Agawam High School - Sachem Yearbook (Agawam, MA)

Page 30 text:

SACHEM . . 1940 Janet: Jack: Janet: J ack: Janet: Jack: Janet: Jack: Janet: Jack: Janet: Jack: Janet: Jack: Janet: Jack: Janet: Jack: What are these pictures? Oh, I know. The Kid Party. It gave us dignified Seniors a chance to revert back to childhood with short clothes, dolls, and lollypops. We had a huge Christmas tree, and a real Santa Claus to give out presents. Robert Healy was Santa Claus. There were prizes too. Anna Wylie and Francis Fenn wore the funniest costumes, while Jeannette and Raymond Kent wore the cutest. Here are some more pictures of the party. We certainly looked cute in baby clothes. There always seemed to be a lot going on in our Senior year. I remember the Agawam Mirror took first place in the Columbia League for Scholastic Publications. Here’s a picture of the Senior members of the Mirror staff. Lilian Levesque was editor-in-chief. Members of our class were well represented in most of the musical events during our four years in high school. I remember “Robin Hood’’ partic- ularly because it came in our Senior year, and Elroy Benjamin, Elmer Goodhue, Edward Godfrey, Mildred Tortoriello, and Marie St. John all had important parts. (Marie St. John sings) Norma Blackburn looked very happy in this picture. She should have too, because it was the second year she had received honors in speaking contests. Francis Fenn, Herbert Freeman, and James Morrison were the most con- spicuous figures in the field of sports for the four years in high school, although there were many other outstanding girl and boy athletes in school. This picture is of the Pro Merito Society. Pro Merito students were Ruth Cesan, Lilian Levesque, Millicent LaVoie, Irene Nacewicz, Paul Tatro, Norma Swanson, Edward Shea, Janet Wheeler, and Anna Wylie. Here’s a picture of Daniel Pugh hitting Neal Raison in our Senior Play. The Senior Play, “Growing Pains” seemed the most important event. Didn’t Miss Phealan have a hard time keeping track of the eighteen people in the cast though! I thought one of the funniest parts in the play were contrib- uted by Danny Pugh as George and Eleanor Pfersick as Elsie. Remember the graceful way in which they danced together? Nothing could surpass their clowning. (Daniel Pugh and Eleanor Pfersick dance) Senior members of the Student Council were—. I et’s see, what does this say? Oh, yes, June Smith, Norma Swanson, Eleanor Jensen, John Sasson, Alfred Penna, and Francis Fenn. On May 24th, 1940, we were guests of the Juniors at the Promenade. Then came our last days at Agawam High. Our class banquet, class picnic, class night exercises, and graduation exercises, all came in such a rush we hardly realized that our carefree high school days had come to an end. (Closes book) Well, I guess those are all the pictures I have. Let’s look up some of our old friends and show them your book. It’ll give us something to do, and I wouldn’t mind looking at those pictures all over again. Janet Wheeler John Sasson Class Prophecy Time: 1955 Scene: The Pine Room of the Captain Charles Leonard House in the City of Agawam where the Monthly Quilters’ Club is in session. Characters: Eleanor Jensen, Jean Blood, Eleanor Pfersick. page twenty-jour

Page 29 text:

SACHEM . . 1940 J ack: Janet: Jack: Janet: Jack: Janet: Jack: Janet: Jack: Janet: Jack: Janet: Jack: Janet: Jack: Janet: Jack: J anet: Jack: Janet: Jack: Janet: Jack: Janet: Jack: Why, that’s Rob Healy. Here’s a picture of our Freshman class officers. What does it say under- neath ? It says: President, Daniel Pugh; Vice-President, Janet Wheeler; Secretary, Norma Swanson; Treasurer, Robert Healy. Danny looks sort of cross, doesn’t he? Yes, he didn’t want to have his picture taken and had to be dragged out. He’s out-grown his bashfulness now though. Here’s a clipping about the Freshman assembly. I wasn’t here then. Tell me about it. Well, the Freshmen gave a radio play right up on the stage in the assembly hall. The play was called “Sutter’s Gold” and Paul Tatro assumed a German dialect for the leading role. We had a real microphone and Dwight Bailey was the sound effects man. I’d like to have seen it. It should have been broadcast over a national hook-up. I wouldn’t say that, but we did give the play over station WSPR. What are these pictures about? They’re pictures of our Sophomore party. It was held in the gymnasium and there were games, balloons, dancing, refreshments, and entertainment. Who did the entertaining? I can’t remember very well, but I know Anna Wylie did a ballet dance for us, and Ruth Canfield tap danced. Oh, yes, Arthur Wyatt sang cowboy songs. It seems as if I could hear Art now. (Arthur Wyatt sings) Here are the class officers for the Sophomore year. President, Daniel Pugh; Vice-President, Norma Swanson; Secretary, June Smith; Treasurer, Richard Martin. These pictures are of the hurricane. I put them in because it came in our Junior year. That hurricane certainly did a lot of damage! Rut it gave us a few days vacation and provided plenty of material for camera fans. Our class officers that year were President, Francis Fenn; Vice-President, Norma Swanson; Secretary, Lilian Levesque; Treasurer, Paul Tatro. Yes, and that was the year we put on the Junior Cabaret. Here’s a picture of the decorations. Did you ever see so many jack o’lanterns and cornstalks? That scarecrow man with the pumpkin head who sat up on the stage certainly added the finishing touch to a Hallowe’en atmosphere. Everyone had a wonderful time. Jimmy Roberts provided the music, didn’t he? Yes, there was entertainment too: Anna Wylie and Ruth Canfield danced for us again, and Arthur Wyatt and Ralph Oliver sang cowboys songs. Elroy Renjamin sang for us too. “Remember” was the song he chose to sing first. (Elroy Benjamin sings Remember”) The Junior-Senior Promenade came that year too. The hall was beautifully decorated in blue and silver with old-fashioned silhouettes decorating the walls. Bell Brothers provided the music. There were balloons hanging from the center of the ceiling too. I remem- ber how surprised everyone was when the wrong string was pulled and the whole decoration came down on us instead of just the balloons. Here are some pictures of the decorations and the Grand March. Here’s a picture of Jeannette Kent and Norma Swanson who were chosen Junior Marshals for the 1939 graduating class. In September we entered our final year in high school with our numbers somewhat diminished for the building of the Suffield High School took many away from our class. Who were our class officers that year? Elroy Benjamin was President; Ruth Cesan, Vice-President; Norma Swanson, Secretary; Paul Tatro, Treasurer. page twenty-three

Page 31 text:

page twenty-five SACHEM . . . 1940