Major Edwards High School - Mesa Yearbook (West Boylston, MA)

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A LETTER BACK FROM THE FUTURE International Airport West Boylston, Massachusetts The Year — 1959 Dear Students of M. E. H. S.: I must tell you about the wonderful experience I had a few days ago. It really was the climax of my career as recording secretary at the West Boylston Airport. A huge rocket was in position for the take-off and the large crowd that had gathered to watch the spectacular event was patiently awaiting the distinguished passengers and the crewmen. It was the first rocket to the moon that had ever been shot from the newly-constructed West Boylston Airport. I was one of the group making the trip, because I had been appointed to go along to record the observations of the two very eminent scientists who were passengers. As their identity had to date been kept a secret, we were, of course, anxious to find out who they were. Within a few moments we observed a man and woman approaching, and as they drew nearer I was delighted to find that they were both well known to me. One was Capt. Stubbs, who, as a member of Uncle Sam ' s reserve, was going along to prepare a report for the army. The other was Mrs. Severance, who, since her retirement, had become interested in inter-stellar research and had written many books on the subject, and was now making the trip to acquire data for her next volume. Of course, they recognized me, but we had only a few moments for reminis- cences about our days together at M. E. H. S. before we boarded the large rocket ship for our journey into the stratosphere. With a loud roar the rocket ship shot off into space, leaving a trail of smoke behind it. When the rocket landed on the moon, after a fast and thrilling trip, Capt. Stubbs and Mrs. Severance decided to explore immediately the silent, eerie, Planet. Donning their space-suits, they stepped out into a fantasia of huge shapes and shadows. Capt. Stubbs took from his pocket his powerful little portable telescope. He set it up facing the Earth, and found he could see the Earth and everything on it very clearly. After looking through it for a few minutes, he asked Mrs. Severance if she would care to look. She then took over and here are some interesting sights that she observed. First she saw a man with a brief-case, looking tired and disheveled, travel- ing along a country road and going from house to house, obviously trying to sell his products. The look on his face told her in an instant that business was not very good that day and that he ' d have to try again. Yes, her deduc- tions were correct. It was Howie Johnston, the insurance salesman of her Class of ' 49. As Mrs. Severance turned the telescope in another direction, she saw a terrified man running at full speed down the street, with a man in white chasing him. She remembered the pursuer well. Evidently he was in business for himself. Who else could it be but Dr. A1 (Hopalong Cavity) Anthony, a dentist! Refocusing the telescope she made out a large man upon a house top. She finally realized, through the flying sparks and tangled wires, that it was Dick Bonci, first-class electrician. Boy, I ' ll bet his fingers got tired of shocks after a day like that! Probably he had grown accustomed to shocks from standing next to Derrah during lab. period. As she looked around again, she could see a tall young woman seated at an organ in a large church in New York. As the girl ' s fingers flew over the keys, Mrs. Severance realized that it was Winifred Hubbard, the pianist of the Class of ' 49. She was now an organist — choir director at this church and an instructor at the Julliard School of Music. Mrs. Severance remembered that at school Winnie had always been very busy playing for all school qctivities. It seemed that she was still busy.

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Barbara Spencer was the new Junior who joined us at the beginning of January. She proved to be quite as cheerful and jolly a member of the class as our class jester, Jim Bristol. During the year we purchased our class rings. Our next great task was that of the Junior Prom. After much planning and decorating, we succeeded in changing the auditorium on May 20 to a gay, festive sidewalk cafe scene with bright colored streamers. Couples danced to the music of Russ Holland ' s Orchestra. Despite the fact that the weather was another liability to our class, the prom turned out to be a great success. As the year came to a close, we eagerly looked forward to a much-needed two months ' vacation. SENIOR CLASS And now came the year which was the culmination of the last eleven. In September of the year 1948, we once again entered through the doors of Edwards High, knowing that this would be our last and final stay here. For we were now Seniors, and as members of the highest rank of upper classmen, we were determined to be treated with the respect due our position. Much to our delight we found that Mrs. Severance was to act as our class advisor and vneroom teacher. We settled down and elected the following class officers: President . Vice President Secretary . Treasurer . Howard Johnston James Bristol Jeanette Deschenes Richard Bonci We knew that this was to be our busiest and most important year, and we resolved to make the most of it. With the help of Mrs. Severance, plans soon got under way for our Senior Annual. As the end of the year drew nearer to a close, we realized that soon w© would go out the doors of M. E. H. S., never to return again as students. Yes, too soon we would say good-bye to our classmates and friends, and turn our faces to what the future held in store for us. We would say to each other as the Spanish do, Buen viaje — Pleasant journey.

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Peering over the Earth ' s surface, Mrs. Severance located her home town of Oakdale. Here she looked into the Oakdale Memorial Hospital, a splendid building erected at an expense of half a million dollars. There she saw at the desk in the main office a young lady whom she recognized as Joan Rindfleisch. Joan was giving orders to the nurses and information to various guests. As she was talking to nurse Barbara Spencer, Jeanette Deschenes, another nurse, came in to join the conversation. These nurses are neuro- psychiatric specialists and are considered the best in the country. With a slight move of the telescope, Times Square, New York, was brought into focus. Wondering what the news was, Mrs. Severance found a news stand and read the following headlines: BRILLIANT YOUNG SCIENTIST MAKES NEW DISCOVERY, BUT BLOWS UP LABORATORY IN DOING SO! This was none other than her own Bobby Derrah, a famous nuclear physicist scientist. We ' d hoped Bob would never change — guess he hasn ' t. The telescope was then adjusted to bring into view a large building owned by the New England Power Company. As she focused it on a window, she noticed a man inside checking the work being done on one of the very large Diesels owned by the company. When the gentleman turned around she knew in an instant that it was a former student, Dick Novia, now a top Diesel engineer. She then re-adjusted the telescope and noticed a sign which read, Ann ' s Beauty Shop — Exterior Decorating . When the door opened she could see Ann Pendleton busily engaged in making some lucky woman prettier than ever before. The telescope was focused again on a large flat area where Mrs. Severance could see a big construction concern at work building a new theatre. She read a sign that told her this was the Bristol Construction Company, owned and operated by James E. Bristol, Jr. Jim was not around then, for he was back at the office drawing up plans for a large construction job he would soon start in South America. Lucky for him that he learned so much Spanish at Major Edwards. Re-focusing the telescope, she saw a large group of children playing in a field. She looked more closely and found her attention drawn to a tall figure standing near the edge of the field giving some boys a lecture. After watching him for a few minutes, she identified Ray Tenken, now a social worker who owned and operated a large boys ' camp. He was trying to make the young people happy by letting them do whatever their hearts desired. The telescope was again turned, this time to a doctor ' s office where a beautiful young lady was at the office desk. Upon closer observation Mrs. Severance could see that the girl was Millie Fallavollita, a medical secretary to Dr. Luigi Goosegge. She knew that Millie would keep up her good work and bring fame and fortune upon herself- -if she didn ' t get married first. Once more the telescope was turned, and she saw a young mechanic at work in the Ajax Auto Garage. She could not see his face, but as he came out from under the vehicle that he was working on, she recognized him, despite the dirt on his face, as Bruce Phelps, now the top mechanic at the garage. (V ith the thorough overhauling that he gave an automobile there were countless old 1949 cars on the road.) Finally seeing that all the members of her Class of ' 49 had safely embarked upon the road to success and happiness, Mrs. Severance was satisfied. Then with the words — I always knew the Class of ' 49 would turn out well, she turned back to the rocket and prepared for the journey back to the earth. Sincerely, PEARL JEWETT Airport Recording Secretary