Enfield High School - Echo Yearbook (Enfield, CT)

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12 THE ENFIELD ECHO could see a port in the distance. This our captain pointed out to us as the first stopping place on our voyage and presented us with our checks of identification for that year. Mr. Parkman, our captain, left us in the middle of the Fresh- man Sea, to go to some distant port. We were indeed a ship with- out a rudder. We had a wonderful vacation and soon in the fall we procured the necessary passport to enter the Sophomore sea. Our cabin was now number 2, situated on the upper deck in charge of stewardess, Miss Thomason. We felt very sorry when we noticed that our number had diminished. Some had been trans- ferred to different ships, others did not have the necessary pass- port which was earned by good honest labor and a few had been discouraged by sea sickness. We elected our officers while on this sea. They are Arthur Bromage President, Elizabeth Sullivan Vice-President and Lois Gordon Secretary and Treasurer. We also selected the school ring which must be adopted by all future passengers. A billow of examination questions was again seen on the hori- zon, and as it crept nearer the ship we recognized our old friend mid-year exams. This time we were not so industrious about study- ing as we were quite sure the wave could not reach the second deck, to overwhelm us. While on shipboard our fellow passengers found among our number some very good actors as well as dancers. They are Brown, Burgess, Ryan and Dockham, who took part in the play entitled, “The Amazons.” At mid sea a terrible storm came up. It was the deluge of report cards in which we found Bromage had received his first B to the surprise of all on shipboard. He hung his head in shame for many days. We now entered the channel between the Sophomore and Junior Sea and soon found ourselves on a larger body of water than we had yet experienced. The Commercial Passengers were moved to Cabin 7 in charge of Miss Thomason, the rest to Cabin 1 in charge of Miss Johnson, and Mr. Bryant was our captain. We stopped at one of the ports along the way and here Miss Gordon, our secretary and treasurer, alighted. We bade her a fond farewell and waved our regrets from the deck as we steamed awav leaving her to pursue a different course. Not long after we elected Mabelle Meginn, whose work has been verv commendable, to fill this important position. One terrible storm, the worst we experienced in all our four years’ journey, assailed us. It was the cruel hand of death who stole from our midst our favorite boy, Albert Clark. All on ship-

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THE ENFIELD ECHO 11 dom, but this day was a gala day in its history, and many people gazed upon it in wonder as they watched us happily step aboard in search of the Fountain of Wisdom. We were about to investigate our good ship when we were ushered to cabins 8, 9, and 11 of the lower deck. Here we met the stewardesses, Miss Mitchell, Miss Porter and Miss Barton. Scarcely were we seated when we heard a bell ringing in some distant cabin and then almost instantly it sounded in ours, calling us, as the stewardess explained, to assembly. In order to get to the assembly cabin we were obliged to climb to the second deck. The corridors were so narrow, we could easily whisper without being detected and we took advantage of this de- fect until we reached the stairs. Here we were quieted by a stew- ardess situated at the bottom of the stairs. How we loved to skip a step, but on looking up we beheld another sentinel at the top calmly gazing down upon us and we walked on without further confusion. On entering cabin 1 we beheld our captain, Mr. Parkman, at the desk. He welcomed us very cordially wishing us a successful voyage. He explained that the Voyage of High School Life was in reality to be over four seas, though the four bodies of water were so closely joined together that they seemed but one immense sea. He informed us further, that we had just entered upon the first and smallest of these, which was called the Freshman Sea, and that it would be well to adopt the watchwords of courage and per- severance in order to have the necessary passport at the entrance of each succeeding sea. There were naturallv a few cases of seasickness and various ones were tempted to throw up Algebra and other disagreeable dishes but our Captain assured them firmly that they would have to retain these indigestibles. So they bravely managed to hold them down. In the middle of the Freshman Sea a great wave arose which nearly washed us from the lower deck. It was the billow of mid- year examinations. How hard we studied to hold to the deck! But it was worth it, for when the sea was again calm, not one of us had succumbed to the cruel wave. As we were socially inclined it did not take us long to become acquainted with our fellow passengers, who found among our num- ber a great many talents. One of the foremost was dancing and that accounts for some of the members of our illustrious class tak- ing part in the dancing specialties at the play entitled, “The Reju- venation of Aunt Mary.” We also had one great athlete Bissland who was transferred during the year to the ship called, “Dean Academy.” Time quickly elapsed and with the help of our field glasses we

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THE ENFIELD ECHO 13 board missed his ready smile and helping hand and as a mark of respect we held special exercises in his honor and lowered our flag to half mast. Instead of giving the customary play, a grand opera was de- cided upon, entitled “Pinafore.” Our class furnished some of the men for the leading parts. They were Philip Goldstein and Myron Burgess who deserve much credit for their acting and singing abil- ity. We also furnished a few sailors who performed their various duties in a very clever manner. Before Easter we gave the usual “Junior Prom” which was a great success socially and financially. While on the Junior Sea James Ryan won a point in the Yale inter-scholastic meet. John Brown, another great athlete, was chosen captain of the track team. Johnnie also made a wonderful showing at the triangular meet at Bristol. We must also mention the very commendable work of Mirable, “Zig” and Rvan in the same capacity. Time passed very rapidly and before we realized it we were on the last lap of our voyage; the Senior Sea. On deck we noticed the figure of our former captain, Mr. Parkman, who had just re- turned from a distant wharf. We all resided in Cabin 1 in charge of Miss Johnson who later left us for a distant port. Miss Gay then became our stewardess. As we walked down the gang plank on that eventful morning we saw Red Lamont, our class baby, wearing long trousers. How dignified we all felt when we realized that our babv had grown to manhood before our very eyes. On questioning our secretary and treasurer Mabelle we found that funds were getting low. Consequently we called a class meet- ing in Cabin 1 and voted to land at different islands along the route and hold a series of dances. The first was held in October and was very successful, the second in November and the third in December. Great crowds patronized us and our pocket book now looked as if it might burst. “Captain Kidd Jr.” was given early in the year, Betty Sullivan and Bromage taking the leading parts. “Zig” also deserves praise for his excellent work in the role of countv detective. Dot Spell- man, Holcomb, Ryan and McGovern were esDecially good in their various parts. A wireless message was received by our captain, informing the passengers that money must be raised for the suffering chib dren of Europe. Our quota was $100. We contributed thirty of this from our treasury. We also helped the Red Cross and Athlet- ic Association when they needed our assistance. What class can boast of such generous deeds? A concert was given later in the year in which many of our