Leominster High School - Magnet Yearbook (Leominster, MA)

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THE MAGNET 9 Class History EPTEMBER, Ig14, about 140 little Freshmen wandered into the High School building and after much anxious questioning were seated in the Assembly Hall. Here we received our program cards and listened solemnly to the little talk Mr. Clarke gave us on the necessity of studying at least two hours every day. Alas! howsoon we were disillusioned! Soon after the opening of school we were assailed by excited strangers demanding that we sign petitions for class officers. The only difficulty was in signing less than six different papers for the same office. A few days later we stared blankly at a ballot on which was printed a list of unfamiliar names, and carefully voted for the ones that looked the best. The fortu- nate result of this was that Dixi Hoyt was elected president; Robert Hull, vice president; Canzadia Cook, secretary; Gladys Barry, treasurer, and Octave Leclair, marshal. Soon we were thrilled by the announcement that the Freshmen would have a class meeting after school. When we had assembled, our president displayed a variety of pins, and we finally agreed upon one. Then various class mottoes were suggested. After some debate the following was chosen; Vincat gut laborat, ‘‘He conquers who labors,’ which was to guide us all through our High School life. Unfortunately most of us forgot it the next day, recalling it only on special occasions like the present. However, the spirit of it has remained with us, as our teachers can testify. When the question of class colors arose, we followed the usual custom and took those of the preceding class, purple and white. After these exciting events had taken place, our noble class lapsed into obscurity until April 9, when a marvelous vaudeville performance was pre- sented. The star number on the program was a circus by our talented mem- bers. The ringmaster was Kermit Madden, who displayed the genius of his classmates in a most entertaining manner. Marian Pierce was invited to be the Fat Lady, but declined the honor, preferring to be the less sub- stantial voice of the Calliope. Dixi Hoyt took the part of the bear in a most realistic manner. Albert Cook gave a very good imitation of a monkey, while Everett Richardson and Lawson Hiltz distinguished them- selves as clowns. The enormous weight that the Strong Man, Charles Currier, could lift was truly astonishing. But the crowning event of the evening was when the talented tight-rope performer, Madame Butterfly. otherwise Rena McCarthy, walked a plank a foot wide without losing her balance. The next September those of us who hadn't wearied of the High School life came back again as haughty Sophomores. How tiny and insignificant were the Freshmen of that year compared with the brilliant class which had entered the year before. Truly the High School was going to the bad!

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8 THE MAGNET HERE comes a time in the life of each one of us when the future seems al a thoroughfare along which all activities move toward a common goal: success. With education our most valuable asset, we go out into the world to become independent citizens, our minds fixed upon one ambi- tion to which all other aims and hopes are subordinated—a consuming desire to achieve some great purpose in life. This craving for achievement influ- ences all our efforts and guides us on and on,as the lost hunter in the woods at night is guided by the star which will lead him out of the wilderness. The unsuccessful would have us believe that the Road to Success is dark, rough, and jagged, filled with obstacles that can be surmounted only by the herculean efforts. On the other hand the fortunate ones, who have labored faithfully and long, tell us that it is a broad, open way leading straight onward to that star, Success, whose rays make it a path of light. Why, then, are not more successful? If the Road to Success is so easy to travel, why do not more reach the goal? The first few miles on the Road to Success are level and we run at top speed. Then some of us, out of breath, sit down by the wayside to rest, “Tt will be easy, after we get our second wind, to make up for lost time,” we say. But, alas! some of us never get our second wind. Others go on more slowly, perhaps, for the road begins to be stony and to slant slightly upward. On each side of the road are branching paths, bordered with flowers; every few miles appear attractive sign-boards festooned with gay colors with a hand pointing always away from the path we travel. Many travelers stop, saying, ‘‘Why not see all there is to see while journeying alongr” They turn in and never come back. Others are able to detect the false light from the true star and turn back to continue in the main highway, trying to overtake those who have gone steadily onward. The Road to Success is not difficult to travel if we are willing to toil, but to overcome the temptations to depart from this road calls for the best that is in us. A few fortunate ones, favored by opportunity and influential friends, go rapidly on their way, as in a speed car, but the rest of us plod along, thrown upon our own resources, gaining ground by our own efforts. We must take care not to establish ourselves in a rut; we may travel, first on one side of the road, then on the other; we may adopt new ideas, with caution, for rashness often leads to destruction. A wise man once said: “ Be not the first by whom the new is tried, Nor yet the last to lay the old aside.” But whether Fortune smiles upon us or we are forced to struggle hard, let us, my fellow classmates, remember that “‘ He conquers who labors;” let us keep our eyes upon that one star and travel the straight road, the only road that leads to ultimate victory. AGnEs M. Bemis,

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10 THE MAGNET The first few months passed quite uneventfully, as our teachers no longer showed us the tolerance due to unripe Freshmen, and we were kept rather busy in the scholastic line. On May 18, the English department arranged for a Shakespearean entertainment which was a great success. In the prologue many famous characters appeared, among them Dixi Hoyt as Ben Jonson. The fact that the scene from “ As You Like It” was effective was due largely to the dramatic ability displayed by Mildred Donnelly as Celia and Norman Fassett as Corin. In the same scene other members of our class added volume and sweetness to the songs by the girls’ chorus. The scene from ‘Twelfth Night’’ was also made more interesting because of Norman Fassett’s skilful interpretation of Malvolio. The next year most of us came back as Juniors, too dignified to even notice the Freshmen who thronged the halls. The first thing we did after election was to decide on a Junior dance. Through the efforts of an efficient committee the affair was well planned and well advertised, so that on the evening of November 29 the hall was crowded with couples. Everybody -had a good time and we were jubilant indeed when we discovered that about $55 had been added to the class fund. The Senior class resolved then and there to make their dance even more successful, but of course they were unable to do so. Soon after Christmas vacation the Macnet board decided that it simply must have some more money to pay expenses. As ameans to this end they arranged an entertainment for February 16. This was very well at- tended, as it deserved to be. The scenes from ‘Alice in Wonderland ” were especially good. Marion Pierce took the part of the Duchess with great energy while Eva Richardson posed as the Cheshire Cat in the most natural manner imaginable. Our class also contributed the clever little farce entitled ‘‘ The Man from Branden,” which was presented with a great deal of skill on the part of the actors. The next fall we returned as really, truly Seniors. Was it possible that dim far-off time had come at last? Although we never confessed it to the rest of the school, we didn’t feel a bit more dignified than we had the year before. However, we soon became accustomed to our new position as the class of the school. Of course we had been kat for three years, but no one else had realized it till now. As usual, the first thing was class election. Robert Hull was chosen president; James Bascom, vice president; Frances Killelea, marshal; Beatrice Monroe, secretary, and Gladys Barry, treasurer. The latter part of September, while we were studying Macbeth, some one announced that a very good company was presenting this play in Bos- ton. Of course we all wanted to see it, so Miss Daily, Miss Fiske, and Miss Nutting kindly consented to go with us Saturday, September 29. Wespent the morning shopping and enjoying the beautiful pictures in the Boston Public Library. In the afternoon we attended the performance of ‘ Turn to the Right,” which was very good. Then in the evening came Macbeth. We were particularly impressed by the weird witch scene and the dramatic acting of Lady Macbeth. After the performance we rushed down to the