Mechanicville High School - Halfmoon Yearbook (Mechanicville, NY)

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Class History It is graduation day of June 1949, and as we are assembled in our traditional caps and gowns, we are perhaps listening to the speech. It is more likely that we are thinking of our past four years in high school. We were mere freshmen when we entered high school. Our sole object then was to start out on the right foot, to become something. We were the wood brought into the mill. Our first year was perhaps dull; we were waiting for our future use to begin—as the wood is stored for its future use. The “grinding of machines” was new to us, and we were being prepared to face it by the workmen, our teachers. June rolled around and our waiting was ended; we were shipped to the chiphouse— now sophomores. Life for us at school became a little more lively. As the wood is separated and cut into chips, so were we separated and split into many sections. We were put into separate classes and enrolled in many new activities. Some “screening processes” then took place. The students with higher averages were placed on honor lists. Finally, when exams were over and we had successfully passed all our subjects, we were acknowledged as upper classmen. In the next two years of high school we promised ourselves to work harder. When September came, we entered our Junior class rooms, no longer new at this business of school, for the sound of the “mill” had become more familiar. As the wood becomes pulp, screened and processed, we too, were screened—our classes were once again separated and an Alpha Club formed of the students with the highest averages. Such ingredients as good citizenship, sportsmanship, honesty, consideration, and friendliness soon became a part of us. These are the things that the workmen, our teachers, from the beginning tried to teach us. The big social event of our Junior year was the Junior Prom in May. Of course, we thought it was the best dance ever held because it was “our” dance. We had much fun planning and decorating for it. Soon after we were fared with the exams and regents which would either find us prepared for our Senior year or otherwise. The last ounce of seriousness seems to have departed. We now held the coveted place of “Lordly Seniors”, the place we often had dreamed of but could never realize. The humdrum of the machines is likened to the humdrum of the every day life of the Seniors. We seemed to find ourselves included in so many activities. As Spring approached we made our final plans for the trip to Washington. After having such a good time, we hesitated to get back to school because we were now on the last and hardest lap of our school days. For once again we faced exams and regents—final exams and regents. We are now the finished product, ready to take our place in the world as citizens. We often-times did not realize, nor did wc appreciate the care and interest our teachers and parents invested in us. But now, as we are about to receive our diplomas which are the finished product of the paper mill, wc hope we are worthily the finished product of our high school and that we will carry out the hopes that our parents and teachers have placed in us. Therefore, we, in our deepest and most sincere gratitude, dedicate this class history' to our teachers who often reprimanded us, but who put us on the right track. r 28 ]