Greenfield High School - Evergreen / Exponent Yearbook (Greenfield, MA)

Page 20 text:

14 THE EXPONENT CLASS PROPHECY Scene— Theatrical Manager’s office of the Lawler theatre in New York City.— June, 1942. Characters— Katherine Fleming—M,ary Draper. Gerard Fritz— Bernadette Babineau--Miss Bunny. (Assistant to Manager is sitting at a desk when telephone rings). Miss Bunny (in phone)— Hello. Yes, this is Mr. Lawler’s office. Oh, you’re sending up Miss Mary Draper. Yes, you say she wants to try out for the leading part in our fall pro¬ duction, “The Revival of 1928.” Very well, send her up at once—my time is very valuable. (Sets down phone.) Oh dear, I do hope I’m not going to be disappointed. I hope she isn’t one of those shocking actresses of fifteen years ago. Thank goodness the s lan¬ gy actresses of the jazz age have en¬ tirely disappeared. They are a thing of the past. (Knock is heard at the door. Miss Bunny opens it.) Mary Draper— Are you Mr. Law¬ ler’s secretary? Bunny— Miss Bernadette Babi- neau. Bunny, if you please! Are you Miss Draper? M. D.— Why, of course. Who else could it be but Miss Mary Draper, president of the Actors’ Equity Asso¬ ciation ! Bunny— You have come to try out for the lead in the “Revivals of 1928?” M. D.— Yes, and for one who has had a star engagement ever since 1928, it is really lowering to have to hold a try out. Bunny— ' You people of the jazz period forget that we are of the pure and simple age. Now, Miss Draper, will you please give me a sample of your dramatic ability? M. D.— Well, if I must, I must. Do you remember that famous play, “So This Is London?” I toured forty- seven and one-half states of these United States of America and I had engagements to tour all other coun¬ tries. . . . But, you know, when we played in Shutesbury, we so charmed the natives, that we finished the season there, playing to packed houses. Bunny— Miss Draper, are you Miss Draper or her press agent? M. D. —Now don’t get excited, dearie. I’m simply giving my usual introduction. I will portray for you one of the most effective moments, when Mrs. Hiram Draper, the Ameri¬ can, is pictured as the Londoners ima¬ gine her to be. This will Ke the library of Sir Percy Beauchamp’s country residence and 1 am Mrs. Hiram Draper. I am greeting Sir Percy. My husband tells me to act natural. “Don’t you worry there ain’t no fuss nor frills to me. You know the old saying: Muh, Charlie licks me, but you bet your life I love him. You’re the wife, I guess, hey? Will I be seated? I should say I will. I’m just dying to set. I got a corn on my left foot that’s just murdering me.” Where am I?—Oh- yes—in your office. Do you see how I forget myself and just live in my part? Do I get the lead or do I not? Bunny— Yes, Miss Draper, you do. Oh, it was wonderful. How I wish I still lived in that jazz age! (Telephone rings again.) (In phone.) Yes, Mr. Lawler. Oh, you’ve sent up the man who wants to play the lead? What? Oh, yes. Miss Draper was wonderful and I heartily recommend her for the part. (Sets down phone.) Oh, Miss Draper, do stay and meet this actor of your own age and date. Fritz — (Breezing in without knocking.) Oh, how do you do. Miss Bunny? (Shakes hands.) I hope you realize what an opportunity your company is having in engaging me. Oh, (catching sight of Mary Draper.) I’m overwhelmed! Are you the actress who is to have the honor of playing opposite me? (Shaking her hand.) How do you do! I did¬ n’t catch your name. M. D.— (Stiffly) Miss Mary Draper. Fritz— Well, hello, Mary! (Then turning to Miss Bunny.) Now, Miss Bunny, to get down to business. I’ll give an impersonation of the butler in “So This Is London.” That was one of my first parts: This is the Draper’s suite at the Ritz, London, England. Mr. Draper has just or¬ dered soda. “Righto. Sir. Hi knows ’ow to look hafter Hamericans, sir. Do Hi like London? Very well in-

Page 19 text:

THE EXPONENT 13 services for the entertainment, “Pad¬ dle Your Own Canoe.” S. Yes. Didn’t some of these ex¬ hibit their prowess on the National Football Team that year? H. Yes, and for their brilliancy in playing in International Games, several were given rewards from the National Legislature. S. Evidently the reputation re¬ sulting from this carried them through the long winter months, for they are not heard of again until the latter part of May when they showed hopes of a promising future by the clever acting of several citizens in the first Springtime Fete in the history of the Confederated States of G. H. S. H. It seems that they pursued their worthy endeavors of the past during the following year under the guidance of Governor Elvis Petti- rossi. Secretary of State, Marion Young, Treasurer, James A. Ballou and his assistant, Stanley Pekalski. S. They repeated their success on the National Gridiron, although two of the outstanding heroes of the pre¬ ceding year, Ashley Shattuck and Al¬ fred Akey had renounced their citi¬ zenship and left the state. H. After the football season the nation was still represented by 1928 in athletics, as several of the stars on the basketball team were among the foremost of its citizens. S. And the girls also distinguish¬ ed themselves on the National Wom¬ en’s Team, did they not? H. Yes, quite well, too, and they also upheld the honor of the Tennis Team. S. And what is this about the “Soul of a Violin”. H. Oh, that was the title of the piece with which Virginia Harper won the 1928 public-speaking cham¬ pionship. Stuart Witty by his ex¬ pert rendition of a selection from the “Devil’s Disciple”, won second place. S. At about this time the Honor¬ able Clement Schuler and his con¬ temporary, the distinguished Clyde Holbrook, represented the State in the National Orchestra at Dallas, Texas. H. And also some of the musi¬ cians made themselves famous in the second of the Springtime Fetes. S. In this same year, 1928 again proved her ability as a hostess to her sister states, the recipient of this reception being 1927. It was well managed and was proclaimed even more successful than those of the former years. H. The beginning months of the next year were prominent in the field of athletics. Among the citizens of our state who received letters for their proficiency were Connie Mur¬ phy, Joe Bonitski, Stanley Pekalski, Cy Donovan, Francis Fitzgerald, Tra¬ cy and Howard Burnham. S. Oh, and we mustn’t forget the hockey team. H. That’s right too. Wasn’t it Cy Donovan, Zigmunt Gutkowski and Francis Lawler who starred? S. Yes, and the team won most of its games, although it was only in its second year as a major sport. H. The great event of the year was the play “So This Is London,” in which the Honorable James A. Ballou played opposite the talented stateswoman, Elizabeth Newcomb. It was an overwhelming success and will always stand out in the annals of the Confederated States. S. About the middle of January their ranks were somewhat thinned by the biennial examinations in citi¬ zenship, but this disgrace was wiped out by the skill of the basketball team upon which several of the statesmen of 1928 were outstand¬ ing. H. Once again the dramatic abil¬ ity of the state was exhibited in the performance of the National Drama¬ tic Society. S. The National Music Conven¬ tion was again attended by delegates from ’28. H. Later in the year the kind¬ ness of our sister states was shown by the delightful reception tendered to them by the state of ’29. S. That has been a wonderful history, and it will be a delightful task to write it up. I propose to give them three cheers. H. By all means and as prosper¬ ous a future! Margaret Ballard ’28 Tracy Burnham ’28

Page 21 text:

THE EXPONENT 15 deed, sir. Hanythink else Sir? Thank you, Sir.” I ask you—am I not a great actor—even with a small part—Think what I could do with a greater one! Now, would you like me to give a part from A1 Jolson’s great— Bunny —(Interupting.) Very, very good, Mr. Fritz. Consider yourself accented. You know, it’s queer that you two should both try out in parts from “So This Is London”—that is one play I remember well. My class gave it for their play in 1925. M. D. and Fritz —together—Why, so did mine! Bunny —I graduated from Green¬ field High School. M. D. and Fritz —So did I. Fritz —Well, well, it looks as if we were classmates. I can place you. Miss Bunny—weren’t you Bunny Ba- bineau? Bunny —Yes,—and you were called Gerry, weren’t you? Fritz— you bet, but I don’t see where Mary Draper comes in. I cer¬ tainly don’t remember you. (Turn¬ ing to M. D.) M. D.— Oh, but that isn’t my real name. That was my name in “So This Is London,” so when I went on the stage I adopted it. I used to be called Kay Fleming. Fritz— Well, this certainly is a 1928 reunion. I wish the rest of the class were here. I wonder what they are all doing. I’ve kept in touch with only a few of them. Of course, Francis Lawler is our manager in this new show, but do either of you know any news? M. D. —Oh, yes, I was just back in Greenfield visiting and so I know about a few of them. Dot Hosmer entertained me while 1 was there. She’s gym instructor at G. H. S. now, you know. Fritz— Say, I heard her old pal, Ruth Johnson, was teaching aesthe¬ tic dancing at G. H. S., too. That re¬ minds me, what has become of Jim¬ mie Ballou? Bunny— Jimmie’s gone into busi¬ ness—selling Benson’s Gas. Ruth Benson is owner of the business. Now, say, Kay what is Virginia Harp¬ er doing? M. D. —Oh, Virginia’s a famous pianist. She’s on a world tour at present with Francis Fitzgerald as her manager. She’s changed, be¬ cause she has to be careful not to flirt from the concert stage, because she would have too many stage-door Johnnies. M. D.— What is Francis’ old pal, Jimmie Bulman, doing? Fritz — ' Jimmie’s the editor of the National “Sportsman Magazine.” He always was quite a hunter, you know His sister Julia is a teacher at Smith College now. How about her old cronies, Betty Battey and Mary Barry? Bunn y— Betty is head nurse at the Peter Bent Brigham Hospital in Bos¬ ton, Mary Barry is the manager of Wilson’s Department Store, Ed. Flavin is floorwalker there and—i F ritz— (interrupting) —Say, what’s become of Connie Murphy, our class athlete? Bunny— Oh, Connie’s All Amer¬ ican coach of the Olympic team, and speaking of the Olympics reminds me that Jean Thomas just sailed yester¬ day to the meet. How about Joe Bonitski, our other athlete? Fritz— Joe is head-football coach at Fordham. We really thought our¬ selves very intellectual, and just see how we proved it. M. D. —We have quite a few class¬ mates on college faculties. Margaret Ballard is a famous lecturer at Mount Holyoke. Oh, by the way, I had a letter from Tracy Burnham the other day. He is a famous lawyer now, following in his father-in-law’s foot¬ steps, you know. He is also the proud father of thirteen children. Fritz— His brother, Howard, has gone into the pig business. He’s very careful to keep his hat on, though. How about his old friend, Charlie Bryant? Bunny— He’s a famous osteo¬ path in Gill. Elvis Pettirossi is his head nurse, and Helen Sheehan, Edith Pierce, Marianna Massuzzo, and Helen Kunasko are her assist¬ ants. Has anyone ever heard from Eleanor Thayer? Fritz— Oh, sure. She has a big florist business and her flowers are being delivered by Newman’s Truck¬ ing Business. How is my old friend, Cy Donovan? M. D.— Cy is the art instructor in a private school where Eleanor Luey teaches kindergarten. Did you hear