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

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Web Peel Cre SAD well eB . .%, +% ¢ The History of the Class of 1931: “STRANGE INTERLUDE” A Playlet in 8 Acts by EUGENE O'NEILL Time: 1960 Character: One (and only one) scientist. Quality: None. Quantity: That's your tough luck. Reading Time: Dependent on your per- severance. Stage Setting: An immense laboratory filled with intricate machinery about which only the scientist knows (and, incidentally, cares.) Center: a huge television machine. As the curtain rises, a corpulent scientist is seen. He is a man of about fifty, and his most distinguishing feature is his mop of hair, cut in the manner of the late Prof. Ein- stein. From time to time we catch snatches of his soliloquy: “Eureka!— Prohibition! — (Speaking to the machine) —At last my ambition has been realized. With you, my pet, (he kisses the machine) I shall be able to look back upon the past, when I was a dashing Beau Brummel.” (He turns on machine.) Stage darkens. Strange lights begin to quiver. A humming is heard. A screen begins to glow. “What shall it be? Ah! My high school days! (He turns dial.) A long dirty-yellow building appears. A swarm of children (ten years of age) are approaching the door. Scientist (with a grunt of astonishment and disbelief): “What! Was I one of those nin- compoops? Impossible! (A roar of thun- der. Disturbances on the ether. A tense moment. From now on we see only occasional pictures.) The assembly hall, well packed, appears. A large, white-haired man domin- nates the scene. Man (ahemming): ‘No one has the right to do that which, if everyone did it, would destroy society. And now, I will read the honor roll. First of all, a new record has been created by the class of ‘313. They have the least number of names ever attained here.’ (Applause.) EINE, I] Scene same as in I. Occupants changed, somewhat. Same dominant figure leans trust- ingly on weak reading stand. (Whispers at side: “Fifty cents it breaks now.) Man holds up his hand: ‘This is the class of---?” Children dutifully and = childishly shout, 313! A pane of glass from skylight barely misses the head of the dominant person. SCENE [iI Our first class picture. Behind the banner proudly stand Bob Fellows, Jean Beauvais, Ruth Ehrlich, Bud Newell, and Luke Smith. We called these our class officers. Treasurer stands with head bowed; there is no money in her coffers. SCENE. [V Two scenes are outstanding in a meagre Junior year: a successful Junior Prom and a profitable (?) Elijah. Figures behind the banner have changed. Luke Smith in Jean Beauvais’ place; June Martin (head drooping, you know why) takes Bud Newell's position; Dick Blanchard steps gallantly to the fore. SCENE V Flashes on screen come faster. Thunder crashes loudly. Figures on screen become larger and pompous, almost (Heaven help us!) dignified. They still, however, scurry about the halls, shouting. Voices are heard: “Have you paid your class dues?” That's Louise Smith. “Have you had your inter- view with Mr. Hill?” A blank space. Then activities continue — ‘Have you any extra Prom tickets?’ A loud warning crash. Then: “May I make an announcement in assembly ?”’ White-haired man bellows, “What do you mean by asking me five minutes beforehand?” Answer (timidly): “But our last president made it a custom.” Room gets darker. tearing hair and moaning. My machine has been disgraced. destroyed!” Another flash. Class Day Committees are rushing about finishing last-minute plans. Room 323 resembles the stock exchange on Panic Day. Scientist groans at the pictures of his lurid past. Suddenly he springs into action. The machine bursts into flame. Scientist sighs happily. Now no one need know about those terrible days. He sighs eats SCENE VI A newsboy rushes across the stage carrying some Daily Mirrors and shouting: “Latest news of scientist's mysterious suicide. Reasons unknown. Said by some to have been de- jected..... Latest news!” END OFFCAGS I (Editor's note: The last seven acts of STRANGE INTERLUDE have been banned by Boston censors. ) Scientist has been “Ah, me! Oh, woe! It must be RoGER BENDER MILTON, WHITE

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Debi 1B USE; eAg Nei Sawai sees PRC ? ¢ MILLY YUNKER 862 Belmont Ave. Junior College G. A. A. [1, 2, 3]; Swimming Team [1]; Squad Leader [1]: Pierides Beta [1, 2]; First Soccer Team [1, 2]; Gym Meet [1, 2]; G. A. A. Fair Decoration Committee [2]: Recorder Room Agent [2]; Republican Reporter [2, 3]; Traffic Squad [3]; Usher for The Home Sector [3]; Class Reporter [3]; Pierides Alpha [3]. “Be not too tame, but let your own discretion be your tutor.” FRIEDA ZALEWSKI 95 No. Elm St., Westfield eet a ce 4 e 4 Skidmore College Ae ihe Gr AAs [tz 3]: Gym Meet [1]: Soccer [1, 2]. rT Fi : , “Though last, not least in love.” EpwarD BoryYSEWICZ 147 Catherine St. WILLIAM GAY 05 Yale St. Massachusetts College of Pharmacy College Preparatory Course B. A. A. [1, 2, 3]; Aviation Club [2]; Chess Entered Central in January 1930 Club [3]; Crew Squad [2]. “Silence is the perfectest herald of joy.” “Better late than never.” SHERWOOD W. WEBBER 179 Acorn St. Massachusetts State College BeAG Ar ieee) sae Dasketballe[iaa-esile “All the world’s noise appears to me A dull, ill-acted comedy.” , , , 2° ¢ “¢ 19313 JAMES CLAPP RHEA HURWITZ HELEN SLEIGH

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Laity eae ee lee ANE Dis Were +, 6%, 0% 2 The Prophecy of the Class of 1931; PROLOGUE The night was dank and dark and still, Wind spirits shrieked in voices shrill; The stars fell down from out the sky — People shuddered and knew not why. The moon had shrivelled up; the sea Tossed high and fell monotonously. All earth could feel the clammy feet As weird shapes in the silence beat Their way along the ways of men They'd never thought to tread again. Piercing through the waiting night Moaning swelled to wailing fright. Men went mad; the darkness waned And still uncanny stillness reigned. Suddenly, as time stood still, A splendor shone behind the hill, And terror stalked as people saw A sight that bent their knees in awe. In quickened wondering there slips A frightened cry from frightened lips. Every eye in panic lifts To see upon the highest rifts Gabriel, with his trumpet high, Send its notes across the sky. Stewart Anderson — broke Ninety-nine judges sat, solemn, grave — Sentencing all, the coward, brave, The liar, the honest, the right, the wrong. And still the mortals were millions strong. Recording angels with ponderous looks Found every name within their books. All secrets came to light at last, From out the shadows of the past. The Judgment Day was nearly done When judges reached the last, last one. The human beings were all frightened, but they waited patiently. The judge spoke to a distinguished looking old gentleman: “Your name?” “Stewart Anderson.” And the recording angel searched down his list of names in the great book to find what he had done while living. It didn’t seem pos- sible any one could be ignorant on that sub- ject. Stewart Anderson, the famous broker, who was so continually and astonishingly broke — who was, indeed, the ninth wonder of the world, the eighth being Edna Adler, who kept him in subjection and at the same time wrote her historical pamphlet on “What Every Young Stenographer Should Know About Her Employer.” Strange things came to light, — things thought to have been buried beneath the happenings of time and events. For instance, Milton White was found to have used his thriving bee-keeping business only as a blind for his private counterfeiting enterprise. Charles Dunn, the mathematical wizard, went insane trying to improve on Einstein's theory. John Baldwin, the archeologist, was the victim of one of the hoaxes known to history. He unearthed two mummies in Egypt which proved to be the bodies of Evelyn Welch and Frieda Zalewski who had embalmed themselves in an attempt to dis- cover the ancient Egyptian process of mummi- fication. Shirley Hardy was a deservedly famous actress, whose success was due, in great part, to the efforts of her press agent, Catherine Bailey, and her manager, Muriel Burgess. Lawrence Trebbin wrote a book entitled “My Sufferings Under The Curtis Régime.” Betty Brown became an exhibition diver in the circus. Lib Campbell attained fame as an aviator when she flew the first non-stop flight around the world. There are whisper- ings to the effect that it was her sister, Dorcas. who upheld her flagging spirits and urged her on to her goal. Bob Blitz was the favorite cub of the Wall Street Bears, and took every occasion to per- form. Dick Blanchard took a flop as a Nor-