Agawam High School - Sachem Yearbook (Agawam, MA)

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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!

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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

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Vivienne. Yes, and what nice presents he brought us! After he went we scurried to the lunch-room to get the goodies. [Mary nods.] Mary. The next big event was the Senior play “Adam and Eva.” Didn’t the cast work hard to make the play a success? Vivienne. Do you remember how well the members fitted into their different roles? And how pleased the faculty were as well as the towns- people who saw it? Mary. Here’s a picture that Miss Jauch took of Annette Letendre climbing over the boat-house porch railing when we had our outing at Smith College. [Displays picture to Vivienne.] Sorry I didn’t get one of our Bay Path Institute outing. Vivienne. We didn’t do much after that, did we? Mary. No. We were too busy exchanging pictures and getting our Prom tickets! Here’s a strip of the decorations, one of the blue and gold streamers, and here’s my program. Vivienne. Wasn’t the hall beautifully decorated? The spotlight gave such a wonderful tropical moonlight effect! Mary. Didn’t the small trees make a pretty scene? Vivienne. Then came class night and graduation. But let’s not talk about that. It always makes me feel lonely. Voice from below. Mary, you’re wanted on the telephone. Vivienne. You go along, Mary. I’ll put the things back in the trunk. Mary goes to answer the phone. Vivienne puts things in trunk, closes it, and follows Mary. Mary A. Bruso Cjfirelight Cfancies he wind is howling fiercely, While sheeted rain beats down Swishing against the windows And drenching the thirsty ground. It’s cold and dark without. Within, the lights burn low And a roaring, open fire Flares with a ruddy glow’. At first, the fire burns brightly With spitting, sputtering sounds, And flames, like things alive, Strain at unseen bonds; Blue-based flames, tipped with yellow, Coiled smoke like misty fogs, And tiny sparks that dance Along the burning logs. l 3]