), Senior Class.

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