East High School - Exodus Yearbook (Cleveland, OH)

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CLASS HISTORY We came from near-by junior high schools with curious eyes to find a new world, and a new alma mater, East High School. We knew that new friends would join us, and that varied courses of study would be offered to us. As lOB's we didn't dream how important this great school would become in our lives. How could we? The future was.misty. The events now so very important to us were as yet undreamed of. It has taken them three years to unveil themselves. As lOB's we got together socially for the first time with the 10B mixer. Re- member the mad line-up for the ice cream and pretzels? During the spring of 1945, we were humming these new songs: Don't Fence Me In, Rum and Coke, and Candy”. The class was pushing the war bond drive hard with home room goals, the cost of shells, motorcycles, and even bombers. The military war was supreme then in our daily interest. The day of 10B recogni- tion came and twenty-five people received credit for outstanding work in different fields of study. We progressed; we passed into the 10A. This semester the school noon canteen opened. We danced and played games here when we didn't wish to go to the movies. We promoted a Victory Loan drive and studied very hard during this semester. Sixteen students made the honor roll. In the 1 IB we continued pushing our studies, or were the studies pushing us? Mr. Coughlin's 11B-2 Home Room showed up all of the school in the tax stamp drive which was to finance new band uniforms. Philip Kovalchuk's and Norman Petite's track ability was discovered. The honor roll list contained 11 names this time. At the start of our 11A semester Mr. Emmett E. Smeltz was transferred to another school and Dr. P M. Watson took his place as principal of East High. We all missed Mr. Smeltz very much but we soon came to regard Dr. Watson as a friendly and fair principal. Under the coaching of Greg Conly, Jim Tassie and Philip Kovalchuk helped our team upset Shaw High to the tune of 25 to 7. Drives for the attendance reward of a half-holiday, for the Community Chest, and for tax stamps needed to purchase a new football truck kept us busy. Jean Weiss was crowned football queen and was presented with orchids and roses at the East-East Tech game. The National Honor Society inducted Vera Kanar- eff, Philip Kovalchuk, Richard Krajec, Lois Merkle, Lenore Mitchell, Evelyn Nicholls, and Mary Pitterman. Our honor roll boasted nine 11A students for this semester. The next step forward found us realizing that this was our last year at East High. We were 12B's. Now we were more active as leaders in the school. The 12B officers' election finished with these results: Dick Krajec, president; Pat DeFrancesco, vice president; Norma Fasciano, secretary; George Skenzic, treasurer; and James Tassie, sergeant at arms. We drove for tax stamps to buy a 16mm camera and choral club risers. Jean Weiss was elected secretary of the Student Council. We cheered when East High became the East Senate Champs in basketball and sighed when we lost the City Championship to South High by only two points. Remember the big parade around the school with floats, posters, costumes, and balloons, accompanied by the band? Coach Fleishman was named scholastic basketball coach of the year.” Clara Minadeo was elected attendant to the May Queen. Our 12B Mixer was a success. We had our serious moments, too. On Memorial Day East dedicated the Memorial Plaque to those who gave their lives in World War II. The National Honor Society inducted Jean Chandler, Norma Fasciano, Marjory Hiscock, and William Soeder. Vera Kanareff was named Mantle Orator. We worked on— our time at East was running out. We left then for summer vacation, forgetting momentarily the responsibilities which we had held as 12B's and those which we would assume as graduating seniors.

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FOOTBALL Although the '47 East High football club could not find the proverbial silver lining of the cloud that enshrouded the scholastic circuit in Cleveland, it was more effective than the scores indicated. The boys on the squad taxed their physical and mental capacities to the utmost in an effort to win. Ample proof of their exertion was the brilliant first half performances of the team. The lack of experience and depth, the scourge of the Conlymen through- out the season, was apparent in the annual opener which Shaw won, 34-6. The lone Blue and Gold tally came in the last period, a 70 yard march. In the following exhibition with Mansfield, the Bombers established a six- point halftime lead. However, the downstaters' replacements ripped the fa- tigued Deckerites for 28 markers in the final half to van, 28-6. East opened its Senate schedule with Central on September 27. Statistic- ally the Conleymen won, but mathematically the laurels went to the Trojans, 6-0. Three times the Bombers were halted within 10 yards of the end zone. On the successive week-ends the Eastites were outclassed 51-0 by Cathe- dral Latin and then 36-0 by Benedictine. The Cleveland News focused its scholastic spotlight on the East-John Adams game, played October 23. This see-saw contest resulted in a 6-0 triumph for the Rebels. Eager for victory, the Bombers engaged Glenville in a battle for the cellar status. The 19-12 victory of the Conlymen was the result of an underdog eleven refusing to accept an inferior rating. The Blue and Gold's only '47 session triumph occurred when Left End Wally Simpson passed 27 yards to Left Half Paul Kolach, who raced the remaw • ing 45 yards to paydirt. This erased a Glenville six point lead. Then Right Iialf Phil Kovalchuk circled right end for the extra point which gave the Eastites the unrelinquished lead for the remainder of the contest. Touchdowns scored on a 24-yard aerial play with Quarterback Joe Somich hurling to Left End Jack Hribar and a one-yard plunge by Somich increased chances of victory for the Conlymen. When the Eastites closed the season with a 27-6 defeat by East Tech, the scholastic gridiron careers of Jim Tassie, Carl Viviani, Phil Kovalchuk, Wally Simpson and Pat DeFrancesco, five members of the January '48 class terminated. The '47 football season rings down the curtain also on the successful coach- ing career of Gregory Conly, head football mentor at East High for a decade. To the football team and Coach Conly the January '48 class says, Thanks, men, for a nice try. Although the season was lean it nevertheless provided many thrills for everyone. Among the top remembrances are—'the referee biting the dust after being blocked out by Tassie in the John Adams game—the brilliant fire- work display in the second half of the Mansfield contest—an Eastite sports scribe knocked into the air on a roll-block thrown by Kovalchuk that was in- tended to stop Earl Gentile, Latin flash back—the hooded appearance of Mr. J. C. Coughlin, when he was walking up and down the sidelines at the Glsn- ville tilt, with a blanket wrapped around him. The musical harmony on the bus enroute to Mansfield—the magnificent performance of Left Tackle Jack Hribar when he backed up the -line in the Mansfield scrimmage—that wonderful feeling after the Glenville game—the spontaneous cheers—«Tassie's swan dive over the Rebel's line when he blocked the placement for the extra point—Kovalchuk's tricky maneuvers when he went 48 yards to score on a pass thrown by Somich in the Mansfield contest - the big smile of Right End Lou Ralston when he recovered a Latin fumble— and—.

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We organized our 12A class with Richard Krajec, president; Norma Fasciano, vice president; Mary Pitterman, secretary; Norman Petite, treasurer; and Jim Tassie, sergeant at arms. The president appointed committees for the Year Book, the Prom, the 12A Mixer, the Financial Affairs, and a Class Historian. On the Year Book Committee were Vera Kanareff, chairman; Dolores Anglovar, Robert Keiter, Robert Lynch, Evelyn Nicholls, Albert Samperisi, and Gloria Smargiassi. Serving on the Prom Committee were Lois Merkle and Carl Viviani, co-chairmen; Rose Christopher, Emma Padolski, Walter Simpson, and James Tassie. The 12A Mixer Committee consisted of James Skowronski and Verjean Kuivenen, co-chairmen; George Antolovic, Rose Cortese, Anthony Kruszewski, Vera Sosa, and Stella Zailac. The students on the financial com- mittee were Norman Petite, chairman; Natalie Delnostro, Pat DeFrancesco, and Stella Klaich. The Class Historian was Evelyn Nicholls. Those on the Class Prophet Committee were Mary Jo McMahon, Helen MuKavetz, Frank Shima- mura, and George Skenzic. The school elected as its Student Council officers Richard Krajec, vice president, and Jean Weiss for secretary. Eastites buzzed with the excitement of choosing the football queen. Janet Spurney and Mary Pitterman were elected attendants to the queen. Philip Kovalchuk was captain of our football team. Serving with him on the squad were Patrick DeFrancesco, Walter Simpson, James Tassie, and Carl Viviani. Gene DelNero was captain of East's cross-country track team. Lois Merkle was a Community Chest speaker from East High and gave numerous speeches to different organizations in Cleveland on behalf of the Community Chest drive. Indeed, our senior year has been filled with extra-curricular activities. We can look in retrospect at rallies, activity ticket sales, and the excitement of planning our graduation at John Hay High School, our Prom at Tudor Arms Hotel, and our senior dinners given by home rooms and various clubs. There was our 12A mixer complete with music, toothpicks, balloons, and beans. We had ice cream cake roll with candies. Also there was a memorable Christmas dance which was held in the gym. This class of January, 1948, will enter the community as citizens dedi- cated to the struggle for peace. The war is over, but the fighting goes on with world-wide peace as its goal. We have studied the fumbling progress of the world toward this goal as found in our history books. We have come to put our faith and hope in the United Nations Organization for the prevention of any future world war. Our country we know, must take an active part in the sup- port of this world-wide government. If our own government is to fulfill its honor-bound duty there stands the necessity for active, wide-awake, interested, and intelligently informed electors. We have been exposed to training which was to prepare us for this important task of citizenship; now we must go forth with the confidence of youth to prove this education worth while by exercising it in the form of leadership, character, and of good citizenship. We have tried to hold up the standards of East High as a class and now we shall do it individually. EVELYN NICHOLLS