Farmington High School - Student Yearbook (Farmington, CT)

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FARMINGTON STUDENT Why don't you stay until tomorrow noon? she went on, I expect Mildred Roncaioli and Catherine Gurovich out for luncheon. They have been very successful as nurses and often visit Catherine Onidi's 'Hosiptal for Destitute Dogs and Cats.' They say that Charlie Cadwell is one of the trustees. Whether his interest is in the dogs and cats or the owner, I cannot say at this time. Carol yawned and I knew she had finished for the evening. In my dreams that night, I saw members of the class all extending welcoming hands to me and when I awoke the next morning I felt sure that the reunion would have some happy moments. But that necessary evil A jury duty. As I entered the jury box at 9:30, I met the prosecuting attorney, Donald Bowler, who warned me that Iustice was the supreme command. I readily saw that Donald had kept up his argumentation and debating to attain this successful position. The first case was of local color, that of Amy Farry against the defendant, Edmund Penny. Edmund, in one of his tender moments, had promised to marry Amy. You must remember that Amy had f'p50,000, so don't be too harsh on Edmund. lack Clifford was the star witness for Mr. Penny and through his splendid testimony saved Edmund quite a sum of money, money which he immediately invested in more chicken houses. Court duty proceeded monotonously for two weeks and happy indeed was I when the spring session was over. The Alumni reunion was my next objective. In what way would my classmates have changed? Would Edith Anderson be as lively as ever? When I entered the cafeteria the next evening I found many changes among my classmates. Irene Campion I hardly recognized, for she now weighed 200 pounds. Instructor in the Y, W. C. A. gymnasium was Irene's occupation. Nellie Zurles was singing a ditty called If I Were a Bird. Nellie was very successful in teaching music in the Burlington schools. A dark complexioned youth approached me and offered his hand. The handclasp nearly broke every bone in my arm. Who was this Hercules? Gege Lauretti, of course. I-Iis moustache puzzled me. He was in training for the 1942 Olympics in Turkey and expected to win recognition through his ability to toss the shot put. Bert Peltier was toastmaster because it was in keeping with his position of entertaining the movie magnates when they visited the Paramount studios on Long Island. Bert told me that Mildred Wiiialski was doing well for Fox since she had obtained Frank Cadwell for her leading man. Suddenly Bert wrapped furiously on the table for order. Somebody was creating a disturbance. Doris Buteau never acted that way in our school days. But now she was fiery and eloquent in her demands to have Farmington I-Iigh School establish a club for contract bridge. Doris was our local representa- tive in the Senate. Edward Ryan had become a strict vegetarian and lived on the income of his farm in Scott's Swamp. Monoog Bagdigian had a flying field close to the farm and he and Ed. had come to blows one day when Monoog in a very low flight had knocked the chimney from Ed.'s new home. Of course Cupid had a high score among our class and as a result Marie Derby, Marie Stieg, Margaret Mack, Margaret Rossvall, and Gertrude Flood were now bearing changed names. 12

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FARMINGTON SSQTUDENT Summarizing statistically all available records regarding the history of this institution since its founding, we find that of the 670 graduates, 49 are now dead, the greatest toll of lives having been taken from the class of '97, which has lost half of its members. For three years, namely, 1883, 1887, and 1900, no commencement exercises were held. While the smallest class was that of '89 with three members, the largest up to date is the class of '31, with thirty-five. However, it is expected that the fiftieth graduating class will outnumber all others, having incidentally a total of about fifty students. For Farmington High School we prophesy a continuance of the already high position it holds scholastically as ranked with other institutions of its kind: an increasing interest in sports and social life which is necessary as a basis for contact with others later in life: the continuance and rejuvenation of the alumni association: and finally, fifty more years of successfully preparing young men and women for life. HELEN HARTIGAN, '32, Class Prophecy S I sat in my New York office some weeks ago, a Western Union telegram was handed to me saying I must return to Farmington for two weeks for jury duty. The missive was signed uludge Henry Dobrynskif' My consternation diminished, however, when I read the little note at the bottom, MClass reunion, Alumni Rooms, Iune 15, 1942 Besides performing a service for my little town, I would have the opportunity of seeing or hearing of my classmates. With my Packard fully overhauled, I left New York Iune 1. Approaching Farmington early in the evening, I maintained a steady watch for a sign reading Tourists Accommodatedf' lust over the town line. a sign 'ACarol Skoglund's Boarding House, illuminated in blue and white lights, attracted my attention. Carol in her high school days had had a reputation for good cooking, and I knew she would have something tasty. This milk is very good, Carol. Do you get it from Bryant EH Chapman? A'No, from a West Avon milkman, Richard N. Petersen, who has been giving fine service for eight years. So Pete's a dairy farmer? She nodded and to my further questions about the class, I found that Carol was still one hundred per cent. in woman's special art-giving informa- tion. Carol indeed had kept in touch with the class and offered me some pleasing as well as startling information. William Toth took Miss Bowers place in F. H. S. in the mathematics department. Is Helen Hartigan, our valedictorian, still picking peaches in Burling- ton? was my query. Helen's the editor and owner of the Morning Review, in which Harry Wells, the winner of last year's Pulitzer Prize, has so many articles. His 'Romance of Philosophy' was a wonderful seller. Helen has George Schultz as the chief reporter of her daily edition. GeorQmust have secured his experience standing on Hackney's corner morningsf ll

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FARMINGTON STUDENT Charles Blinn was chauffeur for Winchell Smith and gave Helen Battista a ride back and forth to her work in Dr. Shapiro's office every day. As the movies say, They were that way about each other. Francis Cignoli was sporting a Cadillac roadster. He could afford to, since he received a magnifi- cent salary from Rudy Vallee and the National Broadcasting Company for his skill on the saxophone. Bill Ryan was setting a good record coaching the Terryville High School team. Harold Schiedel had been conducting an old- fashioned dance marathon in Burlington, but had had to conclude it because Loretta, his sister, thought that he had too many Virginia reels and should change to square sets. We all noticed that Bob Saunders ate very sparingly. The reason- simply, Bob was in training for the lightweight crown and was under the tutelage of Bat Battalino of Hartford. Alma Bailey, Mildred Iudd, and Edith Anderson were teaching school. Alma in Kingsville, Mildred in Avon, and Edith in Weatogue. Mary Marek was very charming as hostess, a position she had daily in the Apple Tree Inn. Dorothy Busch was an artist and drew several pictures of the individual members of the class on napkins. Her school chum, Isabel Vibert, could not attend the reunion for she was up in Alaska doing missionary work. and collecting unusual specimens of seals. Glenys Mosher and Agnes Arnold were steriographers in the employ of Rourke Robotham Company. When the class roll was called, Mary DeParolis was also missing. She had become a detective and was very busy on a case in Farmington trying to solve the mystery of the ringing of the curfew at ten o'clock instead of at nine. We all enjoyed Pauline lanes' dancing. George White had certainly worked wonders for her, There was one individual who did not have much time to herself at the reunion, That was Sophie Ostroske. We hardly knew her with her large dark-rimmed glasses. Sophie was class secretary and had to submit the news to the Alumni records. During the day she was ticket seller at the Central Theater. She boarded in West Hartford with Frances Manyak, who ran a beauty parlor. Marion Tallmadge was a private secretary to Robinson Egoe. President of the Unionville Gas Works, and was considered an important cog in the wheels of the institution. I learned that Dorothy Nawrocki was still painting, but this time pictures of rural life in Unionville. Anne Dublac helped her considerably when she was not employed at the nursery for the blind. Charlie Cadwell reported that Margaret Herzog had inherited quite a sum of money and was spending it quite copiously in ball games in Hartford and New York. She had been anxious to secure Grantland Rice's job with Colliers, but her sex was against her. Two o'clock and we are still exchanging news bits. George Schulz had fallen asleep and his snoring awoke us to the fact that it was time for the class of 1932 to depart until 1947, when once again we would gather at the Farmington High School. home of our dearest memories. EDWARD NELSON. 13 ,