Receiving half a million dollars from a rich old uncle who had died, I decided to take a trip all over the United States.

From my small ranch of 2,000 acres in Arizona, I took a train to Los Angeles, only to find the famous author, Richard Stevens aboard. His book "1001 Tardy Excuses That High School Principals Fall For" had just sold over a million copies. I also met and chatted with Bill Kolb, who looked very sheek in his Navy uniform.

While stopping at the Grand Canyon for a brief look, I met Patty Hawkins and her husband on their vacation. Talking to her, I learned that she had lived in South America the last five years. After finally reaching Los Angeles, I noticed in the paper that Linda Tyler was the new manager for the first Women's Major League Ball Team. I also noticed in the paper that Pat Barrett had been made chief bookkeeper for Lever Brothers Products.

I stopped off at one of the studios in Hollywood, where Paul Shriver had just been awarded the role of Tarzen in the latest of these films. I then received a great surprise, the Rock Hudson of today turned out to be none other than Lavell Embry.

Back at my hotel I received an invitation to go swim in Justin (Rose King) Linnebur's lariat shaped swimming pool. Deciding that my next stop would be Salt Lake City, I packed and left for the airport. I learned half way to the airport that my driver was an old classmate, Bill Bergman.

While standing in line to buy my ticket, I turned around to find Opal Hagan, and her fifth set of twins standing behind me. As I seated myself on the plane, I recognized the passenger across the aisle to be the noted scientist, Larry Knight. He had just uncovered the fact that it is very cold at the North Pole. As the pilot passed me going to the cockpit, I recognized him as Ronnie Plumley one of the boys from my home town of Cherryvale.

I landed in Salt Lake City just in time to see the big auto race. The winner again, for the tenth time, was Kent Taylor. After that I ran into Kathy Garrett, who was on her way to Reno for the tenth time. My next stop was Montana. There I visited with Rose DeWitt, now half owner of the Beck-Rock Crushing Company. She told me that Carl Plummer was living on a ranch near there, where he was raising little plummers and potatoes.

Boarding a plane for my old home town of Cherryvale, I learned that my pilot was Don McFarland, another old schoolmate. Fae Mann was also on the plane. She was going to give a concert in the school, but was having trouble carring her $200,000 piano in her purse. She was hoping for a spotlight to show off her diamond ring.

Just in time for graduation night at my old alma mater, I decided to go. I found that Bob Klofkorn was finally graduating. It seems he finally talked Mr. Evans into letting him out of Government. While in Cherryvale I dropped in on Kristie Moon to see how her Rabbit hunt had turned out and found her raising her eight little bunnies. I called Linda Corn, who is now teaching English to CHS beatniks. I was surprised to find Ginger Winkel still saying "number please" trying to get Mickey through college. Mickey Elliott is going to school days and babysitting for Ginger nights.

This close to Independence, I decided to run over and visit Donna McCoy and her family. She is still trying to get Jerry through ICC. I drove into a gas stations and was surprised to find Sharon Smart ringing up gas pumps.

Back on the road again, I find myself headed for Texas. There I visit with Liz Adey who had just brought in her fifth major oil well. And to think she didn't like the smell of oil. I also met Lois Hiebsch who had joined her husband there. While still in Texas I visited with Ken Ellis and heard his prize winning tall-tale.

Back on my route, I decided to pay a visit to my old friend Iona Myers at her home in Northern Virgina. She and her husband own the largest cotton plantation in the United States. I guess she wasn't so dumb going to K-State. After a bit of persuasion, she agreed to join me on the rest of my trip.

First we drove into Washington, D.C. We lunched with the President of our country, the first woman president, Jody Charlesworth. She told us that Dale Moore was her Secretary of Agriculture. We met Caroline Heller, who is now commander of her own Marine Corps. Betty Ballew was also in Washington as the private secretary of a Senator from Kansas.

On to New York we traveled. There we heard Fred Lamb, the new singing sensation on his television show. We saw Jerry Parker playing with the Harlem Globetrotters team. He is the star and the tallest man of their midget team.

While looking over the newspaper, we noticed that Ruth Dreisbach had just been promoted to head drummer at Annapolis. I just happened to run across a love-lorn column by Linda Cramer, who got her start in Cherryvale.

Before retiring for the night, we switched the television on and were just in time to watch the last of Robert Kuebler's Variety Show. It seems he did so well with tha annual assembly he decided to continue. On the late, late show, we saw Larry McGuire advertising square-bubble bubble gum. On our last night in New York, we attended the stage production of "The New Adventures of Tom Thumb." John Rorick had the starring role.

Checking out of the hotel, I learned that Sam Mooney owned a chain of hotels around the country, including the one we stayed in. On the way to the airport, we received a singing telegram. Connie Bray, an old classmate, did the singing. Nancy Heilman Minnich announced the birth of her first and only, she says, set of triplets.

Talking to Iona, I told her of the wonderful time I had and of all the old friends I had seen. Then we bid adieu and I was on my way home.

                                                                                                      Sincerely,

                                                                                                      Jo Harris