Concord High School - Bridge Yearbook (Concord, MA)

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FAREWELL Parents, teachers and friends: We, the class of 194-4, have come at last to the end of our high school life. I speak for the class when I say sincerely that we thank our parents for giving us the opportunity to travel this road and to arrive at the goal of successful graduation. We wish to thank our teachers and principals, also, for their never-ending help and patience in guiding us along this way. During the latter years we have found that many of us must make a detour f1'om the paths of future education and chosen careers in order that we may help to preserve and insure the privileges of freedom and education for us and the rest of the world. We are not forgetting the many boys of our class who have already started on this detour before graduation. We devoutly wish that they might be with us today, and we pray that they may speedily find their places in a peaceful world. Although we realize that this detour of war is grim, we face the future hopefully with our faith in God and our country, not forgetting that our foundation for the future has been laid here, and that some of our happiest memories will ever he of Concord High School. LESLIE BAYEUR Page Twenty-three

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WELCOME Friends of the Class of 1944: In behalf of the Class of 1944 I wish to extend to you our sincere welcome. It is with a strange combination of happiness and regret that we reach the end of our course in Concord High School. For our scholastic accomplishments we are indebted to our teachers, who have shown a high degree of understanding and interest in usg never shall we forget their kindness. The past two years have brought 111any changes to us, the direct or indirect results of the War. Many of our classmates and teachers have left us to join the armed forces of our country. All of them we miss, but we are impressed by the fact that in spite of these changes in the faculty, the Concord High School has maintained its same high standards. Our parents, too, have done much to bring to pass the realiza- tions of this day. Their sacrifices, their prayers, and even their com- mands have all helped to bring this happy consummation to our High School career. To them also we would express our gratitude. Some adults have expressed pity fo1' the young people of this day, this day of upheaval and disorder and distress, but I am sure I speak for my contemporaries when I say that we are proud to he the youth of this generation and to be able to play such a tremendous part in the great World drama unfolding at this moment. No one has expressed our feelings more perfectly than William NVordsworth, who was putting i11to words the feelings of another generation of young people in another era of violence and revolution, when he said, HBliss was it in that dawn to be alive, But to he young was very Heaven, FRANK PARKER Page Twenty-two -A

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CLASS HISTORY ln September, 1940, we, the class of 1944, turned our steps from Junior to Senior High School, some with trepidation, some with bravado, some with high ambitions. But however new and strange our first steps, we soon became accustomed to the new routine, and gradually unraveled the bewildering maze of corridors, rooms, bells and rules. Now, in June, 1944, we stand on an- other threshold, before a wider hor- izon, about to enter the far more be- wildering maze of life, the world, where we shall be on our own. But before we go, let us look back in re- view at the four years we have been together. Freshman year was spent mostly in getting acquainted and in making ourselves known to teachers and to each other. We were well repre- sented in all sports. Peter Harwood and Johnny Mandrioli were our shin- ing lights in football, and it was that winter that Tommy McKenna began showing his prowess as a 1'unner. Many of our number joined the Glee Club and tl1e Orchestra as well as becoming members of the Voice Staff and the Athletic Association, and we were proud of our many honor roll members. In February, Frank Parker began his stage career in 'flunc Mad, and Connie Rice gave promise of future talent in the same production. Baseball and track, with Donald Stowe as manager, wound up our first year during which we had taken part in the school activities and become familiar with our work. In 1941 we returned, no longer green but tried and true, feeling quite at home, taking up where we had left off the June before. Our Lincoln friends arrived this fall and they were a happy addition to our already active class which was the largest in the school. Donald Stowe, as manager, and Billy Parker, Johnny Mandrioli, and Pete Harwood as players, brilliantly upheld the glory of our class on the gridiron. Our girls entered i11to field hockey wholeheartedly, and contrib- uted much to the successful season. Early in the fall we gave a party of welcome to the Freshman class, ar- ranging a program entirely from our own talent: .lean Anderson sang, Connie Rice gave readings, and Tom and Terese McKenna entertained at the piano. Many joined the Glee Club and the Orchestra and as usual, actively sup- ported the A. A. The Magazine Drive was helped by our sales-talk, some of the class put this talking ability to good use on the Debating team, among them being Charlotte Rohan. Once again we contributed many names to the honor roll. In mid-winter the annual play claimed our attention. Under the able direction of Miss Rideout, cThe Rise of Silas Laphamn was presented successfully. The presence of Frank Parker and John Dunn added dis- tinction to the cast. Several of our class assisted on the Stage and Prop- erties Committees. The basketball team with Secondo Sablone, Freddy Giusti, and Tommy Gill captured the Burlington Tourna- ment, while Kay Varley and Muriel Fletcher were our addition to the girls' basketball team. Tommy McKenna continued l1is stellar suc- cess on the track team, breaking all sorts of records, including his own. That winter Mr. Geer organized the Student Council, and Rita Coyne and Charlotte Rohan represented the Sophomore class. Witli Mr. Cook at the helm, the baseball team weathered the season, and Tilly Hayes, Freddy Giusti, and Wally Macone did their best. George Blair was assistant manage1'. The declaration of war in Decem- ber had cast a shadow over our lives. Brothers and friends were leaving for service, everyone was knitting, taking First Aid courses, and serving long hours as airplane spotters. In September, 1942, we were back. We were Juniors and veterans now., less noisy than as Freshmen, less wise than as Sophomores, but more gay, more at home. Billy Parker, our president, dis- played great ability as a leader. Rita Coyne, our vice president, could be relied upon in any emergency. Arline Manter, secretary, kept an accurate record of the class, and Jolm Dunn ably handled our finances. Pete Harwood and Tommy Page Twenty-four