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

Page 33 text:

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 }

Page 32 text:

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 }

Page 34 text:

M. H. S$. YEAR BOOK vented the phosphorescent thumb for night hikers and thus became one bright and shining light of the Class of ’38. The next scene showed the Mansfield City Hospital. In the operating room was Dr. Fred Vallett with his two most eMcient nurses, Huldah Cobb and Virginia Carnie. Patients and patience! In charge of the nurses was Ozina Marotte. The fourth picture showed the one and only Mansfield radio station. A tantalizingly familiar voice said, “Ladies and gentlemen, next you will hear that Casanova of the air waves, Ezio Benigni, singing J Have Only One Heart Tio Give. He will be accompanied by that trickster of the guitar, James Shaw. ‘Take it away, Tony.” I looked closely and there sat Tony Fiore, chief radio operator. But the voice of the announcer still puzzled me. When the song was finished, he returned and this time I recognized John Horrocks. Stepping up to the microphone, he said clearly: ‘This is the M. H. S. Network. Tune in again. (Good night.” Another picture and again I heard singing, but this time the music was entirely different. “There before my eyes stood Mary Belcher singing the leading role in dida. She finished a famous aria and received no less than five curtain calls. Oh! Orange blossoms! It must be a wedding and indeed it was. ‘There was Irene Perkins, former kindergarten teacher, walking down the aisle. People have disputed whether the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach, as the proverb states, or whether he must be appealed to through his sense of sight. Fortunately Irene had close friends who could give her expert advice: for her maid of honor was Elizabeth Penrose, a famous dietitian; her bridesmaids, Alice Preston, a well-known stylist, and Marjorie Cosgrove, noted for her articles on How To Apply Make-Up. And Irene did look lovely! At the altar was the minister, David Ingram. I turned my attention to the bridal party. Yes, another familiar figure. Who could forget the stalwart form of Bud Rider, the noted explorer? Bud had wrested the title of Bring ‘em Back Alive from Frank Buck, but this naturally had nothing to do with his present duties. But what a contrast! The next picture showed a monastery, where Don Currivan was taking his final vows in the Order of Perpetual Relax- ation. Next on the screen appeared the Blue Room of the Hotel Mansfield, where Elizabeth Branigan, Evelyn Underwood, and Althea Kreimendahl sang popular songs, accompanied by Dorothy Booth and her all-girl or- chestra. Miss Booth had always been very fond of dogs; so I was not surprised to see her in the next picture walking in the park with her collie, her Scottie, and her little Pomeranian. Mansfield was celebrating. And why not? ‘Those famous aviators, [ 30 }