Bellows Free Academy - Alpha Omega Yearbook (St Albans, VT)

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AT THE SECOND SENIOR SLIPPER . THE HEAD TABLE 'Round :md 'round they go Uliuffet style's not so bad! l71 3

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SENIOR CLASS HISTORY Class Historian Land for sale: Great opportunity! Buy now! Don't wait! Tomorrow may be too late! Apply to Heal Estate Agent. Harry B. Dickinson. This advertisement had evidently aroused great enthusiasm, for on the fourth of September, 1985, a large group of fine looking boys and girls gathered in the B. F. A. gymnasium to secure land from dea.er Dickinson. Each one, being new at the business, was of course a little shy and Ugreenn, as older, more dignified people called us. A large table was in the center of the gymnasium at which several contractors and architects were seated. They outlined a course for us and told us it would take four years for the building of the houses. VVe hired certain teachers in our course and started work immediately on the fifth of September. VVe were assigned the name 'fFresh- menv, the meaning of which we did not un- derstand and did not dare to question those further advanced than wc. On October 3, 1935, our class had its first meeting to elect officers to guide us through the year. The following students were chosen: President-John Corliss Vice-President-Natalie Spear Treasurer-Morton Cushing Secretary-Barbara Raymond The foundations were well started by end of October and we began to feel more at home in our work. The news was noised around that we were supposed to have class colors and dues, so the president. John Corliss, called a meeting on October 22. Navy blue and white were decided upon for the colors and ten cents a semester for our dues, which many of us neglected to pay! On the evening of December 1-14. the sophomore class gave us a reception. Some of the girls wore their first evening dresses and I think most of us experienced our first formal,'. The upper classmen broke down their superiority complexu and allowed us to have a grand time. the i By January our construction was pro- gressing rapidly, but our architects evident- ly thought differently for they gave us cx- aminations called nmid-yearsi' to find out just exactly l1ow much we had learned about the business. This was the first time we had ever experienced anything like them and were quite overwhelmed. In the spring we had to get to work to prepare a skit for the Junior Jamboree, an entertainment put on by the junior class. liach class contributed one skit. A committee was chosen, and under the guidance of Mrs. McGrcggs we put up a fine showing. lVe did not win the prize, but that skit proved to everyone that there was great talent in our group of landowners and that we were doubtless the best class that had ever entered B. I . A. In June our foundations were entirely laid, and we were proud and happy. But again our architects doubted our outstanding ability and examined us to see how well the were laid. These examinations Hfinalsn. Vve were better pre- these and were not quite so foundations were called pared for stunned by them as by the mid-years . passed, but it was all too new to a few who did not quite make the grade and we left them behind us to lay their foundations over again. In September of our second year we began to build the Hrst floors of our houses which were to be magnificent. Our name was changed to Sophomores and, feeling very important. we looked down on the freshmen. VVe decided that we needed officers also in our second year, so on September 22, 1936, the class met and chose the follow- ing officers: Most of us and strange President-Peter Fortuna Vice-President-Betty Larry Treasurer-John Corliss Secretary-Norma Rushford. On September 29, the president called a meeting and reminded us that the sopho- more class had given us a reception and that we likewise should give greetings to the 61

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new freshman class. But there was one problem that weighed upon us-we had no money! This diflicuity was overcome, how- ever, when the sophomore class created the marvelous idea of the Good Time Mixeru. This proved to be a great success. There was dancing in the gym, a floor show, games and refreshments downstairs. lVe now had plenty of money to give the freshmen the best reception ever held in B. F. A. The gym was cleverly and beautifully decorated. Our class introduced a new feature of the reception by inviting the freshmen to the dining room for re- freshments. Of course there was an un- believable number of freshmen on that night. It was the first time, probably, in the his- tory of the school that seniors wanted to be con-sidered freshmen. On September 29, 1936, a class meet- ing was called, and it was decided to retain navy blue and white as our class colors, al- though this year the dues were increased to twenty cents a semester. In our sophomore year a member of our class, Barbara Noyes, won the first prize for tl1e district in tl1e Edmunds Prize Essay Contest. We again experienced mid-years and finals but they were a mere triviality to us by this time. VVe put on another skit for the Junior Jamboree. Again we did not win, but were exceptionally good. By June, the first floors of our houses were completed. VVe had done fine work but were rather tired and worn out and so were allowed a few weeks for a rest. YVe began work on the second Hoors our third year. That year we were called Jun- iors and were then upper classmen. At the first meeting on September 29, 1937, the following officers were elected: President-Morton Cushing Vice-President-Mary-Rlizabeth Rix- ford Treasurer-John Fletcher Secretary-Natalie Spear During that year Tun Mifzncvay car- off high honors in the annual national school newspaper contest. It was under the guidance of John Corliss as Managing Edi- tor and Charles Preston as Business Man- agerg several other members of our class also held positions on thc staff. As Juniors we had full swing of the Jamboree. Two committees were chosen, a skit committee and a business committee. ried Our class again gave a fine showing with an original skit which won the coveted cup. From the proceeds of the Jamboree the jun- iors gave the seniors a Senior Prom, Ten junior girls participated in the an- nual Junior Prize Speaking Contest under the instruction of Miss Hortense Beeman. At the graduation exercises that year a scholarship to the University of Vermont was presented to Mary-Elizabeth Rixford for a prize story. In June, the second floors of our houses were completed and we were looking for- ward with eagerness to finishing the struc- tures the next year. VVhen we came back to B. F. A. for our fourth and last year we all realized that we had only the roofs and the finishing touches to put on to our houses. At the Hrst meeting of the senior class the following officers were elected: President-John Corliss Vice-President-Betty Larry Secretary-Madine Buker Treasurer-Howard Sweeney Breaking away from the old custom of having the senior play in tl1e spring, our class presented New Fires on December 1 and 2, 1938. The story centered around a novelist who tried to make l1is happy-go- lucky family into an earn-your-living fam- ily. The plan was a great success and one of the most outstanding performances ever presented at Bellows Free Academy. The cast was as follows: Lucinda Andrews, a widow . .. Betty Larry Suzanne Toler, a spinster . . Prudence Lyon Sid Sperry, a fa.rm hand .... George Kell Jerry, his son .......... VValter Lemnah Stephen Santry, an author . .. John Corliss Billy, his son .......... Frederick Potter Phyllis, his daughter Charlotte LaFleur Anne, his wife ......... Rebecca Newton Olive, his daughter ..... Norma Rushford Eve, his daughter-in-law Natalie Spear Dick, his son .......... Raymond Murray Doctor Lynn Grey, a country physician, Jolm Swainbank Mary Marshall, a neighbor, Barbara Dunbar Mrs, Marshall, Mary's mother, Barbara Raymond Aggie Sperry, Sidis wife VVanda Bevins On December the eleventh the senior class gathered for their first builders' ban- quet-called Senior Supper. The host and hostess were John Corliss and Betty Larry. l8l