Burlington High School - Arrowhead Yearbook (Burlington, MA)

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belle Abreu, and drummer Geranium Morse. Everybody joins in the fun, even such celebrities at cattle queens, Jerseyanna Carpenter and Gurnseybelle Ben- nett, together with city slickers Jitterbug Norden and Come-On-A-My-House An- derson. On and on they dance, while the music plays as long as a dancer remains on his feet. One by one they fall and are carried off the floor. At last it is over and the casualties appear to be seventeen bashed heads, twen- ty shattered punch bowls, thirty broken legs, twenty disjointed jaw bones, and nineteen splintered funny bones. As the day draws to its end, the good citi- zens of Banana Bend end their fun and hilarity and walk, or are wheeled, to their homes. We join a small group discussing the political situation. Artistic Brown is in animated conversation with Spitfire Lynch, Banana Bend's candidate for president. The Mayor and Petunia Mae are standing by him, while Fearful Inglis, that faithful minion of the law, and ideal of every green-blooded Amer- ican boy, stands staunchly by his charge, the presidential white hope. I-Can- Get-It-For-You-Wholesale (for a price) Jones, hoping to pick up a fast buck, completes this intellectual group, which is slowly fading from view. Our crystal ball has burned out a tube it seems. Farewell, Banana Benders! Whether this be sense or nonsense, the authors of this prophecy, unable to make an honest prediction, at least express a sincere hope that all the char- acters depicted in this satire will find and enjoy all the happiness and pros- perity that it is possible for us to wish them. It is with the greatest reluctance that we terminate our association which will remain a cherished, never-to-be-forgotten period of our lives. Oh, just in case you are wondering, let us introduce ourselves. At the far end of the fair grounds stands a large tent. In this tent we earn our livings as the renowned fortune tellers of Banana Bend, Francine the Informer and Murphy the Reformer.

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Class Prophecy Crystal balls are probably the only device on record at present with any potentialities for replacing television. There are all sizes and wave lengths covering a wide price range, but unfortunately they are becoming a scarce commodity as a result of their high priority rating. Only descendants of the Salem Witches can get them right now. Of course, we have had one for years, and we wish you could look into it to see the big event of the year. It is the annual fair and barn dance of the class of 1952, held in the great barn of Li'l Robert Jay, now Mayor of Banana Bend. Because you don't possess this in- strument which enables you to look into the future, we shall do our best to give a clear account of this stupendous affair. Looking down into a small valley, we see a lopsided little house, the birth-place and present home of Billy Mitchell and Murray Johnson, the Scrag- gly boys. They are combing out their long green beards, and slicking their hair with goose grease in preparation for the long awaited affair. The skunk works have closed for the occasion, giving Bill and Murray a whole day to overpower the aroma of their profession. Everybody, who is anybody, is at this dance. The great and near great, rich and poor alike, the long and the short, the fat and the lean, all are rubbing elbows at the annual gathering and get-together of the clan. Li'l Robert's rich aunt Edith Witthohn Dimondowsky has arrived from New York with her social secretary, Gorgeous McGinnis. Accompanying Miss Dimondowsky is Sun- beam McPeterson, Broadway's contribution to the glamour boys. The big barn is decorated with radiant splendor. There are banners and streamers hung from the rafters, and gay multi-colored bunting that covers the walls and adorns the stalls that house Li'l Robert's prize cows which also ra- diate the spirit of this festive occasion. Credit for this remarkable feat of in- terior decorating is due to the untiring efforts of Starbright Graham Hawkins, Raindrop Michaud Hawkins, and Cloudburst Towse Hawkins, great great grand-daughters of that famous and chivalrous champion of the fair and friv- olous, Silas Homblower Hawkins. Before describing the main event of the festivities, let us give a line or two to the added attractions. First, but by no means last, is the stall — pardon us — booth of that renowned prognosticator of things to come, Madam Violet Zodiac Fowler. Madam Zodiac sees all, knows all, tells nothing. Assisting the mystic Madam is the equally famous soothsayer Old Man Gallipeau-Ver- derhill. Elbowing our mental way through a bevy of masculine swains, we chance upon Rainbow Barton and Datfodil Drapeau, two of Banana Bend’s fair charm- ers operating a kissing booth and doing a thriving business. So far, the loot— we mean the donations for sweet charity — amounts to a platter of squirrel liv- ers, seven skunks, a bushel of toad-stools, a skillet of pickled pigs feet and a jug of Injun Bob Kelly’s Slameroo Sorrow Syrup. The apple-polishing, corn-husking, and turnip preserving contests have to be passed by, as Marrying Don Foley has just announced, that everybody must choose his partner for the big event of the day, the dance-until-you-drop square dance for the prize cow of the year, donated by that fair milk maid, Petunia Mae Murray. Around they dance with reckless abandon, completely intoxicated by the melodious music of fiddler Fair Nellie Nelson, piano player Harmonious Mary-

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