Roxbury Memorial High School for Girls - Laurel Yearbook (Boston, MA)

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THF LAUREL History of the Class of l944 PAST IMPERFECT I The Landing of the Pilgrims and the Period of Adjustntent. In the year nine- teen hundred and forty, a band of immigrants from- various sections of Boston landed at R. M. H. S. Timid, wide-eyed, and awe-struck, we wandered about this gigantic labyrinth, wearily trudging our way up the stairs and down the stairs in search of our respective rooms. The Search for 304. Vi here is 3o4? The cry was raised by groups of anguished freshmen scurrying to and fro on the third fioor corridors. Finally, armed with sur- veying instruments, compasses, maps, etc., we located the site of this elusive territory. No sooner did we master the plan of the school, than new burdens like gym lockers combination were added to our ever-increasing load. Quickly, however, the year sped by, and before we knew it, the first step toward graduation had been completed. II The Election of 1941. As sophomores, we began the year by electing for the first time a group who were to represent our classes in the student government: Merle Laviscount, preridenzg Yvonne Greene, vire presidentg Vivian Bolden, .recremryg Gertrude Yarchin, treasurer. These favorite daughters fiercely battled for the rights and wishes of their electors. In spite of our tireless efforts, the immobile faculty sternly refused us escalators, shortened school hours, the privilege of wearing slacks, and the combining of the forces of Boys' and Girls' Memorial. The Induction Day Ceremony. This 'ceremony which marks the ofiicial inaugu- ration of the elected oiiicers was particularly impressive in our sophomore year. We watched breathlessly as the members of the student government marched slowly down the aisles of the darkened auditorium to take their places on the stage which was lighted by a single candle, The Torch. December 7, 1941-Memorial Goes to War. After Pearl Harbor, Memorial quickly adapted itself to a war pace. Air raid drills were instituted, LH was converted to an air raid center, and plans were made to form a Victory Corps. VVar Bond and Stamp Drives were placed on a competitive basis, and the Class of ,44 rose to the emergency. Social Conditions. An abundance of talent in our class supplied our many parties with excellent entertainment. This was first exhibited at the Handbook Party and later at the Sophomore Class Party at which we were privileged to see for the first time, The Lamp VVent Out. Members of our internationally known Freshman-Sophomore Dramatic Club staged the elaborate and costly production of Wake up, Peter, WAKE UP, WAKE UP. A few carefully chosen amazons of this select group supplied the male characters of the smaller-statured Junior-Senior Club's dramatic endeavor Stage Door. Other members humbly but skillfully executed the menial tasks of stage pro- duction, such as arranging a chair, fluffing a pillow, and placing a photograph in some unobtrusive corner. - l36l

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Glam Officers 'Ha WINONA MCCARTIIY HELEN WISEMAN Presideul Vim P7EY7tdClIf DOROTHY YLAMOS VERA FRANCIS Secrelary Treasurer ASS 944

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1944 III The Election of 1942. ln june of our sophomore year, we elected for ourjunior ofiicers: Doris McLellan, presidentg Helen Wiseman, vice presidenlg Mary Zetes, .verremryg joy Capuzzo, lreasurer. By this time we had resigned ourselves to the fact that the fervent and farffetched hopes of our sophomore year would never be realized. VVe therefore devoted ourselves exclusively to class business. Social Conditions. The dance king comes to Memorial! Mr. Baptiste, a swoon-in- spiring male, honored us juniors with a superb demonstration of ballroom dancing. Many a heart did flutter that day, and many a junior firmly resolved to enter Mr. Bap-- tiste's dancing school. Ourjunior party stands out as the hilarious climax to the year's activities. Skits were performed by each room, and Stage-Door Canteen, produced by room 213 received the prize, a Howerpot. The Class of 1944 Assists the Government. Under the auspices of the Governing Council, the long-awaited Victory Corps was established. A number of clubs whose purpose was to aid the war effort were thus organized. But the most unexpected event of the year was yet to happen! Ration Book No. 2 was expiring. What was to be done? Ration Book No. 3 had to be issued or the residents of Massachusetts would soon go hungry and shoeless. Clearly, the only thing to be done was to have the class of ,44 assist the government in issuing the new book. Therefore, school was over for us juniors in May, and, for two wonderful months, we wrote, checked, enveloped, and sealed Ration Book No. 3. IV Futile Party Struggles. This election was the most exciting Memorial had ever seen. We seniors anxiously awaited the returns which would tell us who would become vice president, Wiseman or Wiseman? Which of the eight candidates for the Governing Council would become the eight governing councilors? This was the outcome: Winona McCarthy, presidentg Helen Wiseman, viva presidenlg Dorothy 'Vlamos, .rerretaryg Vera Francis, treasurer. d Economic Conditions. Money! Money! Money! From all sides come demands for money. We pay senior council and General House dues, money for rings, pictures, Yearbook, Enierprise, personal ads, prom tickets, graduation dresses and shoes. Morgan Memorial, here we come! Senior Scholarship Play. The extraordinary prowess we exhibited in our sophomore year again came to light in I Have Five Daughters. Not only tlid the Cast render a splendid performance, but the financial returns made us philanthropists. We gave S475 to the Scholarship Fund! SOS. . . . . .SOS. A crisis loomed in the Boston Department Stores three weeks before Christmas. A cry was sent out for help,,' and again the class of ,44 came to the rescue. For the second time, lessons were dropped, and an army of seniors invaded the department stores as salesgirls, bundle girls, stock girls, and cashiers. After Christ- mas, we resumed our lessons leaving the stores to struggle along alone as best they could. The Boston Tea Party. With the manpower shortage and with the Prom drawing nearer, we had quite a problem on our hands. The solution? Simple. We ordered 4371!