Nott Terrace High School - Terracian Yearbook (Schenectady, NY)

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Senior Class History CONSTANCE MAXWELL BETTY SCOTT Many moons have passed since little Minnie Haha first climbed the grim steps of Nott Ter- race. It was September, 1935, and Indian Summer had just begun. Minnie was afraid, afraid of the lofty seniors who tried to sell everything from detention exemption cards to seats in study hall. One little maid, Sue Stern, fresh from the wilds of Central Park, succumbed to the wiles of a clever senior warrior and even bought a ticket for the elevator. After powwows had been held for several weeks with everyone speaking, including Big Chief Hoffman, and Medicine Man and Woman, Sheridan and Agard, the class of June '38 elected their Big Chief who continued to reign through three long years, Ben Jakobowski. The vice president was Mary Contompasis, sec- retary, Peggy Briggs, and treasurer, Richard Male. Minnie, being beautiful but dumb, was elected a member of the executive committee. The first thing that this tribal council did was to plan their Dance to the Sun God, Fresh- man Frolic to you. VVhat a powwowl It was here that Minnie met Watha. With her usual savior faire after the introduction, Minnie cooed, I-Iiyah Watha. Together they heard Warren Danis and his Tomtom Serenaders jazz the hit of the day, Tiger Rag. Together they thrilled to the glorious mustache of Don Roderiego in the Van Antwerp pantomine. Time passed.. Once again, it was September, and Minnie and Watha, this time hand and hand, again struggled up the same grim steps. With the beating of tomtoms a powwow re-elected Chief Jakobowski and chose for his council of war vice president, Peggy Briggsp secretary, Charles Savageg treasurer, Bernice Jungk. For their first date of the year Watha, Qhe's kinda slowj took Minnie to the 3B class party. Here it was that Minnie's heart first broke. She didn't win one of those luscious Mickie Mouses, the Bingo prizes. To console her, Watha took her to the hangout of the day, the White Tower. A killer diller of a Prom- that meant wam- pum, much wampurng and Wampum was what their 3A class didn't have. Medicine Man and Woman, Sheridan and Agard, had said, No Wampum, no Prom, and so Minnie and Watha along with their fellow tribesmen decided that something had to be done. The something was a theater benefit at the Rivoli. Watha tried hard to win the free Prom ticket for selling the most tickets, but he couldn't compete with those super salesmen, George Howell, Bill Goggins, and Ronnie McIntyre. Even though he had to buy a ticket, Watha took Minnie to the Prom. She was all dressed up in her best doeskin, a lavender creation that went beautifully with the grape-covered walls. To the great surprise of the faculty, the class actually collected much Wampum at their Prom.

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Senior C a Poem The humble homes of this fair nation Where boys and girls at mother's knee First gained their education, Were cradles of our liberty. The mother taught the girl to mend, And other useful things of life. While father taught the boy to hoe And brave the hardness and the strife By word of mouth each lesson learned, No textbooks ever scanned. They never heard of Algebra, Their courses were not planned. No cap and gown awaited them. Nor diploma in their hand. For the girl, a trunk of ibeddingg For the boy, a plot of land. Then followed soon the mistress school, In a room neat and sedate. Where children learned their ABC's And two times four is eight. To this school trod each little lass Primly neat in a pinafore, Tightly clutching a battered slate As she came in the good dame's door. The master's school house followed next The little red school on the hill. With a red hot stove in winter Burning faces, while backs had a chill Those inkwells-how many a maiden uttered an angry wail, Because therein some naughty boy Had dipped a fine pigtail. The battered seats were crudely carvedg The window had a paper pane 5 The walls were smoked-stained all around And the roof let in the rain. Q U C U

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Senior Class The birch bark editions of the Terrace Trib- une lured Minnie to desert Watha and join the baby class. After months of slaving for the senior staff, the papooses at last moved up. Alexander Arony became editor-in-chief, Char- lotte Willey, first page editor, Connie Max- well, second page 3 Jason Tepper, third page 3 Sue Stern, fourth page, Dick Weber, art editor, while little Nlinnie Haha became a star reporter. In September '37, neck and neck, Minnie and Watha dashed up the stairs eager to be at the grind again, ugh, ugh! The Harvest Powwow was held and Big Chief jakobowski continued to reign assisted by Vice President Alvin List, Secretary George Howell, and Treasurer Mary Contompasis. Gordon Sack took over his job as president of the Student Council, and the school year began with football as the current craze. Minnie and Watha joined the rest of the crowd and swarmed to the games. They cheered for all the players, especially those super braves that came from their own tribe: Dave Guyon, Mash Mashuta, Porky Diamante, Corky Gilles- pie, Stewie Goldblatt, Cas Nejman, Gordie Sack, Bill Rybicki. At the Mont Pleasant-Nott Terrace game they enthusiastically waved their blue and white banners and started on the Snake History Dance, but all their prayers to the Rain God were of no avail, and they went home damp, delighted, and delirious over the third consecu- tive triumph over Mont Pleasnt. On the night of November 24, Minnie and Watha, not having enough stamps, crashed their party, the Dance to the Great Big Apple. Never before had Don Eagan's tomtoms beaten with such wild swing, even the dignified George Howell fell prey to the intoxicating cider of the Big Apple. Minnie was just about to win the shagging contest, but Watha tripped and the honors went to Leo Holland and Madeline Mabie. Mid years passed. Minnie and Watha were inspired. They'd try out for the senior plays, all three of them. With fear and trembling they stuttered through the try outs. Minnie wanted to be Sylvette with Watha across the wall, but her only reward was the part of bench, and she does hate being sat on. Well, anyhow she gets her picture in the year book. The Great Spirit has been kind. For three years he has brought victory and Wampum to our tribe. Nightly Minnie, Watha, and everybody else prays to him to guide us through the re- gents to the Happy Hunting Ground of Grad- uation.