Agawam High School - Sachem Yearbook (Agawam, MA)

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YEAR BOOK 1936 21 yet accustomed ourselves to our highly complex world. In the first place, we are trying to do too much. We are so busy doing everything that we can’t seem to accomplish any- thing. We students have so many interests both in extra school activities and in social life that we are unable to do our best in our classes. We know better, but for some reason or other, we can’t seem to be content to lead our own lives. We are not happy unless we can become heroes, unless we can have a hand in everything, unless we can imitate someone else. Even after leaving school, we continue our haphazard ways. Rather than endeavoring to understand and remedy existing governmental evils, we spend our time ignorantly criticising; wholly indifferent to the call to duty. We know the difference between right and wrong and yet when a problem of social welfare pre- sents itself, we are afraid to express our own opinions and fail to stand for the thing we know to be right. We are actually afraid of being ourselves! So artificial have we become that few of us know when or where to stop. Our nerves are keyed to such a pitch that they refuse to relax: and restlessness, nervousness, and irritibility control our actions. Isn’t it clear that in such a state of mind, we cannot go on molding our nation? For our lives do determine its character. Only with a light heart and a clear head can we begin to tackle the problems and difficulties which help to build a nation of true stability; and until we do accomplish these ends, we are not going to solve our problems. Just as the potter must adhere to certain fundamental principles in the molding of his vase, so must man develop a philosophy regarding his life. The potter must take care that his clay is neither too moist nor too dry, too thick nor too thin, when he subjects his vase to the baking oven. He must be temperate in his pattern, his work- manship, and in his time, if he is to realize perfection. Likewise we must become tem- perate in the use of our time. We must find out what we want to do; then do that one thing and do it well. Only by getting off this merry-go-round of purposeless activity, only by adopting the molder’s philosophy, can we prevent our nation from following the fate of Rome. We must content ourselves with living our own lives according to Van Dyke’s simple creed: Time: 1950. Place: Agawam High School. Scene: A reunion banquet held in the Agawam High School Auditorium by the Class of 1936. The chairman and several other guests are seated at the head table of the banquet hall. Chairman: James Devecchi. Speakers: Carolyn D’Amato, Rose Zerra, Robert Costine. (Chairman is speaking as curtains part.) Let me but live my life from year to year, With forward faces and unreluctant soul. Not hurrying to nor turning from the goal; Not mourning for the things that disappear In the dim past, nor holding back in fear From what the future veils; but with a whole And happy heart, that pays its toll Too Youth and Age, and travels on with cheer. DAVID R. GUY History

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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

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22 A G A WAM HIGH SCHOOL Chairman: Once more we, the Class of 1936, are assembled—this time in a reunion rather than in a class. It is now 1950, fourteen years after our graduation in 1936. I know that many of us have forgotten the details of those happy days we spent together in the Agawam High School. It is for this reason that we are reunited here this evening. We shall now turn the pages of the calendar back a few years and review the “History of the Class of 1936 ” As a group of young and innocent Freshmen, we started our high school career by running around trying to locate our home rooms. After finding them to be Study Hall and Room 20, with Miss Mansfield and Mrs. Pond as faculty advisors, we settled down to work. At our first class meeting the following officers were chosen: President, Gordon Byrnes; vice president, Dorcas Pugh; secretaiy, Madeline Conte, treasurer, Charles Rivers. David Novelli and Marjorie Wilcox were elected to represent the Freshman Class in the Student Council. In the field of sports we had two promising young stars; David Grimaldi who aided the football team to win the Western Massachusetts Championship, and Carolyn D’Amato who succeeded in fulfilling the requirements to receive an “A” in girls’ sports. This first year in High School was uneventful. The biggest thrill for most of the class came in the last assembly of the year, when Mr. Williams announced that “classes will not meet until September.” After a summer of fun and frolic, we returned to school to carry on our high school career as Sophomores. I, shall now call on Carolyn D’Amato who will give us a brief resume of our second year. (The chairman is seated and Carolyn D’Amato rises to speak.) Carolyn D’Amato: We started our Sophomore year by having as our home room teachers, Miss Phealan, Miss Dickerman, and Miss Mclntire. The following officers were chosen to lead the class: President, Gordon Byrnes; vice president, Patricia Atwater; secretary, Madeline Conte; treasurer, David Novelli. Our Student Council representatives for this year were Mary Hart, Vincent Gallerani, Ernest Copson, and Alfred Tompkins. In the fall the annual operetta which was “Pinafore” took place. Many Sophomores started to develop their musical talent by taking part in the chorus. This year was the start of a series of social events which were to follow in our Junior and Senior years. The class was introduced into society at the Sophomore Party which was held on February 12 in this auditorium. David Grimaldi again succeeded in making the football team as fullback and Bernard Babcock became a team mate. Girls receiving “A’s” were Rose Zerra, Doris Roulliard and Carolyn D’Amato. (Carolyn D’Amato is seated and the chairman rises to speak again.) Chairman: Thank you, Carolyn. Again the members of the class of ’36 enjoyed a fine summer vacation, but Septem- ber rolled around very quickly. We were now Juniors, the year that the social light shines brightest. At this time we shall turn the pages of the calendar back to our junior year with Robert Costine. Robert Costine: (Rising) At the beginning of our Junior year, Miss Dickerman and Miss Mansfield, our faculty advisors, called a class meeting. Gordon Byrnes, our former President, had moved to Florida for his permanent residence. Vincent Gallerani was