Millbury Memorial High School - Aftermath Yearbook (Millbury, MA)

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CLASS HISTURY — CLAss UF 486 This is station MHS bringing you your radio commentator, Ardath Whicher, with highlights of the news in review from September, 1944, to June 7, 1948. SEPTEMBER, 1944 Class of 1948 invades Millbury High. It had been pre- dicted that this class would take the school by storm in the short space of four years. Our attack was only slightly repulsed by the warnings of Mr. Beaton at the first assembly. At the first class meeting we chose for our officers: Roland Dunn, President; Paul Chase, Vice-President; Maxine Reade, Secretary; and Beverly Dulmaine, Treasurer. The girls chosen to represent us on the cheer ing squad were Bette Fleming and Roberta Webber. The football team, which Coach George Sherry called together in August, actually took form. Although only lowly freshmen, we were represented by Tom Dolan Roland Dunn, Paul Chase, and Edward Balmer on the squad, and John Donnelly as manager. Because there were so many veteran field hockey players, Miss Sullivan was forced to cut all freshmen. NOVEMBER, 1944 After the Thanksgiving vacation came the start of the basketball season. Being only freshmen, none of our class- mates made the varsity team. We were introduced to many new activities. Among them was the Magazine Drive to raise money for our class ex- penses. Rosemary Norton was chosen to be our Class Captain. DECEMBER, 1944 December, with its festive holiday season and the first long vacation of our high school days, left little time for other important happenings. JANUARY, 1945 With our return to school after the Christmas holiday, we noticed a marked change in the attitude and spirits of the upper classmen. For a few weeks this was rather a mystery to us, but all too soon we discovered the reason— “‘mid-years’’—a harrowing experience which we all seem to have lived through. FEBRUARY, 1945 February brought us a happy reversal of January worries —the thrill of our first prom. MARCH, APRIL, and MAY, 1945 These months are remembered only for the attacks of spring fever suffered by most of us, and the baseball season. Mr. Jannery's call for candidates brought forth many vet- erans and also two boys from our own class—Roland Dunn and Fred Perry. JUNE, 1945 The month of June brought us to the first summer prom, the closing of the school year, and the long-awaited weeks of the summer vacation. SEPTEMBER, 1945 With our spirits high, we took our place as “‘sophs ’ in school life. We were somewhat disappointed, however, to find that we still had no standing as far as the juniors and seniors were concerned. When the sophomore class was organized, we elected the same officers with the exception of Treasurer. This office was filled by Ruth Lee, an immigrant from Johnson City, New York. This month also saw the start of high school club life with the revival of the French Club and the start of the new Science Club. Many of us took an active part in the various clubs after a year of groping blindly along as freshmen. When Coach Martin Roach organized the football team, we were happy to find that nine sophomores answered his call. In girls’ hockey five of our classmates were playing to uphold the honor of our school. Rosemary Norton managed the team. NOVEMBER, 1945 We began to settle down, and with the cooler weather came thoughts of the holidays and basketball. Varsity members of the boys’ team included Roland Dunn, Dick LeClaire, Laurie Nevalsky, and Fred Perry. While none of our girls were successful in making the varsity, several played through the year on the second team and Rosemary Norton acted as manager. DECEMBER, 1945 Again we found ourselves in the midst of the Christmas vacation. Failure of the high school heating system ex- tended our holidays from December 11, 1945 to January 11, 1946. JANUARY, 1946 Back to school we went, realizing that we had much ground to cover. We quickly gained the same lost ex- pressions that had been a mystery to us one year before. The nightmare of “mid-years’’ could again be blamed. With the return of Mr. Richard Kenary as Biology teacher, the Biology Club was formed, and the sophomores actively participated in it. Charles Crane, who later left Millbury High to go to school in Worcester, was President. Ruth Lee was Vice-President, and Reese Rickards was Treasurer. FEBRUARY, 1946 The silver lining of February, after the dark clouds of the January “mid-years,’ was marked by the second Senior Prom of our high school history. MARCH, APRIL, and MAY, 1946 The spring months moved along very rapidly with little to record, and with the arrival of June we could look for- ward to two important events—the summer vacation and becoming upper classmen when we returned to school in September. However, before leaving school we experienced a very lovely Junior Prom, one which many sophomores at- tended. SEPTEMBER, 1946 We made it! We were at last upper classmen. As we felt we had chosen well the year before, we made no change in our slate of class officers. With the start of the school’s social and club activities as juniors, our boys and girls, having all the necessary confidence, entered into the spirit of things. In the clubs we had many members and officers. Officers of the Biology Club were: Laurie Nevalsky, President; Bette Fleming, Secretary. In the Glee Club, Rosemary Norton was President. Roberta Webber, Genevieve Rice, and Ruth Lee served as Librarians. Mary Credit and Bob Goff repre- sented us on the Reflector Staff as Editor and Assistant Editor, respectively. In sports, our class took over in true junior style, placing many boys and girls on the various teams.

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Reese Stanley Rickards “I've laid aside my business and gone a-fishing.”’ Reese is an active member and presi- dent of the W. T. A. G. Radio Club. His future is seemingly secure, for he's well on his way to being a radio an- nouncer. With all his activities, Reese still has time for fishing. Reflector 4; Aftermath 4; Biology Club 2; French Club 4; School Play 4; Foot- ball Manager 4; Basketball Manager 4. Ruth Eleanor Sharp “Love me, love my dog.’’ “Ruthie’’ has a laugh and smile for everyone. She is very clever at mak- ing things; and if you're wondering who “Mickey” is, it's her Cocker Spaniel. Biology Club 3; French Club 2; Glee Clobeler25 03. Mavorette Florence Shepard “No pleasure endures unsea- soned by variety.’’ “‘Mae'’ came from Commerce High and brought with her a variety of ideas and fashions. If you're in Room 25, you can always hear her arguing with Reese. Beware! She has red hair. Glee Club 3; Prom Committee 3. Virginia Julia Shumski “One life showing the way is better than ten tongues trying to tell it.” “Ginny” is a “‘whiz'’ as an accordian player and did you ever see her pol- ka? She'll make a fine secretary, for she's industrious and cooperative. Reflector 4; Biology Club 2; Glee Club 1, 2, 3; Orchestra 4; Aftermath 4, Grace Laverna Stansbury “| am the very slave of cir- cumstance and impulse, borne away with every breath. ' ‘Bubs, ’ always dashing around and bubbling over with a new idea, is full of ambition for having a good time, and doing something different. There's always a gang at her house, and with her enthusiasm she'll go far. Biology Club 2; School Play 4; Prom Committee 3, 4; Science Club 4. Edward Alfred Taylor ‘‘Men of few words are the best men.’ ‘Eddie’ is the strong, silent type. If he has a word for you, you're one of the few. He spends his afternoons at M. H. S. with Mr. Platts. Eleanor Mary Vendetti “Had tongue at will, yet never loud.”’ Although Helena seems a little shy, she isn't bashful. She is always willing to help others and has a friendly disposi- tion. Marcella Mary Walinsky “| hate nobody; | am in charity with the world. “Celler’’ has displayed her ability in amusing her friends with whimsical re- marks. Where there's laughter, there's “Celler.”’ Roberta Ellen Webber “A pretty girl is like a melody.”’ ‘‘Bo,’’ our drummer, has earned a rep- utation that has made M. H. S. proud of her. She has a cute smile and charming way, and is sure to achieve that which she desires in the future. Reflector 2, 3, 4; Reflectorette 1; Cheer- leader 1, 2, 3, 4; French Club 2; Glee Club 1, 2, 3; Honor Pupil. Ardath Rose Whicher “Her friends, there are many; her foes—are there any? ’ ‘“Ardy'’ has a fine personality and is always willing to plan a practical joke. She works with Ruth at Dolan's store and is one of the chemists who gets caught eating during third period. French Club 2, 3; Glee Club 1, 2, 3; School Play 4; Science Club 4; Ring Committee 3. Carl Svedberg ‘Oh well for him whose will is strong, He suffers, but he cannot suffer wrong.'' Carl, a very nonchalant person, seems quiet. He enjoys walking from West Millbury and lets nothing stop him from carrying out his decisions.

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OCTOBER, 1946 We held a special class meeting in order to choose a ring committee. Those elected were: Barbara Bebo, Gen- evieve Rice, Ardath Whicher, Howard Greene, and Richard Hagstrom. We felt that we were well on our way towards graduation, though it still seemed far ahead of us. NOVEMBER, 1946 At a special assembly, Mr. Shea, Superintendent of Schools, made an important announcement. We were all pleased to hear that Maxine Reade had received a medal from the Horace Mann Society. JANUARY and FEBRUARY, 1947 Following the holiday season we returned once more to mid-year exams. This was followed by the Senior Prom and the approaching baseball season. MAY, 1947 At this time we chose our picture committee. It con- sisted of Beverly Cote, Rosemary Norton, Laurie Nevalsky, Howie Greene, and Dick Hagstrom. JUNE, 1947 With this month we really came into our own with the Junior Prom. Rosemary Norton was chosen chairman of the decoration committee. Midst the beauty of a Dutch evening scene, replete with windmills and tulips, we instituted a new practice by choos- ing a Prom Queen, and we were justly proud that Carol Reid, on e of our own classmates, was chosen. With this prom we bade the seniors farewell, and prepared to take over Millbury High School. SEPTEMBER, 1947 At last we had reached the goal which seemed so far away in 1944—Seniors finally! But what a busy year ahead of us, and what a happy one! Our class offiicers of the previous year were all re-elected at our first class meeting, and served in the following capacities: Roland Dunn, Pres- ident; Paul Chase, Vice-President; Maxine Reade, Secretary; and Ruth Lee, Treasurer. When football got under way we were well represented with nine boys on the team, a great team which made foot- ball history for Millbury High School by completing the season undefeated. Included among its victories was one over the traditional rival, Northbridge High. What a game that was!!! We beat them 12-0, and that was cause enough for jubilation in Millbury on this Thanksgiving Day of 1947, the greatest event in our high school career. We are justly proud of our boys under the leadership of Captain Roland Dunn. The following seniors upheld the honor of our class: Tom Dolan, Arthur Frazier, Howard Greene, Richard Greenfield, John Holland, Charles Foshay, Arthur Racicot, and Edward Balmer. Reese Rickards acted as man- ager. Following this victory another honor came to us when “Red” Frazier was chosen to play on the County All-Stars. The girls, under the leadership of Captain Bette Budreau, had a successful season in Field Hockey. Rosemary Norton was chosen captain of the girls’ bas- ketball team and Fred Perry led the boys through a success- ful season. DECEMBER, 1947 4 After struggling through a number of rehearsals, at long last we established ourselves in the field of dramatic art by producing “Spring Green,” a comedy in three acts. The cast was composed mostly of seniors. These were as follows: Dorothy Purdie, Esther Alexander, Rita Dupuis, Grace Stansbury, Reese Rickards, Thomas Dolan, Arthur Frazier, Richard Hagstrom, Howard Greene, Roland Dunn, and Ardath Whicher. This month was an important one in that a new idea was developed by Governor Bradford—that of sending high school students to Boston to take part in ““Good-Government Day.’ Arthur Frazier was our Representative from this dis- trict. Once more the Christmas vacation was with us, and with it came the realization that this was our last year together. JANUARY, 1948 Back to school again, and we found ourselves with one more river to cross. With a confidence which belied our trepidation, we made preparation for our mid-year exam- Inations. FEBRUARY, 1948 This month brought the most important event in our school social life, our long awaited Senior Prom. It was staged with a motif borrowed from the Gay Nineties, but as some of us thought about it being our next-to-last prom as Millbury High School students we were a little sad. The class voted to keep the same committee for this dance as they had for the Junior Prom, with the exception of the Decorations Committee. After all, we wanted as many as possible of our classmates with decorative ability to have the opportunity of expressing it. The following committee was responsible for the fine job of decorating: Rosemary Norton, Grace Stansbury, Maxine Bengtson, Bette Fleming, and Robert Goff. APRIL, 1948 Time now to prepare for the longed-for graduation ex- ercises and our yearbook. For the Aftermath, Maxine Reade was chosen Editor-in-Chief and had the following staff: Rosemary Norton and Howard Greene, Assistant Editors; Roland Dunn, chairman of the Advertising Committee. Seniors elected to write special features for the yearbook were: Robert Goff, Science Club; Paul Chase, French Club; Bette Fleming, Cheering Squad; Alfred Perry, Boys’ Bas- ketball; Rosemary Norton, Girls’ Basketball; Loren Bell, Baseball; Bette Budreau, Field Hockey; Mary Credit, Re- flector. In keeping with our class trad ition of introducing new ideas, we all sported new class pins. With the advent of Easter came the announcement of the Honor Students who were as follows: Beverly Cote, Mary Credit, Dorothy Purdie, Maxine Reade, Barbara Reed, Gen- evieve Rice, Roberta Webber, Ardath Whicher, and Robert Goff. From among these the following were chosen to speak at our graduation exercises: Beverly Cote, Dorothy Purdie, Maxine Reade, and Barbara Reed. For Class Day speakers the following were chosen: Carol Reid, Class Statistics; Thomas Dolan, Glass Gifts; Paul Chase, Prophecy; Rosemary Norton, Omissions and Corrections; Ardath Whicher, History. MAY, 1948 This month brings us very cl ose to the end of our high school days, and as our graduation draws closer we are stirred by mixed feelings of pleasure and sadness. The four years have passed all too quickly as we prepare to say “bon voyage” to our classmates. Omitting any commercial for this broadcast, your an- nouncer wishes to take this opportunity to be different from other news analysts and historians by admitting that | may have made an error in the telling of, or omitted en- tirely some important event. It is entirely my responsibility, and it should cast no reflection on your station. Now | see that our time is up. This is your news com- mentator, Ardath Whicher, signing off. This is station MHS at 1948 on your dial. ARDATH WHICHER