Central High School - Blue and White / Pnalka Yearbook (Springfield, MA)

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T' H E 73 N A L K A Class Prophecy BY MARY F. BALLANTINE, JOHN L. FERGUSON. FAY W. WILLIAMS NE day in the early twenties, as I was sitting in my New York office, on the 47th story of the New Superior Building fwhich, by the way, was built by an old 1910 man, Albert Gagnierj, I received an invitation to a ball to be held that evening in the home of Mrs. Vanderhuysen, nee Lucile Flagg. I was delighted to go, for Mrs. Vanderhuysen was accustomed to provide the most excellent singing to be heard in private circles. So, closing up my office and dismissing my stenographers, the Misses Cadwell, Cronin and Craig, now experts on the typewriter, I took the elevator to the street. On the way down I fell in with the proprietor,Gagnier, and talk naturally turned to this new 128-story building. Noticing the curious lighting effects on the landing, I asked him who was the cause. He replied that Kenneth Collins had had general supervision of the matter. Thus learning that Kenneth was in town, I at once repaired to his office. Here I found him sitting at his ease, feet plainly evident. I sat down and we talked long on many subjects, but particularly on our old class. During the conversation I asked him if he had heard the fate of jack Holmes. He denied. So I told him how Jack had tried his goldbrick game on a man apparently from New York, but who was an East Longmeadow detective in disguise. Jack was now in jail. Kenneth told about a few friends, and then I left because of the late hour. I arrived safely at my hotel, and finding that my valet was on one of his customary absences, I attired unassisted, and after dinner proceeded to the reception. I was at once brought up and introduced to the singer of the evening, Fraulein Parker. I was somewhat astonished to find her success so assured, although she had earlier in life showed great promise. lnquiring after my old classmates, she replied that Frances Daly had joined Jennie Ferguson and Helen Flynn in starting a school for education by the lip-reading or noiseless method, also that her old friend, Miles Purcell, had, together with Alan Buckley, Theron Pierce and jim Healy, joined the Knights of the Road, or in other words were full-fledged hoboes, and that Guy Fuller, an enter- prising reporter for The Hourly Buzz-Saw, had lately seen them hopping a freight for Canada. Page 22

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VOLUME IV Pratt, Miss Casson and others of the Faculty. A committee consisting of Mary Ballantine, Irene Berry, Lucille Flagg, Katherine Royce and Jeanette Abbe was in charge of the candy booth. As the end of the year drew near preparations were made for the last two social events of our High School career, Prom and Class Day. john Fer- guson was elected chairman of the Class Day Committee, and Robert King chairman of the Prom Committee. Class Day exercises were a success in every way, and judging by the present plans the Prom will be no less a credit to our Class. And now as the days go on and the time approaches when we are to separate and to go our several ways, let us hope that whatever our course, our history as individuals will still remain as fair and glorious as when we were associated together as the CLASS OF 1910. SQWW f u ,iid - YY:-'-v I . .R rj , s R . 7?-, t i sy if Ny? Page 121

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VOLUME IV Having heard so much of my classmates, I was resolved to visit Springfield and see what others I could discover. So, returning to the hotel and packing up, I took the 3:00 train for Springfield, reaching there early in the morning. As I looked out of my window I was amazed at the number and variety of signs I saw advertising Podunk's Theater. Becoming curious, I asked a gentleman if he knew who owned this theater. He replied that Stanley Withe had built it solely for Miss Freda Casson, and that it was drawing large audiences. I was delighted to hear this, and determined to visit the house if possible. I now had much time left before I could start, and so I picked up the Morning Union to while away the time. The major part of the front sheet was covered by two large headings: A Male President for Mt. Holyoke. Robert W. King Successfully Enters This New Field, and the other, Great Exhibition of Tyranny in the House. Speaker Thayer Today Replaced Himself on the Rules Committee as Chairman. Nobody Dared Oppose Him. I read both these articles, and decided that two members of the class at least had succeeded in their lifework. After breakfast I strolled around and up to the High School. It was still there. School had just begun. As I sat in the office I picked up a school directory, and was overjoyed to find among the Faculty four former members of the Class of 1910. Max Cracauer had succeeded Mr. Tuckerman, Florence Kiely had succeeded Miss Pratt, and Esther Terry was a success in the Latin department. While on the way to congratulate these people I passed the library, and Cas usualj Mabel Andrews was in charge. After congratulating them all, I started to leave the building, when I met Karen Bagg. She said that because of that soulful and verbose ditty she had written on the North Pole controversy she had received five free tickets to the Pole from the Inter- Continental Aerial Traction Company. Readily accepting her invitation, I promised to be at the landing on time. In order to improve my remaining time in Springfield, I naturally turned toward jensen's. There I found the place under a new management, and Althine Howe and Florence Gale demonstrating a new brand of ice cream cone patented by Lucy Chapin. Shortly afterwards I stepped into a book- store to find something to interest me on the voyage. After much thought I chose several ponderous volumes by well-known authors. Among them were: The Trials of Married Life, by Irene Berry, an unabridged Dic- tionary of Slang by Marion Quimby, and Coiffure, by Marguerite Mallary, I also bought a copy of the latest basketball rules, edited by jennette Abbe and Marguerite Belden. Page 23