Bromfield High School - Beacon Yearbook (Harvard, MA)

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Brom? i QELA Be anon The graduation of nineteen hundred and forty-eight was almost here. The classes were practicing singing and marching. Then came the big night. Even though we were just ending our sophomore year, we were glad to see this graduation because it meant that in two years we would be in the front row if we were lucky. The fall term of our junior year began on September eighth, nineteen hundred and forty-eight. On this first day we noticed that we had two new members, Barbara Benjamin and Francis Lennihan. The class now had in it Barbara, Wayne, Lois, Mary, Robert, Francis, Marie, Paul, Albert, and Jane. The teachers were Mr. Dunlap, Miss Brown, Mrs. Clifford, and Mrs. Turner The cast' for the annual Senior Play was chosen in early October. Marie and Jane were given parts. Mary Fox left us in October. On October 29, 194.8 we, the Junior Class, had a Hallowe'en Dance to raise some money for the Junior Prom. Just before the play was to be presented one of the seniors became ill, and Wayne Blackwell was asked to take his place. Soon it was nineteen hundred and forty-nine, and we found ourselves decorating the auditorium for our Prom. We decorated the hall in blue and white and had large clusters of balloons on the ceiling. These were to be released when the dance was almost over. April first came - a perfect night. The crowd was large, and everyone seemed to enjoy himself. The members of the class who took part in sports during this year were Lois, Marie, Albert, Wayne, and Robert. Jane Waters was now head cheer leader. About this time Mr. Dunlap announced the Beacon Staff. Wayne Blackwell, Marie St. John, and Robert Hall were on his list. It was not long until graduati-on. When that night came, each of us juniors had his fingers crossed, and was thinking, Next year I will be in the front row. The summer went by very quickly. Soon it was time for school to open. Due to some work that was being done in the school, classes did not begin until September twelfth, nineteen hundred and forty-nine. This was to be our most important year. As seniors we felt very proud. There now were Wayne, Lois, Robert, Barbara, Francis, Marie, Paul, Albert, and Jane in our class. Our teach- ers were to be Mr. Dunlap, Miss Br-own, Mrs. Clifford, Mrs. Turner, and Mr. Driscoll, who was to be both teacher and coach. He coached our first six-man football team, our basketball teams, and our baseball team. The Senior Class all went to Worcester to see the Clark University Players present Othello . The play was produced in Shakespearean style. Shortly afterward the parts for the Senior Class play The Doctor's Daughter were announced. All the seniors were given parts. The play was given on December second, nineteen hundred and forty-nine, and we all feel that it was a success. On January eighteenth, nineteen hundred and fifty, our class went to Boston to have our pictures taken. After the pictures were taken, we went to Schraffts' for lunch. Later we purchased tickets for Brigadoon . Page Nineteen

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Br-om?iel.cl. Bcgscon THE HISTORY OF THE CLASS OF 1950 as written by Robert Hall The nine of us who were graduated from Harvard Grammar School felt very important. We all agreed that when the first day of high school came we would show the other classes in Bromfield just how brave we were. The school opened on September fourth, nineteen hundred and forty- six. In we came, Wayne Blackwell, Lois Dickson, Mary Fox, Robert Hall, Sally Leadbetter, Marie St. John, Robert Salvas, Paul Thatcher, and Albert Tooker, laughing, joking and making a lot of noise. When the bell rang, everyone became very quiet, that is, everyone except the freshmen. We felt that we were so important that we did not have to be quiet, we were different. This feeling was short lived. Mr. Dunlap rose behind his desk and quietly stared at us until our egos collapsed like so many pricked balloons. From then on we knew that We were the least important class in Bromfield. We noticed that we had a new classmate, Jane Waters. Jane looked just as much afraid of Mr. Dunlap as we were now feeling. We saw too that our teachers were Mr. Dunlap, Miss Brown, Miss Moulton, and Mrs. Turner. The first of October, when the parts for the Senior Play were assigned, we were proud to hear that Marie was taking the part of a grandmother in the play, Almost Summer . Marie was also on the Beacon staff that school year. Even though they were freshmen, Lois, Marie, Jane, and Sally played on the girls' athletic teams. Albert Tooker and Robert Salvas played on the boys' teams. In April we were joined by James Joyce. From April until June was a small step. Soon we were decorating the auditorium for graduation. On the night of June thirteenth, nineteen hundred and forty-seven we ex- perienced our first high school graduation. We returned to school on September third, nineteen hundred and forty-seven. Now we were sophom-ores, and we could look down one some- one. We could also sit nearer the rear of the room. We liked this idea. After we were settled, we saw that we had lost two of our classmates: Robert Salvas and James Joyce had left us. The Sophomore Class now was made up of Wayne, Lois, Mary, Robert, Sally, Marie, Paul, Albert, and Jane. Though there were a few changes in our class, we still had the same teachers. When the parts were given out for this year's play, we learned that Wayne was to play the part of Commander Stone in Act Your Age . In December we l-ost Sally Leadbetter. Our class now had eight members. Marie and Wayne were on the Beacon Staff for this year. In this school year Lois, Marie, Albert, Wayne, and Robert played sports for Brornfield. Jane Waters and a senior girl started cheering for our teams. Page Eighteen

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Bromfiield. Beacon On our way home after the show we stopped at Howard J ohnson's for dinner. Prize speaking was held again this year. Frank, Wayne, and Jane went to Littleton for the finals where Frank won honorable mention. Just before our April vacation, Mr. Dunlap announced our parts for graduation, so we could have something t-o do during our week off. Now on this night of June twenty-third the history of our four years at Bromfield comes to an end, but in our hearts the affection for Bromfield will live forever. Sk Pl! Dk THE LIFE OF JACK LONDON In 1876 Jack London was born in San Francisco, the son of an itiner- ant Irish astrologer and Flora Wellman, a music teacher. When her son was but a few months old, Flora Wellman married John London, who gave his name to the child. In 1878 wanderlust struck the Londons, who gathered their few be- longings and moved to Oakland. As Jack grew older, he acquired paper routes which took him along the waterfront lined with saloons with which he later became so well acquainted. Life along the coast was fascinating to the adventure-hungry boy. There lay at anchor ships from distant ports, and each vessel spoke to him of far-flung adventures. Another gateway soon opened for Jack, and through it he stepped into the world of books. Throughout all his life Jack treasured these books. The year 1889 saw a small victory for Jack. He was graduated from Oakland Cole Grammar School and then, unwillingly but out of necessity, he worked for a time earning enough to support his dependent family. From his small wages Jack managed to save a few dollars to buy a leaky, second-hand skiff and spent his leisure hours sailing the Estuary and San Francisc-o Bay. The moon danced on the chopping waves as the Razzle Dazzle, J ack's newest investment, responded to his will. The thrill of his first raid on the oyster beds long lived in the b0y's memory as did his new title, Prince of the Oyster Pirates . This was a short-lived adventure, for Jack's con- science began to pirate his everyday thoughts. At the age of nineteen, Jack entered Oakland High School, supporting himself meanwhile. He then attended the University of California at Berkeley. Inevitably the call of the Yukon trumpeted in Jack's ears. Soon he had crossed the Divide seeking gold, had wintered in the Northland, and had graduated from a cheeckako to a veteran of the gold rush. His efforts left him penniless, and his zest for this great adventure suddenly evaporated. Back in Oakland Jack realized that the love of writing seethed in his veins. Although he had experienced much disappointment, his articles earning barely postage money, Jack was determined to rise from his pit Poqe Twenty