Classical High School - Blue and White Yearbook (Springfield, MA)

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TI-IE BLUE AND WHITE The History of the Class of IQ4Ig GRADUATION REFLECTIONS Gosh, I didn't think I'd feel as nervous as this! If they'd only hand out those diplomas a little faster, I wouldn't have to hobble along at the end of this line, feeling as though every eye in the auditorium is on me. just think! Graduation at last. It doesn't seem quite real. But there's Mr. I-Iill, handing out diplomas, and here are my classmates all about me. And there's Mr. Brown, sitting in the audience. Seeing him re- minds me of my first day at Classical. I was attempt- ing to cross the corridor into the asembly hall when I collided with a hurrying figure wearing a brown business suit and a snappy yellow tie. It was Mr. Brown. Patiently he explained to me that a student at Classical should never cross in front of a teacher. Classical teachers, it seemed, were a peculiar lot who walked around the corridors lost in thought, seeing nothing of the life about them. Pondering this, I entered the assembly hall where I met all my old friends and made many new ones. It was soon apparent who our leaders would be. Nomination papers were timidly brought forth, a few halting speerhes were delivered, the ballots cast, and Donald Fitzgerald became our first class President. George Clark became Vice- President, George lVIcKaig, Secretary, Robert Crosby, Treasurer, and William Friese, Member-at-Large. Second Polybius? It wasn't long after the election, I recall, that we had the blizzard of March 13. I have a picture of classrooms nearly empty of pupils and of stacks of excuses the next day mentioning colds and cars break- ing down. There was also a rumor that the faculty had begun to wonder why the boys always came back after such snowstorms with blisters on their hands, sore backs, and more spending money in their pockets. But we freshmen were too busy to pay much attention to such talk. Before gwe had found the answers to the questions, What makes Mr. R. R. Smith smile to himself as he walks along the corridors? and, What happens to all the food before the pupils who have third lunch can get down tothe lunchroom? vacation had rolled around. ak 44 ik wk Pls nk lk ik Well, I'm halfway up the aisle now. I can see my folks from here. lsn't that Bill McManus up there getting his diploma? I well remember the year he was Treasurer of our class. 'We were juniors then. I remember that the elections were hotly contested that year by our politically-minded classmates. Paul I-Ieenehan was chosen President, Donald Fitzgerald, Vice-President, Fay Reed, Secretary, Bill was Treasurer and William Friese was Member-at-Large again. That was the year the drama was revived at Classical with the presentation of W. S. Gilbert's comedy, Creatures of Impulse. Then came the variety review, I-leck's-a-poppin. Soon the Recorder and ,the Student Government had launched the drive that was to give Classical a much improved lighting system. After vacation we had to decide whether or not to defer and graduate with the class of H '4z . Those of us who did not defer became the class of U ,4IM,H I-Iowever, no change was made until our senior year. Thus we had a large class and our junior dance, the Patriots' Prom, was a great success. I Pl! lk ik 41 Ik :lf ik P14 After becoming seniors, time seemed to fly by. In 113, events followed one another in quick succession under the able direction of Miss I-Iorrigan and Miss Nlaney, our class advisers. First, we chose class officers. Bill Ivlclvlanus was President, james Ryalls, Vice-President, Agnes Dufault, Secretary, and Leo Desotell, Treasurer. Later in the semester we combined with the IIA class to give our class dance, a gala evening of fun. A while after that we witnessed another major change in our poor, battered traffic system. The need for such a change had been made evident to all. The new sys- tem worked well, a tribute to the school and the newly- organized traffic squad. It seems to me that we went back to full sessions about this time. Luck had been with us when the lunchroom with its ultra-modern lighting system was not Hnished on schedule. As a result we had short -13-.

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THE BLUE AND WHITE EVERETT HENRY WEAVER 5oo W ILBRAHAM ROAD Indiana School of Embalming Ballot Committee 3. Laugh and the whole worlct laughs with you. EDWARD HOOTSIE WEBB 559 UNION STREET American International College Football IQ Track IQ Squad Leader ig Quotations Committee 3. Merry as the day is long. HAROLD JACOB WEBER 63 HOLLYWOOD STREET Northeastern University Baseball IQ Intramural Basketball ig Athletic Scholarship Pin ZQ Chairman of Photography Committee 3g Soccer 1, 2. Every man is a volume if you know how to read him. ALBERT CHARLES YENIAN O MAYNARD STREET Northeastern University Snapshot Committee 39 Intramural Basketball 1, 2, 3. A little nonsense now and then is relished by the best of men. Q' Students who remained in school to june IQ42 to complete their course. WP pf' '-M:-q i 'I -?2f'f ll- V R2 T R i ' ' - lim Hia. 'F ,i, :'!iS 'iELf7g?'!9?-A L 1' 1' 1' mr' ' 12-Li

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THE BLUE AND WHITE sessions for a time - all too short a time for those who look back with pleasure upon afternoons spent in quiet relaxation after a morning's work at school. Autumn came, bringing thoughts of football and high spiritsj On the team we were represented by Larry lvlulvaney, who played first-string center. Will any of our class ever forget how close we came to losing our lone representative when report cards came out that marking period? Ah, but then, my classmates and I, we don't talk about that. Next I remember everyone hurrying about, each intent upon his own affairs and adding to the general confusion which marked graduation. Because of the smallness of our class, every person was on a graduation committee. Numerous plans had to be made and, above all, graduation pictures had to be taken. The proofs were the cause of many a sleepless night. In school, straight-forward young men and women were transformed into scheming wretches in the general effort to get rid of these pictures. It was rumored about, though I never believed it myself, that Herbert jones was giving away a season pass to the Arcade theater with every one of his photographs. Then one afternoon when our homeroom was almost empty, a freshman walked up to me and asked what I thought of the chances of getting Lewis Tapp's after- school job. What job, I inquired. You know, he said, the work he does after school every day in IO5.ll Patiently I explained to the fellow that Lewis wasn't employed by the school in the detention room, but only attended regular sessions there. Why, I almost forgot where I am. In a moment now I will be getting my diploma. Say, that soldier in uniform over there makes me think of Leo DeSotell and jack Gotthart, who left our class a few weeks before graduation to join the marines. I wonder if they're here now. I'll bet they are, and sporting their new out- fits too. Those marine uniforms always did make a hit with the girls. Well, it's my turn now. As I step up to receive my diploma, a series of pictures races through my mind. I see the flagpole as it is at dismissal time surrounded by groups of yelling pupils, I see Mr. Ed. Smith joking with his class from his perch on a front deskg I see Ivlr. Hill raising himself on his toes to emphasize a point he is making in an assembly hall talk, and then I see the whole school singing carols in the auditorium at Christ- mas time. Three fine years of work and play these have been. We'll never forget them. GEORGE USDANSKY, Chairman SIBILLA ERNST IVIARJORIE BICKNELL LAST BIT OF HISTORY- CLASS PARTY FEB. 1942 1241