Natick High School - Sassamon Yearbook (Natick, MA)

Page 19 text:

THE SASSAMON 15 As we stopped to reminisce with Shirley we soon learned much about some of our friends at Natick High. It seems Irene Chase was now owner of a dude ranch in Nevada and was content to remain there where she can be alone with her equine friends. Assisting her in running the ranch was cook Muriel Clark, chamber maid Sylvia Gardikis, riding instructor Dot Gottwald, and Irene ' s secretary, Mary Raftery. After being reminded of the lateness of the hour by the striking of the clock in the lobby we said goodbye to Shirley and ascended to our rooms for a much needed rest after a very exciting and enjoyable view of the perfect city of Utopia erected by that never to be forgotten Class of ' 41. ELEANOR HASTINGS DONALD LAMONT JOSEPH HAMWEY MAE SPINNEY ELIZABETH MURPHY OWEN FRASER ADDRESS OF WELCOME — GRADUATION Parents, Teachers and Friends: I am very happy to have the privilege of welcoming you here today to the Graduation Exercises of the Class of 1941. We are gathered here together this afternoon for the last time as a class. Soon we shall enter many and varied fields of endeavor and each will, to the best of his ability, profit by the training that you have provided for us. A note of sadness seems to enter the commencement festivities of all our schools today. It is sadness, not for us, for we have cause to rejoice, but for the youth of other lands who have been denied the privilege of a high school education. When we stop to realize what privileges we enjoy as sons and daughters of this great democracy, we are fervent in our prayer that God will bless and keep America free from the sorrow and strife now prevalent in the rest of the world. Each one of us stands ready to do his part. Though our hearts are saddened as we leave In our minds and in our thoughts we weave A silent thanks for our teachers and friends And for our wrongs we wish to make amends. We leave with sorrowful regret, And for our learnings an unpayable debt FAREWELL ADDRESS National Unity It is impossible for us to envision either reasonably or unemotionally the future. What shapes will emer ge from this war we cannot know. But we are all aware that our only hope in this world of bewilderment, uncertainty, and war which probably lies ahead of us is National Unity. However, in using the term National Unity we must first define it. National Unity means the constant harmonious working together of people who have a vision of better things. We must not let it be synonymous with the wiping out of criticism and serve as a shield for selfish interest and the housing of all the weaknesses present in American life.

Page 18 text:

14 T II E S A S S A MOM As we were leaving the building we noticed on the engraving on the building, the names of those famous architects Lawrence Ciccarelli and Bob Clawson. Determined to cany our our promise ot a visit to the Utopian Circus, we started immediately tor our destination. Upon arriving at the ticket office we bought our tickets trom Christine Rattcry and were taken in bj Walter Stevens. Standing beside Stevens was the manager ot the circus, Joe llamwey, who immediately gave us trout row seats. The first act consisted of the appearance of the human cannonball, Oscar Zullo, and the bare-hack riders, Gloria Marden and Cinny Simonetta I he second act commenced with Barb Dunn and Mary Shidloski, trapeze artists, performing their daring feats while the audience gasped in horror. Wandering around through the crowd as the performances were going on we were attracted by the appearance of Helen Filledes in the role of a super salesman demonstrating Randall s Hair Lotion which was now in com- petition with Smith ' s Hair Tonic and which was guaranteed to grow hair on a billiard ball. While the second act was still in progress the lion tamer made her appearance. Looking in her direction we discovered that it was Betty Stacy. My! but Betty had come a long way since we last knew her. Wondering why the crowd had so thickly gathered in front of a section of the tent we wanted to satisfy our curiosity and started in that direction. There we found the crowd gazing at the sword-swallowing act of Pezza and Porcella. Satisfied with our visit at the circus we went out to where our taxi again waited to take us to the Yeomans and Hewitt Museum of Fine Arts. Upon entering the building we gazed at the attempt of a painting of a rising sun. Below the picture was a card on which was printed the cognomen ol Thomas Morris. Coming to the sculpture exhibit we found Walter Catarius moulding a replica of a sardine that got away. Advancing toward the corner of the room we found the curator, Paul Lane, industriously polishing the bronze statue of Virginia Ramsdell, noted orator. Continuing our tour through the museum we came upon Jean Roberts, Rita Sciretta, Natalie Fox, Helen Simons and Rose Santia, members of the Society for the Preservation of Undernourished Gold f ish. They were gazing thoughtfully at a sketch of Three Little Fishes . The lights of the museum soon went on reminding us of the lateness of the hour and we were compelled to leave. We chanced to meet Bette Evans, now a designer of costume jewelry, who, since graduating from high school, managed to keep up a correspondence with a few other members, among whom are Lois Harrington, now married to Count von Rosencrantz from Dublin. She also had heard from Eleanor Rice, organizer of the first girl ' s football team in Utopia. We were interrupted by the loud drone of a diving bomber. Looking up we saw Bob Gero craning from the cockpit of the plane. He was laying a smoke screen advertising the cold cream product of Bob Keily. Turning our attention back to Bette she continued her narration. Tafta Spiro, champion typist, whose speed was 375 words a minute, was touring the country under the supervision of her manager, Peg Lennon, and her publicity agent, Rita Fair. Marjorie Buell, we were told, had just won the Strawberry Pickers tournament by having one more berry than her opponent. Soon after leaving Bette we again started back to our hotel. Upon arriving we saw a 32 cylinder Boudreau deluxe automobile parked at the curbing. Just stepping out of it was Jimmy Farrell and Lenora Benedict, part- ners in the well-known firm of Benedict and Farrell, and noted astronomers from the fourth section of the Utopian Spectrum Gazers. Entering the hotel we bumped into Shirley Hosmer. head of the Mail ' ' department of the famous corporation Mayle, Mayle, and Gentt.

Page 20 text:

16 T H E S A S S A M () N George Washington was not unpatriotic in condemning t lie- weaknesses of life under The rtieles of the Confederation; Jane Addams was not disloyal m deploring the social conditions prevalent in the slums. We are no less loyal in realizing that merica lias faults and must constantly change and improve. We realize we cannot make our country greater and stronger without improving its mistakes and correcting the weak places. Poor housing in America is a danger to our National strength, yet we can do nothing to improve it unless we are aware of the fact that we have inade- quate shelter and homes. We must realize there is crime in our world and look at it with more realism and true mercy and less sentiment. We must improve education which is our most potent weapon and strengthen our national defense against crime. Woodrow Wilson said I conceive it to be one of the needs of the hour to restore the processes of common council. We must learn, as free men, to meet as our fathers did, somehow, somewhere for consultation. There must be dis- cussion in which we all freely participate. Is free discussion a safety valve for democracy? We must remember that by unity we do not mean mass thought or mass action. We must realize tin- value of conversation, discussion and expression. It might be well to remember in regard to National Unity — Voltaire ' s famous line, I wholly disapprove of what you say, but will defend to the death your right to say it. We must entirely remove racial prejudices, class distinction and religious intolerance. In striving for National Unity we are striving for the democratic way of life which means equality for black and white, all religions, and every nationality. In order to attain unity we should stamp out hatred and selfishness. We must destroy this me first attitude and strive to make America first in humanity, liberty, and willingness to fight for love and brotherhood against hate. In America millions of Germans and other nationalities are worthy of our admiration and trust. Let us seek to look upon all people everywhere with kindliness instead of hate, trust instead of distrust and remember that when these people have something better than Hitler and Hitlerism and other tyran- nical leaders and cruel isms they will turn to that better way. We, the young people of America, have confidence in ourselves, place real value in our talents and have great faith in the future of our country and the democratic way of life, and with Abbie Farwell Brown say: No matter what my birth may be, No matter where my lot is cast, I am the heir in equity Of all the precious Past. And mine the Future to bequeath Unto the generations new; I help to shape it with my breath, Mine as I think or do. Present and Past my heritage The Future laid in my control; — No matter what my name or age, I am a Master-soul.