Enfield High School - Echo Yearbook (Enfield, CT)

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8 The Enfield Echo CLASS HISTORY, 1933 (By Elizabeth Bridge) Deep in the history of the class of 1933 lie the memories of help- ful teachers, friendly classmates. I cannot hope to tell them to you. The history I shall give can include only the concrete events of our school life. Graduation time finds us on a hill-top looking back at the low- lands and the slope we have climbed these four years. Lowlands of 1929—and were they low! The fact that we entered Enfield High 226 strong added not one bit of courage to fluttering heart or leaden foot—we were singularly or collectively—Freshmen! The first social event in which we shone was the Freshman- Parent Reception. The real reason why that night was glorious was the fact that no upperclassmen were there to degrade us in the sight of our fond parents. The second social activity that meant anything to the class of ’33 was the school operetta, “The Lucky Jade,” in which Joseph Javorski and Herbert Wells did the honors for us. Soon after we became enrolled in the high school, we were ushered into the mysteries of the detention slip. Many and various were the stories told about the obtaining, the course, and the out- come of these paper menaces. If anyone wants to know these stories he must become a freshman in Enfield. 1 will, however, tell you one story that was told to me. One day, after a few months schooling, two timid little morsels of humanity asked a senior, “What does Mr. Lee do with detention slips he passes out every morning to the respective teachers?” “Oh”, said the senior, “he looks them over and puts down all the names in a big Black Book, and holds them against you at graduation time.” And the timid little Freshmen crept away. The Hops given by the seniors called forth untold agony and effort on our part to master the intricacies of dancing. Probably the upperclassmen suffered also. Of course, the main event of our freshman year was the election of officers which resulted as follows: President, Herbert Wei's; vice-president, Marita Mitchell; secretary, Eileen Young; treas- urer, William Gray; executive committee, James Alaimo, Helen Olschafskie; class historian, Elizabeth Bridge. September, 1930 found us in the category of sophomores. We were upperclassmen. We could join the school clubs; we could pester the freshmen. As soon as we became sophomores, we were given a section of the auditorium for ourselves. We no longer had to sit behind another class. The class of ’33 was admirably represented by Herbert Wells in the school play “Seventeen” and again in the school operetta “The Gypsy Rover” in which both Javorski and Wells had leading

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tTbc Enficlt Echo Published at intervals during the school year by the members of the Enfield Public High School, Thompsonville, Conn. Entered as second-class matter February 21, 1917, at the Post Office at Thompsonville, Conn., under the Act of March 3. 1879. VOL. 21 THOMPSONVILLE, CONN., JUNE 1933 NO. 1 ADDRESS OF WELCOME (By Herbert Wells) We are glad that such an interesting audience of friends and teachers have gathered to greet us on this, our class night. We are pleased to complete our high school course, and to move on in our development to what we trust may be truly successful and influ- ential lives, that we may be in future years an honor to our past training, to ourselves and to our country. The class of 1933 heartily welcomes you to their program of class night. May your presence here this evening help us take ad- vantage of the bright and promising opportunities of our time, as we hope we have taken advantage of them in the past four years. We must progress, for tonight begins our Commencement week. Each day opportunities for a finer growth, the chance of better cul- ture through association and travel, the way to a more ideal charac- ter is open to every boy or girl who is awake to all the possibilities of our times. We are a great people. Ours is a great country. Great are the advantages which we enjoy in the present form of govern- ment. Great are the privileges of the present; great are the present opportunities of the people; very great indeed are the intellectual opportunities of today, with a wealth of knowledge from the re- searches of the past years, and the greater researches of the pres- ent. Truly our own training demands that we accomplish a worthy work, humanity demands that we do our duty, and God demands that we do our best. The past four years of study, the constant and daily association with teachers and companionship with one another, have been a training, have been a preparatory course for a greater school. We soon will be graduated from high school either to an institution of higher learning or to the life of business, industry or profession. In any case, may we, labor ever onward! Again the class extends their most hearty and sincere welcome to all who have assembled to witness these exercises. Welcome, parents, teachers and friends, is the greeting from the class of 1933.

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The Enfield Echo 9 parts. The weeks and months passed in happy succession and all too soon our happiest year had become only a memory. When we came back to Enfield in September, 1931, we had grown-up. No longer did we tease the underclassmen. They meant nothing to us. We were absorbed in ourselves and the seniors. Four of our class: Jane Middleton, Eileen Young, Leila Fuge and Herby Wells had leads in the school play, “Nothing But the Truth.” In April, the Junior Prom was given with Herbert Wells as host and Marita Mitchell as hostess. The affair was a social success. During the spring of 1932 Enfield entered the State Debating League and the following people of the class of '33 represented Enfield in debates: Saul Jacobson, Milton Virshup, Elizabeth Carey and Elizabeth Bridge. The teams were coached by Mr. Langford and Mr. Hassett with Mr. Reynolds as head coach. In the operetta “Jerry of Jericho Road” we had three repre- sentatives: Joe Javorski, Richard Nye and Herbert Wells. By this time the class of ’33 was known for its talented actors, actresses, and musicians, also for its artists, Edwin Oates, Frances Mulak, Jane Middleton and Leila Fuge who drew attention to the school activities by their posters. The award of the Prize Speaking contest went to Joseph Javorski and was a fitting start for the Senior Class of 1933. Even though our senior year is just behind us and is a fresh memory, it is only a memory for we can never live those days again. The first social event came in December in the guise of the Senior Prom. James Alaimo was the host and Eileen Young, the hostess. The auditorium was suitably decorated in blue and gold. February brought the school play, “Mary’s Ankle,” in which the senior class had its share of actors and actresses. Eileen Young, Helen Olschafskie, Richard Nye, Margaret Holloran, Pasquale Lamagna, Charles Crosby and Lauren Gemme played their parts convincingly. Right after the play, the work of debates started again under the coaching of Mr. Reynolds and Mr. Langford. Soon, however, the debaters, the senior class, and the entire school felt the loss of Mr. Reynolds when he resigned from the faculty. Mr. Lee kindly consented to be the other debate coach and the debates went off well with Enfield winning every debate it entered. All debaters this year belonged to the class of 1933. Saul Jacobson, Dwight Higley, Hugo Marinaccio were the affirmative speakers with Rich- ard Stewart as alternate. The negative speakers were Elizabeth Carey, Milton Virshup, Eddie Alden with Elizabeth Bridge as al- ternate. The Twin-State One Act Play League next called our atten- tion. Much interest was shown in the one-act play “Rich Man, Poor Man” given by representatives of Enfield High in competition with Technical and Commercial Highs of Springfield. Enfield was the only high school of Connecticut entered in the League. The players