New Haven High School - Elm Tree Yearbook (New Haven, CT)

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E Senior igininrg As the leaves began to turn red and yellow, once more we thronged back to the portals of Hillhouse, this time for the last stretch. If we were foolish, we looked back, ruminating on the pastg if we were wise, we looked forward with an- ticipation to the future. Being a wise class, we knew the future had great things in store for us. Soon arrived the exacting assignments, assemblies, the commencement of ath- letics, the appearance of the Scrntinvl, and we were launched on a colorful year. We saw pledgees going through their unhappy antics, some displaying vivid red neckties, others industriously trying to walk the lines on the corridor floors in the manner of a tight-rope performer. From our lofty perch we viewed the junior class. The boys tried to convince themselves that the junior girls were more deco- rative to our school than les jeunes lilies of '3l. An inexperienced squad responded to the football call for candidates. Handi- capped by the poor practice field and the absence of the regular line coach, the team emerged from a difficult schedule with two losses, one tie, and four victories. When Commercial went down in a 12-6 defeat one frosty Thanksgiving morning, everyone was happy. Captain Mush Dreisen, Fred Ritter, Joe Slattery, Milt Bellin, Lolly Griser, and George Nielson were the highlights in the defense of our goal through- out the season. Meanwhile, two minor sports were responsible for the bestowal of many more honors upon our school and class. First, the cross-country squad finished their season bearing the title of state champions, Captain Harry Heermans having won the annual road race. The soccer team, led hy Al Cash, was the best in many years. They, too, finished their schedule as state leaders. Fred Todd was elected chairman of the class picture committee. A tennis queen, Mary Stowell, emerged from our group of fair ones by win- ning the state interscholastic tennis title. The class of 1931 won the Sentinel panel 5 the Gleam editorial, art, and business competitions began, a fencing team was or- ganizedg class officers were nominated, and then-the Christmas season supplanted all activities. Back to school again! The first event of importance in the new year-our graduating year-was the election of class officers. As a result. Johnnie Dorsey was again president, and Alice Gunnip, Janice Burt, and Frank Carrigan were vice-president, secretary, and treasurer, respectively. Everyone's attention was drawn to basketball for these few months, at the culmination of which the team won the District Cup. With Joe Weiner, Fred Ritter, and joe Gold beseiging the enemy defense, our opponents stood little chance. At this time, the four senior committee chairmen were elected by the class. The results were, joe Weiner, class day chairmang Fletch Ferguson, class motto chairman, Bob Lee, class gift chairman 3 and Fred Ritter, promenade chairman. 25

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Molly Kowalewski as assistant editors, John Dorsey as assignment editor, Betty Cornwall as competition editor, and Joseph Blacharski as sport editor. VVhen the Hi-Y held elections, Luther VVeigle became president, Bud King, vice-president, and Fletcher Ferguson, secretary and treasurer. At the end of the Gleami competition, Joe Levy was selected as editor-in-chief, Bernard VVolfe as associate editor, and Eugene Kiley as business manager. The greatest excitement of the year was the election of class officers. When the campaign came to a conclusion, John Dorsey had been elected presldentg Alice Gunnip, vice-presidentg Janice Burt, secretary 5 and Frank Carrigan, treasurer. Early in the season, the faculty members decided to dispense with the Monitor Squad and assume the duties themselves. The baseball team, after much practice, completed one of the most remarkable seasons Hillhouse has enjoyed on the diamond. With little discussion, Shorty Torello, who had been a member of the team since his sophomore year, was elected captain. Meanwhile, the Aero and Radio Clubs were progressing. The Radio Club built a transmitter and a broadcasting station in West Haven. The Class Book otlicials were next to be chosen. Kiddie VVo1fe and Ken Weed were elected editor and business manager, respectively. Many juniors took an active part in the various contests that were being held in the latter part of the school year, as the results indicate. The William Kinney Prize was won by Sylvia Dworski 3 the first and second Inter-Sorority Prizes for English were won by Frances Fitzpatrick and Edith Alper, respectively, Bernard Wolfe again showed his ability by winning the Harvard Club Prize: in the Gleam Poster Contest, Joseph Bill received honorable mention: in the Garden Poster Contest, Robert Simmonds received the same distinction: in the Community Chest Contest, Cashman received honorable mentiong the Girls' Inter-Class Tennis Championship was won by Minnie Meadow, the first prize in the Aero Club Poster Contest was captured by Milton Bishop. The junior year was the busiest which the Class of '31 had experienced. The majority of the students finally struggled through the so-called final examinations and by one device or another had hopes of becoming seniors. 24

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The joyous event of the year arrived- Happy Days ! An extremely enter- taining and talented group of performers, under the musical direction of Sanford Green, played before capacity houses for two nights, providing a rollicking good time for all. 'li ' The puck-chasers of the hockey team, after a victorious season. were unfor- tunately defeated by Commercial in the district title race, mainly because of the ab- sence of Captain Harry Thompson and Ben Bamford. Presently the class became aware of two other athletic teams which made re- markable showings, the track and swimming squads. At the start of the season, the former won the state interscholastic track meet by an overwhelming score, Cap- tain Read, Harry Heermans, and Norm Brown starring. Not to be outshone, the blue and white mermen, including Captain Bob Burke, Frank and Fletch Ferguson, Nat Batter, and Bill Oleson, easily captured the state title for the second consecu- tive year. Luther Weigle, Bud King, and their staffs received congratulations when The Senfinrl won second prize in the Columbia Scholastic Press Association competition. VVhen the balmy southern breezes promised warmth, the class, with mingled feelings, contentedly ceased the furious pace of the last few months. Letting the sunshine temporarily dissolve the ominous shadows of college boards, we scattered for the Easter vacation-and rest. The proverbial spring fever was our alibi. Finally two long-awaited events came along-Class Day and Graduation. Joe Weiner's committee arranged an excellent program for Class Day, what with his- tories, hilarious prophecies, and everything that goes with them. And then-ah, and then-Graduation arrived, with George Feldman, Dorothy Rosenstock, Joe Levy, and Betty Cornwall delivering the orations. Needless to say, most of us re- ceived diplomas and marched oil happily, triumphantly, towards-who knows? 'fl if s ' 26