Mansfield High School - Hornet / Green Years Yearbook (Mansfield, MA)

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VEAP Leake DOO and that’s Alfred Doerfler—and Joe Julian—and Bill Lucy and Joe Faria—and Howard Strang—and johnny Moresco—and Walter Smolisky—and Walter Streeter—and Huck and the great Warren Mackinlay. What athletes! We certainly turned out some good ones, didn’t we?” “Yes, I'd give anything to see them play again. Do you know that it | had all the trophies they won and could pawn them, I’d be a wealthier there's Al Sankey and Amando Amici Shaw man than you?” ‘Thus they conversed, each name mentioned bringing back sweet mem- ories. “Chey recalled their junior year. “They read about Joseph Julian, who became class president that year, and Ginesio Ginesi, who was vice- president. “They perused the pages until they found the other two officials of the year—Secretary Alice Dunne and Treasurer Viola Cataloni. Once again, with fair classmates, they danced to the strains of an old waltz; once more they made merry in the High School gym at the junior social. What a grand time everyone had at that party! And then they pictured again the reception that they, as juniors, gave the seniors. It was a gala event, indeed. The Town Hall was crowded to capacity on that beautiful summer evening, and everyone, dressed in finest raiment, was gay of heart as under- graduates and townspeople paid honor to the departing seniors. The old Town Hall—what memories it brought back—the speaking contests, in which Dorothy Stearns, Doris Smith, and Lloyd Williams ably upheld the prestige of dear old M. H. S.; the basketball games; the class play. The two old graduates looked at the picture of the cast of that play, “Good Morning Glory.” ‘There were Lloyd Williams and Gertrude Wil- lard, the leading characters; and Leland Orcutt and Jack Bennett, the riotous comedians, standing beside their respective loves, Dorothy Stearns and Eleanor Tillotson. ‘They saw Virginia Briggs, who played the part of Mrs. N. G. Fleepepper, the haughty society matron; and Ina Pritchard, who was her proud daughter, Florabelle. In the corner of the picture was Alice Dunne, who was cast as Mother Tony, proprietor of Tony’s Tavern; and beside her, Ruth Archibald, who was Clare, a poor working girl, the victim of the bold villain—Ginesio Ginesi. Said the banker: ‘I was in that play, and of all the experiences I’ve been through, that little play was by far the most exciting to me. When I, who was wont to become stagestruck, heard that it was a sellout, I thought that I was doomed.” “Throughout all these years,” the once-sad man continued, “what I’ve remembered best are the senior class meetings. The first one saw the elec- tion of the class officers. Let’s look at them in the book. ‘This boy, John Connor, became class president; and this little girl on the next page, Lois Griswold, was elected vice-president. Let’s see, now, who was secretary? [30 ]

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M. H. S. YEAR BOOK wanted to mingle with common folks, to talk and to play with them. “A queer man,” thought the first-comer. Then a light dawned, and he tapped the banker on the shoulder. “Listen,” he said, smiling for the first time. ‘‘Do you want to hear a story? You see, it’s a story that took place many years ago when I was a boy, and it’s about me.” The banker became interested ; here was the sort of man he was looking for—a man who would treat him as a pal. “Certainly,” he said. “Well,” began the pensive one, “I lived in Massachusetts.” “Massachusetts?” the banker interrupted. ‘‘Why, that’s where I came from. I used to live in Mansfield, a small town not far from Boston. But go on with your story.” The oncé-sad man straightened up, astonished. They were both from Mansfield. Immediately they began to talk over old times. Coincidence is, indeed, a strange thing. Both had been graduated from Mansfield High School in 1934. “Do you remember,’ the banker said, “the day we entered High School ?” “Yes,’’ answered the first reminiscently, “how could I forget? That day marked the arrival in High School of a class that was destined to be the most brilliant and accomplished one in twenty years.” “Boasting?” The banker’s eyes twinkled as he smiled. “No, just proud,” was the response. “I’ve got an old Year Book, and I’ve read it so many times that I’ve memorized it. Remember Carl Garo- fano and Ginesio Ginesi? “They were two of my best friends. I was just reading about them in this book.’ He took an old, worn copy of a Year Book from his pocket. ‘The first year Gene was elected president of the class, and Carl was treasurer.” “T remember them well,” said the banker. “‘Let’s look through the book together.” “See those two pretty girls? This is Ina—Ina Pritchard; and this is Emma Morini. Ina became vice-president; and Emma, secretary when we were sophomores.” The banker sighed and gazed out across the park as though he were looking into the distant past. ‘“T remember them, too,” he said. “I used to sit near them in history class. Then there were our athletes. I'll never forget them. I myself was a three-letter man. Let’s look at the teams. Who is that?” ‘The banker pointed to a boy in the front row of one of the pictures. “He looks familiar.” “He should—it’s you.” They both laughed. “Here’s Walter Ripley. He made the big leagues, didn’t he? And [ 29 }

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MH bo GAR “BOOK Oh yes, Alice Dunne; and Al Sankey was treasurer. There is little wonder that we had a most successful year with those officers. At another meeting we voted to have this Year Book, and wise we were to do so. Then our principal announced the honor students: Lois Griswold was valedictorian, Carl Garofano was salutatorian, and Jack Bennett was historian.” “Finally came the climax of it all, graduation night,” said the banker. ‘How soberly we sat up there on the stage, and how mechanically we walked up for our diplomas!” “Yes, but it wasn’t mechanically that we walked up to get our numer- ous prizes,’ commented the first man. For hours they sat there, chatting about old times, away from the strife and bustle of the big city—far, far away from that dear little town where they had spent so many happy days in their youth. The sun was slowly sinking to rest behind the city skyline, and the warmth of the afternoon had given way to the crisp coolness of evening. If one had been in Central Park on that spring evening in 1970, he might have seen two men strolling out of that public beauty spot together. Yes, two long-lost friends who had found each other walked along, arm in arm, past the large band pavilion, just as they had walked past the band stand on South Common many, many years ago—two high-school boys. ERROR ELEGY by Eleanor M. Tillotson On the morning of January 6, 1944, I received a cablegram from the American ambassador to Sweden, John Connor, informing me that the wedding of one of my former classmates was to take place in Stockholm in June. This message inspired me to start on an airship cruise around the world, with Sweden as my final objective. ‘Therefore, on January 31, with Peter Rodrick as pilot, I began my trip. Our first landing was in Chicago, where the Farmers’ Convention was in progress. Here Louis Silvi could be heard ballyhooing for an instrument supposed to stop roosters from crowing in the morning and to make hens lay at night. Also, we found at the fair Jennie Repucci, demonstrating what the perfectly dressed farm girl of 1945 will wear in her garden. From Chicago we took off for Hollywood to see the latest movie stars. Whom do you think we visited first? Virginia Briggs. Of course, you know who she is—the successor to Katherine Hepburn. Her latest picture is [31 ]