East High School - Redjacket Yearbook (Pawtucket, RI)

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Dramatic Society Award NE of the brightest events recorded by the Rf.DJACKHT is the presentation of the annual Dramatic Society Award. Each year on Class Day the Senior Dramatic Society makes an award of fifty dollars for the advancement of their education to the most prominent boy and girl in the senior class. However, if either of the recipients does not intend to further his or her education the money is returned to the Dramatic Society treasury. The students receiving this honor are chosen for their character, high scholastic standing, school spirit, and participation in extra-curricular activities. No one can be considered eligible who is not a member of both the Dramatic Society and the Rhode Island Honor Society. Considering the aforementioned qualifications, the members of the senior class vote for the boy and girl of their choice. Thus six candidates are selected. These names are then submitted to the faculty, who make the final decision. We. their fellow classmates, are proud of the winners. MADGE GALLAGHER CLINTON PEARSON

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 THE MANAGERS First Row. left to right: Rose Nardi, Ered Heald. Dolores Baldani. Stanley Motyl. Agnes Hoggarth. Eleanor Stewart. Patricia Reynolds, and Ann Westcott. Second Row: Shirley Greenhalgh. Norma Nelson, Jane Tomellini. Joan Trescott. Helen Mayoh. Louise McGeehan, and Irene Durant. Third Row. Joseph Parkinson, Edward Hammond. Dolores Stevens. Margaret Craik. and Walter Choquette. Fourth Row: Kenneth Fanning, Carle Wunschel. Robert Clarkson. Robert Simpson. Ralph Etherington. and Albert Schaubhut. Three One-Act Plays J IT was Saturday evening, March 8. 1947, and the East High thespians, after taking a hasty, last-minute look at their lines, were again presenting the annual three one-act plays. Each participant had the ardent hope that his play would be chosen to represent East in the state festival. “The Managers by Joseph C. Lincoln, “Judge Lynch by John William Rogers. Jr., and The Woman Who Understood Men by John Kirkpatrick were the competitive plays presented by the East Senior High Dramatic Society. Hiram Salters (Fred Heald) and Tim Tiddit (Stanley Moytl), uncles of Gertie (Dolores Baldani) in “The Managers , discovered that, contrary to their belief, Gertie was the true manager of their household. The dramatic play, Judge Lynch , was a story of a grave miscarriage of justice which occurred in the South. The characters in the play were Mrs. Joplin (Madge Gallagher), her daughter Ella (Dorothy Arnold), her husband Ed (John Whiting), and the stranger (Abe Nathanson). In the humorous play. The-Woman Who Understood Men”, the happy life of Judy (Barbara Houle) was greatly upset when Susan (Betsy Soule) related a headful of gossip about Ed (Joseph Brisco). Judy's fiance. Fannie (Beverly Partridge), Judy's mother, believed she understood men. especially her husband. Jim (Ronald Moore), so she gave Judy some advice, which only succeeded in making affairs worse. When Judy took matters into her own hand, all was settled to the satisfaction of everyone concerned. The judges. Miss Irene Carlin. Miss Mary McMahon, and Mr. Tilden B. Mason, selected Judge Lynch” as the winning play, which was presented in the Rhode Island Drama Festival. The enthusiastic applause, as the final curtain fell, proved that the one-act plays, under the expert direction of Miss Flora S. Curtis, were once again an outstanding success. -4 83

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TRIBUTE T () Miss Curtis THIS year marked the culmination of Miss Flora Curtis' twenty-six years as director of the Senior Dramatic Society. During those years Miss Curtis worked unceasingly for the good of the organization. Nothing that would contribute to a superb performance was overlooked. Consequently, the name of East High has. in recent years, stood for the best in high school dramatic circles. Twice under her directorship plays from East have received the coveted rating of Excellent in the New England Drama Festival. This honor was attained first in 1937 with The Old Lady Shows Her Medals , and again in 1946 with Rosalind . Twice before in New York competitions her direction won first places for East. A picture of East's cast of The Valiant may be found in the book. Short Plays , by Knickerbocker. Outstanding presentations. not in competition, were such comedies as You Can't Take It With You . Smiling Thru . Disraeli , and The Rivals , and the two mystery thrillers. Arsenic and Old Lace and The Cat and the Canary . Without Miss Curtis. East High would be unable to look in retrospect on such a long, unbroken record of successful productions. In casting, she seemed to possess some sixth sense in the form of an uncanny ability to fit the right people into the right roles. Even at the crucial moment, curtain time, her poise and confidence in their success were transmitted to the most nervous actors and actresses. Consequently the plays, proceeding smoothly and with a minimum of prompting, were glowing tributes to a master director. The name of Miss Curtis and that of the Dramatic Society are synonomous. For twenty-six years she has been the very heart of that group, bringing renown to East in the theatrical field. The Class of 1947 feels especially privileged to have been the last group to enjoy two full years under her expert guidance. We realize and deeply appreciate all that she has done for us. We extend our sincere thanks and best wishes to Miss Curtis, our director and friend. -4 85