Agawam High School - Sachem Yearbook (Agawam, MA)

Page 23 text:

Santa Claus came down the chimney and distributed his presents? I’ve lost my present, somehow. I wish I hadn't. Vivienne. [Looking through scrapbook.] Oh, you’ve kept an account of athletics, too. Here’s an account of the game with West Springfield. It says “Reynolds wins game. Players carry him off on shoulders.” Mary. [Excitedly.] I saw that game. I can see Reynolds now stand- ing in the middle of the fioor and caging those four baskets in succession. Do you wonder that the players carried him off on their shoulders? Vivienne. [Picks up medal.] How did you get this Tuft’s College Medal, Mary? Mary. Oh, that’s the medal the boys received as a result of their standing in the Twin County League. Never mind how got it. [Smiles knowingly. Picks up snapshot. ] Here’s a snap of the boys most closely connected with athletics. [Goes to Vivienne and points out members. Consolati, Channell, Wallace, Reynolds, and Johnson. Isn’t that a good picture? Have you one of those? Vivienne. No, I haven’t. But I have a snap of two girls in our class that I think just as much of. The two Esthers — Esther Pond and Esther Schwartz. Mary. Of course “Squitzy” looked upon George as her ideal, so that’s probably why she did so well in athletics. And I suppose “Pondie” was trying to keep up the record that her sister, Grace, made. [Picks up another snapshot.] Here’s a snap of Marion Allen, our canning champ. Marion’s family need never worry about having indigestion if Marion pre- pares the meals. They’ll probably never be hungry leaving the table, either. [Passes the snap to Vivienne. She nods agreement.] That finishes my Sophomore year. [Replaces them in trunk. Takes another pile from trunk.] These are the memos from my Junior year. You remember we had that pleasant room overlooking the river for our homeroom? Vivienne. Yes, and part of Miss Baker’s room, too. Who were our class officers that year? Mary. [Counting on fingers.] Let’s see. George Reynolds was pres- ident; Marion Allen, vice-president; Esther Stebbins, secretary; and Ralph Channell, treasurer. Vivienne. Almost the same ones every year. The Commercial Club, Alpha Beta Gamma, was formed that third year, too. Mary. Yes. That was rather an exclusive club. The members had to take two or more commercial subjects in addition to obtaining an aver- age of “B” in all major subjects. You belonged to the club, didn’t you, Viv? [Vivienne nods agreement. ] Remember the initiation we were put through? [Takes placard from file.] We had to wear these placs on our backs. But that was only part of the initiation. Vivienne. We had some pleasant socials in that club, though. Wish we could get together again. [Mary nods.] Alary. Then came the Junior Prom. Didn’t the assembly hall look pretty? Here’s a flashlight picture that was taken just before the grand march. I had the picture tinted to bring out the colors of the class of ’27, green and silver. That’s Esther Stebbins over against that wall viewing the finished product. Of course, Steb was always willing to help make things

Page 22 text:

[Rummaging in trunk.} Viv, did you save the pictures of the different teams? [Pulls out picture.] Here’s the picture of the first football team and look who’s in the second row. Johnny Pedulia and “Mick” Channell. Well, I’m not going to destroy that picture. [Places it on floor beside trunk.} That finishes the first year. [Leans over trunk and picks up an- other pile.} Now this pile is a collection of the Sophomore year. Vivienne. How systematically you have kept your memos, Mary. Mine are scattered hit-or-miss all over the attic. Mary. Oh, Viv, that’s hard to believe! You always kept your things in such perfect order when you were in school. Does the Sophomore year stand out particularly in your mind? Seems to me it does, Viv. You know, that idea of taking notes for English helped me a great deal in getting out of washing the dishes. I always maintained that the best time to take notes was immediately after supper and mother swallowed it. Vivienne. [Fingering scrapbook.} Here’s an account of our class meeting for that year, too. [Reads.} “George Reynolds, president; Josie Novelli, vice-president; Ella Gregory, secretary; Esther Stebbins, treas- urer.” We had Miss Hutton for homeroom teacher that year. Remember how hard she tried to play the part of a tyrant toward us? Mary. Yes, and she said when we were graduating, “If I ever have another class for three years, I’ll not be so easy with them.” But we know she couldn’t be otherwise. Vivienne. Do you remember the Hallowe’en party and reception we gave the Freshmen? Mary. Remember the caves of imps and horrors which the Freshmen had to pass through before reaching the “eats”? And I can still hear those unearthly screams which came from Miss Baker’s room. [Claps hands over ears. ] Vivienne. Was that where “Wit” Ferrarini was telling ghost stories? Mary. ’Mm. And weren’t the groans terrible that the Freshmen let out when they saw Esther Stebbins hung by the hair of her head in one of the lockers? Vivienne. Yes. She made a good Bluebeard’s wife, didn’t she? And do you remember how many of the Freshmen were “floored” when they were introduced to the king and queen? [Both laugh.} Were you in the Latin play that our class gave during Education Week? Mary. Yes. I remember Miss Jauch had a very hard time trying to make John Pedulia take Helene’s hand and act fatherly toward her. And would you believe it, after talking about “The Locket” — that was the name of the play — for a month, Helene suddenly discovered on the morn- ing of the play that she had no locket. Miss Jauch finally contrived one out of a safety pin and some string. Vivienne. [Leaning over the edge of trunk.} What in the world have you saved that doll for? That didn’t have any part in your school work, did it? Mary. [Picks up doll and fondles it.} It most certainly did. That’s the doll I carried to the kid party. Remember how attractively the gym was decorated? A huge Christmas tree in this corner and a fireplace in that. And what fun we had playing The Cat and the Mouse and Drop the Handkerchief. Surely you haven’t forgotten how excited we were when [20]

Page 24 text:

attractive. I’m sure we could never have gotten along without her artistic ability to guide us. Vivienne. Remember our typewriting champion, “Cal” Cascella? Gosh, couldn’t her fingers dance over the keys? Mary. I’ll say so. She brought back third prize from Brattleboro during her Junior year. We bet then that she’d win the cup the next year and she did! Perhaps the airplanes that flew past the school were an inspi- ration for her speed. Did you ever notice that as soon as an airplane was heard “Cal” stopped all work and watched it until it was out of sight? [Vivienne nods.] Vivienne. That finishes our Junior year, doesn’t it? Mary. All except graduation. Remember Ella Gregory and Alyce Houlahan acted as marshalls for the dignified Seniors. Then on the last day of school, Mr. Davenport announced the Pro Merito members of our class. There were six. [Counts.] George Reynolds, Alfred Johnson, Lou- ise Shields, Josie Novelli, Thelma Gemme, and myself. This is my Pro Merito pin. [Displays pin.] I wear it all the time. It’s small but it means a lot. [Picks up picture and examines it.] Oh, here’s a picture of our Twin State Champions. [Passes it to Vivienne.] Vivienne. Oh, yes. The big four, Wallace, Channell, Consolati, and Reynolds are among them. You’re not going to destroy that picture, I know. [Hands it to Mary. She places it on floor with other picture.] Haven’t you any account of the Student Council members from our class during the Junior year? Mary. No, I don’t think I have. Who were they? Vivienne. George Reynolds, Esther Stebbins, Ralph Channell, and Frank Consolati. This afternoon I was reading an account of how this or- ganization has grown. It gave a brief history and the names of the first members. That’s how I remembered the names. Mary. Then in September, we met in the same room overlooking the riser as the Senior class. At our class meeting that year we elected George Reynolds, president; Josie Novelli, vice-president; Esther Stebbins, sec- retary; and Louis Ferrarini, treasurer. Poor Louis, he needed a lot of sympathy when he came to collect dues from our class. Remember the threats he made about our not receiving Prom tickets if dues were not paid and our not having any seats reserved for the banquet? Vivienne. [Fingering notebook.] Here’s an account of the Student Council members for that year. [Reads.] “George Reynolds, Josie Novelli Esther Stebbins, and William Butler.” This is the little book the coun- cil put out during our senior year. It was meant to be a guide for the Freshmen. They certainly should profit by the advice of those seniors. [Leans over edge of trunk.] What a cute little cap! Did you get that at the kid party? Mary. ’Mm. Remember the automobiles and kiddy cars we swarmed over the floor in? Miss Button even attempted to make a trip around the gym on one of the little vehicles. Vivienne. Oh, yes. How well you remember that! I’ll never forget it! Mary. And what a nice Santa Claus Channell made!