Blend High School - Memories Yearbook (Blend, IL)

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Senior History We entered Benld High School in September 1951 and were duly initiated-especially the boys. They really looked funny with lipstick and grease all over their faces. Shortly afterwards we held our first class meeting with Mrs. Baker as our sponsor. Mike Wenzel was elected Pres., Domininic Ingrando, Vice-Pres.; Jack Lesicko, Sec.-Treas. (1) and Betty Ann Varcho and Richard Berutti to the Student Council. Pamela Griva was chosen for the annual staff. (2) In October all of the girls were initiated into the G.A.A. Everyone agreed that we looked funny with our clothes on inside out and backwards, and half of our face made up with thick heavy makeup. We had to carry a bucket around with us for a whole day. (3) Frances Seketa and Pat Thomson received letters for good sportmanship. Our class was honored that year for Pat Thomson became the Rotary Queen. (4) We sponsored a Thanksgiving dance and raffled off a turkey. The dance was so success- ful we decided to make it an annual affair. During the year several boys showed promise as athletes in football, basketball and track A number of our class were in chorus and thirteen were members of the band. (5) Rose Marie Vernetti with Norman Ulaky as her escort represented us in the Valentine Queen's Court. (6) A few of the boys were lucky enough to entertain at the Jr. Sr. Banquet. (7) The girl’s held up our class honor in sports. The Bowlettes, an all Freshman girls team, won the prized trophy at the bowling tournament held in May. (8) Another Freshmen girl was also on a winning bowling team. At the close of school, we went on an all day picnic at Hillsboro and everyone had a nice time. September soon came around. All of us except one returned as experienced Sopho- mores. (9) Now we could laugh at the Freshmen and their outlandish costumes. We met two new teachers-Mr. A. Olson and Mrs. Denutte. Mike Wenzel turned over the class presidency to Ted Lopushinsky. Jack Lesicko be- came Vice-Pres. and Alvera Larcker, Sec.-Treas. (10) Richard Berutti and Betty Varcho remained on the Student Council. (11) Rose Marie Vernetti was a member of the annual staff. Rose Vernetti and Valerie Scopel were in the Rotary Queen's Court. (12) Betty Varcho escorted by Tom Juravich (13) and Pam Griva escorted by Jim Bertagnolli were in the Valentine Queen's Court. (14) Beverly Curtis and Rose Marie Vernetti were chosen to go to the G.A.A. camp. (15) Again this year the boys were active in athletics-nine going out for football, and eight for basketball with two on the first team. (16) Lesicko, Baima, Wenzel, Berutti, and Ingrando earned letters in football; Berutti in basketball; Lesicko, Alepra, Wenzel in track; and Bert- agnolli as Student Manager. (17) Dressed as cowgirls and boys we served at the Jr. Sr. Banquet. (18) Thirteen members still were in the band. Many were in chorus and took part in the Minstrel show given by both choruses under the direction of Mr. Makuh. A few helped the Junior class with the production of Annie Get Your Gun . May came and again we went to Hillsboro for our picnic. Some of us swam and turned lobster red. All of us ate. After another short summer vacation we came back to school prepared for a very full year ahead. (19) We were joined by Tom Lelli of Chicago. Having a good deal to do during this, our Junior year, we set to work immediately. Betty Varcho became Pres., Rose Vernetti, Vice-Pres.; and Elaine Makuh, Sec.-Treas. (20) Betty Varcho and Marvin Little were our Student Council members. The Council decided that we needed a Student Court to take care of the arguments that arise among the students. Pam Griva was the clerk, Marvin Little and Jim Bertagnolli were two of the judges. (21) We had our magazine sales during the last part of September and set a new record by selling $1571.04 worth. Jim Bertagnolli also established a new record by selling $371.07. The other high salesmen were Richard Berutti, Beverly Curtis, Bob Wargo, and Dominic Ingrando. (22) Our boys again went out for sports. Nine boys played football (23) and eight went out for basketball, five being on the first string, (on front liner) Most of the boys went out for track. Baima, Berutti, Butcher, Ingrando, Ismari, Lesicko, Wargo, and Wenzel earned letters in football, Alepra, Baima, Berutti, and Lelli in basketball, Alepra, Butcher, Ingrando, Lesicko, and Wenzel in track. Beverly Curtis escorted by Ed Alepra (24) and Elaine Makuh escorted by Bob Wargo (25) represented us in the Valentine Queen's Court. We received our class rings in February. On May 11th under the guidance of our sponsor Mrs. Baker we honored the Seniors

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with the annual Jr. Sr. Banquet. The theme “Song of the Islands was carried out in the room and table decorations. The guests which included the faculty and board of education and their wives stepped off a gangplank onto the islands and were seated at candlelit tables adorned with shells, pineapples and other fruits. The servers and dancers added much color with their Hawaiian costumes. (Pages 19-23) Rose Vernetti and Jim Bertagnolli went to Girls’ and Boys’ State. (26) Six of our class were still in the band and Norman Ismari took first in the State Contest with his clarinet solo. (27) Now we are in our last year of high school. We are sorry that all of the pupils who started out with our class are not with us now. Bill Calovini left at the end of the Freshman year, Ted Lopushinsky moved to Philadelphia early in the Sophomore year, and Frances Seketa left later on in the same year. Joe Zerbolio left us to enter the University of Chicago before the start of the Junior year. Vickie Johnson moved to Mt. Olive, Mike Yatcho transferred to a school in Iowa, and John Lacopo decided to leave us during the Junior year. Pat Thomson and Larry Frinsko did not return this year. (28) This completes our history up to the present year. This year’s activities will be recorded throughout this volume of “Memories’ .