Agawam High School - Sachem Yearbook (Agawam, MA)

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YEAR BOOK 1936 19 President’s Address of Welcome Good evening, friends and parents- We, the members of the Class of 1936, extend to you a most cordial welcome to our Class Day exercises. We have spent four seemingly long years in school, striving to reach our goal— graduation. But now that we have reached this goal, we realize that these four years have been pleasant and much too short. We want to thank Mr. Phelps, Mr. Williams, the faculty, and the school committee for their cooperation and understanding. But our greatest thanks go to you, the towns- people, who have made this education possible. We hope that we shall reach the stand- ards you have set for us and shall be able to take our part in the community life as intel- ligent citizens. We hope that you will have an enjoyable evening with us tonight, and in opening these exercises I again say, “Welcome to all of you!” VINCENT GALLERANI Class Song The time has come when we must leave, To tread each step of life, To shoulder many burdens new, In future days of strife. But we’ll remember happy days, And in our minds we’ll hold, Each worth while hour at Agawam High That Thirty-six has told. We’re out to reach a certain height, Going forth in grand array, To start anew this path of life, With cares and joys each day. Our carefree hours are now gone by, And we must say “adieu,” But to our school of happiness, We’ll be forever true Music: Rita Donais Words: Pirscilla A. Stocker Class Poem Oh immortal hall from within whose walls We first glimpsed the labyrinth of knowledge, What windings veiled from us the light And stayed the Vision from our sight! With intense resolve of purpose clear And the kindly hand of guidance near, We saw dimness flee the brightening way That led us to the glory of this Day. Fame may come amidst us and lingering stay, Or forgetful, fail to heed us on its restless way, But as we play that splendid thing, Life’s Game, With us all these treasured memories will remain. JUNE WHEELER

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18 AGAWAM HIGH SCHOOL = Y- Aaron Whitlock 21 Barney St., Agawam “Dutch” “A good disposition is a quality worth having.” Year Book Committee; Senior Play; Football 3-4. Elisabeth Wieland 41 Hall St., Feeding Hills “Studies are her recreation.” Pro Merito; Commercial Contest 3, Bookkeeping; Chorus 1-2-3. Marjorie Wilcox S. Westfield St., Feeding Hills “Marj” “A sunny temper gilds the edges of life’s darkest cloud” French Club 3-4; Latin Club 2-3-4; International Rela- tions Club 4; Tri-Hi 3-4; Student Council 1; Chorus i-2-3-4. Rose Zerra y Garden St., Feeding Hills “Rosie” “Life without sport is not life.” Basketball 1-2-3-4; Baseball 1-2-3-4; Brown Team Captain 3; Volleyball 3-4; Hockey 1-2-3-4, Captain 4; Gym Exhibition 1; Operetta 2, Business Committee 3-4; Usher 3-4; French Club 3-4, Program Chairman 4; Chorus 1-2-3-4; International Relations Club 4; Sec- retary 4; Tri-Hi, Treasurer 4. Jennie Zielinski Silver St., Agawam “Jen” “Pleasant in manner and speech.” Sophomore Party Committee; Cabaret Committee; Sen- ior Play Committee; Year Book Committee; Gym Ex- hibition 1; Usher 3-4; Dramatic Club 2; Commercial Contest 3; Tii-Hi 4; Chorus 1-2-4; Mirror Staff 4; Business Manager of Operetta 4.

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20 AGAWAM HIGH SCHOOL The Oration If you and I were to symbolize America today, we might do so by comparing it to something of rare beauty and virtue such as one of Wedgwood’s vases, because America has been developed from a crude and unfinished wilderness to a progressive and modern nation in much the same way as Wedgwood’s vase was molded from a crude lump of clay into a beautifully artistic product. As the potter strained every nerve and muscle in his body to shape the vase into something beautiful for mankind; so have the great men of America given their all that this country might become the nation of nations. Just as it has taken Wedgwood and the ancestral potters in back of him generations to create a thing of such rare beauty, so has it taken generations for mankind to have created the America of the twentieth century as you and I see it today. She is that product which man began to mold back in the seventeenth century. Not like the pot- ter’s vase, which can be bought only for an enormous sum, is America, because she be- longs to each and every one. We are all molders. We and the generations before us have helped to shape, mold, and decorate America as she is today. Just as we are all molders, so too can we become destroyers. We are all possessors of this beautiful ar- ticle which means so much to us. Are we going to do all in our power to preserve, pro- tect and cherish our nation as we would tins most exquisite vase if it were in our pos- session? Are we going to realize our great opportunity and prove our worthiness to be numbered among the inhabitants of so great a nation? Great? Surely great. The mere fact that the peoples of other lands seek the opportunity to come to these shores, proves our greatness- We stand glorified in the eyes of the world! Our nation, through our efforts, has become the symbol of everything that is fine and beautiful, and we have just reason to be proud of it. However, if we are to continue to be proud, if we are to continue to command the respect of the world, we must continue to mold. Our task is far from finished. If we cease straining now for something better, if we be- come content with that which is; we shall soon lose the respect of the world, and the honor we cherish. Our great nation will no longer progress. It will slow down, finally stop, and then find itself retrogressing. I am afraid our situation would become danger- ously similar to that of the Romans. Remember, nineteen centuries ago, Rome then commanded the world. Her culture, her wealth, and her armies were the center of attraction. She was the last word in style, and her people were justly proud guardians of her wealth and learning. However, these guardians became satisfied with life as it was. They lost interest in the development of something finer. They evidently be- lieved they had the best, and that it was useless to work for more. But they were wrong! Before they knew it, Rome has ceased to be the city of the world. The world had progressed, yet Rome and the Romans had failed to recognize this fact. Consequently, these two factions clashed. The Romans awoke and found them- selves floundering hopelessly in a sea of despair. They came to realize what had hap- pened, and immediately they laid plans for reconstruction. But alas, their fate was sealed. They had been given their chance, and they had lost. Opportunity knocks but once! If we of today are to save ourselves from the fate of the Romans, we must act immediately. We must see to it that our great America does not retrogress. Our motto must be: “Ever onward.” America must not lose an inch of the ground she has won through our past efforts. As long as man draws a breath, the world is going onward. If America does not progress accordingly, she will soon find herself, like Rome, a fallen nation. But is there any need of our becoming like Rome? NO! We who have been molders are willing to admit that our building of the nation has not wrought perfection. But let us feel that we are handing on to the next generation a stable object upon which they can place their future dreams and artistic ideals. Let us ask ourselves how we are going to do this. We, of this twentieth century, have not