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

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'40 ROY DONALD BASSETTE, JR. “Don” came to Kingswood in the Third Form and has been one of the out- standing contributors to the life of the school ever since. He took up football upon his arrival and played in the back- field of the Intermediate team. The class possessed a brilliant track star in this in- dividual, for in his Fourth Form year Don won medals for both the broad-jump and the hundred-yard dash; to say nothing of the letter he earned that year for Interme- diate football. In the Fifth Form the “Chief” Gradu- ated to first team football, and he again won a shiny medal for an eye-opening bit of broad-jumping that June. Each winter has found Don plowing through snow with the winter-sports group, and running the customary number of laps around the Hazen Track. Don joined the News in the Fourth Form, trying out for the business end of it. For the last two years he has been co-business manager with Jack SalTord. This year Don joined the Publicity Board and reported on a large percentage of Kingswood’s major contests. He is an excellent rifle-shot, and thus he has won numerous letters as a member of the Rifle Team. Don’s hobbies are perhaps the most interesting in the school. First, and foremost, his Tri-State Detective Agency has achieved nation-wide recognition through magazines, radio, and newsreel. He has become so absorbed in this fascinating study that he intends to make crime detection his vocation. Print- ing has turned out to he a hobby for Don, and a profitable one, too. His electric press seems constantly rolling out printed matter of one sort or another. Aside from being a “Super Sleuth,” the “Chief” also finds a good hit of time to devote to drumming. Being an ardent rhythm fan, he has gone a long way to- wards mastering this art as any one can testify. As for the immediate future, Don hasn’t made definite plans; he has decided to study criminology, perhaps at North- western. Good luck, Chief! 8

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NORMAN SCUDDER BARNES ’40 Working its way up slowly hut surely, the Class of ’40 acquired Norm Barnes in the Fifth Form. Norm seemed to make a name for himself right away. In the fall of that year he took up tennis while he was still getting settled, hut by the basketball season he was all set to go. He made the first team, thereby gaining a letter. In the spring Norm stepped right into the First Baseball Team and obtained the position of catcher, l ie again made his Major “K,” and with this award he became a two-letter man for that year. During the summer Norm takes up residence at Martha’s Vineyard, where he indulges very fully in his favorite hobby of dancing. Some of the steps he learns he brings hack to school, and he has burned up the floor at many a Kingswood dance. Norm enjoys the water too, as sailing takes up the rest of his time. Every morning Norm drives up to school in a Buick “Oldie.” Another one of his hobbies is to see how little time and gas he can use on the way to school from Bloomfield, where he lives; he has it down to tenths of a gallon now. This year Norm left the ranks of tennis players and took up soccer. He developed into a first-class half-hack, and it was his good, steady playing that kept the team from many losses. Because of his fine spirit and good workman- ship he won his Minor “K.” Basketball again called, and he jumped into his position at right forward and held it through a tough season. Norm was well- known in connection with this sport because of his drive and his skill in flipping the “long ones.” Baseball is the last sport for Norm this year, and we again see him behind the plate catching unwary base-runners. Normie is planning to go to Wesleyan and to study for his B.A. there. We cer- tainly hope that he continues his sports career and makes life as pleasant for the Wesleyanites as he did for us. His good humor will he an asset to Wesleyan and a great loss to Kingswood. 7

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’40 REED BERTOLETTE No one knows exactly how Reed ac- quired the name “Chicken,” for he al- ready had that appellation when he en- tered Kingswood in the Second Form in 1935. Although “that new boy from Penn- sylvania'' didn't come to Kingswood until October, he immediately became a York and played football that fall. The follow- ing spring he was awarded a small Wy- vern for his work on the York Tennis Team. In the Third Form “Chick” continued his activities in athletics by playing on tin ee Intermediate teams. Evidence of his scholastic efforts is shown by the fact that he received a prize for general improve- ment at the end of that year. At this time he also became interested in several “extra-curricular activities” for which he gained his class numerals. He became a member of the Dramatic Club and News. He has also been president of the Camera Club for the past year. In the Fifth Form “Chicken” gained the first of two Minor “K’s” for his excellent playing on the first soccer team. Also he was awarded an Intermediate “K” in basketball which he has played every year at Kingswood. Last year he became well-known as “Lost and Found Monitor,” and also was recognized as a poet when he took first prize in Mr. Gleason’s poem contest. No one was surprised to learn that Reed had been chosen a prefect; for through his diligence and good will he had proved himself to be a leader. Dur- ing his Sixth Form year, Reed has concentrated his efforts along literary lines, working conscientiously for the News and Wyvern, and as associate editor for the Classbook. It would appear that “Chicken” has had very little time for outside activities, but this is far from true. Not interested in either smoking or drinking, Reed is a good golfer and generally interested in sports. He likes to dance and has occa- sional dates but spends a lot of his time working on a “model A” Ford of which he is half owner. Reed expects to continue his steady academic record, if not his com- plete athletic program, at Yale next year. 9