Leominster High School - Magnet Yearbook (Leominster, MA)

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THE 1939 MA Not very long after this we began to notice that the weather was changing, that the wind was becoming colder and sharper, and that the clouds were piling higher and thicker. The mid- year blizzard was coming. We hurried preparations as fast as possible, took out of trunks all our warmest clothing. Just as we were scurrying to finish tightening the canvases and tents, the storm broke with all its fury. The snow fell thick and fast; the cold was bitter and harsh. Many who were not very strong could not continue and had to turn back. The blizzard lasted two long days before the sun at last reappeared. We all sighed with relief and j oy. The junior members, feeling a need for celebration, got together to plan a great dance to be held February 18. Everyone went and we had a wonderful time. A few more warlike tribes were met in the basketball games which followed, but we came through most of them with flying colors. On March 10, another contest was held among the three divisions of pioneers,—a play contest. Frances Willoughby and Ruth Fischer gained honor for our division. The next week some of our prominent members, seeing our need for a weekly newspaper, brought forth “The Blue Book.” This publication, carrying the news of our caravan, was started by Vinny Longo, Bob Bothwell and “Gabby” Gettens, three junior pioneers. Then came Spring. We all had spring fever and what a difficult task we had to keep up with the wagon train! A few juniors, however, found enough spirit to try some of the spring sports as we were travelling along. Thornton Willard distinguished himself as a broad jumper. Such sprinters as Bill Gettens, Ray Nichols, and Charlie Owens served to keep the horses in trim. The weather became warmer and the days longer. The commanders were looking for a good stopping place for the summer. At last it came in view, and the day before we were to pitch our tents was put aside for friendly fights and contests between the two older groups of pioneers. There were wrestling matches, baseball games, and races for the girls and the boys. We were said to have tied the seniors’ score, but we considered ourselves the victors. The next day our second year’s journey was completed. We had gained much knowledge and many experiences, and looked forward to a summer of rest and repair. a ear ee. ot, eee yee After cessation of the wagon train activities for the summer months, we picked up the trail once more. We waged a successful campaign against the onslaught of the various Indian tribes, especially on Thanksgiving Day, when, under the generalship of “‘Buffalo Bill’? Laprade, our valiant frontiers- men, Owen, Vorse, Smith, Fricke, Temple, Gordon, Torcoletti, DeCarolis, Woods, and Cocci, brought the turkey to the tune of 14 to 0, over our most persistent foe, the Red and Gray. Since our junior officers had carried out our trust so faithfully and bravely, we again elected them. There comes a time in every young pioneer’s life for laughter and gaiety, so we repaired to a nearby barn and decorated the walls with drawings of Ferdinand the Bull. The maids resplendent in their hoop skirts, danced with their young gallants to the strains of a well known orchestra. The evening was an outstanding success, both socially and financially. More combats with hostile tribes for basketball supremacy resulted in a most successful season, which was climaxed by a defeat of the Red and Gray Devils, the first in many years. Generals Smith, Oozoonian, Jancaitus, and Gordon led the attacks in vanq uishing our enemies. “Annie Oakley”’ Fife and “Wild Fern” Hardy led the girls’ basketball teams toward many interclass victories. We pushed on toward “Poker Flats” to hold an interclass play contest. Our play, under the able direction of Leo Comiskey, narrowly missed first place. The play was entitled ““The Woman Who Understood Men’. Frances Willoughby, Dorothy Martin, Marjorie Grossi, Wallace Cunningham, and Aldo Mazzafero vividly portrayed the characters. This year ‘Daniel Boone”’ Cunningham was acclaimed the best actor in all the divisions. Our racing horses ‘“‘Black Beauty”’ Nichols, “Man 0’ War’ Gettens, ““War Admiral’’ Owens, and ‘‘Sea Biscuit’? Willard made remarkable showings at Red Gulch track. 29

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THE 1939 MA Historv ail the Class of SESS) On a bright September day in 1936, our caravan of 261 pioneers, having joined with two older and more experienced groups, set out on a three-year journey, determined that we should conquer the great tasks that Jay before us. When autumn came, and we struggled with our new problems, many of us succeeded in receiving high honors for our services. During these months scarcely a week could pass without ovr having a battle with the various Indian tribes we encountered. These battles were called “football games’’, and in them many of the older pioneers were aided by our younger division. We defeated our oppos ition in seven out of nine battles, the last one taking place on Thanksgiving Day, when we were narrowly defeated by the Fitchburg tribe. The members of the sophomore division who fought valiantly beside the veterans were Owens, Gordon, Woods, DeCarolis, Cocci, and Fricke. Our next great obstacle was met in January, 1937, a raging mid-year storm. Most of us survived, but some had to be left behind on the trail, to continue the journey the next year with a different division. During the winter months, a friendly battle broke out among the three divisions. These fights came under the name of Interclass Basketball Games. A regiment of sophomores from Sec- tion 20 were the victors. Not to be outdone by the male pioneers, the girls formed four groups of basketball fighters, captained by Gertrude Gopfert, Fern Hardy, Dorothy Hirst, and Dorothy Martin. At the same time, the pioneers acquired a fit of talkativeness, which finally resulted in a contest to discover who were the best speakers. The senior pioneers, however, won the contest. For entertainment along the way, each of the three groups of pioneers produced a play. Our sophomore play was Poor Richard, starring Dorothy Martin, Jeanne Boyden, Jack Yager, John Ward, Elsbeth Austel, and Wallace Cunningham, who won honorable mention. The winter soon passed and spring came, bringing with it two new types of warfare, baseball and track. We were represented in all events and won most of our battles. Once again the girls, under the leadership of Dorothy Martin and Antoinette Lanza, started two regiments, this time of hockey players. We had “fought a good fight.’’ We had travelled one-third of the distance to our goal; and, as summer approached, we were given 2 well-deserved rest. As soon as the air began to grow cooler and the leaves started to turn, the roving spirit crept back into every one. One September day we again packed our belongings into the covered wagons, shouldered our muskets, and started westward into the unknown. In but a few weeks we began meeting Indian tribes on the warpath. However, the first skirmishes were easy victories. Later on, some of the brave pioneers in our junior division dis- played their strength and skill in these football battles. These were ‘Triple Trigger’ Torcoletti, “Daring Don” Vorse, “Coyote Killer’ Cocci, ‘“Bullet Bill’? Laprade, ‘‘Sharp Shooter’ Smith, “Frisky” Fricke, ‘“Wooly’” Wood, and “Little John” Ward. The biggest battle of the whole season fell on Thanksgiving Day with our strongest foe. After a long, hard fight, the victory was ours. During the lull between battles we had a contest among ourselves, a friendly one. This was a Better Speech Contest. Our best speakers fought the contest one evening in November. We were proud to have two members of ovr own group win. Vincent Longo won first prize, and Robert Bothwell received honorable mention. The next month of our journey was a tedious one and made us feel the need of some good leaders for our group, as the older pioneers had already chosen theirs. The officers elected were John Ward, Dorothy Martin, Louis Cocci, and Kathryn Welch. With the coming of the new year of 1988 we received new hope. Our whole division of junior pioneers resolved to be the best group ever to travel in the wagon train. 24

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THE MA 1939 Our tennis ventures were entrusted to the capable hands of Lyons, Hanson, and Longo. We prospected for gold, but in its stead we found the basebal]! diamond. The prospectors that struck the richest were ““T'wo-Gun” Johnson, ‘‘Hair-Trigger’” Bullard, and “‘Genera] Custer”’ Smith. “On to Death Valley! Macketh rides again!’ was the war cry. A new version of Macbeth, arranged by Mr. John Joyce, our director, was nobly presented by Bob Bothwell (Macbeth), Nancy Roche (Lady Macbeth), and the entire cast. As we neared our destination, many brave pioniers felt a tinge of sadness, and regretted Jeaving behind the lively battles we had experienced during our expedition across the hills and plains in quest of knowledge and happiness. The great day arrived when we left the caravan and set our feet on unknown soil to employ our experiences and learning to the best advantage. Class Prophecy Three witches attend a boiling cauldron filled with potent herbs, flower-symbols of the magic art; which, when mixed into a common brew, emit a ghoulish incense, somewhat akin to anesthesia in so far as the conscious mind is affected. In addition, thereto, at each inhalation of the mystic vapor, divination of the future is bestowed upon the attendants; and by means of this unusua] and uncanny power they will now reveal to you prophecies of the Class of 1939, Leominster Senior High School. It is the year 1950. I see a mathematical genius doing research work for the Genera] Electric Company. Who is this successor of Steinmetz?—Our dear old Wallace MacKinnon. A broker hurries to his Wall Street office; the exchange has already opened for the day’s transactions, but, as of old, financier Lyman MacPhee is late. A corner fruit store displays its tempting wares to the public view; within, the genial proprie- tor, Emi dio Martini, beams with satisfaction at his business and with welcome to his customers. A cast of characters appears upon the screen of a moving-picture theatre. We remember the hero, Wilmot Weeks, and the villain, Aldo Mazzaferro. Margaret Pickford has recently been appointed Secretary of State, the first woman in the history of our nation to hold this lofty position. Ruth Johnson, following the trend of modern warfare, has joined a female regiment in the Nurse’s Division of the U. 8S. Army. : I see an ex-intercolligiate lightweight wrestling champion; now a member of the United States Olympic team. When the Stars and Stripes are raised, signalizing victory for America, we will all join in acclamation to Gilson McKenney. The English Channel has been conquered by the skill and endurance of a swimmer once more; this time, the rangy Oozoonian. I see a swift moving plane bound for South America with missionary Elizabeth Rodgers aboard, in search of the long lost Amazonian Expedition. This heroic search turns out to be a success, for not only does Miss Rodgers find the missing expedition headed by the kindergarten teacher, Jane Lane, but also discovers that the supposed Amazons are frauds. For they turn out to be none other than a group of touring Olympic stars headed by Phyllis Hancock, the discus thrower; Frances Willoughby, the javelin hurler; Anna Ward, Vivian Tourigny, and Alice Jeknovarian, 440 hurdlers; and the world’s greatest relay team of Mae Hartwell, Florence Tata, Natalie Greeno, and Charlotte Stewart. As the plane wings its way home over the dense jungle, a very invigorating throb of a tom tom is heard. In a small] clearing we can plainly see Ruby Green leading the beating drummers in the Long Jungle-Motive Cheer for Gertrude Gopfert, who has just completed the long and hazardous swim down the Amazon River. 26