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

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Thomas Brian Fahy “Tom” “I’ll race ya’! I’ll race ya’!” The famous challenges of Tom Fahy, alias Gayest the Great”, still echo in the team room and on the field. Gayest” believed himself the world's fastest fat man. We must admit that he moved along at a fair pace, but, he would never make the Olympics. Tom crossed over from Hall High to Kings- wood at the beginning of his Junior year. His main interest then and now was athletics. He had begun his Varsity football career at Hall playing tackle. At Kings wood “Gayest” became a hard-driving fullback. After only three months at Kingswood, Tom was elected co-captain of the Varsity football squad for the 1954 season. He was an outstanding performer at tackle in ’54, leading his team to one of the finest seasons on record in the Kingswood archives. Although he was not unhappy playing the line, Tom always had a yearning to return to the backficld. The glory boys” get all the applause while the linemen do all the work. “Gayest” knew this when coach Bob Barrows asked him which he would rather play. “The place where the team needs me most,” answered Tom. He never wanted personal gain but was always out to help his team and his friends in any way he could. Tom also was a fine basketball player. A big man under the boards, he was always a potential scorer. Alternating between first base and right field Tom was an outstanding hitter in baseball. His average of .304 was one of the best on the squad. It is needless to say that Tom Fahy was one of the most respected and admired boys in the class of 1955. In the future “Gayest” hopes to complete four years of college, and eventually obtain a position in personnel management. All that we, his class- mates, can say is that Tom deserves nothing less than the very best of luck. 16

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Kendall C. Eaton “Kenny” Kenny took oiT his skiis just long enough to join our freshmen class in 1951. Ken came to us from Bloomfield, thus adding one more to that infamous clan that had already taken its hold on Kingswood. But unlike most of the others, he is still with us. Will there be snow, or will there not Ik- snow? That is his only question. Although we never saw any, Kenny always managed to. Every weekend during the winter term, we would see the old “EE”, skiis on top, heading for Vermont. These three day weekends were profitable to Ken, for he always showed up Monday with a hand full of medals. Around school Kenny has always been respected and enjoyed by all, especially in the group known as “the boys’’. In his Fifth Form year, Ken’s ability resulted in his being elected editor of our Classbook. Also he has been a long member of the AJews Board. In his Senior year Ken popped into the political life of our class by being elected to the class committee. Kenny’s aggressive spirit and everlasting challenges to “Gaius” will always be remembered by us. He was one of the main factors in our class, always eager and full of life, ready to do anything that was wanted of him, (that’s how he got the name of Lucky”). The class of ’55 wishes him all the luck in the world and we’re sure that he will have it. 15

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Paul Cushing Faxon “Felix” As we entered Chapel for the first time in the fall of ’54, as Seniors, we saw Felix Faxon, our Claass President and Senior Prefect, assume the scat of honor to the left of Mr. Hewett. It made us remember that day in the fall of '52 when Felix entered the Form and immediately became one of its foremost leaders. Felix, as one of the bigger boys in the school, became one of Ed Knapp’s gridiron proteges in the ensuing season. After completing a very successful season, he was persuaded to continue his football by coming out for Knappo’s winter football, or as it was more commonly known, wrestling. The members of this sport met in the subterranean eaves beneath the basketball floor, and Felix compiled a good record in the “unlimited” class. After a season of wrestling, he couldn’t escape Ed Knapp, and he became a member of the baseball team. Because of an article in the Hartford papers citing Felix as one of the most impressive players at Kingswood. he won everlasting fame down at Wesleyan. Felix went on to become a stalwart player on Mr. Barrow’s football team. Seeing as Felix was the largest and strongest member of the class, he was unanimously elected president for our Junior and Senior years. He didn’t let all this glory go to his head or interfere with his studies because he was still fifth in the class. Felix also developed a fine appreciation for poetry under the tutelage of the man who christened him “Felix”, Ed Knapp. He even attempted to make the long hazardous trip to Wesleyan to hear a recitation by Robert Frost. Accompanying him on this venture were Ken Eaton, Dave Gowdy, and John McCormick. Unfortunately, Felix got lost in Hartford and watched the Memorial Day Parade. After a run-in with the hoses of the Rocky Hill Fire Department, the bedraggled group went home. This adventure made him very popular with the more rowdy element of the class. The entire class is sure Felix will continue to have as much success as he has had at Kingswood. 17