Minnechaug Regional High School - Falcon Yearbook (Wilbraham, MA)

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■ - Smiling faces receive sweets from the Class of Senior Jennifer Manegre with her father Hen- 1989 Peach Festival booth worker, Kellie ry Manegre and horse Intrigue at the Hudson Thomas. Valley Arabian Show at the Big E. LEAVING HAMPDEN Please COME AGAIN John Belcastro ponders which side of the town line he wishes to stand on during a re- cend trek to the town lines. I STUDENT LIFE

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WE HAVE OUR REASONS hy do people live in Hamp- V den? Why do people live in Wilbraham? Contrary to popular belief, our parents did not settle here simply because there was nowhere else to go. No, people live here for a purpose. We are tiny bed- room communities. Crime is at a minimum. There isn ' t much traffic, not much noise. Some of the youn- ger generation feel this is very in- convenient. Who wants to live in a town where night life means a trip to Friendly ' s? When you stop and really think, though, we are very lucky to live in the Hampden Wilbraham area. In a world where thousands are starving and homeless, we should feel terri- bly safe and protected. Our mothers drive station wagons, our fathers coach little league and Wednesday is Prince Spaghetti Night. Here, the world ' s terrors have difficulty break- ing through the barriers of our tiny towns ' protection. Here, we may walk down Main Street late at night, with no fear of muggers. We can come together in celebration at the Peach Festival with positive feelings and experience a community rich in culture, history and heritage. As the seniors graduate and ven- ture out into the fabled real world, our small towns will seem but a dream. They will become an unreal representation of a complicated and very large world. Both Wilbraham and Hampden are among a vanishing breed of close-knit communities. Our memories of youth here should be treasured forever. Snuggled within our solid homes which dot the countryside, hidden in the deep Connecticut River Val- ley, we are safe in our assurances. What a great place to grow and learn, what a great place to live. Michelle Manning researches a tombstone at The Adams ' Cemetery following a field trip with Miss Brewer ' s juniors Honors U.S. Histo- ry class. The cemetery was named for Deacon John Adams who resided in the house at the corner of Tinkham Road and Main Street, presently owned by Peter and Mary Ablondi. STUDENT LIFE

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UNPRECEDENTED TRADITIONS! TO BE A PEACH Romance warms the evening as Peach Queen Dina Warner dances with boyfriend Doug Badger during the crowning held at Chez Jo- sef in Agawam. Photo by Fred Clarkson Members of the Continental Congress have a brief sitting prior to the Signing of the Consti- tution, re-enacted this summer during the Peach Festival. Minnechaug representatives are John Everett and Daniel Manseau. Photo by: Bob Flathers My memories of the 1987 Peach Festival could fill a book. So many people, so much food, so much fun flood my mind. It was one of the greatest exper- iences of my life, doing many things for my character. I gained confi- dence. Confidence about being in front of a group, all eyes on you. Confidence that I can get up, do something, take a risk — and be suc- cessful. Confidence in my relation- ships with my family. My mom took a lot of garbage from me in the weeks before. And yet, she stood beside me, shedding a tear, brushing my hair, or straightening a skirt. They were there the whole time. Being queen has opened up some new doors for me. A one thousand dollar scholarship opens the doors to college. Meeting the business men and women, the politicians of the community opens doors to jobs in the future. I was amazed with the support of the people in this community. Peo- ple call me by name, even now, when I ' m in the drug store, post of- fice or library. I wish I would know all their names. It ' s a good feeling to be able to represent and be a symbol of Wilbraham. It ' s an honor and I am proud of it. STUDENT LIFE