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

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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

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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-

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16 THE EXPONENT of the new syndicate that bought out E. W. Woolworth? Evelyn Morris, Bernadette Petrin, Loiza Chyz, Kath¬ erine Campbell, Mae Baker, and Ruth Baker are the owners of the business. Fritz— I met Major Orlo Fiske the other day down near the docks. He was just embarking for the Philip¬ pines to take charge of the island. Has anyone heard from Regina Horan? Bunny— Oh, yes, she is quite a suc¬ cessful nurse in a Willys-Knight gar¬ age. What’s become of Alfred Fre- geau, the boy with a flower? Fritz— Oh, Al’s another successful florist. He has quite a few old class¬ mates working for him. His sister Carolyn, Jessie Bliss, Margaret Cole¬ man, and Elizabeth Davenport are all in his salesrooms. Say, I haven’t heard from Clyde Holbrook in years. How is his music progressing? M. D.— Clyde plays first ’cello in the New York Symphony orchestra. You know, Clem Schuler directs that orchestra and Marion Young is the vocal soloist. Where is our old friend, Ed Galvin? Bunny— Oh, Ed’s a Western-Union Messenger. He always was good at carrying messages. Have we any classmates editing a newspaper? Pd like to buy one of their papers if we have. Fritz— Esther Hawkes and Mildred Gorman are the joint editors of the “Chicago Pacifier”. They’re making quite a success. Walter Kalinoski is the head of their press room. I was talking with Walter the other day and he told me that Kathryn Booher has started an interior decorating business. She has Lucie Galbraith for her chief-of-staff and Mary Blake, Agnes Brocklesby and Eileen Sulli¬ van are her best decorators. M. D.— Oh, yes, I hear they are running in still competition with Annie Kramer and her husband. Everybody seems to be successful in business. Florence Forsyth is one of the officials in a company that manu¬ factures electric stoves. Eugene Crawford is her advertising manager. He always did have unique ideas and he’s still keeping up his reputation for being the most unique person in the class. Bunny— Oh, yes, I met Edith Johnson and Alice Jurek the other day. They are demonstrating Flor¬ ence’s stoves. They said Dorothy Purrington and Ethel Reum were demonstrating them in Greenfield this week. Fritz—I was out hunting for an apartment the other day and I ran across Dick Miller and Guy Miner in one of these artist’s studios. They’re quite successful. Their paintings get first prize at all the exhibits, but they’ve ruined their studio by prac¬ ticing golf swings in it. M. D.—I met Joe O’Bryan the other day. He’s a big league base¬ ball umpire now. He was telling me that Eddie and Stan Pekalski are making a trans-continental tour in that old Ford they had back in 1928. Bunny— I went out to the West¬ chester Country Club last Tuesday and took a golf lesson from Ziggie Gutkowski. He’s a golf pro now. Bob Bane, Hector Chevalier and Mar¬ jorie Hebert were taking lessons from him at the same time. John Gorman is president of the country club. John used to talk a lot, but success has made him very quiet and reserved. Has Stuart Witty been very successful? Fritz— Stuart is a popular movie actor now. He and Betty Newcomb are playing opposite each other in his newest picture. Bill Breslin is the villain and Johnnie Roberts, the comedian. M. D.— Oh, yes. Charlie Rice is president of the movie company they are working for. Florence Percival and Helen Kartcheske are his private secretaries. He has so much busi¬ ness he needs two secretaries. Mar¬ garet Murphy has charge of the em¬ ployment agency that send the girls to Charlie. Bunny— Elizabeth Kinne has a model dairy now. Ed LaChance and Herbert Lamb have charge of her supply farms, and since Lois Hale was graduated from M. A. C. she has been working for them. Fritz— Lois told me that Leon Cornilovich was teaching mathema¬ tics down at M. A. C. He’s just been visiting Manuel Rispler in Spring- field. Manuel is in the paint busi¬ ness with Arthur Seymour. Ruth Robinson is their saleslady and their sales are certainly booming. Bunny— Their best customer is Donald Manix. He runs an antique shop on the East Side. He takes new