East Longmeadow High School - Aegis Yearbook (East Longmeadow, MA)

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1,,1e:ff1virii'1 we .,,.. ., HISTORY of the DAVID LALIMA BRYAN PLUMB ROBERT A. NELSON CLASS Of President, 59-60, Vice-President, 59-60, Member, Student Council, Member-At-Large, 61-62. President, 60-61, 59-62. Many times it has been said that the new, low, modern high school of today is quite similar, both in appearance and performance, to a factory. The students seem to enter one end and leave the other, as a class, all packaged and sealed and ready for a business or college career. Yet, unlike the thousands of exact reproductions that pour off the end of an assembly line, the classes that leave a high school are different in many ways, each being unique in its own way. Also unlike the factory which turns out hundreds of articles each day, the high school graduates a class only after 12 long years of study in the elementary, junior high, and high school levels. These are years of study to prepare us for the day when we must face the world on our own with our education serving as the sword with which we will defend ourselves and carve our place in the future. The class of 1962, upon graduating from East Long- meadow High School, boasted of being the first class ever to graduate from our school. The class of 1964, immedi- ately behind us, will be proud of being the first-and probably only-class to graduate having served four suc- cessive years in the high school. We, the second in line of these first three classes to attend the new school, are a unique class also. We are as proud, if not prouder, to be the first class to graduate from ELHS having served the entirety of our 12 years of schooling in the wonderful town of East Longmeadow. Many of our original class- mates have departed for other corners of the country, if not the world, and many more have come to East Long- meadow from neighboring and distant towns and cities. However, the majority of the members of the Class of 1963 have spent their entire school lives in our town. Most of us started in either Pleasantview or Center School and from there went either to Maple Shade or to Birchland Park. In these last two schools we finished our elementary years of learning the fundamentals of reading, writing, and 'rithmatic. Then in the fall of 1957 came something new: junior high school at Birchland Park. During those f1rst few weeks of junior high school we were all enraptured by the new experience of changing classes and teachers for different subjects. Those three happy and carefree years went by so quickly. Yes, before we knew it we were the old timers at Birchland. The school year 1959-60 served to be a significant one for our class. It was our senior year in junior high and we enjoyed every minute of it. Our class officers were elected early in the year: David LaLima, President, Bryan Plumb, Vice Presidentg Michael Prendergast, Treasurer, and Susan Byrne, Secretary. Though we did not do much as a class, our officers proved to be mighty important when grad- uation neared. Our enthusiasm was high and when we weren't studying sciences, math, English or a foreign lan- gauge, we were participating in the many athletic, musi- cal, and social activities during the year. Remember Open Vice-President, 61-62. House 1960, the Student-Varsity Game, the many school dances, I Remember Mama by the Drama Club, and our newspaper, the Birchland Banner? The Student Govern- ment also played an important role in the extra-curricular life at Birchland that year. Yes, we were the joyous seniors, the admired leaders, and we proved it with our fiery spirit at the games. Ninth graders proved to be significant to the varsity athletic squads. Our basketball team, all seniors, was almost un- defeated that year, losing only the first game to Somers by 1 point and sweeping away the other 13 contests, in- cluding the Longmeadow freshmen. The baseball team followed through with another good' record to make it a thrilling year all around. Though'we were spirited, when the time came to hit the books we all buckled down to study our basic majors, music, shop and home economics. We were anxious to prepare ourselves for the 3 years of high school life ahead. This anxiety was sparked as we watched that massive complex of stone and steel, East Longmeadow High School, slowly rising out of the ground on Maple Street. Time passed so quickly and graduation night, June 10, 1960, found many a shaky knee as 152 students marched into the Birchland Park gymnasium to the chords of Pomp and Circumrlance. David LaLima greeted our happy parents and then a score of us had an opportunity to recite before the audience of 800. As we accepted our diplomas each of us felt a sigh of relief as many wonderful memories and mixed emotions flashed in our minds. We were sorry to leave the school we loved so much but we were ready and willing to accept the challenge of high school life the following September in the new high school. The summer of 1960 sped by, as they all do, and in September we entered East Longmeadow High School as the sophomore class. We were class number two of the first three classes to attend ELHS in its first and most difiicult year. Our past years in the East Longmeadow School System had prepared us well for this new scholas- tic challenge and our class spirit, carried from our senior year at Birchland, seemed to triple at the very first whistle of our very first football game. An early event in the year was the election of class officers and Student Government members, following three days of hard campaigning with lively speeches and flashy buttons and posters. Our new Executive Committee con- sisted of Bryan Plumb, Presidentg James Brock, Vice Presi- dentg Angela Rafaele, Secretary: and Bob Lloyd, Treasurer. Our class really began to work as a unit, supervised by Mrs. Adams. We attended regular class meetings, collected dues for the treasuryg sponsored the first sophomore dance, Cupid? Wloirl, which was a whirling success, ordered class rings for our junior year, and wrote an excellent consti- tution to insure smooth operation of the class at all times. Our Student Government representatives were Kathleen 2

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How many of us, as we leave this building, have ever seen the second floor hall in the late afternoon? The sun streaming through the great windows, seems to be the light of the future beckoning the seniors of this class toward promises and delights unknown. As the seniors leave this building, and the comfort ir has offered, it is fitting that they should remember the second floor in the late afternoon. These seniors walk for the last time down ,the halls of the classroom wing that has marked, for them, an educational home for the past three years. What are their thoughts? What are they saying? Where will they go? What memories will they treasure forever? These are questions which are asked as the senior class marches into history.

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Donovan, Secretary, Carole Betterley, Robert A. Nelson, Linda Valade, and Donna Wood.. Sophomores were valu- able in helping to create, or anize, and carry out all the many, new, ELHS activities t at first year. Remember the first edition of Spartan Spirit the first fashion show, the science fair, Music Night '61 the first Longmeadow foot- ball game, the Spotlighters' p esentation of Murder Comes in Tbreeyf and the first bask tball game? The Student Government d'd a lot that year to help put the school on its feet. The SG and the Leaders Club sponsored a sock-hop on J nuary 6, 1961, attended by over 200 students. Two sop omores, Sue Weferling and Bob Lloyd, won prizes for the funniest socks. The Student- Faculty Game, March 5, included a volleyball game between the girls and women faculty and a basketball game between the varsity squad and the men faculty. The Class of 1965 helped choose the school colors, scarlet and silver, and the name Spartans Wherever you heard the word Spartans or saw the letters ELHS that first year, you knew there was a spirited sophomore somewhere. By the end of the year a school emblem, the Spartan head, had been chosen. New activities and organizations seemed to spring up from every corner bf the school and gung-ho sophs pitched right in with the juniors and freshmen to lay a -scholastic and extra-curricular foundation for the future ELHS classes. Lack of competitive experience and seniors didn't bother our first Spartan athletic squads, soccer, football, basketball, hockey, baseball, and track, it only toughened them up .for the following year in varsity competition. As. if it wasn't a the activities in a brand new usy enough year organizing igh school, the Class of '63 held its first picnic at Look Pa Ck on June 9 to top off the year with another successful and pleasurable event. A rough and tough first year couldn't dampen our spunky, Spartan spirits as we returned in September of 1961 as junior. We were ready to employ our trial and error experience and apply it towards a more successful second year. We were ready tio continue building East Longmeadow High School, and we did. The first activity to greet the student body that fall was a highly successful Bonfire Pep Rally, which drew a crowd of more than 1,000 to cheer the football team into its Hrst varsity victory the following afternoon at our home field. We toppled Minne- chaug 16-O for the first game of the season. The squad finished the 1961 season with a 2-4 record. Remember that big Longmeadow game which ,we so unluckily lost 28-20 in the last few minutes of playj? The soccer Spartans com- piled a good record for their ,first year of competition in the Pioneer Valley Soccer League, finishing 6-5-2. By the end of September m conscientiously back at the boo lastic record for our senior year lege application. Our junior cla the preceding spring and they of things by re-electing Mrs. , The oliicers were James Brocl- ost of the junior class was ks to compile a good scho- and in preparation for col- ss officers had been elected got right into the swing Adams as our class advisor. 1, President, Bryan Plumb, Vice President, Charles Bicklery, Treasurer, Beryl Lacey, Secretary, and David LaLima, ll Touchdown Stomp was held Iember-at-Large. The dance, Saturday, October 28, and was sponsored by the junior class, following a splashy Spartan football victory over Tantasqua High. By the time the winter holiday season rolled around, the entire school was rockin' and rollin' with activity. In December the music department proudly announced that more than twelve ELHS vocalists and instrumentalists would participate in the All-District Concert. The next class event on our list of many was the skating party, held at the high school's new rink. The weather was cold, but hot chocolate provided a little bit of warmth for those juniors who lacked the comfort of a date's hand. A crystal clear sky dotted with sparkling winter stars added to the enjoyment had by all. On January 20, 1962, there occured a first for not only the high school but also for the wonderful town people who supported and witnessed the smashing success, Spar- nmum Spertaculum. Many juniors did an excellent job in their participation in our first talent show, named by classmate Carole Betterley. As in the previous years, a very competent Student Government supplemented ELHS activ- ities. Junior members of the SG were Skip Homicz, Treasurer, Donna Wood, Kathleen Donovan, Carole Bet- terley, and Robert A. Nelson. The many Student Govern- ment sponsored activities for the year included the Sadie Hawkins Dance, the Varsity-Faculty-Parent Night, the design and sale of our first school banners, and an informal reception for Frank Ocheing, our African exchange student. The entire winter season proved to be a very active one for East Longmeadow High School in many, many ways. Ted Kennedy spoke for more than an hour to the total student body, telling of the situation in Central America and answering students' questions after a most interesting presentation. Experience from our first year of athletic competition was the key factor as the Spartan Hockey Team took the ice for 15 straight victories to become the Wright Division League Champions. As a result of this perfect season the Spartans faced a tough Archbishop Williams team in the Massachusetts State Schoolboy Tournament in Boston. The action at the tournament was fast and furious but our go get 'em team returned to East Longmeadow after a hard fought 3-1 defeat. Our basketball team for the 1961-62 season finished with a 9-10 record and then faced a powerful St. Michael's opponent in the 1962 Small Schools Basketball Tourna- ment at the University of Massachusetts. An audience of devoted Spartans cheered on a conscientious team which buckled under to a 66-42 loss. As the school year '61-62 rounded the far turn into the carefree season of spring, the ELHS activities continued their steady pace right to the finish line in June. The music department presented Music Night '62 and later in the year the band and chorus attended the Western Massa- chusetts Music Festival in Athol. East Longmeadow High School sent four Spartan politicians to the 22nd Annual A.1.C. Model Congress. The 1962 Science Fair was a superb exhibition of technical projects and department facilities. On April 14, the Spotlighters presented a tre- mendously amusing rendition of Our Miss Brooks. Exactly one-half of the cast were energetic juniors. By the end of JAMES BROCK President, 61-62, Vice-President, 60-61. ANGELA RAFFAELE Secretary, 60-61. CHARLES BICKLEY ' Treasurer, 61-62.