John Bapst High School - Bapstonian Yearbook (Bangor, ME)

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Some of us will leave Bapst to settle down and bc married, others will enter the peacetime army, while the rest will strive for a higher education level in the various colleges and universities -of the land. But no matter what we choose as our profession in life, we shall all try to fulfill our religious and civic obligations as graduates of john Bapst High School. GIRLS, CLASS HISTORY A priceless heritage is being left for the annals of the glorious and immortal pages of the history ot jolm Bapst by those priceless seniors of the class of 1946. ll he word priceless', may be interpreted the way the seniors themselves would prefer it or it may, and probably will, be interpreted the way the students who are in the know about the seniors would prefer it. But in order to be just, we shall present the case in a simple, sincere, and upright manner that is so charac- teristic of each and ever senior: l The September of iff!-12 found a good representation of both commercial and classical students ready to start the high school term by willingly accepting the homework assigned by Sister Mary Dolorosa and Sister Mary Raymond, homeroom teachers. These green freshmen quickly took up the high school tradition so thoughtfully left to them by yesterdayis seniors. Scholastically, traditions were upheld by the brain of the class, Mary Alice O,Leary. Shirley Madore turned on her speaking ability during this term. The freshmen outdid the seniors in a war stamp drive, and we were treated to a party by them. It was duing this first year that we new students got a taste of the guillotine treat- ment commonly referred to as midyears. The next September found our class with a few newly acquired personages most earnestly interested in furthering their education. This was the year that Caesar played such an important part in the lives of Sister Mary Loyola's sopho- more classicals while Sister Mary Eulaliais school loyalty and Stearns' visitors left the commercial girls happy. We now advance to the year '44-'45 where we find the girls busy sewing miniature vestments as a Religion project. Ellen-Marie Polyot represented the junior class on the cheerleading squad while Gwendolyn jansson became queen of the junior Prom. The girls' pride was justified when Mary Alice O'Leary was chosen to represent the school in the Constitution contest. During this year our school days were made more illustrious by the arrival of Miss Profita. A Dramatic Club was organized, and its first presentation was the renowned play, THE SoNc OF BERNADETTE. The girls worked extra hard during their junior year to satisfy the wants of Sister Mary Raymond and Sister Mary Pius. H The following year was the fulfillment of all dreams. Seniors at last! The first day, Sister Mary Teresita and Sister Mary Monica greeted the eager girls. A new school paper, THE: CRUSADEH, was issued, and the seniors were repre- sentedg in fact, they were practically the brains, but that is for you to judge. The cheerleading squad was led by Ellen Duddy with Carolyn Mann. Eleanor and Ellen-Marie Polyot helping out to the best of their lung capacity. During the month of November, Frances Brochu finally summoned enough courage and spoke at an assembly, while Pauline johnson made the librarian search every nook and corner .trying to decide whether Henry Clay was born in 1777 or 1776. This year also brought to john Bapst Sister Mary Carmel who was named prin- cipal of the Girls, Department succeeding Sister Mary Callista who had served faithfully in that post. Sister Carmel proved to be a most progressive and won- derful individual and a delightful discinlinarian. Under the excellent guidance of Sister Carmel a delightful Mother-Daughter tea was held in April. Leaving these few indelible thoughts on your minds, the class of 1946 bids a fond farewell to the other classes reminding them that the top is not reached by a single bound but viala ladder that is mounted rung by rung. . 27

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BOYS' CLASS HISTORY Un Tuesday morning, September 8, 1942, sixty smiling boys dressed in their Sunday clothes entered john Bapst High School for the first time as freshmen. From that day on, we underwent the subtle transformation from just a bunch of kids to high school students under the surveillance of Brother Luke, C.F.X. and Brother Medard, C.F.X. Their most difficult job was to harness us to the routine life of john Bapst, to teach us to account for our actions, and to help us learn self-discipline. The hours of punishment awarded us for late-comings and mis- deeds remain one of our most painful memories. But our teachers, though stffct at times, were fair. After a month of our new life as freshmen, we were nearly all acquainted and we easily saw a few forging to the front in academics. Be- ing freshmen was fine, but we still longed for the happy day when we would be- come seniors. Freshman year went by quickly, and we found ourselves sophomores the following September. As sophomores, under the guidance of Brother Canice, C.F.X. and Brother Martinian, C.F.X., we took a more active part in the school activities and some of us slowed down a little scholastically in order to get full enjoyment of the new social life. Study periods were spent without too much ambition. The many themes required in English kept our literary, ambitions to the front as we tried to prove to Brother Medard that we really were literary masters. Some members of our class became prominent on the football and basketball teams, while others mastered the arts of speech and debate. Many changes took place before we gathered again for our junior year. Many had departed to serve in the armed forces and for various reasons, varying from academic deficiency to physical disability, some left the class of 1946. A few changed courses when they learned they were -better suited for the opposite course. Those who were left, however, were guided by Brother Victor, C.F.X. and Brother Leo Francis, C.F.X. as homeroom teachers. Our lessons became more difficult as we delved into the mysteries of chemistry, shorthand, book- keeping, and aeronautics. VVe learned, too, that we had actors in our midst when several members of our class did so well in that grand Dramatic Club presentation of THE SONG OF BERNADETTE. Social highlights of the year were the Dfamatic Club Formal and our own junior Prom at which time john Mooney was crowned as our king. We selected and received our class rings and before we realized it, our junior year was over and we were about to become the school kings as members of the senior class. The long awaited moment had arrived. After three years of work and anticipation, we entered school in the fall of 1945 as seniors. The world was at peace, and we no longer had to fear the armed forces whisking away our class- mates. Thirty-four boys emerged victorious over the straight and narrow path of freshman, sophomore, and junior years and accepted the exalted position of john Bapst plutocrats with Brother Dennis Joseph, C.F.X. as our adviser. We soon discovered that our responsibilities were great. We formed a Senior Council to instill order in the more than two hundred underclassmen, and we received the praise of the faculty for our efforts. Studies were not over, however, and we found it more difficult than ever to concentrate on our lessons, but we knew they had to be done as we all found different ways to get a passing mark and com- plete the last lap of the race to receive our diplomas. As the number of days dwindled down, we began to realize that we would soon be leaving john Bapst and entering the world of good Catholics and good Americans. Now june 16, 1946 is almost here, that day toward which we have been moving since the fall of 1942. It will be a new kind of feeling that we shall experience upon grad- uation, one of our hard-earned achievements, anxious to venture forth to the outside world, yet reluctant about leaving our four-year home. It will be that sort of feeling that brings a lump to the throat, but the lump will be welcome because it will be what we have worked for these years-graduationl 26

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BOYS, CLASS PROPHECY As we tur11 our radar controlled chronometer toward the year 1960, we find many new developments in this atomic age of the future. Our assignment being to l'0CiltC all jolm Bapst graduates of the class of 1946, we go immediately to Robert Barry, National Open Colf Champion, who has kept in constant contact with all members of the class. Bob first tells us that his bosom schoolboy friend, D011 Rogers, retired from twelve years of sea duty, is spending most of his time in the night club he recently opened in Bangor. Al Sheehan is his doorman and chief bouncer, having gained much valuable experience from his days at the Opera House, while john McCarthy is master of ceremonies at the evening entertainments. Bob tells us that we can seek further information from Don Richards, Managing Editor of the Commercial. Arriving at the Commercial office, we sight Louis jameson who is the head of the advertising department there. Louis takes us in to see Mr. Richards who tells us that news of three forty-Sixers is appearing in the evening edition. Buying the paper, we first read that Dick Martin, world famous test pilot, has just flown the atomic powered jet plane, Aj-46, to a record speed of 1,946 miles per hour. Next we notice that Robert Moran, representative to Congress from the third Maine district, has announced that he will be a candidate for Governor at the next election. Turning to the sport section, we see that Coach Bill Rivers has just piloted his john Bapst Crusader basketball team to its third consecutive New England championship. Leaving the Commercial, we walk down Main Street where we notice the Smith Dental Laboratories which, we learn, are operated by Neil Smith, noted dental technician. We also pass the Professional Building which houses the offices of Dr. Virgil L. King, DDS, Dr. Thomas D. Trainer, M. D., and Dr. Richard F. Ford, DVM. We also pass the firm of McAloon, Hardy and O'Brien, contracting engineers who have recently drawn up the plans for the erection of a huge new auditorium for the city of Bangor. We continue on and at the top of State Street hill we see joe's Fish Market which is operated -by joe Rice. just next door, we stop in at Whitty's Delicatessen where we can easily see that Hugh Whitty is proprietor of one of the most modern delicatessens in the state. Returning to john Bapst, we learn that Al Desrosiers is head football coach while he teaches French as a sideline and that Freddy Daigle, Bangor business- man, has just been named president of the Alumni Association. While in the office, Bob Brangwynne, noted sports columnist, enters to interview the basket- ball champs. Bob tells us that two other members of the class of 1946 are-in the world of sports. These are Russ Baker and Ed Willett who have established themselves as two of the best hunting and fishing guides in the state of Maine. Our next stop is at the University of Maine where we find Clifton Moors is an instructor in French Essay. We also learn that Alfred Leavitt is head of the Language Department and instructor in Latin composition. We find, too, that Donald King has established a fine record for himself as Dean of the College of Technology. Continuing on to Old Town, we are very much surprised to see the newly established Cross and Hogan Trust Company which is operated by George Cross and Raymond Hogan who live in Bangor but run their business in thc Canoe City. Coming from the bank, we are stopped by Albert Willett, president of the Penobscot Fibre Company, where asbestos suits are made for rocket ship pilots. Al tells us that Gerald King may resign his post as City Manager and accept an offer from Holy Cross to coach football there. On the return trip to Bangor, we notice that Wilfred Brooks has opened a huge scientific farm at Veazie, and Arthur Provost operates the Provost Motor Company where all makes of airplanes are sold and repaired. In Bangor we look up Dan Flanagan who is at the present time general manager of the New England offices of the Coca-Cola Bottling Plants. Thus we leave the class of 1946 in its successes and triumphs in this atomic year of 1960. 28