New London High School - Whaler Yearbook (New London, CT)

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1926 HISTORY OW hard it is for us to remember the first day we entered these now familiar portals. What difficulty we would have in making the present Freshmen believe that these fearless and intrepid Seniors ever approached the school with their hearts in their throats and their neckties in their pockets. That is about all we remember of our first year, the mad lust of the Seniors for our neckties. We entered upon our second year with abnormally enlarged craniums, a malady peculiar to Sophomores, and it took all year for the teachers and upper classmen to reduce them to natural proportions. We had one distinction that year which was very unusual, especially for a sophomore class. We had no president. However, it was not done for publicity, it was merely an example of our as yet undeveloped managing ability. One of the prominent activities of that year was the school's participation in the Armistice Day parade. Do you remember it? The class of 1926 turned out almost one hundred per cent. It was in this same year that “the mighty Julius fell, and the sheeted dead did squeak and gibber in the Roman streets,” for the class presented in the assembly a portion of that famous Shakespearian drama, “Julius Caesar,” to the amusement of all concerned. We only regret that the audience did not get the full benefit of Joe Cowhey's acting. In our Junior year, we began to show what we were made of. Originality was our strong point. The Junior Review, now a school institution, embarked merrily upon its career. Any bursts of genius that may be found in this book received their preparation by practice afforded by that paper. It might be well to note that its chief point of originality was that it was a school paper published at a profit. As a word of explanation to any who might be curious, the proceeds constituted a Junior English prize. Of course, the Junior Prom is always the shining light in the social life of a class, and to put it loyally, ours was the best ever. But so many of our members attend school dances that it is hard to remember which dance was which. Like the college board exams, we have the senior year to sum up our high school life. What makes up a school program? Athletics, dramatics, music and studies. The senior class has been well represented on the gridiron with more than one shining light. This year’s baseball team has a pitcher of the first magnitude. Our superiority in dramatics is not to be questioned. We have a perfect villain, and another star who could play Charlie’s Aunt to perfection. The orchestra just wouldn’t be an orchestra without Bob McCraw, our sole representative. After all, we go to school primarily to study, and so we are especially proud of our numerous dreadnaughts in that phase of school life. Some of our math sharks are so far advanced that they can add up figures looking backwards. With all these accomplishments, the class of 1926 is worthy of a bright spot in the history of Bulkeley School, but like all great men, only time will tell.

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CLASS PROPHECY S the rays of Old Sol shone resplendent upon the Great White Way of that once famous Whaling City, New London, the grinding of brakes rent the still air, and we gazed upon our fair city for the first time in twenty years. Yes, we had struck it rich and had decided to visit our old home town and the remain- ing classmates of ’26. The street was flooded with the name of our old classmates, and the first sight that our sore eyes met was the large barbershop, on the station corner, owned by Gipstein 6? Gershowitz, Inc. Their hair-business was certainly growing. Joe Gitlin appeared around the corner selling second-hand shirts and socks, and he told us how Levinson fs? Co. had gone bankrupt in the radio business when Benny had an argument over seven or eleven. We then hailed a taxi, and none other was at the wheel than our old friend, Brusa. Yes, he had achieved his ambition. He drove us to Sokol’s Flat Iron Building, and on the way we passed a huge, electric sign, in front of a new theatre, announcing the opening of, “Cinderella Finds Her Prince,” featuring Harry Einhorn and Betty Bronson. Poor fellow! Too bad he was kicked out of the Academie Francaise. That wizard of the tennis courts, “Way” Mansfield, was also featured in Pathe News in an exhibition match with Bill Tilden, IV. We reached our destination and bade Brusa farewell. We were amazed at the success our classmates had attained. “Ask Kinmonth, the Attorney, adorned the first door we passed, while Schinman’s Bowling Alleys were advertised as, “One Flight Down.” We then passed into the ballroom of this spacious building, and there Shurt's Collegians and Swanson's Olympians were having a battle of music, and it sounded to us like-----a draw. A huge explosion rocked the building and a dishevelled man, our old friend, Battles, came dashing down the stairs crying, Eureka, I have it.’ Poor fellow! He had been trying for fourteen years to manufacture artificial eggs using the H,S formula. We next dropped into the office of Hickey, the cartoonist, made famous by his “Nina and Percy” sketches, for a chat. We also called on our old friend, Dreyfus, of the firm Dreyfus, Dreyfus fs? Dreyfus. He was now a famed criminal lawyer, and he had just arrived home from an evolution trial down in Dayton, Tennessee. He gave us his opinion on “Modern Divorces,” and he seemed to know what he was talking about this time. We then adjourned to Byles’ Undertaking Parlors, where we were royally entertained by Eshenfelder and Cooper in a comedy skit called “Applesauce. Jazz Mac-Kay’s Symphonians, featuring that “king of the ivories,' furnished us with rhythm, over radio, from Radio Station WMI. The stimulants were furnished by Rye Briggs, the well-known “bootleg” soda king. This pleasant gathering broke up with the singing of the popular song hit, by the Dreadful Four, Eshenfelder, Cooper, Howe and Schwartz, How Long Is a Chinaman?