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

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Donald William Barrett “Don” Don Barrett joined our class in the Fifth Form. As soon as the class got to know Don, we knew that we had a jolly new member who we were sure was going to keep us laughing many times during his career at Kingswood with such phrases as, “1 am sorry, sir, I lost my head. His prowess on the gridiron was so much appreciated that whenever he was seen being given a breather on the bench, his avid fans kept a muttering murrur going with the chant of, “We want Don”, and our two hundred and twenty pound boy from Bristol was just the man the team needed. Don went out for the wrestling team and fortunately for his opponents in the unlimited class, he promptly acquired a knee injury. As a result, his winter activities were curtailed and the spring season was spent in jogging around the track. During the summer of 1953, Don joined the Connecticut National Guard. He learned about some of the nice activities of the infantry such as digging ditches, taking care of equipment and hiking for four or five miles on a blazing July afternoon. In Don’s senior year he played an important part as a defensive lineman on Mr. Barrows’ varsity football squad. Despite injuries and his work in the National Guard, which prevented him from playing in a few of the games, Don helped the team tremendously when he was able to play. Don decided to leave his wrestling career and to join the ranks of the “Morning Hoopstcrs during the winter term. Don became a very active member of the business board of the Classbook in his senior year. His effort helped Bob Thompson, the business manager of the Classbook, to have a much easier time of it. Wherever Don goes next year, he knows that the class of “54” wishes him the best of luck. 10

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Ralph Hoxic Cross “Ralph” A little kid with a crewcut peddled his bike up the Boulevard hill and through the portals of Kings wood. He ran to the gymnasium and reported his tardiness. Thus, in 1948, started Ralph's career and his first year at Kingswood. He quickly showed his athletic ability, playing soccer for York. As the year drew to a close, Ralph found he had made many new friends. His winning smile and cheerful How-dy” made him a class favorite. In his Third Form year, Ralph did what most Freshmen dream of doing, and became a starter on the Varsity Soccer team. When Christmas vacation came, he left for Florida with one of the more prominent members of the class. He returned in January very sunburned and very lazy to play on “Duck’s Jayvee Basketball team. It was during this time that Ralph started going to Ma Harrington’s little gatherings at the T C Club once a month. You could notice a change in Ralph, Ralph could notice a change in himself, for the first time in his life he thought girls were something other than sisters or pests. During the winter vacation of his Fifth Form year, after being elected to Captain the Soccer team the following year, Ralph went to Florida again. This time he went with a different faculty member, “Chick Jacobus. They attended a soccer clinic in Sarasota, where Ralph played with and against college players. In the spring Ralph put on his mask and stood behind home plate. In tribute to his courage, the other members of the baseball team elected him Co-captam. In addition to his athletic accomplishments, Ralph was exchange editor of the News, co- chairman of the Dance Committee and on the production staff of the Dramatic Club. Ralph base been one of the most popular boys in the school, and as he leaves Kingswood to face life anew, the class wishes to extend to him their wishes for happiness and success in the years to come. 11