North Andover High School - Knight Yearbook (North Andover, MA)

Page 27 text:

1 9 3 9 YEAR BO O K CLASS HISTORY HE year that the never-to-be-forgotten class of ’39 invaded this institu¬ tion for the first time was a year characterized by still another invasion. This occurred within the confines of the very faculty itself, for that memorable year saw the annexation of no less than four new teachers, as well as the potential alumni which we, the Class of ’39, now represent. Having acquired a vague knowledge of the whereabouts of the various classrooms, the class called itself into secret session and undertook to elect certain ones of its members to the various offices attending so fine an organ¬ ization. The presidential campaign was won by Robert Ayer, and upon his shoulders fell the burden of guiding us through a turbulent year. Politics went still farther with the election of other worthy members of the class to that governing body known as the Student Council. Being in the minority, however, we cannot take too much of the credit for the efficient administration which followed. Social life began with a party tendered us by the seniors. In preparation, we felt obliged to practice diligently for many weeks the Terpsichorean art. We know that the seniors were not disappointed. Custom demanded a return party and, having little desire to break the pre¬ cedent, we spared no energy in making the said event an outstanding success. With the gradual passage of time it became apparent that our scholastic achievements were of sufficiently high quality to win us a promotion into the home rooms inhabited by the sophomores. Our president having previously decided to resign from public life, we cast ballots and elected one Charles Foster to the presidential office for our soph¬ omore year. Foster’s administration was entirely free from political insur¬ rection, but during his reign there occurred a most startling revolution of an¬ other kind; a revolution that originated in the plane geometry class and threatened to spread to all other branches of the mystical science of mathe¬ matics. It happened that an aspiring mathematician who is currently occupied in writing a will, made the astounding discovery that a triangle is no longer blessed with its traditional three sides, but due to unstable economic condi¬ tions or some other interesting reason, has been reduced in value to two sides and a bottom. Many of us recovered from the shock of hearing this in time to attend the Sophomore-Junior Dance, which was held many weeks there¬ after. The rest of us are still somewhat dazed. The remainder of the year passed with most of us aspiring- to the highly exalted rank of “junior,” and most of us realizing our aspirations. The following September, therefore, confronted us once more with the problem of electing a president and other useful officers to guide us through the year set aside for the purchase of class rings. When the result of the ballot counting was made known, we found ourselves under the guiding hand of one Thomas Pendlebury. The more dignified title of “junior” which we now wore qualified us to increase our quota of members in the Student Coun¬ cil, and we at last found our own representatives in the majority and largely responsible for the administration, which continued to show great efficiency and ability. 23

Page 26 text:

JOHNSON HIGH SCHOOL For a summer he was appointed music master to the family of Count Johann Esterhazy. Members of this family had been patrons of Hayden and other great composers, but they were not destined to help Franz Schubert. One account says that Schubert, shy, awkward, and unu sed to society life, was ill at ease in the presence of so much grandeur. At any rate, he soon re¬ turned to Vienna and his friends. It was chiefly timidity that prevented Schubert from becoming a friend of the great Beethoven. When he heard that the great moster was dying, Schubert got up courage to visit him. Then, glancing over a few of Schubert’s compositions, Beethoven exclaimed, “He has at least a spark of the divine fire!” When he died shortly afterwards, Schubert was one of the torch-bearers in the funeral procession. When it was over he and two of his friends went to a tavern to drink to Beethoven’s memory. There Schubert proposed this toast: “To the next great composer who is to die.” Less than two years later, at the age of thirty-one, this shy young man had passed from the stage of life, leaving only the outward expression of his gift of melody. In the record of his life we are impressed not only by his unique power to record his inspired songs, but also by his devotion to his work. He achieved fame in doing that which he loved best and which he could not live without. Mr. Hayes: You have piloted us through four years at Johnson High School. You have been our counselor, adviser, and friend. May you remem¬ ber this class of nineteen hundred and thirty-nine as often as we shall re¬ member you. Teachers: You have worked and toiled with us. It is your faithful work with us in the class rooms that has endeared you to us. It would be im¬ possible for us to express adequately our appreciation of your patience and forebearance. Parents and Friends, Not only for these past four years, but for many years before you have aided us in our troubles and helped us solve our prob¬ lems. We shall never forget your kindness. Schoolmates: To you we leave the future of Johnson High. It is your part to keep up the traditions and spirit of this school. May you have success in your task. Classmates: For four years we have been together. Tonight we must part, each to take a different road in life. Yet the memory of these years of work and play will inspire us to reach our goals. Good by, and good luck! VIRGINIA CARVELL 22

Page 28 text:

J OHNSON HIGH SCH OOL The executive branch of our government attempted to establish itself more firmly in the esteem of those whom it ruled over by suggesting a weenie roast. The event promised to be a tremendous success and we were not dis¬ appointed. 1 hen the class of ’39 went seriously to work, and for many weeks poured all of its energies into one channel, namely that of preparing a truly unforget- able play to be presented at the annual Stunt Night. In spite of this great in¬ dustry, however, the event nearly perished, for those in charge of the pro¬ duction took a sudden dislike to it and tore up the script. All seemed lost. Those in charge were terror stricken. However, it is at times like these that truly great genius manifests itself, and out of this chaos arose an obscure hero who provided us not only with a play, but with such a play that it carried away all the honors in what must surely have been an unprecedented blaze of glory. Hardly had we gotten over the prolonged after effects of Stunt Night when we found ourselves preparing for the Junior-Senior Banquet. That event was a fitting culmination of a year of dazzling social, athletic, and scholastic activ¬ ity, and we withdrew from school life for the summer, filled with eager antic¬ ipation of our fourth and final year. According to the usual procedure, we began that year with an election of officers, or more aptly a re-election, for the administration of the past year suffered no change. For the sake of variety, however, certain officials insti¬ tuted a demerit system for the punishment of culprits, which made us feel grateful that we were above the violations of discipline which became punish¬ able under the new order. Blissfully aloof from demerits, the class undertook to repeat the historic weenie roast of the previous year. However, history became stubborn and refused to repeat. By the time the necessary preparations had been made, bitter cold weather had set in, and although some hardy adventurers staged the event notwithstanding, even these were driven home before too many cases of frostbite were reported. Nevertheless it was not in vain that we labored for this frigid event, for it vividly demonstrated that mid-November is not always the finest season for holding outdoor social functions. We, the class of ’39, do sincerely hope that the graduating classes of Johnson High will profit by our experience. In one instance at least, history did repeat itself. This repitition occurred at that function known as Stunt Night. Wishing to uphold the honor of the class, we again applied all our energies to the production of a suitable stunt, with the result that we again carried away the traditional prize in the face of what we considered negligible opposition. This event occurred so recently that its historic significance has not yet been generally recognized. Like certain other masterpieces, it will probably have its age of glory a century or two hence. However it is not the purpose of this writer to predict the future. He can only say that it is his sincere belief, if a historian may be permitted to have a belief, that whatever the future may hold for the class of ’39, we shall always cherish its many fond memories of four truly happy years at Johnson High. ROBERT E. MILLER 24