Natick High School - Sassamon Yearbook (Natick, MA)

Page 22 text:

20 THE SASSAMON I asked him several questions re- garding my classmates but he had been out of Natick for so long that he knew little of their whereabouts. He did know, however, that Ruth Cassidy, who was noted for holding her own in the Commercial Law Class, was now a successful woman lawyer, hav- ing won some of the most remarkable cases on record. I walked down by the High School and heard strains of music. The doors were open and I thought I would pay a visit for old times' sake. I went into the Assembly Hall and much to my joy and surprise found that the gradu- ating class of 1916 was having a reunion. julia Slamin and Mae Powers were sitting over near the door and I slip- ped in quietly beside them. Julia and Mae, who were very talkative as usual, gave me some valuable news. They were now coaches of basketball in Rad- cliffe and Smith Colleges. Ada Augustine was missing and they informed me that she was a toe dancer over in Europe and had danced before sovereigns. Alice McCordick was living in Mexi- co, having married a Spaniard whom she met after she obtained a position as Spanish interpreter. XVhere is Grace Montieth? I ask- ed. Oh! She's a leader in high so- ciety in VVashington and is engaged to Reginald Van de XVyte, whom she met while soiourning at Palm Beach. Joe Marinofsky was sitting across the hall glittering with diamonds and dressed in the height of fashion. He was now a millionaire, having 'made his fortune as a tailor and designer in New York. Anna Fitzpatrick was busily occu- pied arguing about VVoman's Suffrage and I was informed that she was spending her entire time along this line. She was not of the militant type, however. Marion VVelch was holding the re- sponsible position as librarian in the Public Library in South Natick. In the center of a group of young men I noticed a dashing beauty talk- ing gaily, and on close observation found it to be Mary Burke who was a famous prima donna. I thought I would walk around the hall and meet some of my classmates, but was interrupted by the entrance of a pious looking minister, who was no other than Forrest Lockhart. He said that he was pastor of a LARGE parish over in Sherborn. . Helga Benson was sitting quietly by the side of a fine-looking man, who I was told, was a Westerner. Helga and he were married. Mary Griffin was rushing around, very business-like, as usual. She had become proprietor of th'e Colonial Inn, and was most efficient in her manage- ment. Not only were her guests well fed, but well entertained by her witty remarks, her pet scheme being to tell some funny story while her guests were trying to eat. Regina Rivers had attained her long desired vocation and was now a nurse in Washington. I wonder what the at- traction was there? Florence Chamberlain had married after accomplishing a great deal as an artist, her masterpiece being A View of Felchville by Moonlight. jimmy Connell and Jacky Cole- man were ambitiously rising, having just bought out the Barnum 8z Bailey Circus, after knocking about the world for many years. The two of them, when unoccupied, charm their audi- ences with their FAVORITE SELEC- TION, What A Wonderful Mother You'd Be. Margaret McGrath has finally set- tled down in matrimonial bliss right here in Natick. After breaking many hearts she seems satisfied with her CHOICE. Joe Burke has become a famous au- thority in athletics and has taken Percy Haughton's place as coach at Harvard. joe has outgrown his former bashful- ness and is very popular among the ladies. Ermelina Bianchi, always clever in dramatics, had won greater fame than Ethel Barrymore and Sarah Bernhardt as an emotional actress. We always expected such a career for Ermelina. D

Page 21 text:

THE SASSAMON I9 him success in the future. Hard as we have tried we have not become very well acquainted with Alice Scarry, but to all her friends she is a very jolly girl. She is a student, however, whose words speak ability and effort. In her quiet cheerfulness we have found an expression of the fin- est class spirit, and she is given the kindest wishes of all for a bright future. If a sunny disposition is a gift then Esther Gutterson has been especially favored by the gods. A charter mem- ber of the I should worry club, she takes things as they come-and if they don't come she leaves them. Which quality on the whole is an especially pleasant one with which to wander through life. Eleanor Simonds has, all during her course, been a faithful and energetic classmate both in the matter of study and in the social activities connected with school life. We can truthfully say that Eleanor has been a most pleasant companion and has won the friendship and good wishes of all. Now let us present Esther Pendle- ton, our Class Poet. Esther is very talented, especially so in acting, for she made a splendid success in the Senior play as Dorothy. Esther's lit- erary ability is exceptionally good, furnishing the English class with many artistic works. She has well deserved the honor she has been given as Class Poet, and she will leave with the kind- est wishes of all. Joseph Burke, our Class Prophet is worthy of great praise for his work on the Gridiron. For years he has helped to make up our team and has always proved himself capable of filling his position well. He is one of our most popular men, dependable at all times and energetic in every school activity. As we say Good Bye to joe we add, Good Luck. Alice Branagan is one of the beau- ties in our class. She is respected and loved by her classmates as a true, up- right, persevering girl. She is very quiet but nevertheless very popular with all. She is very much in demand as 'a member of all committees and for every undertaking in school. We are sure her future will be bright and suc- cessful. And last but not least Regina Rivers is a very quiet, unasuming girl. In class she is seldom heard, being con- tented to sit back quietly and let the others do the talking, but when it comes time to show her ability, Regina is ready with the right answer. As we look towards the future we see noth- ing but the best for Regina, and we wish her every success. All is over. With sad hearts, with trembling footsteps, we have em- barked. The old familiar scenes have faded from our blurred vision, the mists of worldly strife have gathered around us. But the lessons taught us and the guidance given us by our teachers in Natick High School will al- ways guide us and help us onward. Mary Casey. COMMERCIAL CLASS PROPHECY As the school year draws to a close, my mind is filled with thoughts of my classmates and their future. My thoughts are interrupted by the buzz- ing of a machine, and turning around I discover it to be an aeroplane and I am invited to go riding. After riding among the clouds I drift slowly back to earth and alight on the Main Street, in front of Clark's Block. Every- thing seems changed. A huge sign hung in front of one of the stores and I recognized the name on it as that of one of my classmates, Alice Scarry--dealer in confections. Through the windows I could see Alice hurrying back and forth weighing and selling candy. I walked across the Main Street and met one of the most dudish looking chaps I had ever met in all my travels. He had on a tall silk hat, a monocle in his eye and swung a cane and his shoulders at a high rate of speed. I gave a sidelong glance and much to my surprise found it to be john Ma- haney. He informed me that he was living in Newport and had married an heiress.

Page 23 text:

THE SASSAMON A 21 Mary McGlone was a demure little dressmaker, who pleased everybody, and was head of a large dressmaking establishment on South Main Street. Laura Buell was travelling around the world on her honeymoon, after marrying a young man from Medfield, where she had gained great popularity as a soloist. Alice Branagan holds a responsible position as head bookkeeper at the Framingham Trust Co. Depositors have increased greatly in number. It is believed that a great deal of this is due to Alice's personality. Edith Halperin had become a well- known and popular authoress and sev- eral of her stories had appeared in va- rious prominent magazines. joe Clarke was a successful business man in Natick, coining money. Al- though he is a bachelor, several of the fair sex claim they will get him yet. Emma Smith has taken the laurels from Marguerite Owen as champion typist of the world. The sudden descent of the aeroplane roused me quickly and I realized this had been only a dream in which so many of my classmates had appeared. Mary F. Gilleran. TEN YEARS FROM TONIGHT When I opened my morning's mail I was delighted to hnd the enclosed card bearing this invitation- Class of 1916 Natick High School is to hold a Reunion and Banquet at the High School Hall June 22, 1926, at 8.00 P. M. Losing no time, 1 made my plans to leave for Boston on the ten o'clock Federal Express from New York City, and telling my office force that the Stock Exchange would have a few days vacation until I returned, I hastily packed my grip and calling a taxi, made haste to the station. I was scarcely comfortably seated in the Pullman before I looked up and to my surprise saw John Peterson, whom I had not seen for ten years, and I tell you it was a warm reception we held there in the Pullman, when I discov- ered he was bound for the Reunion of the Class of 1916. Then we fell to reminiscing and talking about the old crowd. After discussing baseball un- til there was nothing more to say, we began talking about the Only Class of the Natick High School. John hadn't heard much that had happened to the Old Class, but had of course been writing to a young lady who lived in the Squash End district of the town and he was fairly posted. Arriving in Natick at 8 o'clock, a happy couple made its way to Assem- bly Hall. As we crossed the street, arm in arm, in front of the Colonial Inn, a big jitney came down upon us, stopping in front of the High School. The door of the jitney swung open and John Wardell stepped out, assist- ing two young ladies to the ground, followed by Professor Raymond Foley, all from Sherborn, Mass. We joined their group here and in talking we found that John Wardell had become manager of a branch store of the Ames Butter Company in Sher- born. John, having assumed a great political power in Sherborn, had been able to obtain a position for Miss Mari- on Walsh as teacher of Modern Dances in Sawin Academy, and also a position for Miss Helen Brennan as teacher of a Kindergarten. Professor Raymond Foley, through John's influence, had been made principal of Sawin Acade- m . ,As we all went up the school steps we heard a horn toot and the cram- ming of brakes, we looked around and saw. Rev. Richard Spencer with his wife, alighting from their Ford car. He had become minister of a thriving parish in South Hadley and looked prosperous. Entering the door, we saw Joe Mc- Gee taking tickets. Joe had taken three or four post-graduate courses, and on account of his great love for the faculty had decided to take the position of janitor which was former- ly filled by Jack Shay, now pensioned off. The first classmate I met in Assem- hly Hall was Eleanor Simonds. She told me she had taken a special course in bookkeeping, had passed the Civil Service Examination and had already