Featured Alumnus
Orpha Pressnall Cammack
Orpha, a graduate with the Class of 1926, joined her Heavenly Father on September 25, 2007.
Orpha had previously shared these fond memories:
"In the Fall of 1922 when I was to be an 8th grader, I recall my older sister, Marie Hirst, and I helped give the Academy its fall clean-up. We pushed those many windows up and down so as to wash inside and out. Of course we hung out the windows a' plenty . . . had to have some fun.
In the basement, we scrubbed the floor and others applied wax where it was needed. Of course there would be times of teasing, joking, and anything else that added to the merriment. With a crowd like that, lots happened and once in a while someone would carry such too far.
On the first day of school, we came from near and far. We climbed the stairs to open the Academy front doors and saw more stairs . . . up and down. Of course we felt we had to see what was UP there. It didn't take long for most of us to investigate. Downstairs was a large room with dishwashing sinks and a BIG furnace for heating the building! Then upstairs each of us were assigned a school desk . . . and our effort for Greenleaf Academy began for another year!
Mrs. Benedict would frequently write a scripture verse full length of the study hall blackboard . . . one I remember is "In all thy ways acknowledge Him and he shall direct thy paths." Proverbs 3:6
Some of us were concerned about other students who we felt needed to be closer to the Lord. So we had special prayer meetings for them in the furnace room . . . as we felt led.
Professor Irwin came from Nampa Nazarene College weekly to lead the chorus and give piano lessons. I had been taking piano lessons from him so became an accompanist for the chorus (may have been my payment for lessons).
Ermin Perisho became President of the Academy one year. He was in a wheelchair but got along just fine.
By my Senior year, we realized that several of us expected to go to college and needed to "show ourselves worthy." It was the custom to write an oration that we would each memorize and present as our program upon graduation -- for us, the Spring of 1926.
Thank the Lord for the privilege of a place like Greenleaf Academy.