Ridley Park High School - Retrospect Yearbook (Ridley Park, PA)

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READING THE STARS And as the prine noses out a way for itself. It seems to weave a dream of bubbles and flashing foam, A dream of strange islands whereto it is bound. The old salt shielded his eyes from the stinging spray, and shifted his chew to his other cheek. Turning to the small mess boy he said, Look at those stars, son, and see what you make of 'em. All I see is a whole bunch of stars, but there ain't no meaning tags attached! Well, son, it all depends on how ya look at 'em. Now take that one over there, for instance. That's the Dog Star. To you it's just a twinkle, but it means Anne Delaney, who plans to be a surgeon, will become head of a Hospital for Penniless Pooches and Blind Mice. That one over there is known as the Movie Star. In it I see a picture called 'The Great Lover,' co starring Larry Berlet and Rozzy Campbell. Doc Cornog gets a free pass to it. There's a shootin' star, son. Know what it means? Siege-gun Kalies will be a member of the Sphas basketball team. Spha means South Philadelphia Hebrew Association, son, but they'll never know the difference. Stars mean a lot to sailors, son. Let me tell you some more of the things I read in them: Clyde Elmes (Joe Bush) will finally fulfill his dreams and be captain of a ship. In fact, he'll have the distinction of being the only Ward Line captain who hasn't wrecked his ship. In his engine room he will have stoker Tryens, who can throw more than anyone else. Johnny (Baldy) Mackenson plans to be a dentist, but in that star I see him working with a pneumatic driller in a cavity known as a stone quarry. Mary Kelly will continue her typing, and after a few years of work as a secretary will marry her boss. Dixie O'Brien will have two distinctions. One will be her recognition as the leading woman poet of 1980, and the other her winning the Hog Calling Contest. The old salt shifted his chew to the other cheek, spat vigorously, and continued: Those three stars prove Abe Shapiro will manage a profitable pawn shop on Eighth Street, near Race. Now son, you see that group in the form of a hockey stick? Peggy Wood will be a member of the All-American hockey squad and incidentally is quite a success. The four star final of the Daily News will find Goon Stratton a tireless reporter. Steve will write a best seller entitled 'Making Use of Your Leisure.' Every one knows the Big Dipper, and its hidden meaning shows Pokey Padgett as the prosperous manufacturer of a popular brand of lemonade. The mystery of the heavens has always been a source of material to the poet. Johnny Ford will combine with Mr. Myers in the gravestone business. Johnny will write the epitaphs, and we hope he will bury a certain dead language first. Charlie Harper will be their undertaker. That star over there, twinkling with glee, means Helen Nagy will be in great demand as a model for advertisements. Her eyes have It.’ Down by the horizon Cerberus, the three-headed dog constellation, has a slightly vague mean- ing. It tells me Alice Eastlake either will manage a chain of kennels, or will break into the news by biting a dog. A bright star, a group of bright stars like the lights of Broadway, can mean but one thing. Anne Polischuk will be the toast of the theatre with her 'Dance of the Seven Back Themes' and the 'Lester Hop.' Orion's mouth, shaped in a sour grin, proves conclusively Beefy Walichuck will make a success. He will publish 1001 New Jokes and will be much in demand for radio comedians.” Here the grizzled tar stopped for a moment. His neck had a severe pain in it from looking at the heavens. The boy had a pain somewhere else from listening to this story. Then our raconteur started again. Son, this may seem a trifle strange to a novice but the planets and other constellations hold many obvious interpretations. There are stars and stars, but that one means Hunk Adam will be an All-American football star. He should be a hard worker in the Punch Bowl classic. June West will continue her success on the stage. Her presentation of the powerful drama, 'Gaston et Julie,' will be the hit of the century. That should be two or three stars' rating. A belt is generally considered an article of clothing, and Orion's Belt shows Natalie Densmore will found a successful women's dress store the designs for which will be conceived by Pat Yocum. That up and coming young artist Andy Coek will paint the Nobel Prize Winner 'Flood Over Lester' and on the side will illustrate the class magazine 'Ballyhoo.' Thirteen

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RETROSPECT A loud crash was heard in the galley and Pilot Atkiss came rushing by muttering something about Broken Dishes. Following in his wake came Lillian Bentley, dressed as an old shrewish woman, Jenny Bumpstead. Her three daughters: Alice Eastlake (Myra), Anne Delany (Mabel), June West (Elaine) and her husband, Robert Holm (Cyrus), followed meekly in her wake. The play was a decided success and gave the crew and passengers an idea as to the kind of entertainment they could expect in the future. The next port of call was sighted and the ship docked to give again a three months' shore leave. September again, and the ship 35 is ready to sail. A new captain stands on the bridge; the person with the four-striped sleeve this year is Harry Gaul. The mate is Charles Reynolds. The log keeper, Doris Gallagher, with the same pursers in their office as last year. This sailing only I 14 passengers were aboard: the rest had missed the ship. A crew of pirates are aboard who call themselves The Iron Men. They have a stateroom, Room 18. all to themselves with the exception of Miss Esther Mobus, who maintains if they are Iron Men then she is a blacksmith. The Third Declamation Contest was held, but we had no luck. We lost with Anne Delany, Inky Larson and Bob Holm fighting valiantly. A bird was seen hovering around the ship, not the albatross of our Freshman days, but The Swan. This is the annual play introduced by our pilot, Mr. Atkiss, who is still with us. During the play the ship pitched a little and one of the characters became seasick. Outside of this, the play was a financial and dramatic success. It was recognized as one of the most ambitious things ever attempted here in dramatics. The biggest social event on shipboard this year was the Junior Prom. The Dance Salon was decorated elaborately and in one end Harry Gardiner's orchestra played soft melodies. All arrangements for this were made by June West and John Mackenson. The final important event of the school year was the installation of members of the National Honor Society. Al Evans, Paul Stephani, James O'Neil, Robert Holm and Robert Adam were the boys and Betty Williams the lone girl. The ship again reached port and allowed the passengers to disembark for a three months' shore leave. September 34, the good ship 35 is ready for the last leg of the journey. Many of the passengers were forced to transfer to the ship S.S. Ridley Township, a new craft. We wish them bon voyage with safe harbors and no gales. Since outstanding members of our class, both in athletics and scholarship, left on this boat, with a smaller crew we dug in and worked double duty. A new skipper stalks on the bridge, Robert Adam, who becomes captain, while John Mackenson is the mate. Doris Gallagher still has the log in her care and Mary Kelly shares the purser's office with Paul Stephani. The first shipboard amusement was the Freshman Reception. The crew of 35 had as their guest the crew of 38, another ship of the Ridley Lines. The next entertainment was the Senior Hop. This was the special event of the season on ship- board. The melodies were supplied by the Nova Casa Orchestra. The decorations were in the Christmas spirit. The humor on this occasion was supplied by the studied nonchalance of the boys in their first soup and fish. The class standard was raised, orange and brown in color. The class motto was Enthusiasm. The Washington Trip was the big event of the year. The ship sailed up the Potomac and stopped at Washington for three days, much cain was raised and many buildings seen in the act of being torn down. Finally came class night and commencement. Class night this year was an invocation, a banquet and dance. The ship passes over the horizon but the smoke still lingers on. Twelve

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On the side of the Dipper there is a star shaped like an aster. Of course you've guessed it. The slogan 'Plan to Plant Plante's Plants' will sweep the country and you're right again—he'll aster and she'll accept. That takes care of Betty Williams' future too! Florence Clifton will displace Kate Smith (a lot of displacement) as the 'Song Bird of the South.’ The Milky Way is just one way of knowing Margaret Murphy will continue her good work and become a partner in Whitman's candy factory. Marion Stowe will be chief taster, also con- tinuing her good work. After long years of experience Panther Gallagher will be an outstanding authority on Model T engines and with such fame can sleep as much as he wants. Gert Gallagher will enter the Gallagher Buick Company and will make valuable improvements on the air-flow body. With his ab'l'ty for drawing and keeping quiet, Stehman Fridy will become an expert in the field of drafting. He will make the plans for a building big enough to hold all the back themes the class owes. The planet Venus, Goddess of Love, glows in the distance, signifying Peg Knowles' sensational rise to the top in her 'Advice to the Lovelorn' column. There v ill be stars :n the music world, too, where Doris Gallagher will publish her 'Concerto for Four and a Half Fiddles.' The sword of Orion looks military, and it undoubtedly means Jennie Marchesani will be gym teacher in a school for Marines. Even the lav has long used the star as a symbol of authority. That star is slightly hazy, but it nay have more than one meaning. Probably Dot Sakers will follow her father's footsteps and be a police-v oman. Her first duty will be to provide the force with stunning lace uniforms. Cliff Thompson will become a hair-dresser of note, his chief advertisement being his own hair. The weathered sailor was tired of standing and lay down on a pile of sails. The boy followed suit, and as they stretched out the story was continued: Sis Bruton will without doubt win the annual Talkathon with ease, while from the same group of stars I find Senator Stephani will completely humble the great Huey Long in a stirring eight hour address. That bunch in the shape of a chandelier means Pop Hook will be illustrating kiddies' clothes for Sears Roebuck's new catalogue. Time marches on! George Mitchell will eventually win the Olympic half-mile and will promptly go in the movies. For years fishermen have read the stars and they know Abie Cliff will win the Angler's prize for the biggest-fish-that-got-away. If that cluster there means what I hope it does, Ghandi MacNamara will earn millions by perfecting a noiseless ash-can. The star that burns deep in the heavens signifies a lamp at midnight, and Harry Gaul, by hard v ork, will be head of General Steel. In his spare moments he will publish a dictionary. Cy Dugan will retire from a successful career as a radio comedian and will open a Chinese restaurant. A star is winking bitterly over the fact that Ed Aldin will come to a tragic end. His car finally will stall in Essington and the rising tide will get him. May we have a moment of silent tribute. Another star in athletics from the class of '35! Ed Kuhar will throw Man-Mountain Dean out of the ring to win the heavy-weight wrestling title. Bright stars will arise in the theatrical world too. Merc Smullen and Jim Bryan will displace Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers as the best dance team. That falling star shows another tragic end. After a brilliant career on the staffs of 'Ye Ridlyan,' 'Retrospect' and 'Ballyhoo' making linoleum cuts, Ed French will end up cutting paper dolls in the bug-house. That cluster in the shape of a typewriter keyboard means one of two things—either Grace Quinn will write her story of 'How to Sleep on a Bus' or Thelma Crossan will finally get up to sixty words a minute. That particular red star indicates Julia Rizzo will demonstrate the use of cosmetics in Snellen- burg's. Audrey Gray will enter her father's insurance business and will use her wiles to sell $1,000,000 in policies to old men like Steve Stratton. Al Evans will continue to make rotten prophecies for the weather bureau, although he will develop the fool-proof system of prophesying rain when he’s had his pants pressed. The old sailor turned from his study of the sky to find the cabin boy fast asleep. Well, can't say as I blame you, he muttered, as he curled up beside him. Fourteen