Bridgeport Central High School - Criterion Yearbook (Bridgeport, CT)

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THE CRITERION me to understand that their present undertaking was simply an experiment. The object of the four partners was to get an insight into the mysteries of before settling bungalows, to cooking and serving, down in suburban cater to life-partners. Vkfhen we were paying for our de- lightful repast, we met the other mem- bers of the partnership of Bachelor Girls, and began to compliment them on their good serving and cozy dining- room, but our conversation soon turned to H. S. grads. and their where- abouts. They related that Fred Owens called around occasionally when in town on business, being manager of one of the largest Lumber and XYood Supply Companies in the East. Some- times he was accompanied by his for- mer stenographer, afterwards his house-keeper, Mrs. Tilly Johnson Owens. Once in a while, the just-Like-Home Dinery would have for its honored guests. three stenographers who were employed by prominent local business concerns. This trio had received their instructions in their valuable art at B. H. S. and were: Edith Lingard, Fanny Pious and Margurite Dell. Another means of telling of the present doings and locations of some 'I3's. was a business Directory, which was lying on the cashier's desk, pub- lished semi-annually by the XYeiss- Vlfishengrad Information Bureau. Helen VVeiss and-Rose Vlfishengrad al- ways were good at such work, particu- larly Current Events. This Agency was patronized by many of the agents' former school-mates and as we glanced through the different sections, we noticed some very interesting ads. Twenty-seven On one of the introductory pages wasthe following in large print: THE MAPLES' latest novel by that noted Authoress, Bessie O'Neil fat all Book Storesjs Apparently, Bessie O'Neil had be- come famous as a writer of modern fiction and true-to-nature tales and descriptions. Further on in the directory, we found this: Misses Hoey and llammil Latest Spring Millinery in all of the Seasons' most approved' shapes and sizes. At last, Ruth Hoey had gone into the Hatter's Business. Back in B. H. S. days, many often wondered at the number of hats Ruth had, for she seemed to wear a different one every second day. Edith Hammilis being her partner was not wholly surprising, for as seat mates, they were almost in- separable. In the Musical Section of the edition, a conspicuous ad. proved that Ethel Seamans had found good use for her talent, for we read: Piano Lessons, by the Famous Instructor Mlle. Ethel Seamans, 35 per hour. After promising that we would call again when in the neighborhood, we left the restaurant, and headed down street. At a news-stand Ed. stopped to purchase a paper, and while he was doing so. I viewed the many maga- zines on display. On one of the covers was a picture by Harrison Fisher of a pretty country girl. There

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THE CRITERION My attention was presently drawn to a stout, rosy-cheekeci man, who was promenading the walk. Ile was carry- ing a very conspicuous article, a large pair of opera-glasses. Ed. chirped There goes Sammy and to be certain, it was Sam Lefkowitz, for who else could have such a rosy complexion? My curiosity concerning the opera glasses was satisfied when Ed. told me that Sam was a reporter on the Theatre Review , a local weekly, his descriptions of Musical Comedies, witnessed from the upper Gallery, being very elaborate. Another mem- ber of the paper's staff was Margarite Davidson, her Gigg,e Department' being the cause of many sm'iles and prominent dimples, false-teeth being sometimes affected. Of the advertisers of this periodical, Edythe O'Hara was the most generous. XVanted, A Husbandl' was the brief opening sentence of Edythe's Ad., followed by three full columns of requirements, describing just what he must and must not be. From all appearances, such a creature never was, for three years of continued advertising had not produced a single reply, or proposal. Noisily up the street came a large auto truck, filled with concrete blocks and bags of cement. I read in large letters inscribed on the side: XYILLIAM KOSENA iv CG., Concrete-Stucco N Plaster Supplies. Build a Little Bungalow ofthe famous Kosena Tiles. I afterwards learned that one of Bill's first contracts, after going into business, was to ship a large supply of concrete blocks and tiles to Alliance, Ohio, where a beautiful home was con- structed of them for our former school- masters, Mr. and Klrs. L. B. Mathias. They were now retired from school teaching, and received daily, interest- ing accounts of their former pupils' success in the Business XVorld. Riding in a Creagh Runabout seemed to bring on a hungry feeling, so Ed. suggested that we manger , I needed no coaxing, and after Ed. had safely stored the buzz-car in a near-by garage, we set out in search of a restau- rant. XYe had not walked far when we approached a very cozy looking dwel- ling, an overhead sign reading: The just-Like-llome Dinery Concluding that such a place would satisfy our wants, we entered, and took seats at a table just inside the door. XYhile figuring out a dinner, according to the menu card, we were interrupted by a shuffle of skirts and French-heels, then a white aproned damsel approached the table we were occupying. Only one glance was necessary to prove that the wearer of this 'fChild,s-liken paraphernalia was Helen Quinlivan. Ilaze1', told us that three former B. H. S. girls were her partners, Agnes Jacobs, Laura Labre- cque and Sadie Silverman, and that on every XVednesday evening, they enter- tained their many customers with a 'fCabaret Shown, Sadie playing the piano, Laura singing popular Parisian airs, and Agnes assisting with comi- cal recitations. Not saying how she helped, I suppose Helen kept account of the money. IYhen I asked her if she and her partners intended to continue in this line of business, she laughed and gave Twenty-six

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THE CRITERION was something familiar about the charming face that drew my attention and on second look, I came to the con- clusion that it was none other than our famous Class Beauty, Etola Sandiford, now a very popular model, always in demand. In this magazine was a Fashion Department, edited by Kathryn Blackman, a damsel of great style. From a side street, the familiar and unmistakable strains of the Salvation Army Band could be heard, and as we had no particular place to go, We de- cided to give these industrious people a visit. In order to get to the source of this music, if it might be- called such, we had to pass through a sort of ar- cade, the principal feature of which was a ver-y large motion-picture and vaudeville theatre, the name of which was: The Thirteen Grads. The oddness of the name drew my special attention, my Hrst thought being that it was named and managed by a Gradl' family, thirteen in num- ber. Evidently, I was a poor guesser, for when Dutch' began to praise the suc- cessful musical pupils of our former Class of '13 I learned that four of them now managed and owned this theatre. john McCarthy was the business manager and stage-director, while the music was furnished by the famous Flint Orchestra, Clarence Flint, Di- rector. Frank Gillane, a talented man- dolinist was also a member of this musical group. Of the soloists, Irene Havrilla was the premier, her voice having been trained and cultivated by the leading vocal teachers of the East. Edfs opinion was that these four had gone into business in order to accumu- late enough of the United States Five- cent pieces to enable them to go abroad and develop their arts more extensive- ly. At last, we arrived at the Open Air Meeting and to my great surprise, who was mounted on a small platform, de- livering a speech, but Frank Speer. IVhy, where have you been all this time?l' Ed. inquired of me, seeing my surprise. Why, Speer has become one of the greatest Salvation Army Men and Temperance speakers that ever stood on a barrel and sang. Just now, he is predicting that the end of the world will come next week, but when next week comes, he will speak upon the eternity and everlasting ex- istence of this great planet on which we live. VVhen he is not stump- speaking, he is doing Boy Scout work, for he is a Thirty-Third Degree Mem- ber of that organization. Ed. talked so long, and so eloquent- ly, I was beginning to think that he was wasting his time with automobiles and that he should join Speer in Life- Savingf, Satisfied that Speer had made a name for himself, regardless of nature, we left him to his hobby , and set out towards town. XYhile passing a book-store on the Main street, our attention was attrac- ted by a large show-card, which was in the window, surrounded by a num- ber of expensively bound books, and which read: f'The Famous Du Barry Tales by Du Barry Himself. The contents of these editions consis- ted mainly of the life of john De- Twenty-eight