Ipswich High School - Tiger Yearbook (Ipswich, MA)

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CLASS DAY PARTS HISTORY OF THE CLASS OF 1940 (By Richard Weagle) I N September of the year 1936 ap- proximately one hundred and twenty- five of us could be seen making our way toward what was then known as the Manning High School. After hanging up our coats and hats down stairs in the basement, we, who have now grown into the strength of man- hood and womanhood, climb ed our laborious way up several flights of well- worn stairs to that historic gathering place of all freshmen, the Study Hall. After taking time to get acquainted with our school chums and the high school way of doing things, we held several class meetings, the results of which determined our class officers for the year. Fred Emerson was our pres- ident; Everett Smith, vice-president; Russell Wile, treasurer; and Theresa Martel, secretary. Being modest and retiring freshmen, we did not, according to our class records, sponsor anything in the way of social activities. About the only thing of interest that happened to us was that in January, 1937, we made our eagerly awaited move from the an- tiquated Manning building into the new, modern Ipswich High School and spent the rest of our first year getting used to our up-to-date establishment. It was indeed soothing to our vanity to realize that for a ' ; least once in the high school history of Ipswich, freshmen were no greener than anybody else in school. Returning to school as sophomores after a short summer vacation, we held class elections and, with the exception of class secretary, we elected all new class officers with Steven Budzianowski, president; Muriel Horsman, vice-presi- dent; and Stuart Mansfield, treasurer. During our sophomore year we be- came a little more alive to the school events and elected for our representative as Queen of the Snows at the Snow Carnival Theresa Martel. Though we didn’t win the contest for snow queen, we gave the winning juniors quite a run for their money. We did win, however, through the efforts of Everett Smith and Muriel Horsman the plaque signifying winter sports supremacy. We also had a sophomore picnic in June at Sandy Point and though the water was extremely chilly, some of the braver members of the class went in swimming while the rest lolled about the beach, played games, and enjoyed themselves generally. Everett Smith brought down upon his head the wrath of the chaperons when he announced that he had instructed the captain of the boat not to return for us until late that evening. 26

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aspects, social problems, skills involved in motion picture production, appreci- ation — all were brought into :he course. For such schools as are following the course of study in motion pictures simi- lar to that of Greenwich High School the Museum of Modern Art Films Library, which was recently developed, has a series available on the history of films and other similar subjects. With an instructional sound motion picture presented in eleven minutes stu- dents can gather more material than from two or three hours of reading in a book of several hundred pages. More- over the modern iinstructional film makes it possible to present subjects in the class room which cannot be obtained through any other teaching device. Mr. John H. Hollingcr, Director of the De- partment of Science of Pittsburg, Penn- sylvania Public Schools considers that “Visual instruction aids in forming cor- rect concepts, challenges attention and stimulates interest; stimulates and con- trols imagination, accurate and reflec- tive thinking; develops appreciation of ethical, aesthetic, social, civic, and eco- nomic values; and widens the mental horizon.” A bulletin issued by the Masachusetts Department of Education declares that Philip J. Roulon of the Harvard Gradu- ate School of Education reported an in- crease of from twenty to forty per cent in the amount learned when pupils in science classes were shown supplemen- tary films and that Dr. V. C. Arnspiger of Teachers College, Columbia Univer- sity, reported an increase of twenty-six per cent in the amount learned in natural science and twenty-seven per cent in music classes when films were shown. This demonstrates the advantages of visual education by film over book. Just as the novel was shunned as un- suitable for a child in olden days so the film was frowned upon, and justly, a few years ago by many people. Recent developments in the industry, however, have demonstrated its value. Heahh departments and various organizations have acknowledged the fact that much can be gained through the use of film by stimulating pupils’ interest in phy- sical and men ' al hygiene. Teachers are recognizing the fact that educational films blend in with other material and help to clarify abstract data. Although audio-visual aids have their weaknesses, that is, :he lack of opportunity for dis- cussion during observation and in many cases the lack of training in observation, it is worthwhile to consider the benefits which may be derived from this modern form of education, for films can be used to great advantage in coordinating ma- terial learned and observed in life. This means of instruction sharpens the pu- pils’ powers of observation and puts new life into learning. The use of film provides the motive for learning and increasing the effectiveness of all class procedures; it is a means of ap- proach to an understanding of truth which is, after all, in a democratic country, the goal of all education.

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There was little else of importance that happened in our sophomore year and before long we were off again on our summer vacation. Election of officers for our junior year saw our president of the previous year returned to office, but as vice-pres- ident we elected Gardiner Wood; as treasurer, Walter Machaj; and as secre- tary, Marion Ciolek. Since we had now been in high school for two years, the time was drawing near for us to assert ourselves in a big way with rings, prom, etc. As part of our growing class consciousness we felt the need of identifying ourselves by a choice of maroon and white as our class colors. Soon after, heated debates on the sub- ject of a “prom” were the order of the day. Though Mrs. Merson’s fingers may have been worn thin by constant repetition of “Our Director” and other familiar march tunes on the piano and though we ourselves were footsore and weary from marching around the audi- torium, the prom, as usual, was a suc- cess both artistically and financially. Clashes of opinion a tended the choice of a class ring also. But finally, in the traditional American democratic way, we chose a tiger ' s head for the design, leaving it to the individual to choose between a ring with or without a stone. The junior year slipped quickly by and soon we were returning again for our summer vacation for what was, we hoped, our final year of high school life. For class officers we kept our president for his third successive year. We also elected as vice-president Muriel Hors- man, who had held the same office in our sophomore year. Other officers elected were Russell Wile as treasurer, who had held the same office in our freshman year, and Marion Ciolek as secretary for her second successive year. We now as seniors took upon our- selves the responsibility of starting the social ball whirling by giving a Hal- lowe’en barn dance. Cart wheels, pump- kins, etc. furnished the atmosphere, a nickelodeon supplied the music, and everybody contributed to the fun and entertainment, with honorable mention going to Mrs. Lord and Mr. Conary for their share in providing the latter. Although Eddie Blaisdell, Everett Smith, and I, made up three quarters of the cast in a Christmas assembly, the next event of real importance to the class as a whole was the senior play, “Button Button,” a comedy in three acts presented March 28. The leading roles were taken by Everett Smith as the psychopathic “Button” and Cecelia Sikora as Josie, the maid, who was in love with and finally got the “Button.” Gertrude Barney played to perfection the role of Mrs. Woodhouse, the wife of “Button’s” half-brother George, who was por: rayed by myself. Mrs. Wood- house had a unique system of her own 27