Kent School - Kent Yearbook (Kent, CT)

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'56 work holiday project before. . . . . .and after. Naturally, snow ball fights occupied about half our time. We feared no one for so we thoughtlll Our courage waned after our initial encounter with Bud Rockefeller, Bill Spall, Dave Gallup, Howie Teter, and their forces. Many a gallant member of '56 fell for ran, that fateful day. Before we knew it, we were in the midst of a terrible period called Exam Week. We stud- ied like fiends, and took each exam as if we were being whipped. We feared the results, and al- though we really didn't do too badly, we were still quite relieved when the exams were over. The long cold term died in March, and we all headed home for three weeks. We were all sort of optimistic at this time, because everyone had told us that spring term was great. Turns out that it was, too. For one thing, a lot of us got our first shot at an incredible sport called crew. We couldn't get it through our heads that some day some of us would probably be rowing on that first crew, the crew made up of mountains of muscle like Van Rensselaer, Hink- ley and Brown. Yet some of our boys did nota- bly well in crew that spring. Leigh Faldi fthe 90-lb Italian wonderj coxed the first and second Massies! They both won, too. Meanwhile, Jack Detwiler qup to 202, though still only 13j, Mac and Tuck Hicks fno one could tell them apart yetl, and Bobby Reed did remarkably well in club baseball. Dick Alford showed potential on the tennis courts the beat the Senior Prefect once or twicej. Hacks marked that first spring term. Who can forget the rainy day that this big Rikki Van Rensselaer, Chuck Mignon, and company threw around, clobbered, and literally buried Detwiler, Faldi, Clapp and Mac Hicks in the two-feet mud of the bogv. Or the day that Gallup, McHugh, and Mcllyer C52 alll carried on a water fight with second formers Qus, by gumlj Weber, Schmitt, Clapp, Detwiler and Damour. The weather got warmer, and the day for the tapping of the Prefects for the class of 1953 arrived. Bob Ward was the new Senior Pre- fect. Charlie Tighe, Howie Patterson, and Art Hodges were picked as the other three leaders. We thought the choices were good, but were all forced to listen to Lily Lonsdale describe how he knew who the Prefects would be all the time. Oh well, maybe he did know. Now who's on second?

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But Early Term , as dragged out and un- ending as it was, helped us immeasurably. We met and got to know Fr. Patterson, our Head- master. We found out from various masters what our studies would be like. We learned about the job system: that none of us could escape it. We discovered the sixth form fwhat monsterslj ran the school, and that Sandy Millspaugh was the Senior Prefect. And the things we learned best of all was that we were second formers, which didn't make us very important. Then one day Father Patterson reminded those of us who didnit realize it, that we were Kent's fiftieth class, and that 1956, our graduation year, was the year of Kent's Fiftieth Anniversary. We sud- denly felt like a very significant bunch. Early Term ended, and fall term began. The form was split up into three different buildings: the North Dorm, the Library, and the Auditorium. We all seemed to find friends in our buildings, and we began to feel a lot more at home. We did everything vigorously and eagerly. Most of us played junior football or club soccer. A few of our big boys, like Jack Detwiler, played senior league football. Time went on, and finally our first report cards were given to us. It was amazing! Our averages stretched from 65 to 88. And the man with the 88 was a smiling Russian spy by the name of Sergei Berezowsky. A disorganized-look- ing genius named Bunker was hot on the Rus- sian,s heels: Bunker had an 84 average. In the meanwhile. Jerry Baird and Bob McCracken just couldn't figure out those 15's in Latin. The term progressed rapidly, more indi- cators ended, the Algos proceeded to capture both senior and junior football, and the first football team, captained by the feared and re- vered Butch Wilson, pounded out a 50-50, three and three record. We won't easily forget the last game of the season with undefeated Hotchkiss. Our line and backs fought like wildcats. The final score was 26-19. lt was a great game. Fall term came to a close, and our first term at Kent had ended. We tore home for Thanksgiving vacation and filled our families' ears with confusing stories of our first exper- iences on the banks of the Housatonic. Winter sports started right after Thanksgiv- ing, and we learned that we had our choice of basketball, hockey, wrestling or skiing. As usual, our tastes were varied. We had representatives in all sports, and some of them did pretty well. Pete Schmitt, Dick Alford, and Bob McCracken looked promising in hockey, Dave Clapp, Mike O'Connell, Mac Hicks, and Bill Weber started for their clubs in basketball. Christmas vacation came and went. Most of us returned to school sporting new striped ties and grey flannels, which we were told were a mush Then the real business of the term be- gan. Snow fell, and we found out what Kent is like in the winter. I Five Tears Later, Still Fresh, and Eager

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Final exams came, and our first year at Kent ended. We had been a pretty good form. Berezowsky had led the bunch academically. Bill Weber and Bert Waters had been our two form presidents. Did good jobs too. We were all eager to get back to our families for summer vacation, but most of us knew that Kent was going to be our real home for the next four years. At this point, the saddest occurrence of our Kent careers took place. Father Sill, known to us as Pater, passed away. Father Sill was the founder of Kent School, and although we had only been at Kent for a short time, we realized the great importance and significance that his life had held. We regretted not having known Pater better, and we were very sorry at his pass- ing away. Third Form Year! We were positive that there just cou1dn't have ever been a bigger bunch of wheels than us. We looked down on the new rabble fthe class of ,571 with disdain. One of the first things we noticed was the fact that our form was twice as large as it had been in the spring. We were outraged! Invaders, we shout- ed! Later that night Jack Detwiler, who had been back a week for First Football practice, told us just exactly who the good guys were. Well, we soon discovered that they were all good guys, and that they were as much a part of the form as we were. One of the first things we did that Fall was elect officers. The results show- ed that Reed, Waters and Schmitt were the peoples' choice. The football and soccer seasons started, and our form was again active in both sports. Jack Detwiler and John Heiser made Jim Draper's First Football squad, while new boy Charlie Brainard made First Soccer. Other new athletes Moments to remember. ' T T lr if The coaching staff - Messrs Partridge, Reed and Nadal. Mallee and that Doylestown girl. f showed up all over the form. Charlie Appleton looked good in football fsenior Massiesl, and Ned Hatfield was a definite comer in soccer. The Mas- sies won senior football. and almost went unde- feated. ln the Junior League, the Hoosies went undefeated and unscored-on. Tuck Hicks scored as phenomenal number of T.D's., and his brother Mac, Bob Reed, Dick Baiter and Dick Alford were also stars. The First Football team had its problems. Captained by Lloyd Davis, the squad won only two, while losing four. But we rooted hard any- way.