Easthampton High School - Echo Yearbook (Easthampton, MA)

Page 31 text:

newest ship which makes the voyage to England in only six weeks and five days. In June, 1785, Chester Milashesky and Leon Sefczyk formed a partnership and advertised the following list of goods for sale: calicoes, West India rum, brandy, cross-cut saws, rice, raisins, and frying pans. Also this same month William Popielarczyk announces that nails are cut by him and that he will sell them cheap at retail prices. At the regular town meeting of 1785, the following men were chosen as fence viewers: Stanley Suchecki and John Sanders, while Stanley Kowalczyk was appointed constable. Among the Morris dances at this time land they were the professionals who danced at the governor's ball, doing fancy steps and receiving a lot of moneyl we find Stella Naruszewicz and Adela Lewandowski. There were many women at this time who were very strict and instead of letting their children go out to play they made them stay in and do their stunts which consisted of reading the Bible, sewing and making quilts. Some of these mothers were the former Gladys Kapraszewski and Adella Karputis. Through the courtesy of one of their neighbors, Lottie Podolak and Helen Ropelewski were allowed to give singing and dancing lessons to about thirteen of the younger generation of the settlement. Perle Potsubay was one of these who didn't like to stay in one place all the time so at her first opportunity she started west, never to be heard of again. Genevieve Wronski married a stage coach driver, but he was killed in a daring holdup when he was carrying valuable mail. Sophie Prejs and Katherine Regish both married generals in the Revolution- ary war and those two men were the ones who rowed George Washington across the Delaware on his successful attack against the British. Jennie Tomaszewski was a spy in the Gontinetal army where she dressed as a negro and went into Yorktown to discover the strength of the British. Here she was captured but later released at the end of the war. Now that the Indian wars are over, we learn that Irene Lahaie and Cecilia Presbylowski are on their way home from Montreal where they were traded to the French by the Indians. These two were captured in 1783 by the Mohawks and carried to their settlement near Lake Champaign, later only to be taken to Montreal and traded for Wampum. In 1785 the town was desirous that a person should qualify for singing in the Meeting House. There were many who tried out but Helen W robleski was judged the winner. In August of 1785, a committee of seven men was appointed to settle the boundary dispute between Laura Gutowski and Stasia Erasmus. Stasia claims that Laura's chickens kept coming over into her garden and when Stasia started to put a fence up an argument resulted as to the boundary line. Cecilia Kieszek, who is the settlement's best cook, kept many a man from deserting the army during the Revolutionary War by her generous gifts of baking every Saturday. twenty-nine

Page 30 text:

Down at the Mt. Tom section, we find two competitive ferries, one owned and operated by Joseph Bovin, the other by Alfred Lewonis. Joe claims his ferry has safely crossed and recrossed the river for nine years withont ever losing a cow, or a pig, or a chicken. There is one outstanding social club for women at this time which is known as the Everlasting Gossip Club. Among its most active members are Stasia Doda, President, Adeline Sliz, Secretary, and Mary Foder and Stephanie Czelusniak who act as co-chairmen in deciding on the person to be discussed at the next meeting. Miss Sliz says it is an awful job to write up the meetings. The brawny blacksmith of the village, who claims that no horse is too large for him to lift in order to shoe is none other than Anthony Lis, and his little assistants who are just learning the trade are Stanley Pacocha and Harry Eisenstock. Across the river from the bottom of Mansion house hill, we find the only tavern in the settlement of Pascommuck, the operator of which is Fred Green- smith. News which has leaked out from the Everlasting Gossip club has it that late in the evening two women, namely, the Elizabeth Symanski and Josephine Drondroski have been seen playing that horrible game of cards known as HSlapjack in the tavern. The worst part about it is that they play only on Sundays. The two graduates whom we don't see any more because they live so far away are Olive Atwood and Sophie Borsuk. They both married out of town men, and live in their log cabins. Olive married a minister from Way off in Southamp- ton where they now live, and Sophie married a tax collector from Hadley where they now live. Bob Cashman, the quiet boy, we find is the town crier of our settlement and whenever a town meeting is desired it is his duty to notify the people by an out- cry on a public day. Victor Laprade not desiring to ask Miss Sophie Sarifin's father for her hand in marriage, asked Sophie instead. Therefore, we find that Victor was summon- sed to appear before court, for making motions of marriage to Sophie without her fatherfs consent. This he did and had to pay a fine of five pounds and promised not to see her again. Later, however, they were married. Among the great Latin scholars we find Miss Stella Bozek who says she has sixty-two volumes of Latin in her library at home. At the last meeting of the selectmen it was voted to allow Mr. Russell Packard five shillings for the loss of an axe at the raising of the meeting house. Russell who is an owner of a saw-mill and won the settlement's axe chopping contest. Norman Copson is also another one who decided not to stay at home, and we find that he has a job of painting signs and advertisements for a dramatic club of New York that gives Shakespeare's plays. Katherine Hofmann married an old man, and soon after he died she took his money and with Rita Powers they took a trip to Europe on the fastest and twenty-eight

Page 32 text:

There are two girls, Julia Trytko and Henrietta Stawarz who have just re- turned from a visit to New York and how they have made a topic for discussion at the Ladies Gossip Club, for both Wore bright red bonnets to church last Sunday. Simon Navickas, we find has married some good cook and when his first son was born Simon had him named Demerit Navickas. Could this have been be- cause of his ------------- No, I guess not. Last, but not least comes Dorothy Mengal. Dot had stayed a spinster all her life because she couldn't find a man that was Willing to pay the expenses of keeping her supplied with gum. The last years of Dot's life were spent trying to find an everlasting chewable substance that Wouldnlt lose its flavor. Later, Mr. Goodyear came across her discoveries, and, in 1844, this helped him in his discovery how to vulcanize rubber. Thus ends the annals of the class of 1935, as it all might have happened in 1785. thirty