North Coventry High School - Torch Yearbook (Pottstown, PA)

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i s W. CLEMENTINE In the short interval between the excitement of the football season and the oncoming basket- ball games, the seniors presented their play, the three-act comedy Clementine, by Peggy Goodin, on December Gth and 7th. The action of the play, which takes place in Mayor Kelly's home in Hooter- ville, centers around tomboy Clementine Kelly, realistically portrayed by Elma Stoudt. Clem would rather play football than dress up and go to a party. Vicky George played the role of the sympa- thetic mother, Mary Kelly, who has a hard time keeping up with he1' daughter's changing moods and explaining them to Mayor Kelly. Donald Tyson did a good job of acting the red-headed, explosive mayor, who is in the midst of campaigning for re-election, and finds he has double trouble when Clem breaks a neighbor's window with her football. The neighbor is none other than Miss Prunella Pringle fAnnie Thompsonl, president of the Women Voters' League and very influential so far as votes for Mayor Kelly are concerned. In the high school gang is handsome Hank Matthews, played by Charles Lambour, whom Clem never noticed until Cathy decided he was a good prospect. Jane Ann is the gossip of the crowd, who is constantly giving information which she thinks they should know. These typical teen-agers were acted by Jane Camaho and Nadine Frain. Melvin Scheidt, as Tubby, a hay-fever victim, amused the audience with his special version of a sneeze. Tubby has the sad duty of informing Clem that the football team has voted not to let her play with them. In an effort to get even, Clem wins over Hank in an oratorical contest. Handyman Abe Carter advises her in all matters, from football to love problems. Bill Jones was a natural for this role, always ready to offer some dryly humorous bit of philosophy. The maid Bertha CMary Jane McGowan! also gives advice on the problems of the Kelly family. Mrs. Kelly engages charming Ann McNeil CPearl McMullenl to give Clem elocution lessons. In the meantime Cathy is trying to decide whether to go to the Spring Formal with ladies' man Pete fllobert Yergeyl or with Hank. Clem decides that parties aren't so silly and that boys may be interesting. She changes her tactics and makes Hank realize that she is no longer a tomboy. Miss Pringle discovers that children aren't just brats and influences the Women's League to vote for Mayor Kelly. In addition to the good work of the cast, much credit must be given to the help of the stage committee, the home economic seniors and prompters.

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GHOST WANTED Hugo Bromley fDonald Tysonj, a young man out of a job, and Jeffrey Hall fCharles Iiambourl, his associate in many not-too-successful business ventures, answer an ad in the local paper which reads Ghost Wanted. In applying they become acquainted with Ginger QElma Stoudty and Gale QVictoria George! Stormgay, the vivacious daughters of Granny Kate fEdith Richardsl, owner of the strange old house on Ramshead Rock. Granny's sudden love for voodooism and the companionship of Professor de Vallan fWilliam Jonesj and his weird and mysterious assistant, Madam Zolga Uane Caniahoj, led Ginger to run the ad as a possible means of curing her. The Professor says he is able to commune with Simon Gore, a drowned fisherman who oncc lived on the island. Madam Zolga claims to have power over the dead and to be able to raise a zombie. Granny seems to believe these assertions implicitly. The four young people plan to have Hugo impersonate Simon G01'6lS zombie and once and for all reveal the Professor and Madam Zolga as phonies. The scheme backfires, however, when others arrange for Simon's manifestation before the youngsters can put their plan to work. Now a new problem faces them-to discover how the various appearances of the zombie are accomplished and by whom. Matters are even mo1'e complicated by the mysterious disappearance of Bradshaw QMelvin Scheidtj, the sheriff, and by the intervention of Nora Vane fAnnie Thompsonj, an aggressive investi- gater from the mainland, brought to the island by Azalea CJean Olexal, a lobster woman from the near-by village, in her smelly boat. Hatcher fRobert Cressmanb, the Stormgay's houseman, is no help either, for he seems determined to leave the island, but the practical Troddy fMarcia Hohlj, maid and cook for the household, locks him up. That he doesn't stay locked up is revealed when Jeffrey discovers a secret panel connecting several passageways through the house, one of which is accessible from the room in which Hatcher is locked. Jei'frey's discovery leads to the eventual solution of the mystery, but only after a stormy session climaxed by the success of Hugo's remarkable impersonation of Simon Gore and the revela- tion that Granny Kate had known all along that the Professor and Madam Zolga were Government agents. And so the little island, which was to have served a foreign spy ring with Hatcher at its head as arsenal, hide-out, and listening post, is restored to its former peace and quiet. Hugo and Jeffrey decide that the ghost business isn't so bad if it can introduce them to such charming com- panions as Ginger and Gale promise to be.

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.......,. .. -Class Prophecy Winnie and Wicky Mouse glanced at the calendar one bright morning, June 5, 1976. Wicky, Winnie exclaimed, just twenty-five years ago today, the class of 1951 graduated at Norco. I wonder what has become of all those boys and girls. We used to have such good times with them in Room 9. Yes, replied Wicky, I wonder, too. Let's drive over and see Beega Eva. He has a Bureau of Missing Persons, and, if he doesn't know where they are, he can soon locate them. Beega, who had come from the planet Jupiter, had invented a screen which could locate anyone at the turn of a button. With the help of the screen, he located the class members and Wicky and Winnie saw their former Norco friends pursuing all sorts of interesting vocations. BETTY COOPER, who enjoyed doing secretarial work while in school, is now working for a famous cowboy singer. Besides taking dictation and typing, she sings with the band in her spare moments. The second picture flashed on the screen was that of JOHN D'LUZEN. John was interested in mechanics while he was in school and liked to work on his little Crosley. So they were not surprised to find him in a toy factory, manufacturing piston rings for little toy cars. To Winnie's delight, she saw that MARGIE FRAIN, who was a whiz when it came to farming, was riding on a tractor, cultivating her miles and miles of corn rows. Margie sells all her corn to ANNIE '1HOMPSON'S Pop Corn Company. Annie handled the class finances and now she has book- keeping to do for her own business. Wicky was interested in the next picture, in which NADINE FRAIN was the main attraction. Beega told him that Nadine always wanted to become a hairdresser, so she finished a course at Monsieur Pierre's QROBERT YERGEY'sJ famed Salon of Hair Beauty for Women. Bobby always was an authority on hair styles. Getting back to Nadine, they found her giving permanent waves to Scotty dogs and French poodles. The next scene was one of East Main Street. Becoming curious, Wicky and Winnie moved a little closer to the screen. Soon they heard a motor and into view came VICTORIA GEORGE. Vicky, who followed the family tradition by going into the restaurant business, was riding on her motor- propelled scooter ice cream wagon. Beega informed them that she had become very prosperous and has recently purchased the mansion of Baron MELVIN von SCHEIDT. Melvin always wanted to be a clown and his wish was granted. He is now well-known and because of his ability to get along with people, he has left the United States to become an Ambassador of Good Will to Lower Slobbovia. When a drive-in jewelry store came into view, it was only natural to see CHARLES LAMBOUR managing it. Since he owns the store, he specializes in giving discounts to all his fellow classmates who have Fords. He also caters to many famous people, among them MARY HANSLEY, who is the star of the T.V. show What Are We Arguing About? She is on the United States Debate Team and does some fillibustering in the Senate in her spare time. After FRANCIS WAMPLER graduated from high school, he went to college and majored in physical education. His greatest desire was to become a gym teacher. So when they found them- selves viewing a reducing salon for women on Fifth Avenue, Wicky and Winnie knew that the owner and operator must be the one-and-only Masseur Wampler. For three solid hours a day he leads his patrons in football calesthenics, because he believes that this exercise is the best way to reduce. Wicky thought Plato would be interested in JOYCE GILES' newly established profession. Joyce, after she retired from the athletic world, took up knitting as a hobby and now has a profitable business knitting little sweaters for St. Bernards. When Beega tuned in the next person, Winnie's eyes nearly popped, for on the screen was none other than WILLIAM JONES. Bill excelled in ballet during his childhood, but no one ever thought he would become the star of the Broadway hit The Dying Swan. Bill has the part of the swan and it is rumored that a Hollywood talent scout has his eye on him.