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

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M.-H. S: YEAR BOOK follows: Aunt Polly, Huldah Cobb; Ruth Watson, Rose Certuse; Mary Jane, Grace Davenport; Fred Raymond, David Ingram; Melba White, Mary Striga; Clara Woppinger, Priscilla Wills; Amy Woppinger, Eliza- beth Branigan; Huckleberry Finn, Emile Jalbert; John Finn, Fred Vallett; Tom Sawyer, William Howe. Aunt Polly and Melba White stole the show, although Huckleberry Finn was quite able to hold his own.” Again we made the front page in January. “The Senior Class held an important meeting at the high school today. ‘The purpose of the meeting was to vote on a year book and to decide whether to follow the newly established precedent of wearing caps and gowns at graduation. ‘The vote in favor of both was almost unanimous.” Another article announces: ‘“Today the Senior Class chose Elizabeth Penrose as the Mansfield representative for the Good-Citizenship Pilgrimage. Miss Penrose will attend the D. A. R. Conference in Boston sometime in March.” My heart swells with pride as I behold the next clipping. ‘Three girls are the highest ranking students in the Senior Class, which is outstand- ing for its scholastic record. Miss Jenevieve Willard was awarded first honors and Miss Angelina Garofano, second honors. Miss Irene Perkins won third honors and will give the Class History. The highest average among the toys was attained by Ezio Benigni. The class chose Emile Jalbert to draw up the Class Will and Miss Grace Davenport to present the Class Prophecy. Miss Priscilla Bowles will edit the Year Book.” ‘‘All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy,” and the Senior Class was determined not to be dull. In May the girls set aside one day for Bow Day, when all senior girls were to wear the largest bows they could find. Not to be outdone, the boys decided to wear their flashiest ties on that occasion. “The results were, to say the least, dazzling. In June, the seniors again decided to set aside all work for a day. “This time it was “Tramp Day.’ All came to school dressed in their oldest clothes of vagabondia. When I saw some of the outlandish rigs that they wore, I was certainly glad that I had brought my camera. At last, we had reached our goal, and we joined in a series of com- mencement events in our last week together. No newspaper clippings are necessary to bring memories of these last few happy days—happy because we had reached our goal, but sad because we had also reached the parting of the ways. On Sunday morning, proudly decked out in our caps and gowns, we attended baccalaureate services. Now the long-awaited hour is at hand. For the last time we are assembled here in the Town Hall. Soon our much coveted diplomas will be in our hands. ‘Thus, the history of the Class of 1938 comes to an end. The story of the future must be left to another. [ 28 }

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Mo Hes] YEAR, BOOK the boys was worn by William Howe, who was clad in wine velvet trousers, a wine velvet cape embroidered in gold, a matching velvet hat with a plume, and black cavalry boots. Homer Greene, a perfect Percy, wore white trousers that scarcely reached his ankles, a gray jacket, and a stiff white collar with a huge red bow. ‘he prize for the funniest costume went to ‘Lewis Fletcher, who came dressed apparently for a ‘dark town strutters’ ball’. Another great event was the Junior Social, which took place on April ten. All the juniors were excited for weeks before the event, because it was to be our first real social function. Needless to say, our air castles did not tumble to the ground. I'll never forget the end of my junior year. As a sophomore, gradua- tion seemed distant and vague, for we were only slightly acquainted with the lofty seniors and we had little part in the graduation plans; but, as juniors, graduation seemed near and exciting. “The seniors were our friends and we were sorry to bid them farewell. Then, too, we were taking more notice of commencement, for the next year we hoped to be graduated ourselves. Our part in the graduation came when we tendered a reception to the seniors. Picture a warm, starry June evening; girls in soft, flowing evening dresses, and boys in blue coats and white trousers; the Town Hall resplen- dent in blue and white nautical design! That occasion was one never to be forgotten. The reception ended our junior year and brought us nearer to our coveted goal. At last we were seniors; at least we were the ones to be looked up to and revered by the other students. No longer were we just inconspicuous members of the Mansfield High School. The next fall we joyfully came back to begin our senior year. In a few days class elections were held. Fred Vallett had been such a satisfac- tory leader in past years that he was unanimously re-elected. Fortunately, no tradition prevented him from accepting a third term. William Howe was elected vice-president; Angelina Garofano, secretary; and Elizabeth Penrose, treasurer. The second event in our senior year was recorded as follows: ‘Today the high school students held an assembly in the Town Hall. Coach Bassett awarded letters to the sophomore and junior football players and presented jackets in the high school colors, green and white, to these seniors: Ezio Benigni, Fred Vallett, Mike Prohodsky, Richard Rider, Jim Shaw, John Lane, Don Currivan, Stanley Cross, Benoni Latham, and Arthur Reisman.” On Thanksgiving evening, we left another mark on the sands of fame. The Mansfield News reported: ‘“The Senior Class, under the direction of Mildred Forrester Morse, presented Huckleberry Finn. ‘The cast was as [27 |

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M. H. S. YEAR BOOK CLASS PROPHECY by Grace Davenport On the afternoon of June 25, 1960, as I was sitting quietly at home, the telephone rang sharply. Nervously I picked up the receiver. “Miss Davenport?” said a crisp, business-like voice, utterly unfamiliar to me. I established my identity and the unknown voice continued, “This is Mr. Savoirtout, secretary to Professor William Verdi. I am to inform you that you have been invited by the Patent Committee to witness a trial test of Professor Verdi’s invention, the telometer, which projects you a century into the future. If you care to come, please be at our office at seven promptly.” If I cared to come, indeed! I was thrilled and honored to think that I should be the first to see this remarkable mechanism. I had heard that William Verdi, an old classmate of mine, was perfecting such a machine, but I did not dream that I should ever live to see it. I could readily under- stand why such a fantastic project appealed to Professor Verdi, for I re- membered how restless he had always been. Now that he had finally escaped the bonds of space and time, he must be truly happy. Breathless with excitement, I arrived at the office of the Patent Com- mittee. SPUTTER! SPUTTER! BANG! BANG! came from the ma- chine before me. “Don’t be alarmed,” shouted Professor Verdi, who looked more fright- ened than I felt. After what seemed a century, there was a sudden stillness; then came a flash on the screen. It appeared to be an announcement. I read to my- self: “Ladies and gentlemen, you are now in the year 1950. You will see a moving picture of the most famous people of this year.” 1950! Why, that was ten years ago! Then I realized that Professor Verdi’s wonderful invention had taken us back ten years instead of pro- jecting us forward a century. I could hardly keep from laughing, but it was not at all funny to Professor Verdi. He looked so downcast that ic took two packages of chewing gum to persuade him not to turn off the machine. Finally he agreed to see the past and I settled back comfortably. Maybe—just maybe—I might find out what my classmates had been doing all this time. The picture began. On the screen was a sign which read: “Cigars, Cigarettes, and Candy’’—William McKee—Proprietor. So one of my classmates had be- come a public utility magnate. May his fame endure and never entirely go up in smoke! The second picture showed a patient hitch-hiker, whom I recognized as Lester McGoldrick, the famous thumb specialist. It was he who in- { 29 }