Kingswood Oxford High School - Retrospect Yearbook (West Hartford, CT)

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W. Watson House, Jr. Watson entered Kingswood in 1934 as a member of the Fourth Form and immediately became active in the athletic and social life of the school. He joined Coach Greene’s soccer squad in the fall of 1934 and after a winter of loafing on Mr. Blake's basketball team, went out for second team baseball. In his second year. “Wat’’ played football with Mr. McDonald’s team and again chose baseball as his spring sport, pitching on Coach Gargan’s brilliant nine. This year he played first team football and was a substitute back on the undefeated Wyvern machine, and is doing mound duty on the baseball team this spring. “Wat” is well known for his appearances at all Kingswood dances where he trips the light fantastic in his own inimitable, and much admired, style. He is an excellent piano player (self-taught) : his rendition of popular numbers being much in demand around these parts. For all his sophistication he is really a simple, nature- loving soul at heart, as his frequent trips to certain “farms” in the neighborhood will attest. “Wat’s” real pleasure comes in tying trout flies at which he is very adept. As a disciple of Izaak Walton he is a wow. The open- ing of every trout season sees “Wat” among the thousands who flock to nearby streams in search of their finny prey. We wonder how many he has landed this year with his “slab of bear.” Perhaps he does not know himself for sure, after telling stories of all the “big ones” that got away. This enterprising young fellow can be found around the school at almost any time regaling his friends with stories of his latest excursion to New York. Philadelphia, or to Boston. Next year “Wat” plans to attend Wharton Business College. 26

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Allen C. House A1 entered school in the fifth grade as a member of the Lancaster Club. Red Shepard entered at the same time, but became a York. The result was a House-Shepard feud, which lasted for four years. Dur- ing his last year in the Junior School. A1 was secretary of his Club. His outstanding ability in football, basketball, and baseball brought his club many victories. After entering the Third Form. A1 became a mainstay on the second football team. The following year he went up to the first squad and paved his way to the first team, on which he held down a halfback position for two years. He earned his gold football on this year’s undefeated team. A1 has played first team baseball during his four years in the senior school. His first two were spent in the outfield, and the last two covering the first sack. He was “puck-stopper” on the last year’s undefeated hockey team and captain of this year’s aggre- gation. which was unable to demonstrate its powers because of the lack of ice. Although A1 doesn’t like studies very much, he does think that House in the Pines is a pretty good school. He is an inveterate fisherman, coming from the neighboring province of Farmington, which is noted for its ardent sportsmen. He can always be found on the streams near the beginning of the trout season, and it is a rare oc- casion when he returns home empty- handed. During the winter term, he was made a Prefect, which is one of the highest honors that can be given a Kingswood boy. As yet he is undecided on what college he will go to. but wherever he goes his good sportsmanship and cheerful nature will be an asset. A1 says he may even come back next fall and take a P. G. 25

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Spencer M. Jewell, Jr. Perhaps it would be better to speak of him as “farmer’’—the name by which everyone knows him. This name comes from the fact that he is from the country and has all the characteristics of a country boy. “Farmer” Jewell worked his way through three years of Westminster School in Simsbury, before coming here this year. He will do almost anything to earn a dollar and shows up at the most unexpected places. For instance, a few weeks back, he occupied him- self selling boats at the Sportman’s Show. He is very clever with his hands and can make anything from houses to ships in bottles. Late this spring, though, he slipped once and took a nice big slice out of his finger with a hatchet. Among other things he likes is hunting, and his classmates have heard him tell of his many experiences in the woods, and he really can tell them, inserting many amazing adjectives that make the stories quite unusual. All joking aside though, the farmer is a “swell fellow” and it is certain that he will make a big success of farming in a little Connec- ticut village called East Hampton, where he can indulge to his heart’s content in rifle shooting, one of his favorite school activities. For his remarkable success in this line. Spencer was awarded the coveted National Rifle Association Distinguished Rifleman's pin. an honor conferred only on twenty men in the country this year. This fact is especially remarkable when one considers that this is the farmer’s first year of organized sharpshoot- ing and that he has worked up through the ranks from Pro-marks- man to his present position in a little less than three terms. The farmer hasn’t decided what college he will go to and says it isn’t at all unlikely that he may not even give them a try. 27