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

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THE BLEUE SAN DY WAIT E Prophecy of the Class of 1927z While I was in Boston a week or so ago, my hostess invited me to go with her to see a crystal gazer who has been creating quite a stir there recently. | was delighted with the idea, since it was a new experience to me. We drove to Scollay Square and then thru a veritable labyrinth of short, crooked streets before we finally stopped in front of the dingiest hovel I have ever entered. It was no more in keeping with my conception, gleaned from the movies, of what a medium’s rooms ought to be than Buckingham Palace. However, my suffered only slightly, and we pushed the only thing we found which resembled a doorbell. A glum Jap admitted us. We followed him up some rickety. squeaky stairs and finally landed in a windowless room whose only light shone directly on a flawless crystal. Skeptical as I enthusiasm was of its powers, | could not suppress an expression of admiration. My voice came back from the walls and died down with an eerie whine which set me shivering. I was assisted into a chair before the glowing crystal. A voice spoke opposite me. | looked. I started, and sucked in my breath. There sat Grandpa Wu. himself. He promised that the crystal would reveal to me anything I might desire. | stammered something ahout the future of my classmates. The sight of him was enough to fire my imagination into a receptive condition. My eyes fell to the crystal. It quivered and grew. Larger and larger, until I felt my self enveloped. The room had faded. I was in a world of my own, bright and clear, except for a wisp of smoke which seemed to have no fire. The smoke wavered before me, and took a vague, human form. It had no features, except one huge, unblinking green eye. It addressed thusly :— me “What do you seek)” “Who are you)” | quavered. “T am the Soul of the crystal—what do )?? you seek: “The future of my classmates,” I replied. “Attend; your wish is granted,—who shall be first)” wS ty “Al Gariepy.” “He shall be a radio announcer. He shall broadcast events where speed and directness of speech are essential. He shall be famous, also, for the daintiness of his fancy needle- work. From his station on Static Island, New York, Catherine Hayes and Charles Killmer will sing weekly with Frances Zirkin as their accompanist.” “Landon Head.” “He shall be inventor of a new starch for West Pointers’ dress trousers, that they may not suffer from vagrant wrinkles and dirt at inspection. A monument by the sculptor, Henry Hewitt, will be erected to him by the later cadets. as the man who took the specks out of inspection.” “Carol Mather.” “She will be famous on the stage for her In her spare time she will write testimonials for ‘Plucky Tripe’ cig- arettes, using her melodious stage voice to ‘Chaney-isms.’ bear out her statements.” “What about Charles Collins?” “A very bright young man, he. He shall teach philosophy at Smartmouth College. He will know absolutely nothing about his subject, but he will bluff his pupils so well that they will really gain a comprehensive knowledge of the course.” “What is Thelma Burlingame’s future?” “She will be the founder of a museum of curios. Her Institution will contain the best known and most complete collection in the country of pins, rings and lockets represent- ing all the leading colleges.” “Surely Ray Johnson will be one of the Big Noises of the day.” “Yes, he will be owner and ballyhoo man of a travelling show which will feature several of your classmates. Gertrude Camp- bell, Wilma Fellows, Winifred Marsden, Dorothy Sheldon, Bessie Smith and Alice Johnston will be billed as “The Popisinski Sisters’ Chorus. Don Notman will be the real Star of their dances, and having at- tracted attention by his antics, will auction off cake. He will fall hard for every pretty

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Tne bi revengeful turn, so we beg that you will accept this curling iron. Remember, Betty, whenever there is danger, always wave your hair! Perhaps for a few moments the care- takers of our class baby will untie their apron strings and allow Kenneth Rice to enter our midst—Milk bottles, toys and candy are all too common for such as you! Blocks are said to be educational and inas- much as you are really graduating, we de- cided to give you something which every baby craves (blocks). If anyone can bring Dot Sheldon out of her habitual trance for a minute, will he please propel her towards the stage—Dot, you've kept us guessing for three long years as to what you were thinking about. Now we've given up and decided to put a stop to this aloof placidity of those eyes. Here’s a bomb to upset that complacency. It’s set to go off in a few seconds. Please take it outside and if it works, come back and tell us. John Keefe—John, you have one of those soft, melodious voices that can’t be heard across the class-room: so we give you this megaphone to use when you go to the higher institution of learning. Virginia) Donald—Your vocabulary is unequalled by any other within the halls of Central. Here is a copy of Webster’s Dic- tionary. Look it over, for we’re told they added a new word the other day. We trust that no obfuscating interruptions will occur during your perusal of said document. Henry Hewitt—Henry, we all know that you are our silent lover, and we hope that in the future you will have more courage to declare yourself. Here’s a box of ““PEP” to spur you on. Gwen Morgan—Gwen, you have one of the biggest grins in the Class of ’273. We hereby present you with one of Kresge’s best yar d measures. When you get home, measure that grin of yours and tellus the result. Laurence Hubbard—When it comes to bluffing, you are incomparable. We're not sure just what gets you by, Laurence, tho’ we think it is—well, we won’t give you away; but here is a little extra soft soap, in case you're ever at a loss. AN DOWER The next offender being a worthy victim, will Karl Schwenger please mount the steps on the right—Karl, your downheartedness after the sixth period has been carefully and cleverly traced to the fact that Dot has failed to appear. Feeling sorry for you. we have contrived a way in which you may always have a Dot with you (cardboard with a large dot in the center). Hubie Wilson and Rosamund Good win— You two cause more traffic complications in Central's Halls than ten perspiring traffic cops could ever hope to manage—and all because you don’t observe the parking regulations. After due deliberation. we hit upon a plan. Here she is! (a toy car). Now you can take Rosie anywhere, Hubie, to park in the middle of Main Street with our blessing. Mildred O’Neal—Now don’t blush, Mildred! Oh there you go. It would be a crime to ever lose such a becoming habit—so here’s a box of rouge to help you out. Wilma Fellows—Billie, you’ve entertained us with your dainty feet innumerable times in the last three years. Please take this little dancer; and sometimes, years from now, look at her and remember how good you’ve been to us. Peg Hiland—Peg, you are so very at- tractive that we know you are continually bothered with pick-ups. It must be embar- rasing, so please accept this masher which will be less of a bother and more of a help. Charley Collins—Your halo of red has been the object of much concern in Central, because of its resemblence to a wild fire. Here is something to extinguish both the fire and the anxiety of your many friends (package of green dye). Thelma Burlingame—We have heard of and also noticed the collection of rings, pins, etc. which you have received from the various colleges and prep. schools. Wishing to give you something different and still keep it in your line, we are bestowing upon you this dignified and worthy pin (horse- blanket pin). Alice Johnston—Among your various and charming accomplishments, Alice, we have found out that you play the violin. Please accept this miniature fiddle in re- membrance of all the things you have done for us. THELMA BurLINGAME NataLiE CONVERSE

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iT ED Bie Bus UT BAIN DD Wee girl in his audiences. Fred Ober and Robert Levin will be the two clowns.” “Will Dave Cosgriff be an athletic coach?” “No; he, Kenneth LeMere and John Martin will spend most of their time in jail on complaints of “mashing.” Judge Elizabeth Hudson will sentence them severely because of the boldness of their advances.” “And that inseparable — pair, Carla Melander and Frances Rose?” “Kenneth Rice, President of the United States of America will confer upon them the Singer Osinsky Medal for the Restraint of Crime for their brilliance in running down Margaret Smith and Mildred O’Neal, boot- leggers extraordinary.” “What mischief will my old friend, Virginia Donald, be up to?” “She will be the recognized dictator of Ladies’ Fashions in America. She will pub- lish her decrees thru Philip Connell’s Ladies’ Magazine. This periodical will also feature Laurence Hubbard’s page of ‘Advice to Young Girls.’ ” “What lies in store for Betty Herrick)” “For four years she will hold the title of ‘Heavyweight Boxing Champion’ of China- town. She will lose her crown to William Lieson.”’ As the Soul of the Crystal had been telling me these things. its eye had gleamed more and more brilliantly, until the whole glassy nothingness in which [ seemed io be sus- pended had become green. It was like floating in the heart of an emerald. When it seemed as if the color could not become any more intense, it rapidly faded, and I was alone in my world of Crystal. Then, even this dwin- dled until it was just a beautiful glass ball in my hands. I was back in the dark little room with Grandpa Wu and my friend, just as if nothing had happened. You can imagine my astonishment when I looked at my watch to find that all this had happened in the course of eight minutes. And now, my most worthy and admirable classmates, if you believe this story, Im a better fibber that I thought [ was. NatTaALiE CONVERSE Prophecy on Prophet Excerpl from the Centrat Recorver of January 16, 1957 CENTRAL GRADUATE WINS HIGH HONORS Again Central has scored a hit in the big field of life! Here is its latest triumph. Natalie Converse of the Class of 1927} has been appointed by President Rice as head of the national department of Domestic Service, which was established last year after the eighteenth amendment was repealed. Miss Converse she keeps her maiden name, although she has been married at least a dozen times—will be able virtually to control the country’s diet. She started her training the year after her graduation from Central, when, feeling it her duty to do her bit in this great world of ours, she entered as a waitress in Van Heusen’s Sweet Shop. After she was fired from there, Miss Converse went to President Hoover, one of her numerous ex-father-in-laws, and he got her a job in the White House cafeteria founded March 1, 1929 by “Clever Cal.” Here Miss Converse, by the aid of a cor- respondence course, raised her position to that of head cigarette girl—a much sought after position. Feeling, nevertheless, that this was not her true place in life, our Natalie resigned only to become, somewhat later, manager of a popular Washington Cafeteria. In 1916 she became president of the Schratft stores in New York City, the finest chain restaurants in America. From here she was recalled to Washington, where she assumed management of the Coat checkers’, Dish washers’ and Taxi-starters’ Union. It was from this high position that President I =f 26S