Norwalk High School - Reminiscentiae Yearbook (Norwalk, CT)

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VVe wish to congratulate the School Board on its choice of Mr. Blake's and Miss Leatherland's successors. VVe realize that they had to commence their work under conditions that were not especially favorable. We realize also what they have accomplished during the short time that they have been with us. Much might be said concerning the place which Mr. lloward and Miss Benincasa hold among us. but, to put it briefly, they won the respect and regard of the entire student body, and we hope that their stay with us may be a long one. The remainder of the year has been a time of busy preparation. consisting not of play but of work. Preparation ,for the concert given by the musical organizations of our Norwalk lligh School was a task which required long and persistent effort. The class play has required much time and work on the part of the cast, and also on the part of the coaches. We have all been working to- gether to produce the result we all want,-success, and if we have in any .way secured it, we wish to thank those who have always seconded our efforts, con- stantly given encouragement and help, advice and admonition, when neeessaryg those who have shaped and formed, by constant effort, this class that represents tonight their completed work, the Norwalk Board of Education and Mr. lloward and the faculty of the Norwalk lligh School. Writteii by Domus S'1'xoNt:. llighty-two

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ing up our ranks. They have enjoyed this year as we have, and have never regretted their decision to complete their lligh School course at N. II. S. School life proceeded rather quietly until our return after the Christmas holiday. It was at this time that we learned that our principal, Mr. Blake, was soon to leave us. lt is but I think that I may amazement. We could occupied by a stranger. Monday morning, when appreciation of our loss, the other classes, for wh impossible to describe the effect of this news upon usg say that our f1rst feeling was one of surprise,-intense scarcely grasp the idea that our office was soon to be To many of us, complete realization did not come until we found the office unoccupied. XVith realization came came sorrow, which, perhaps, we felt more deeply than at was soon to come upon us. Despite the efforts of Mr. Blake, and of all of us, to keep cheerful, the High School was a rather gloomy place during the weeks following the vacation. In connection with this matter, I think we will always remember the last class meeting at which our principal was present. At that time, he told us that a change of principals was nothing but a little matter of re-adjustment, and asked us to extend to our new principal our co-operation. As for the request, we tried to carry it out, but as far as his statement went, I don't think that we agreed with it. The statement in itself might have been correct, but our basis for disagreement was this: that we did not consider Mr. Blake merely as a principal, we considered him as a friend. The two terms are not necessarily synonymous. The days immediately following are better passed over. Let it be sufficient to say that on Monday, February 2, we found ourselves not only without a prin- cipal, but also without a secretary. Hardly less than we missed Mr. Blake, did we miss Miss Leatherland, who was beloved by all. XVe always think of her as one whose face reflected sunshine even on rainy days. Our misfortunes did not end here, however, for, at the same time, many of our teachers were obliged, through sickness, to absent themselves from school. Stormy and unfavorable weather diminished our attendance and made it almost impossible to secure sub- stitutes for the absent teachers. Those were dark days which we do not like to remember. Yet, it was one of those experiences which have drawn us all more closely together, for it was something which touched everyone, both the pupils and the faculty. The darkness was, however, the darkness that precedes the dawn. Soon,-although then it seemed longgour teachers returned, the ofhce was filled and our new principal and secretary arrived. This was a time of general rejoicingg these positions had been left vacant long enough for us to appreciate the huge responsibility that rested upon the occupants of them. Eighty-one ff.

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Swninr Ullman Elgrnphrrg .IUNE 16, 1921. It's queer, but I never thought I'd miss 1ny classmates the way I do. I find that after one year of total isolation from them I have the strongest desire to see them, to know just what they are doing, and mostly what they will be in, say, four or tive years to come. During this last year Ilve made friends, but none of them seem to take the place of my friends of '20, There is a poem which seems to be impressed on my mind. It is, Once to every man and nation comes a moment to decide. It seems strange but this is my moment. If I were to be asked what I desire most it would be, without any hesitation, a knowl- edge of my classmates. Marj has just been in asking me to go up to see Professor Thinks-he-isis new machine. She claims that by turning a lever one is carried as many years backwards or forwards as he desires. I laughed at her when she said so, but nevertheless Ilm going up with her soon just out of curiosity. JUNE 30, 1921. I can't believe it. It seems incredulous. Iiven now I think it's a dream. I went up to the Professor's house and he took me to his machine-shop. The time-machine, as he calls it, is about the size of a typewriter with a number of levers on it. VVhen he asked me if there was any special time that I was inter- ested in, I answered with a smile on my face, Wliy, yes, I would like to know of my life in about tive years to come. All right. Stand here and push this lever to number five. I did so a11d then-why, then the most wonderful thing happened. I felt the air whizz by my ears and in the distance, in a voice like the I'rofessor's I heard someone say, She's overcome by time rushing past her ears, and that was the last thing I saw in my every-day world. The next thing I knew I was in front of a large building in a noisy. busy street. Wliat puzzled me most was that I seemed to know many people who passed. On looking closer, I found that I was in front of the Norwalk High School gymnasium on XVest Avenue. I rejoiced at the good fortune of my Alma Mater in obtaining its much needed gym. I proceeded down the avenue and came upon Virginia Adams and Mayla Smith. who immediately recognized me. XVe became involved in conversation and I learned that Virginia had established a correspondence school whose object was to teach young ladies of Norwalk the art of letter-writing to their friends at college, specializing in those se11t to Sheffield Yale. I could not help but smile inwardly at this, for Virginia was following her own inclination and, if practice mal-:es perfect, Virginia must be a good teacher. Mayla was an efhcient agen'. She advised students how to get to school in the shortest time and in the least number of steps. I felt sure that Mayla could do this, since she had always been on time in our old school days. Before leaving they told me that Louise Close, Ruth Brack, Clara Stone, and Tess Seese had severed all diplomatic relations with the opposite sex and had joined that illustrious club, the Bachelor Girls, who had their club rooms Eighty-three ,