Averill Park High School - Threshold Yearbook (Averill Park, NY)

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As we sat gazing at the figures before us Nancy Abbott took the forestage. She was immaculately dressed in a costume designed by Pat Burnett, New York's famous costume designer known from continent to continent and excelling the most notable Parisian designers. Nancy's tall stately figure is ideal, for there are no more short, plump women. Science has revolutionized the human figure. Her glamorous Titian hair is the envy of all the fair sex and she is a symbol of beauty. As we Watch- ed, Nancy and I visited the Cupboard Emporium, covering an acre of ground and catering to the elite of Northern New York. It has gained world-wide reputation for its French Cuisine under the direction of the white-capped chef, Jimmy Crawford, who speaks more elegant French than the French themselves, and the aroma of his cooking actually makes your mouth water. Besides the famous cooking there are most spectac- ular nightly floor shows, dazzling chorus girls, swooning crooners, and the smoothest tap dancer you've ever seen. As we were eating our entree some glamorous chorus girls glided 'across the glistening floor in perfect harmony. As we watched them go through their act we recognized Lois Rescott, Helen Dziadyk, Marion Ewald, Milly Sturgess, and Ileen Wilday in the large group of over forty. While we were waiting for our main course to be served, a brown- haired maiden came by our table calling in a lilting voice, Cigarettes, can- dy, chewing gum. The voice sounded very familiar and I asked Nancy who it was. Why, that's Nancy Widstrandf' It seemed incredible that we should meet so many of our school mates right here. But our surprises weren't ended for the next number on the program was a crooner who shadowed Bing and Frankie - Ciale The Voice Mosher accompanied by the inimitable Rita Lesinski. We had heard so much about his singing and her playing that we wondered if it were true. It was truly marvelous, but being of sterner stuff than the teen-agers, we did not so easily succumb. They made quite a scene shouting and rushing for his autograph, The enchantment of The Voice wasn't enough for the evening. We were even more spellbound by the soft shoe tap dance of Clyde Rescott who could cartwheel, backflip, and frontflip without losing time with the music. Across the room from us we heard a familiar giggle and than a shout. Hi! Marge! Hi! Nancy! Won't you join us? It was none other than Dot Casey and her husband, Frank. We joined them at their table and began to talk over old times. You can imagine our surprise when Dot told us that Phyllis Dixon and Norma Bailey were now the proprietresses of the Cupboard. After the show we rushed back to congratulate Norma and Phyllis on their Wonderful entertainment and they suggested that we hold a re- union for the members of the Class of 1947 the next evening after the 29

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lam ffophecy OLLOWING our class day picnic we decided to have a theater party at the Troy Theater. It was an excellent show entitled Nostradamus and people who saw it predicted that you could really see into the future if you were in the right frame of mind. We went in as a group at seven o'clock that night and enjoyed the show immensely. l wouldn't say that we could tell what is going to happen in the future, but it did arouse our imaginations considerably. They were aroused so much, in fact, that I suggested that we go a few blocks below Congress Street on Second Street to see Troy's most famous oracle who calls herself Madam Marie. There are fakes and fakes but the predictions of Madam Marie are phenomenal. You can imagine the surprised look on Marie's face when she saw our large number, but she escorted us in. The lights were very dim and it took a while before our eyes became accustomed to the semi-darkness. There was a weird atmosphere about the place. You could feel the cold shivers on your back. You knew that something was going to happen and you wondered what it would be. You wanted to know - and yet you didn't want to know. If the future held happiness and success, you anticipated the revelation: but if it held unpleasantness, you shuddered. Madam Marie let us into the main reading room and promised that she would hold a group seance. It wasn't customary, but she thought that it might be arranged if our group would concentrate and act as one mind. We were seated on what seemed to be a bleacher some- what elevated. There in the middle of the room below us on a heavily draped table was a glistening crystal ball, quite large in proportion and shining with a peculiar light. The inside of the glass kept changing in color: cloud formations took place and as you gazed at the ball you would swear that a part of the cloud formation became alive and took on your appearance. The miniature figure would dance around and smile and chat with the other figures. Even before Madam Marie sat down to un- veil the future we knew that something startling was going to take place. We sat enraptured. The crystal ball, only fifteen inches in diameter, suddenly filled the room and we looked into our own faces. They did not seem to recognize us at all, but went on acting as if they were a separate body. Madam Marie assured us that we would be pleasantly surprised by what was going to take place and warned us that any outbreak would spoil the seance. 28

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show. But how will we contact them? I asked. Why, that's easy, said Norma. I have all their names and addresses. They never come to the Cupboard without letting us know. Let's start phoning them right now. Aside from the ones you have met in the show, there are the mayor of West Sand Lake, Bill Snyder, and his two secretaries, Beatrice Teal and Dolly Vincent. The heads of our Public Sanitation Department are Jim Sprague and Dick Clark. I know they would be delighted to come. The head of the Child Welfare Department is Helen Krause who has gained quite a reputation in controlling juvenile delinquency. Let me see now. Doris Jesse and Edna Malik are renowned beauticians in the Dor-Ed Beauty Salon. And don't think for a minute that women are the only ones who patronize their shop, for they specialize in permanent waves for men. Their best customer is the athletic director at Central, Art Ferguson. Also on the staff of the High School are Kay Knapp, supervisor of classical languages who replaced Miss Sullivan, and Annette Luckow who has taken over Mrs. Lerch's duties in the cafeteria with Elaine Mallouk as her assistant. You see, it really won't be too diflicult to contact them all. She thumbed through her little black book trying to recall where the other members of the class were. Oh, yes, you remember Harry Beach. He is co-owner with John Dreis of the B 'Eff D Hardware Store in Averill Park. They are doing a prosperous business. Also there are Bertha Gundrum, Jean Horton, and Thelma Olsen who run the Stylist Shoppe, the swankiest tailored dress shop in this area. They can be reached easily tomorrow morning. Why you may want to go down to have a dress designed yourself, Marge. Of course, Nancy, you won't have to since Pat designs all your clothes. If we can't contact these people by phone we'll have Ralph Wehnau announce it on his radio station WSL. Possibly Rose Micalian could put in a plug for us on her program. You know she has replaced Bob Hope - - - Il I Last of all there are Mary Teal and Mary Hill, millinery experts. If you want a hat to take you out of this world, stop at their shop. Why with one of their creations on, the men don't whistle, they just gasp for breath. Now, let's look over this list again. Yes, all are accounted for. Tomorrow's the night. Class Re- union at midnight. See you all here. As we gazed upon the future anticipating our reunion, a cloud came across the crystal ball and there we were all together on the night of June 13th, 1947. We were so amazed with what we had seen that we could scarcely speak. When at last we gained enough courage to speak, we all let out at once. Could this really be true? Madam Marie assured us that it would all happen as predicted. But she warned us not to think too' ser- iously about the future, for it would all happen in due time. 30