Dighton Rehoboth High School - Golden Log Yearbook (Dighton, MA)

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Class irtory Twenty-eight Lest We Forget! DEAR DIARY September, 1944-Dighton High School, here we are. Accepted without qualms into the class of '48. Smiling faces-friendly greetings-terrifying tur- moil! Stairs and bells. Comical confusion on wrong room, wrong time. Classes, small and large. Teachers in all variations of size and disposition. We like it here. 1944-A month of homework and fun. Friendships molded. Life begins even for Freshmen! An era of leadership led by james Dutra, assisted by Robert Patterson, Ruth Rounsevell, and john Dutra. November, 1944-Freshman superiority in salesmanship in the Magazine Drive. What did we tell you? Those also serve who only stand and wait. We stood in lines too as was the custom of the day, but we bought our bonds and waited as we did our bit for Victory. December, 1944-Winter yields its power in Dighton. Brr! First big dance for little underclassmen. Thrills, frills, chills. Anticipa- tion is better for worseb than reality-they always find our feet. Christmas and a rest! 1945-Alas and alack-mid years! Why? Peace is never lasting. The month of work first, then pleasure. One bright spot-the gym and bas- ketball. Freshmen represented by Pete Cummings and Jim Dutra. February, 1945-Hearts and flowers! A social must- The Mardi Gras . French Club formal providing exotic evening, exotic gowns-gee, just exotic! Rose Evangelho and Robert Cummings looked simply divine as our rep- resentatives in the court. Mid-winter relaxation. We need it, but definitely. March, 1945-One, two, three, four. Push ups, push downs, swing from the raft- ers. Ah yes, the annual Gym Meet. More laughs-the Talent Show. Outstanding actors were Joe Cambra, john Dutra, jim White, and Ruth Rounsevell. April, 1945-School work? Yes, we occasionally attend classes. What are we say- ing? Toil and trouble-slave and save-just cogs in the wheel of educa- tion. Parade of cottons. Winter must be over. May, 1945-Spring fever. Sulphur and molasses. A festival in the form of the junior Prom. Imagine but one more month of acute freshmaness! june, 1945-This year has flown. Its memories, poignant and yet passive, will never fly from us. To climb into the Sophomore class is our next flight. Thanks for our outing at Crescent Park. Whee! A lovely way to end a happy year. We like it here. DEAR DIARY September, 1945-Hi! We're back. No longer green and dewey-eyed. Poor Frosh, you'll learn. We did. We have increased. We have Miss Laliberte to help us, and Rehoboth has arrived with laughter, luck, and promise of a successful year. October, January,

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Sa lu mtory THE WORLD AND THE GRADUATE Today, many of the nations of the world are in a restive state due to important problems set before them for decisive action. The cause of this predicament rests upon an important issue which has been introduced for adoption. This is the choice of two ways of living: the American way of life or the Soviet way of life. Our method yields friendship, co-operation, equality and unity, the other yields meaningless promises and domination by force. These nations, before considering a choice, should visualize and weigh the possible benefits of each plan. They see the Iron Curtain drawing down and pressing westward across Europe, threaten- ing its neighbors politically and economically. Then, in the opposite direction, they perceive our in- dependence and progress. We are attempting to procure salvation from the Iron Curtain for these nations with the Marshall Plan. A problem arising before us under these circumstances is whether the domination by Russia of these oppressed nations will produce a conflict between Americanism and Communism. Is war the only alternative? This seems to be the question uppermost in the minds of Americans today. We must realize that, for the present, we face rivalry between our way of life, our ideals, our sys- tems of industry, our form of government and those of the Soviet Union. This rivalry may result in war. Yet we must be aware of war and should consider the factors of preparedness. Robert S. Allen, a noted columnist, points out that the Iron Curtain is not as impervious as the Soviets want us to believe. Facts indicate that Russia is having great difficulty in rebuilding and re- organizing its war-ravaged industries. The industrial wealth which Russia lacks lies in rail equip- ment, in motor transport, in new plants and equipment, in machine tools. These items form the fun- damentag ingredients of a nation's war potential, and Russia does not possess these in sufficient quan- tity at t is time. Another factor in determining the capability of a country to wage successful war is the degree of military advancement in the most effectual and modernized method of waging war. Upon the sub- ject Stalin has this to say: The second World War was merely a prelude to modern war in this age, which will be based on the complete domination of the air. Aviation will play the primary and deci- sive role in this type of warfare . . . Entire armies will engage in the air . . . The nation which can put more men and machines in the air will have the greatest chance to win. Yet, we may think Russia has two advantages. First, it has the largest standing army in the world and, second, it has the greatest land area. But this great standing army does not measure up to Stalin's own statement. Its extensive land area would not necessarily hinder air invasion or bombard- ment. This great army would not be an asset in an atomized war or in a war of jet propulsion. A nation could easily destroy an army with germ invasion and devastate a country with atom bombs. Pondering upon our questions of war, a feasible solution should include action upon the Marshall Plan, aviation progress, and military training. It is obvious that the Marshall Plan may provide the best way to preserve or at least to improve the prospects of world peace. This is not too large a price to pay to maintain free nations in western Europe in the traditions of democracy , in the principles of human dignity , and in the respect for individual rights . We must not forget that there will be no western world fit for free man to live in unless we keep the avenues open to freedom and prog- ress of the individual by our example. If these statements of Mr. Allen, Stalin, and other commentators are true, we can see that war with Russia is not imminent. What does all this have to do with us, the graduating class of 1948? This problem of Russia and the United States faces us perhaps more forcibly than any other. We must be patient and broad- minded in order to meet new problems of our challenging world. We are confident because we are enabled through the efforts of our parents, our teachers, and our friends to meet our nation's demands for intelligent citizenship. It is our duty to fulfill this trust by improving ourselves further by wisely using our education in determining our path in world living. Then, and only then, can our democratic institutions endure and become strong enough to withstand any form of attack. -EMILY DULAK Twenty-seven

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CLASS HISTORY fContinuedJ October, 1945- Fight, fight with all your might. We did and we dood it again! Success was ours in the Magazine Drive. Classes are still being held, by the way. As runs the true course of nature, they prove more difficult but interesting. November, 1945-Tribal officers elected to sponsor the rising star four class- ahemll of Dighton were: joan Horton, president, james Dutra, vice- presidentg Kathleen Higgins, secretary, and john Dutra, treasurer. The latter has been with our money for two years! December, 1945-So soon it has arrived again. Snow flakes, zero temperature, but also the warmth of the Yuletide. Dighton High celebrates the season with the annual Christmas dance. Such fun! Happy holidays ahead. 1946-Oh no! Oh yes! Guess-Two more arrivals to brighten up the month, year and future: Shirley Lemieux and Jeanne Hebert. They come from near and far to attend Dighton. fHow true! D February, 1946-Month of surprises, merriment, and holidays. Basketball is still our favorite sport, by far-and by far, we are doing fine. Merriment is furnished by our eventful Mardi Gras . Still exquisite. New formals, new suits, and sparkling ties. Rose Evangelho Cagain this yearh and james White as our candidates. Enjoyable evening! March, 1946-Excitement pervades as the Gym Meet once more highlights the social calendar. Prizes were awarded to two of the members of the class of '48-Emily and John. April, 1946-Play contest! Class participation and the Sophomores Cthat's usb walked off with the prize. james White and james Gurney, practical jokers on and off the stage, held the audience in glee. Freetown asked for a performance. They got it. They liked it. Thank you, relatives and friends. May, 1946-Responsibility for Sophomores causes thinking fsomething new in this twentieth century! and worry Cthat we have rarely done, also! . Our first big enterprise-the Sophomore Hop. The date is memorable-May 29, 1946. Successful in every way! June, 1946-To repeat ourselves in another language tempus fugit . That memorable outing at Long Pond in East Freetown! We now find ourselves on the threshhold of becoming upperclassmen. We have a summer to anticipate, and our eagerness for September is self- evident. See you soon, Dighton. How we like you! DEAR DIARY September, 1946-Greetings to another year! We are off in a blaze of glory. For two years we have added to our account for that Washington trip, and our goal this year is great. Whole-hearted participation is expected, for the Class of 1948 never shirks. We will do it. Confidence! 1946-Elections for this gala year. james Dutra, chosen to lead, james Gurney, to aid, Shirley O'Connell, to note our activities, and that money man is in again, John Dutra! Excitement prevails! The seniors ran into a flaw in their preparations for the Harvest Dance. Tch, tch! All inilammable decorations literally torn down. Disaster! But all was repaired in time, and the dance was success- ful. Sales talk made us victorious once more in the Magazine Drive. Besides, this increased our savings considerable. Do you blame us for being happy? january, October, Twenty-nine