Braintree High School - Wampatuck Yearbook (Braintree, MA)

Page 33 text:

Assemblies Football Rallies Preceding six of Braintree’s big games of the year, the school turned out en masse, piled into the auditorium, and got a little pej), vim, and vigor of spirit from the coaches and speakers in general — enough at least to carry over for th( following Saturday so that Braintree locomotives might ring clear and strong in anj’ field invaded. Ir. Jordan, as usual, took the reins in hand introducing coaches “Sugar” Kane and “Bud” Hawkes, IMr. Earl Bestick, Mr. Aldo Chiesa and all who could bring out the best in the audience (reckoned by length of cheers and shaking of rafters.) With the aitl of able cheer leaders and the band they did just that, and if you don’t think spii ' it means anything, just look at those scores! Joe Mitchell Chappie In one of our most interesting special assemblies, Joe iMitchell Chappie paid us a second, and we’re sure, a request visit. At least from the thundei’ of applause that greeted him, we know that he’s one of Braintree High School’s favorite speakers. Almost as if he had been here the day before and was now con- tinuing his story, Mr. Chappie went on in the vein in which he spoke a year ago. Words of airplane rides, television broadcasts, and visits abroad brought a new world to many of his listeners — a torn world too, though, and one he said he was glad to be out of. For America is the greatest, grandest, growingest place in the universe, be thankful you’re in it! Perhaps not the words of IMr. Chappie, but the idea he jjresented. And again perhaps not the words of Braintree High School, but surely the sentiment — “Come again, Mr. Chappie. You’ve had audience with kings and queens and emperors abroad — there’s a royal welcome foi ' you here, too!” Liquid Air When all of Braintree High School says something is tops you can be fairly sure it rates the lauding. Such was the verdict given the assembly on licpud air, so interesting!} explained and illustrated by IMr. Mahaffey anti Mr. Warner from the Air Keduction Company of Boston. Introduced by !Mr. Lawrence, head of our science department, Mr. Mahaffey spoke about the importance of air in our lives, the uses men had made of it, and of its component parts. Continuing, he next took up the liquid state, a form of oxygen at a temperature of 297 ' ' . From then on it was a succession of experiments that made one wonder if seeing is believing. After being immersed in the liquid air, a rubber ball exploded like an electric light bulb, a carnation crumbled liked glass, and alcohol froze — all to the wonder of the audience. But, as usual, time was flying, and with a few more illustrations the assembly ended, but not before the pupils, led by !Mr. Walter Kane, raised their voices in a loud and enthusiastic cheer of appreciation for Mr. Mahaffey and Mr. Warner who gave us one of our best asseml)lies of the year. PAGE 27

Page 32 text:

Gym Team P ' RIDAY evening:, April 5, 1940 the eleventh annual Gymnastic Exhibition was presented to a large and enthusiastic audience by the girls’ and bo 3 ’s’ gym teams. Again the “standing room only” s ' gn was put out within a half hour after the opening of the doors. The entire group of 102 members, which included freshmen groups, thrilled the audience with a program of marching, dances, apparatus work, tumbling, pvramid building, conied.v groups and a grand finale of “living statuaiy” in gold and silver. Led bv girl’s captain. Dot Johnson, and Bob Ackerson, bov’s captain, the teams ran through their smooth routines for the benefit of the high school ath- letic injuiy fund. Among the outstanding individuals were Dot Johnson, Sallv Johnson, Betty C’opp, and Bett 3 ’ Sweet for the girls while the bovs were featured b} ' Bob Ackerson, Jinini} ' Kjellander, Walter Albert, Moo IMamelian and Paul X elson. Particularly excellent work was presented b ' the girls in their marching drill, ring drill and p.vraniitls. Led bv “swortlmaster” Paul Nelson seven boj ' s dressed in special cos- tumes carried on intricate circling and weaving in the Swoixl Dance. Laughs were given the audience 1) ' the antics of a weird ghost dance in white outfit, blue lights and special music under the direction of Mr. Hauck. In conclusion, eight boj s jiainted in silver, with excellent lighting effects, presented eleven poses portra dng athletics, emotion and artistic formations. Another gym exhibition has passed and the teams and their coache s. Miss Alice Daughratv and Mr. Ellsworth Thwing, have received the plaudits of the audience. On the following dav, Saturday ' , April 6th, the sixth annual State Interscholas- tic Gvm Meet was held in Braintree with eleven schools competing for the cham- pionships in six events. Although the local team was nosed out in the last event, the rope climb, b v Lvnn English, the v held their own during the majorit ' of the meet b,v winning three of the events. W. Albert captured the fl dng rings, A. Manielian, the high bar and Bob Ackerson the side horse competition. The locals lost out ly the small margin of three and one-half points; l)ut C ' oach Thwing was pleased with the results of his team and the .smooth- ness with which the largest gymnastic meet, sponsored l v the State Depart- ment, had been run. Supt. Fisher, Principal Jordan, Mr. Ralph Colson of the State Dept., INIr. Harve,v, Thayei ' Academy, Mr. Ullnian and Mr. Luoma assisted Director Thwing tluring the meet. Pyramid PAGE 26

Page 34 text:

Skidding pj ' OLLOWINCi the triuinphal ariival of the Hardy family in Braintree and their tour of the town, the pupils and patrons of high school were treated to the sight of flesh and blood charactei ' izations of this most famous familj ' of the screen. With the companionship of two additional older sisters and hard-of- hearing Grandpa Hardy, Andy, IMarion, the judge, Mrs. Hardy and Aunt Milly romped through “Skidding,” another in the series of adventures in which this household continually finds itself entangled. This time the subject was politics. It apjicars that judges have to be re- elected every so often, and the fatal and decisive time was pending in Mr. Hardy’s life. In the ensuing turmoil that is every Hardy play, IMarion, too, became em- broiled in “the art of government,” met the intensely interesting Wayne Trenton III, and — but I’ll have to stop there. Not because you could guess the remainder — that’s impossible! — but there were the jn-overbial number of l)ook-filling angles that will have to be skipped. Andy of course had the usual girl-trouble, Grantlpa, his checkers. Aunt Milly, the caustic comments, and the audience, an all-round good time. Braintree High’s doubles for the Hardys were Guj ' Robbins as the judge, •lime Langill as Mrs. Hartly, Bob Small as the effervescent Andy, Mary-Lee Welch as Alarion, and Winsome Ai-nold as the irrestible, if sharp-tongued. Aunt Milly. The two older sisters were played by Grace Robinson and Rita Lee, Grandpa by Warren Nott, Wayne Trenton HI by Bob Currie, and ] Ir. Stubbins by Roger Daley. Boucpiets to each and every one, and that’s not forgetting iMiss Hearn who directed this Oral English Class as she has her others and made “Skidding” a suc- cess among successes. The Hardy Family Marion Breaks The Ice Grandfather Comes To Call Mother and Father Talk it Over Marion Goes Into Politics Wayne Pleads His Cause PAGE 28