Mansfield High School - Hornet / Green Years Yearbook (Mansfield, MA)

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Mansfield Schools in 1928 first edition in the fall of °42. David Jackson headed the staff. “The Tatler” was one of many in a long line of literary pbulications at MHS. A strong passing game gave Mansfield a 21-15 Tur- key Day win over Foxboro in November, 1942. The new Man sfield High School band marched sharply in the 1944 Memorial Day exercises. A four year high school system was proposed to be put into effect after the war. The fall of 1944 saw the annual Mansfield-Taun- ton football classic play its last game, with the Green and White defeating the Tigers 7-6. The first night pigskin contest in MHS’s history was played in Paw- tucket with Mansfield falling to St. Raphael’s, 20-6. A “looked over” squad demanded recognition in the winter of °45. The girls basketball team, playing since 1915, was led in 1945 by Patsy Dean, “Putt’ Blandori, and Ginny Delong. Talk of a new high school building was in the news again as new plans were drawn up. Approval for the new high school by the town was made but construc- tion of the facility was delayed until the cost could be lowered. The town asked the Federal Government for financial help in building the new school. The paying of women and men faculty equally was adopted in 1945. James J. Kelly returned to Mansfield High School as Athletic Director after an absence from coaching. In 1945-1946 all athletic teams played under the nickname “Hornets.” In 1946 the teachers received a $420 raise. In the following year Principal Paul Sykes was replaced by Authur E. Whitcomb. Whitcomb was a New Jersey man who had four years of experience at that occupation. He was paid $3320 for his services. Sixty-nine boys and girls received diplomas in the June Commencement ceremonies, the largest class since 1939-1940 when 81 seniors graduated. The year 1947-1948 marked the first time that the Mansfield Hornets faced the Blue and Gold of Fox- boro in the Thanksgiving Day football competition. John Certuse’s squad came out of the clash victori- ous, as Ray Kelley’s touchdown gave the Green and White a 13-7 decision. A $600,000 school was proposed, but plans were delayed because of the cost. The school budget stood ata record high of $167,000. The 180 day requirement caused Saturday classes to be held in June. The class of 62 seniors which grad- uated was the last to graduate from a three year high school as the school board followed through on ear- lier plans by merging the ninth grade with the other three grades. The High School experimented with some new cur- ricula in the next year. A boys’ cooking class was formed, as was a boys’ glee club. Mr. Whitcomb, at a school board meeting, said: “Our present high school is obselete as well as over- crowded.” This statement was justified when, later in the year, the high school cafeteria was deemed inade- quate, and consequently closed down. That caused an $880,000 school to be suggested, but that theory was shot down. Instead, $72,000 was granted for remodeling and renovations, which were done over the summer. This caused the school to open a week and half late in 1949-50. Football lowlights were numerous in the fall of °49. Among them was a touchdown run against Dart- mouth which was nullified, leaving the score 0-0 at the final gun. Bill Rossi zoomed 98 yards around end, but because a fan ran on the field during the play the umpire ruled no score. Foxboro dealt Mansfield another blow a week later by whipping them 37-0 on Thanksgiving Day. School committeeman Fred Wills remarked, “We have no high school at all.” The airport building on Fruit Street was used to house students from the overflowing high school. Many changes occurred early in the 1950-51 school year. Gerald W. Anderson was named principal, suc- ceeding Mr. Whitcomb, and after a six week stint was appointed superintendent, replacing Mr. Merrill. On account of lack of facilities the superintendent’s office was situated on the second floor of the Co- operative Bank. Earl G. Pithie took over Anderson’s vacated principal’s job. Pithie was a former North Attleboro High mentor. JOHN H. BERRY SCHOOL CENTRAL SCHOOL Mansfield Schools in 1928

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3031 aes Sie nigerneeee Mr. James J. Kelly were proposed by Town Manager Harold H. Everett. Against the wishes of principal Robinson, the Mansfield nine, by a vote of the other teams involved, stayed in the Norfolk Interscholastic Baseball League. Mansfield was graced by the presence of Speaker of the House, Leverett Saltonstall, at the 1932 gradu- ation of 82 seniors. Miss Wilma M. Sowle gave the valedictory speech. Mansfield beat Oliver Ames 55-0 in the annual Thanksgiving classic. The M.H.S. eleven was under the direction of first year coach John Carnie. Superintendent Woods resigned his post on Janu- ary 27, 1933 for reasons he said, “Distrust and suspi- cion toward him.” A 418 name petition by townspeo- ple wishing Woods would return caused Dr. Carl J. DePrizio to quit from the school board. George S. Goodell was named to replace Woods. The operating school budget for 1933-34 was $87,000. The state told principal Robinson that the high school could hold 350 students. Robinson previ- ously announced the attendance at 274. Unexpectedly, Everett W. Robinson resigned and W. Everett Green was elected to fill the vacancy. 79 students received their diplomas as the Class of 34 was the highest ranking scholastic group in 20 years. Selectmen proposed the use of the park off of Church and Hope Streets to facilitate a grandstand and bandstand. Selectmen named the land “Memo- rial Park.” In 1936 a 19 year old Mansfield alumnus and ath- le te, Walter Ripley, was in Florida for the Boston Red Sox. Alex Ferzoco kept M.H.S. undefeated in the 1936 football with a 90 yard run as the Green and White topped Taunton on Thanksgiving, 6-0. They played the first game on Memorial Park pitch in a contest against Barnstable on October 3. The ’36 Mansfield team was called “‘the best gridiron team in the school’s history.” The office of the superintendent Soa oes hands in 1937 with Bert L. Merrill taking the job. The °37 MHS hoopsters advanced to the school boy tourney before bowing to Bridgewater 22-17. The Mansfield High School Latin Club celebrated its tenth anniversary. The High School principal was Donald P. Matton. The school committee approved curricula in Physi- cal Education and music as courses. In the winter of 1938, Lincoln Paine was elected as the chairman of the school board. Mansfield High School adopted professional bas- ketball rules for the ’38 season. The high school also certified students for college for the first time. Vir- ginia Andrews won National Shorthand honors. The Great Hurricane of °38 closed classes for two weeks. The selectmen forbade MHS basketball in the Town Hall but reversed their decision after they learned that the high school gym was unplayable. The 1939 yearbook was dedicated to principal R. Vernon Hays. The school board looked toward Hope Street as a site of a new high school building. 1939 saw the formation of the MHS Athletic Asso- ciation. The association raised $600 by selling season tickets to all Mansfield athletics. By eminent domain, the town of Mansfield received property off Hope Street for a new high school building. One of the biggest upset in sports at MHS occurred when the Foxboro gridders held Mansfield to a 0-0 tie. Up until that time Foxboro had never beaten Mansfield. Coach Bob Andrews’ Mansfield team had been favored by three touchdowns. Mansfield almost quit from the Hockomock League circuit after North Attleboro threatened to break off the annual football game with MHS. Eddie Besson was Mansfield’s 1940 All-Star in football. Former Mansfield High star lineman’ Don Currivan led Boston College to the 1941 Sugar Bowl. The School board approved a 1941 budget of $105,000. Among the 1941 seniors graduationg in the spring was a quadlingual named Walter Jellineck, receiving his diploma only at the age of 15, Walter previously lived and studied in Austria and Italy. Plans for a new $250,000 high school on Hope Street were abandoned due to World War II. Many of Mansfield’s boys were called to defend their coun- try. During the war years the Mansfield schools pre- pared for war emergencies by being instructed what to do in the case of bombings, blackouts, and fires. The high school newspaper, “The Tatler,” ran its

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bs Ja hal i ee ee ee ET, Q ST AA oy ot ‘ Among sport’s highlights was a 7-0 win by the Hor- net’s football team over Foxboro. Dick Pescosolido’s 60 yard toss to Curtis Griffin accounted for the only score. Griffin also showed his dominance on the hardwood, leading the Mansfield five to a 48-29 win over North. He netted 15 points. The school board approved a $233,846 budget for 1951-52. Sixty-three students received diplomas under sunny June skies. The 1951-52 school year opened with a new princi- pal at the helm, Knute Larson. He had a Bachelor of Arts degree from Clark University and he took office with many novel ideas in mind. Among them was the formation of a Student Council, which he said pro- moted self leadership and participation in good gov- ernment. 22 students were elected from each of the four grades. The teachers received a $100 raise as the budget ballooned to $265,402. The Mansfield Co-operative bank started an on- the-job training program with business students at MHS. The idea of a new high school began to gel and move closer to reality as the spring approached. The new facility was to contain grades 7-12, and it gained the approval of the school committee. With that sur- veys and studies of the land were made at the East Street site and groups of executives went to visit area schools for prospectives ideas. When a rough idea of the school was made, an architect, at a fee of $30,000, was flown in from Boston to design the structure. The first Mansfield High School uniformed band, under the direction of Mr. James Gallo, played its first concert at the Grange in early in early May. Following graduation ceremonies the class held its traditional banquet in the old high school gym. The 1952-1953 school year saw the state render its approval of the new high school building. Pamphlets and fliers were distributed all over town to tell the public about the facility. The building which was to go up on East Street, was to have 30 rooms went for an estmated cost of $1,585,000 dollars. The Mansfield News ran a feature, ““The Hornets Nest,” which contained stories, editorials and inform- Mansfield High School 75th Anniversary ation written by the MHS students. The school budget for the 1953-1954 school year reached an all time high of $303,034.19 when it gained approval of the School Committee. Everett W. Robinson, associated for 40 years with Mansfield High School as a principal, guidance exec- utive, and teacher, announced his retirement. Band maestro, James Gallo. and the newly formed Mansfield Band Parent Association, raised $2000 for new uniforms for the 75 member group. 49 seniors graduated and the following week was the 75th reun- ion of the first MHS graduating class. Three hundred twenty-seven children were in the hallowed halls of Mansfield High School as the 1953- 1954 year began. The new school, which the town was finally to receive after a 20 year wait, was in the news again. East Street was to be widened to 60 ft. to accomodate the body of traffic. Soon came the realization that the school was to cost almost $200,000 more than the operating budget of the town itself. That ultimately served to drive the already escalating tax rate even higher. Everett W. Robinson