English High School - Blue and Blue / Record Yearbook (Boston, MA)

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BOYS OF 1946 Just a word about the Hayden Statue at the Montgomery Street entrance: The group consists of two fig- ures, — one is a large, powerful young man in full armor, with helmet and sword. The other is a similar figure, with no helmet or armor and sword broken. He is clad only in his tunic. The warrior is seeking to lift up his companion who apparently is nearly helpless. How often that scene has been re-enacted on the battle fields of the world through the last few years. The statue is an illustration of the spirit of helpfulness. It is the symbolism of service to others. As much as any statue can, it portrays the spirit of the United States of America when it entered World War H. It was the spirit of over 5500 E. H. S. men who participated in this war. Yes, it was the spirit of dedication shown by the 230 E. H. S. men who gave their lives that the smaller nations might be protected from aggression. For this our boys fought; for this they died. They experienced in English High School the high values of racial understanding, of tolerance and of good will. They fought to preserve this understanding. They died to spread world-wide the spirit which for generations has pervaded this old school of ours. We wonder if some of them did not have in mind this statue, and the inscrip- tion on the pedestal in letters of gold — SERVICE TO MANKIND IS HONOR AND ACHIEVEMENT This statue portrays the spirit of our school — the spirit of service throughout more than a century. In harmony with the lesson taught by this statue, we of our school since its founding say proudly in this anniversary year of 1946 — THE ENGLISH HIGH SCHOOL SALUTES HER SONS, THOUSANDS OF WHOM THROUGH THE PAST ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY- FIVE YEARS HAVE SERVED WITH DISTINCTION IN PEACE AND IN WAR. Walter F. Downey Head Master DR. WALTER F. DOWNEY Head Master

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CLASSMATES The fork of the road is coming into sight. We have followed our high school careers through turbulent times and have worked, studied and played in the charged atmosphere of war and reconver- sion. We are stepping into a world al- together different from the one of four or five years ago. More than at any other time in our history knowledge, wisdom and tolerance are essential not only for our own well-being but for the well-being of all the liberated peoples of the world. It is not difficult to foresee that many of my fellow classmates will attain a position of eminence in whatever their chosen line of endeavor may be. All these lines of endeavor, it seems to me. will be WILLIAM M. CONNELL pursued with world peace as their object. Class President Any occupation can further this cause for which so many other English High School graduates have died. This is so because, now or a few years from now, we will be seeking to earn a living with and from men of all races and religions. It is the duty of each of us to remember that true success in any field results from respect and tolerance for the other man and his beliefs. Tolerance, I think, means fair play, an ideal always associated with our Alma Mater. Hollis W. Alexander, ' 88, has said that his years at English High instilled into him something that, in several crises in his life, made it less difficult for him to stick to the rules, and he has acknowledged that, under Almighty God, the old E. H. S. tradition of fair play has been no mean factor in keeping him at peace with himself and his fellows. During my high-school days I have received help and guidance for which I shall always be thankful. IMy instructors at English High School have been those helpers and guides. Their unstinting efforts have enabled both me and my class- mates to face an uncertain future with the confidence that we are well trained. It is an honor and a privilege to have led this 125th Anniversary Class, and I am humbly grateful for all the cooperation we class officers were given. In closing, may I thank each and every one of you. My earnest hope is that you may have a full and happy life. William I. Connell Class President

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History of the Class of ' 46 By Robert W. Egan As everyone leaves behind him a record, so our great and glorious class has left behind it a record long to be remembered in the annals of English High School. After being requested to write this saga of education, the author decided to keep in the style of English High and so record the more riotous and humorous aspects of our history rather than just the dull ordinary facts. Freshman Year To start with, we must go back four, or maybe more years depending on our various stages of devotion to this citadel of higher education. On one September morn, altogether too summerlike to be a school day, we toddled up from Dover and way-stations in short pants and smoking father ' s best pipe. Then, suddenly, Mont- gomery Manor loomed up ahead, almost as big as the seniors, and there we were. After a brief struggle with those tremendous doors that barricade the various en- trances to the Manor — we were later to learn of doors more easily accessible at various times of day — we finally entered, gasping for breath. We were inside at last I Now to the homeroom, oops, pardon me, but that big fellow with those pearl buttons on his shoulder said, To the cafeteria. Freshman! So, ignoring the disdain in his voice, what else could we do? We went in the general direction of the basement. Then, for the first of many times, did we learn that more than a gen- eral direction is necessary at English. When you give anyone general directions here, a compass, map, and direction finder should accompany every word. After discovering that the cafeteria was not hidden among the lockers; no, it wasn ' t in the courtyard; no, keep out of the boiler room; oh, yes, there it was dead ahead. Dead ahead, at English — that means around the corner to your left; then take the second right. Yes, after a bewildering ten minutes, we were royally welcomed to the cafeteria by the nicest man who politely said in quiet tones: Hey, you! Over there, stupid, don ' t ya listen? Then things really quieted down. To a dull roar, that is. The usual red tape was widely distributed, all having a little stamp bearing the symbol Aw, and then we were off to our homerooms. Yup, now we ' ll see what this joint is really like. Those were our thoughts, but we never really put the necessary emphasis on the see. See? We almost found the third-floor cross corridor before we arrived at our homerooms. But when we got there, the fun really started. Although we had all been briefed on the evils of the rotating block system, we were totally unprepared for the detailed instruction ' that followed. This was a Thursday so we started with, um — let ' s see now — oh, yes, here we are, H14 Ky 155 — oh yes, but what about those things listed above? Oh, those come after E15 and F17. Then we eat, huh?— Oh, that depends on F17, no Mil — oh, please teacher, not that, — well, which side is Mil on, north or south, — I know the cafeteria is in the middle, that makes no difference. North, well then you have first, — no second — oh, you ' ve gotten me all mixed up. Well, anyway, eat when a bell rings and the kids start running. Then take notes on the result. By ne.xt Thursday you ' ll be all set. — Yes, teacher. And so we faced the world and school fearless and unafraid on that first dav long ago. Of course, the fact that ninety per cent ate at either the wrong, or both lunches was a mere nothing. And here we might note the fact that those teachers who endured through those rotating days have entered the new era with either grey or bald heads. Please note the similarity existing among the seniors also.