Brandeis Vocational High School - Yearbook (Boston, MA)

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the state of Massachusetts. Mr. DeChristoforo very soon made practical application of the course by photographing the football team, in action. Later, under the guidance of Mr. Fallona, movies were taken of all the shops and school activities in both the girls' and the boys' build- ings. Outdoor scenes were taken in technicolor. The films were shown at various schools throughout the city, and also before a number of civic organizations. CTalent Scouts for Hollywood please note! Take a look at the Brandeis Movies. You might find some future Walter Pidgeons or Greer Garsons among us - not to mention Betty Grables or Dorothy Lamoursll The year 1944 was particularly outstanding in the matter of extracurricular activities. We entered the city competition in the History Test and Essay Contest. A number of students submitted papers on Improving Airport Facilities in the City of Boston. A member of the Class of 44 was among the winners of an essay contest requested by Mayor Tobin on the sub- ject Religious and Racial Discrimination Must Not Exist in America. Two of our present Seniors represented the school at the Round Table Discussion of the Air, over WMEX. The topic assigned to us was What the Youth of Today ls Thinking. fBy the way, Mr. Vincent Greene is in line for the title of Chief Radio-Program Organizer for B. V. H. S. He has been responsible for quite a few, up to the present time.l As had been the case for several years, the school again took part in the Public School Spelling Bee Contest, sponsored by a Boston newspaper. This year, however, we had special reason to be proud of our record, for, out of twenty-six high schools competing in the Finals, the Brandeis Vocational High was one of the six schools that had two entrants in the Finals. ghey were Donald McDonald fNinth Yearl and Yours truly, the Editor-in-Chief of your Year oo . In March, 1944, Ida Ameno, of the present Senior Class, had the honor to be the standard bearer for Brandeis in the lohn Paul lones Oratorical Contest, again sponsored by a prominent newspaper, and made a very successful debut upon the stage of historic F anueil Hall. A number of boys were privileged to gain first-hand acquaintance with army life by a visit to Fort Devens. lt was rather a breath-taking experience to witness conditions so similar to those existing on the war fronts of the world. 1944- 1945 THIS IS IT! Our Senior Year! Back to Brandeis come loyal and ambitious seniors, willing to sacrifice tempting wages for the advantages they feel will be derived from being the proud possessors of a high school diploma. Soon official Senior business was in full swing. At the first of a number of exciting meet- ings occurred the election of officers. Nicholas Cappello was chosen Class President: Elvira Polcari, Vice-Presidentg Frances Bionelli, Secretary, and Dominic Chiulli, Treasurer. Various committees were appointed shortly thereafter to take charge of the year's activities. It was then that limmy Taccini, appointed as Editor-in-Chief of the Year Book, was temporarily trans- ferred to the Girls' School. CWhat a breakll More and more we began to feel like real Seniors, especially after we received our rings, and later, when we reluctantly went in to have our pictures taken. CThe reluctance seemed chiefly noticeable on the part of the boys. How bashful some people arell Came December, and the usual vacant chairs. Youth to the rescue! Boys and girls, pinch-hitting for the young men and women serving Uncle Sam, go to work as salespeople, messengers, mail carriers and sorters. lanuary saw the return of the noble Seniors to the scene of their regular school respon- sibilities. fBy the way, it was almost one hundred per cent return on the first day after a long holiday intermission. Not so bad a recordll February 16, 1945 - a date that will long be remembered - the night of our COMMENCE- MENT PROM! Brandeis glamour galore! But, seriously, it was a grand success, and every- body had a wonderful time. The rest of the history of the Class of '45 lies, more or less, in the future. There will, doubt- less, be the usual participation in Spelling Bees and in other contestsg there will, perhaps, be Radio Programs. In some, or in all, of these activities, some of us Seniors will take a creditable part. Others may be away from the Home Town by that time, answering our country's call. However, let us hope that we shall all be able to be present at the really great event of our

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CLASS HISTORY ! Another Year! Another Year Book! The Seniors of 1945 reporting! 1941-1942 Those Freshman Days! How far away they seem! 1941 - It was the year of Pearl Harbor! The girls were actively sewing for the Red Cross. Times were beginning to prove a bit exciting for the boys. In fact, many of the Seniors of that year could not be present at their graduation in Iune, 1942, because they had already entered the Armed Forces. It was during our Freshman year that our school received its permanent name, and the first graduating exercises of the new Brandeis Vocational High School were held under the direction of Mr. John I. Boyan, then serving as Acting Principal. The Seniors of 1942 had a rather unique setup. They had a Lady Class President and a Gentleman Class President. In fact, all the other officers were elected in duplicate, so to speak. But this blissful state of !'Woman's Individualism did not last long, for in September of '42, the girls of the new Senior class bowed to the will of their masters C??l, and expressed their desire to have that year, and forever thereafter, a young man as President, a young lady as Vice-President, a young man as Treasurer, and a young lady as Secretary. 1942-1943 At the beginning of this school year Mr. Henry D. Fallona took over the duties of Head- master of the Brandeis Vocational High School. Early in the fall the boys began football practice under the supervision of Mr. Bond. The team played its full schedule of games. Although there were no outstanding victories to report, the players won the respect and admiration of all their opponents for their courage and good sportsmanship. The Hockey and Track teams held their own against all competitors. The more serious military side of our school life was not neglected. The boys drilled long and often under Captain CRough and Tough Marinel Dallahan. The Girls' Department received several letters of commendation from the Red Cross for their work in furthering the War Effort. Between March and lune, 7433 surgical dressings were completed. The Dress- making classes and the Power-Stitching classes made towels, bootees, dresses, and nightgowns, as well as miscellaneous baby garments, as the need arose. Twenty-one sweaters were knitted by another group. The Boys' Woodworking classes did their part by constructing 125 stretchers, and 450 traction splints. The lighter side of the War Effort was taken care of by the Cooking Department and by the Art Department. Almost one hundred dozen cookies were baked and presented to the Buddies' Club. The Art classes made favors and table decorations for Thanksgiving and Christmas parties. Despite these many war activities during our Sophomore year, the cultural side of our life was not entirely forgotten. The school entered a contestant in the Iunior Literary Review Radio Program, sponsored by a leading Boston newspaper. It was also represented by a young man of the Senior class of that year in the lefferson Day Oratorical Contest, held in Faneuil Hall on April 7, 1943. Our school was the first to go on the air in a Safety Radio Skit, broad- cast over Station WORL, on October 2, 1943. So far, we present-day Seniors were somewhat in the background, only just beginning to make our presence known. A few of us played minor roles in the aforementioned activities. 1943-1944 Our JUNIOR YEAR! Now some of us were coming into the limelight. In this year Basket- ball started under the direction of Mr. Shepherd. The season was quite successful: in fact, we had among our players one of the leading scorers of the city, William Barker. In Football, Bill Varkas made the Second Team on the All-Scholastic. As for scoring, the team was handi- capped by the loss, early in the season, of two of its key men, loe Del..orenzo and Raymond Flaherty. Another novelty was introduced this same year. A Photography Course was added to the school curriculum, the only complete photography course to be found in a public school within 1945 pin1uivri0lo11liu11r1c14lic:1.rl:i1 iaioiuin-. -Ui 3.1.11 .1 .. 7 niuguiugu

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career, GRADUATION DAY, which comes early in the month of Iune. After that, it is Farewell to Brandeis. We sincerely hope and pray that our class will be the last War Class to graduate from the Brandeis Vocational High School. In closing, therefore, your Historian wishes to submit these thoughts as being worthy of consideration: Unless within our hearts we hold abiding peace, No League of Nations can succeed, nor will strife cease, If we ourselves see every fault in kin and friend, The world may never see the day when war will end. Let us profit by these warnings, and resolve that, so far as in us lies, the Class of '45 will work for Peace. IAMES TACCINI. Class Historian 4 4 4 AVE ET VALE QHai1 and Farewelll COMMENCEMENT - BRANDEIS - 1945 You have come to a stop, on the long-sought top Of the hill that has marked your climb From the plains below, when you saw the glow Of its mystic light sublime. You breasted the hill with a mighty will, To bathe in its summit light, And there you find, tho it seems unkind - The gate to another night. From here you start, with a burdened heart, Each on his road alone, And it's Life's decree, that where'er you be, You shall never meet as one. So each hand clasp with a firmer grasp, Gaze deeply into each heart. Bind firm each tie with a friendly eye, As the moment comes to part. For some to the war will drift afar, While some to the ploughshare bend, And some, more slow, shall nowhere go, But Wait for the journey's end. But whether away or at home you stay, Watching the Time-clock run, Whatever you do, this fact is true - You never shall meet as one! So each hand clasp with a firmer grasp, Then, though the world away You travel far, no hand can mar The friendships born today. Bind firm each tie with a friendly eye, Then staunchly as when begun, Its spirit bright, in Memories' light Will forever join you as one. - I AMES P. KELLEY ,i,,g,,1.,1.,1., -. 7. -.rioin-.icuii vienxo-go:-ngfsgniu 12315 ......