Billerica Memorial High School - BMHS Yearbook (Billerica, MA)

Page 26 text:

HOWE HICxH YEARBOOK Henry Casey says the chips are down because he can get only as high as a corporal. Dot Reagan’s Glamour Salon is a busy spot, as the gals have their beauty problems mastered here before they entertain at the Town Hall. Louise Matthews is now a prominent softball pitcher, who keeps in training by working at the A. and Z. Defense Plant in the town of Finkleton. Esther Slocomb has lately become president of the C.I.O. because of her popularity among her co-workers at the A. and M. Boat Shipyard. George Graham is in the Navy along with his pal Joe Hennessey. George and Joe are hav- ing a race to see who will become admiral first. (Note: They’re both S 3 c.) Charlotte Lee is a singing waitress at the Canteen by night, and secretary to Principal Cyril Locke by day. Lillian Verheyen is a bus driver on the Middlesex and Boston run. Marie Cook, prominent surgeon, coyly says her first patients were “broken up” over the ordeal. Shorty” McCusker is a pursuit pilot now. His plane is equipped with a special high seat so he can see the surrounding country. Priscilla Clark is doing fine work in selling embroidered handkerchiefs to raise funds for the Canteen. Ruth Brouillette takes time off from her Employment Agency managerial tasks to dance with the boys. Margaret Loranger, who is a private secretary at Build ’Em Quick Shipyards, helps to pre- pare dainty lunches for the service men and women at the Canteen nightly. Donald Pickering, who is the proud father of two sets of twins, has his hands full with his children instead of his old school girl friends. Ann Meserve, just as sweet and demure as ever, takes her turn as mistress of ceremonies at the Canteen. Kay Sipprell, who recently won her way to star- dom, is soon to appear in the new movie “Small Town Girl Makes Good,” which will have its premiere here in town. Doris Phinney is a riveter in the Build ’Em Quick Shipyards. Paul Wells is now doing an engineering project for the Marines; incidentally, he still enjoys debating, particularly with the staff sergeant. Ethel Perry has a booth at the Canteen, where she draws pictures of the service men and women. Her art is really something; at least, that’s what the service men say. — 22 —

Page 25 text:

HOWE HIGH YEARBOOK (pAopJtjdk (pamn “Not a soul down on the corner — ” How true these words ring out! One may go down ’most any time, And find no one about. But let us go in fancy now To good old Spinney’s store; The gang was there ; — ’twas easy then To learn Howe’s 44’s lore. Behind the well stocked counter of Pharmacy De Luxe, Spinney, Inc., stands Ralph himself, surrounded by the usual drug store crowd. Ralph’s benign countenance bespeaks the healthful effects of multi-sodas and frappes as he sets the stage for the inception of the nightly gossip session. His pride in The Stage Door Canteen at the Town Hall knows no bounds as he praises the efforts of the townspeople for their generous co-operation and support. In fact, since the opening of the Canteen, he has been Billerica’s number one citizen ; and so to him we turn to hear the latest of that peppy class which left Howe in the June of ’44. “Taffy” Dolan is to do her roller skating act at the Canteen; and Edith Bent, Taffy’s friend and manager, is also a familiar figure at the Canteen. Charlotte Nussey, comedienne at the Canteen, gave the boys a treat by bringing back some rare insects from her African tour. They are commonly known as jitterbugs. Ray Lincoln occasionally condescends to do a bit of acting here. He has established a record of five hundred consecutive performances of “Tommy” on Broadway. Ralph Brigham, who is now in the Marines, attributes most of his success to his uniform. Who is she, Ralph? Mary Burke and Shirley Barrett are proprietors of Burke and Barrett’s Slenderizing Salon. They are patronized by such well known personalities as Rita Haley and Ethel Newman, chorus girls in a famous night spot as well as at the Canteen. Laura Boy land, another graduate of ’44, is the extremely efficient secretary of Harry Wright, owner and manager of Wright’s Super Filling Station. Irving Clark, sergeant in the Army, is using his manly strength and physical fitness to mas- ter the privates. He’s succeeding admirably. Gloria Johnston, wife of a Navy man, leads the grand march each night at the Canteen ; she is an excellent drum majorette, but that’s “old stuff” to her. Freida Zawisa, now happily married to a sailor, is one of the senior hostesses at the Canteen. — 21 —

Page 27 text:

HOWE HIGH YEARBOOK Jane Bocko has her own little home right here in town. She is keeping the home fires burning for Einar. Patsy Brennan, known to her pupils as Miss Brennan, is a teacher at the Pollard School. Lawrence McCluskey is Jeanette MacDonald’s latest lead- ing man. Upon occasion, he may be seen renewing acquaintances here in town. Jean Tme, an Army Nurse, is home on furlough from the South Pacific. Jeanne Lavalle and Elsie Flaherty are mechanics at Vocell’s. They can really fix some cars, too. Willard Matthews was in Washington last week to receive his Medal of Honor for capturing thirty-seven “little brown boys” in a smoke screen he had made from his pipe. Mildred Kondziela owns a large beauty salon in Boston in which she has a special rate for servicemen’s manicures. Alyce Ballou, noted young lady about town, is now making a tour of Russia. It is rumored that she has mastered the Russian Ballet. Edna McDewell is the envy of all girls since she received her second lieutenant’s commission. John Newman, that unpredictable fellow — but here goes, is a teacher of “judo” in the Army. He was seen in the latest news reels of “Army in the Making.” Ginny Radclijf is married to a soldier who is, at present, fighting the Japs. Shirley Condon is a censor in the postal department. She enjoys her work very much. But, then, who wouldn’t? Jane Douglas is writing a text on economics. After studying the one written by Dodd, she thought someone should write it. Marcella Di Perna is in the Marines. It is he who poses for the posters “Uncle Sam Can Do This For You !” Dorothy Franz is proprietor of two stores in town, and with the points WOW!! Carolyn Gross, now a sergeant in the W.A.C.’s, will be home on furlough in two weeks. Last month she received the newsmen’s award for the best periodical contribution appearing in The Yank. “Barb” Freeman, who has just been sworn into the Navy Nurse Corps, is doing her bit in keeping up the morale of our fighting men. Kathleen Hennessey is proprietor of Kay’s Delicatessen, a shop featuring her own home cooked food. — 23 —