McIndoes Academy - Spitfire Yearbook (McIndoes, VT)

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of our personalities. Look at any man's shoes and you will know something of the man. Sherlock Holmes, no doubt, could read our footprints and write a biography of each of us. The shoes we choose may not always reveal our original hopes and dreams or the person we aspired to be, because circumstances sometimes prevent the realiza- tion of dreams. Millions of people may wear one kind of shoe even though they prefer another style and leather. There are many reasons why people are not able to choose their own professions, and thus they cannot be blamed for their choices. Perhaps at choosing time their choices were faulty or perhaps they did not persevere to achieve their dreams. Failure in perseverance would certainly lay the responsibility upon the chooser. But truly, we can say that the shoes we wear indicate our positions in life, our wealth, our health, or our personalities. Our shoes leave their distinct markings upon the sands. Seniors, briefly, I leave you this challenge. If shoes make the man, choose your shoes well. Take time in the choosing. Give the matter serious thought. Seek advice. Be careful that the shoes are suitable for your journey and that they will help you realize your dreams of happiness and success. TIME OF OUR LIVES Historian: Why the senior class has been this Way! They left their footprints. I would know their footprints anywhere-in Africa or Kalamazoo. And these tracks were made by shoes worn in service and useful activities. They come from the Academy and lead out in the world. From the markings here I note they have spent much time in giving, not in receiving. Worn down at the heel, half-soled-shows how busy they were. These seniors walked firmly, showing they knew where they were going. Say, folks, finding these footprints brings back memories to me. I am reminded of the good old times we had as students of this Academy. I'll just have to tell you about our days there. Oh, we had the time of our lives-wish you had been there too. Class Historian: In 1953 our class was organized with twenty-two members for the march ahead of us. This first year of high school life was a glorious one because it marked a great change from that of grammar school. Leaders for our first step were Edith Hammond, president: John Gilmour, vice-president: Camille Sicard, secretary: Nor- ene Blake, treasurerg and Ann Pollard and Ronald Bedell, our representatives to the Student Council. We gave voice to our spirits and talents with a Christmas play, 'Twas the Fight Before Xmasf' Our advisor was Mr. Kierstead, Principal. Time flies when traveling on good paths, and our paths were bright when we all passed our subjects and became tenth graders. Our march had been shortened by one step and although the number of members remained the same, Joan Wilson and Lorraine Cheney left and Arthur Royal of New York and Alton Maxwell of Brad- ford joined us. Leaders for this step were Edith Hammond, presidentg Arthur Royal, vice-presidentg Camille Sicard, secretaryg Donna Goss, treasurer: Norene Blake and John Gilmour, representatives to the Student Council. To increase our profits in the treasury we sponsored a Hobo Hop , the Fresh- man Reception and other activities. This year we decided what kind of class rings we were to have. 12

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OF FOOTPRINTS AND TIME Solufotorianz We greet you, friends and parents, and we welcome you to our class night exercises. This is one of the happy occasions of our lives, and we have made an effort to make it an impressive one. It is an important time for usg therefore, we have chosen the theme, OF FOOTPRINTS AND TIME. We wish to print indelibly this class night program upon the walls of your memories. We propose to give you something of our past achievements and experiences in high school and then tell you about our future plans and hopes that may make deep imprints upon the lives we touch and upon the social and economic fields beyond the school room. It was Longfellow who expressed our theme: Lives of great men all remind us We can make our lives sublime, And, departing, leave behind us Footprints on the sands of time. Footprints that perhaps another Sailing o'er life's solemn main, A forlorn and shipwrecked brother, Seeing shall take heart again. It is our commencement time. We dare not be too serious in carrying out this theme, so we are sifting in the sands a little humor and fun. If you listen carefully you may find us a little off-time as we participate in this night's past time. Thus it should be in all our future. Laughter and fun should be sifted in with our responsibilities to relieve the nervous tension in the serious moments of life. However, tonight we are serious in that we purpose to do many worthwhile things after we tread the road leading away from our high school door. But what of the sands we tread upon, the sands of time? Sand represents the substance upon which all plant and animal life feeds. Symbolically the sands are also the economic, political, philosophic, artistic, and scientific grounds upon which the seniors will tread to make footprints. These sands will sweep upon their feet at every step, and consequently their lives will change with the shifting sands, the storms and the tides, the rain and the winds-and the currents. But we purpose not to be changed so much as to change conditions about us, and, departing, leave behind us footprints on the sands of time. The grains of sand, added one to one, make a mighty highway. So welcome, friends and parents, and come along with us as we hasten down this highway making our footprints. THE SHOES WE CHOOSE As president of the senior class, I wish to offer a challenge to the seniors. I have here an old worn shoe. You will notice that it has been worn until it fits well the foot that wore it. It reveals something of the life of its owner, and it makes a definite print on the sand. In walking along the way, we as individuals place our own patterns upon the sand-the patterns of our footprints. They are of various sizes: the markings are different, unique, and distinctive. That you know. The shoes we choose make the difference. The shoes we choose to wear at work and play are important because they definitely express the kind of people we are and the positions we hold in life. They reveal our ideals, careers, achievements, and failures. They show something ll

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Before the end of the school year Gail Bedell, Art Royal, and Buddy Bedell left us, decreasing our membership to nineteen. Our advisor in this step was Mr. Powell, Business Teacher. We reached the first hurdle in our pathway at this, our Junior year of high school life. School morale and spirit became depressed but with Edith Hammond as president, john Gilmour, vice-president, Norene Blake, secretary, Ann Pollard, treasurer, and Alton Maxwell and Ruth Griffin as our representatives to the Student Council we boosted our own morale. We increased our budget with profits from food sales and a dance. We sponsored a junior Prom but this proved unsuccessful. Our faculty advisor was Mr. Bowler, Social Studies Teacher. For the trying stretch of the senior year we elected officers as follows: Alton Maxwell, presidentg Camille Sicard, vice-president, Edith Hammond, secretary: John Crown, treasurer, and Norene Blake and john Gilmour, Student Council representatives. Financing our yearbook and class trip were the last financial obstacles in our path. To overcome them we produced the annual senior play entitled f'Shy Guy directed by Mr. Bicknell. Needless to say the play was a successful one and we made a tidy profit. We elected our yearbook staff and collected money by selling advertising space in the publication. We had money-making projects such as paper drives, school newpaper publishing with Norene Lang, editor, selling of refresh- ments at basketball games, and selling candy and milk at school. Historian: Camille Sicard was our class poet. She was always panning her lines to our yearbooks and notebooks. Here is Cammie. This will be a short poem: I don't want to be a bore. Our class is always on the go, So I haven't time for more. Donna is a brilliant girl, Her brains will take her far. John is a bespectacled lad, He's never without his car. Edie is a pretty lass, She is going steady, though. John Crown is quite an actor, He always gives a good show. Susie is a basketball player, Shels very good, you see. Richard Annis is a happy lad, His days are filled with glee. Norene Lang has one ambition She wants to be a wife. Richard Nelson wants a farm, He says that is the life. Norene Blake's great desire Is to have a home of her own. Mac is on our basketball team His name is widely known. Ann is quite an active girl, She loves office practice. Everyone is Roycels friend, Toward none does he bear malice Cammie is a cheerleader, Nursing is her chosen career. Maurice is a hotrod driver, At speed laws he does jeer. Helyn is a friendly girl, You really must confess. This poem wasn't to be long? Looks like I was slightly wrong. 13