New England Conservatory of Music - Neume Yearbook (Boston, MA)

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Zhc Semor Class Mistory No, in 1945 we weren ' t green with envy. We were just Freshmen and were we green!! As we entered the door of N. E. C. on our first day here, Beethoven stood hovering over us as the upper classmen went buzzing on their way with that cold air of importance that made us have goose-bumps as they passed. The Freshman hazing that they give us succeeded in pulling our ego down one hundred per cent, but it was fun. The boys (yes, there were a few) really looked like characters in their nail polish and kerchiefs; and the girls with braids and lipstickless lips. Every morning a few chosen ones did calesthenics on the Huntington Avenue island under the able leadership of an upper classman or two. At one of our first class meetings, Joseph Carroll was elected President of our group. During that year the Melodic Line was reestablished as the school newspaper and through it, our social functions and other official material was publicized. A student activity fee was suggested by our class, and approved by the school, whereby every student could attend all social functions for a small fee paid at the beginning of each year. So much for the Freshman year when all of us were wandering around the halls in a fog finding new friends and acquainting ourselves with college life. Remember that frivolous, curly-haired boy, who had unlimited pep? That was Eddie Drew, President of the Sophomore Class. This was the year that the N. E. C. Direc- tor ' s desk had a shiny new name plate on it; Harrison Keller (replacing Quincy Porter). Many new teachers ' and students ' faces were introduced to the school. The enrollment took a tremendous leap upward (especially in reference to our male population) since the war was over and the G.I. Bill gave the boys a college opportunity. The girls didn ' t complain!! Hats off to Wayne Barrington, President of our Junior Class! The class began to be a co-ordinating, co-operating group of students which was busily making plans for the Senior Year activities. One of the most successful dances ever given in N. E. C. was held during the year in the form of a Valentine party. An assembly concert was presented for the school in which several soloists from the class were featured and a chorus sang novelty numbers.

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augmented sixth chords, students in costume, slacks, and what-have-you reveled in an atmosphere of gaiety. No one regretted coming after seeing Verdi ' s Othello as inter- preted by Messrs. Hallquist, Johnson, Tkchenko, Mills, Weigel, and Mayerson. Their brilliant performance coupled with the high-pressured advertising which preceded the dance spelled inevitable success, and the kind of inter-class co-operation that results in a stronger esprit de corps. Sensing the approach of doom in the disguise of mid- semester exams, all heads became sandwiched between book covers in hopes that the long hand of Fate would bypass them as they tried to make amends for studyless weeks. After the smoke and din of exams had cleared, the Junior Class made prepara- tions for their concert, a coming-out party for the more talented side of the class. To Bob Dunn fell the lot of forcefully dragging out the shy and coaxing the timid. Like a veteran trouper, he arranged a concert whose artistry was sufficient to grace the stage of Carnegie Hall. Miss Anne DeVittorio and Charles Henderson rendered vocal selec- tions and Guy Carpenter performed at the keyboard. A chorus of ten voices and a Kauder Trio consisting of piano played by Miss Frances Myska, violin by Anastasios Tsicoulias, and horn by Arthur Goldstein rounded out an evening of pleasurable listening. Judging from the above affairs, the forthcoming Mardi Gras Dance in February promises to be the greatest!!

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Now, after seemingly years of study we find ourselves on the top, spinning around with plans for the final days of our stay here. Under the capable leadership of our President, Don Mayer, the class has planned many interesting activities. The Symposium is making its home for a few days at N. E. C. this year and the Seniors have eagerly prepared themselves to act as hosts and hostesses. The Strauss Ball, the greatest social event of the season for everyone at school, is to be bigger and better than ever before. Class Day frolics are being dis- cussed, planned, and anticipated with a great deal of en- thusiasm. Well, we seem to be at the end of a path, and we are looking toward a broad highway called the Future. Our years here at N. E. C. have been happy ones and we have made history within our own class. We will go on making names for ourselves throughout life and — who knows? — maybe our paths will cross again on Life ' s Highway.