New Milford High School - Schaghticoke Yearbook (New Milford, CT)

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THE CLASS OF ’54 Shirley Cameron and Lucy Stuart. Free cigarettes are supplied by the Stackhouse Tobacco Company, with Daniel Morrell Stackhouse III doing the distributing. During the pause for refreshments, Edna Tiemann begins to demonstrate her famous reducing program, “Tiemann’s Tender Tricks for Trimming Tonnage.” To round out the commercial, Rose Chudada begins to corner prospective customers for her fabulous used-car market, “Rollicking Rosie’s Real-Gone Roadsters.” Swede Larson, Rosie’s capable partner in the small-car division, shows how to seat 52 people comfortably in aVolkswagon. Continuing with the introductions, we find that Tom Fogarty is the President of the Connecticut State Federation of Professional Window Dressers and Unemployed Mannequins. He introduces his staff (all ex-Conover models) --Marjorie Hipp, Caralyne Couch, Karen Kallenbach, and Anne Miller. To their left are Dot Lescynski, Manager of the Alaskan Tea Company, Unlimited; Eileen Carlson, American League Rookie of the Year; and Martha Bovat, who will compete with her daughter in this season's tennis finals at Wimbledon. The landing of an airplane piloted by Jim Stuart, proud owner of his own Trans-World Air Speedway, heralds the arrival of the representatives of the Housewives’ Protective Association. They are Kay Tuz, Georgia Booth, Faith Ferguson and Betty Schimpf, a few of the many happily-married members of the class who are also celebrating their twentieth wedding anniversaries. When the meeting is again called to order, Nancy Moore begins to orate in a most impressive manner. Nancy is the President of the American Oratorical Society--$50 per speaker per Graduation or Memorial Day. To the strains of “The Creep,” as recorded on Hi-Fi by David Clark and his RCA orchestra, Judy Miller, who is with the Russian Ballet Company, gives a fine exhibition of her modernistic style of dancing. Then Dot Campbell, NMHS’s popular Phys. Ed instructor, wanders in. She was driven to Shangri-La by Leavenworth’s Lonely Lovers Taxi Service. (If Ronnie’s car could climb those hills to Washington, he can certainly drive the Himalayas.) Also in the Leavenworth Lincoln is Eleanor Knowles, NMHS’s Probation Officer. Seated at a nearby desk we note Sue Waller busily writing to a pen-pal in Tokyo. Pausing, Susan skims through the Guest Book and comments on a few interesting entries. Some of these are : Mary Jane Carrier and Janice Collins, joint proprietors of the “Mar-Jan Shoppe,” the sole distributor of “Old Chinese Love Potion” in the East; Jane Woodin, President of the Wild Woodin Insurance Company, which insures only Civil War Veterans; Carolyn Schultz, Headmistress at an institution for delinquent two-year-olds; and Nancy Leviness, Pioneer in Atomic Poultry Husbandry. Other familiar faces that can be seen are those of Mr. Edward Kenny, our Senior Play Director, Miss Barbara Weaver and Miss Caroline Keeler, our Senior Class Advisors. These three wonderful people loved Shangri-La so much that they returned here shortly after the close of school in 1954. Fortunately, they are still as young now as they were then and we all hope that they will remain that way always. All together again, we talk on until the light begins to appear over Kara-kal and finds us still recalling memories of our high school days, some of the happiest of our entire lives. SCRIBES: DONNA COREY STEPHEN AUERBACH 29

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FUTURE UF They are met at the door by an elderly Chinese. His voice seems familiar as he greets them saying: “Welcome to Shangri-La. We’ve been expecting you.” It seems odd at first that they do not feel the strangeness of this magnificent lamasery, lost high in the mountains of Tibet. But no, the members of the NMHS Class of 1954 have all been here before--twenty years ago, in fact, to this very night, the night on which the class presented its Senior Play, April 10, 1954. Now they have come again to celebrate their twentieth reunion and to renew old acquaintances. The first of many familiar faces to be seen as they enter is that of Stephen Bulova, internationally-known scientist and inventor of the perpetual-motion machine. Accompanying him is Wesley Schultz, Jr., his renowned assistant and designer of the automobile that they are planning to enter in the Indianapolis race this year. This car, the first ever to employ perpetual-motion for power, will be piloted by Mary Ann Wager, who is perplexed by the difficulty of stopping the vehicle. Turning to meet them is a tall, distinguished gentleman, carrying a conservative Stetson and blowing smoke rings from a Havana cigar. Who should it be but the well-known Senator from Connecticut, the Honorable Carleton Chase ! Obviously Congress has given him ample opportunity to express his emotions for making motions. Joining the group are Dr. Dianne Woods, well-known veterinarian (special-izing in canine diseases of the lower left nostril), and Sylvia Wolinski, Channel 1's most popular woman wrestler. She is carrying a few of the many thousands of fan letters which she receives daily. A motion is now made by Senator Chase that everyone present introduce himself and tell what he has been doing since he left school. The motion is seconded by Robert Burden, the Liberace of the Sax, and the group enthusiastically agrees. Prompting a chuckle from the lips of all as they appear, two girls in costumes resembling cigarette packs reveal their identities as Maureen O’Connor and Donna Corey, the revolutionary Lucky Strike team, regular and king-size. Ann Ognan next tells of her confusing careers; she has achieved marked success in three fields—nursing, art and poetry. Cliff Allen goes on to explain how busy he has been making geometric solids for Solid Geometry teachers. In her turn, Wanda Williams briefly describes her life as “very dull,” and carefully excludes the details of her nineteenth divorce. Otherwise she has spent most of her time on world tours and Caribbean cruises. The group now finds itself amused as Ken Anderson, the celebrated TV comic, appears. With Ken is Peter Day, whose Electronic Robot Physics Instructor is revolutionizing the teaching profession. When questioned on why the prototype was a Physics teacher, Mr. Day's answer is “No comment. There is a stir as Rajah Carlton Fitch enters followed by his 600 wives. He inquires at once for Rajah Joseph Michalek and his 545 wives. Stephen Auerbach, Far Eastern correspondent for the New Milford GAZETTE, says that he heard that Rajah Michalek would not come until he has accumulated 55 more wives and so could meet Fitch on even ground. At this point Ruth Dube, President of the American Women’s Political League, rises and expresses the desire that this reunion be conducted in an orderly manner. Prompted by Miss Dube's desire for orderliness, the Reverend Clifford Burnett remarks that an opening service might be in order and proceeds to conduct one. Following this Veronica Barnes tells a few interesting experiences she has had as a simultaneous interpreter for the UN. Suddenly amidst a clatter from the rear of the room, Phyllis Knox emerges and proudly demonstrates the N.B.C. chimes which she operates. At this appropriate time refreshments are served by a group from Hernando’s Hideaway, with Val Carroll as bartender assisted by Lois Arnold, 28

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For its Senior play the Class of 54 decided to venture far— into the Utopian world of James Hilton’s “Lost Horizon”. Under the inspiring direction of Mr. Kenny, the cast pictured above put on a notable performance which will rank as a milestone in the history of New Milford dramatics. A black cyclorama background, together with the skillful use of lighting, music and sound effects, helped create the mood of strangeness necessary for the successful production of this unusual play. CONWAY: It's the most isolated spot I've seen. A whole separate culture could develop in a place like this. And no contamination from outside. 30