Sacred Heart High School - Vine Leaves Yearbook (Vineland, NJ)

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Leases ings, for we could come down and see who brought whom and what kind of dancers they were. There was the bother of cleaning up of course hut after all, we were Juniors and somebody would manage to stay and do it. Across the horizon there broke a new sun for now we all lived in great anticipation to that Junior Prom. The gvm was decorated with much ado, tickets were sold quite easily, the seniors had been invited and all was aghast at the opening that evening of “Spring Ensemble.” The best ever, naturally, and no class ever decorated as well. With the joyful memories of this still in our heart we celebrated the twenty-fifth anniversary of the coming of the Sisters of St. Joseph to Vineland. Many of the former teachers came hack that day to help us celebrate with much pomp and ceremony. Then came Class day, and what a class day. Frankie Testa was on hand and few of us could keep our feet still as he played those smooth entrancing notes. Oh ves it was a great year and there was a hit of sadness in our heart when we went to Graduation that year for we knew that was the end of it all. Our remorse was, however, rekindled for now we knew that we suddenly became seniors and as seniors would he the leaders of the rest. Of happv thought, so it was with many dreams of what the following year would hold and many secret plans that we set off that summer, the summer when we were seniors. That September there were some mixed emotions within our hearts as we made the journey back. The feeling of sorrow since it was the ending of the vacation and the feeling of importance since we were seniors after all. With the air of all importance we t x k our places that day quietly and efficiently surmising the whole arrangement of things. We were the seniors and had to set the pace for all the underclassmen. The freshmen, naturally, were hopeless for they were so naive in their viewpoints. With proper aging they would probably live through it all. Tvping, Stenography. Chemistry, Histon' and French all fell into their proper places but no one took them too seriously, so things were pretty enjoyable. The one fly in the ointment, so to speak, suddenly appeared from a rather un- expected source for it seemed that the Juniors had suddenly grew to apparent maturity in the race for running things. It seemed hard to imagine that this was that small timid class that we had to hold the welcome party for to make them aware of the fact that they were in High School. Drastic measures had to be taken to keep this hidden enemy down. Saturday Night Dances continued so this gave us a chance to keep the social life intact, of course there was attached to these the necessary evil of cleaning up afterwards but after all Seniors weren t meant to do such menial tasks and after all we were seniors. The bus excursions to the awav games were still active and “Spaghetti” inevitablv turned up on these. It was at this point in the year that the bovs received word from John L. Lewis that thev would have to join the Window Washer’s Union while the girls did a rather efficient job in keeping the library well dusted. Tacks and spools of thread kept some periods in confusion, the trips to the Third Floor Lab when Sulfuric acid was found detrimental to stockinirs and that soap could often look like paint all made this vear the vear of vears. Per usual the French and religion tests found us much perplexed and worried. But we did manage to live through it all. High School life acquired a new aspect when the School staged an amateur show for the Hosptal Fund. The reminder of those costumes, that singing and musical selections still fills us with a certain sense of smugness, for after all when we mustered enough courage to

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Leaves At Mass that morning we realized our importance for after all we were Sophomores. There were now babies beneath us and what babies they seemed. We felt confident that we weren’t that bad when we were Freshmen. We felt so badly for them that year that we had a party for them in November “Welcome Freshmen”. As Sophomores our lives were really increased for we suddenly realized how important we were to S.ll.II.S. The hgures in Geometry were all so simple, and getting through Caesar’s Gaelic Wars was no trouble at all. We were somewhat amazed, therefore, on that first report card day when all the Sophomores suddenly began singing the “Dies lrae dies ilia”. As the production of “Where there’s a Will” came into existence we let the Freshmen who didn’t know any better get the ads and sell the tickets, for after all we were Sophomores. Sopho- mores, we later learned knew nothing but they thought knew everything. As Spring came the first signs of Spring fever hit the class and some of them were bitten by the old love bug and have never yet recovered. It was only a few, however, who did manage to get to go to the Junior Prom so the theme song that year was “Jealousie . As Graduation night came there was less noise in church for now we had control over our knee action. Perhaps it was due in some measure to the fact that fewer of us made that trip to the altar that night to receive awards. That always remained the mystery, why we who were Sophomores and who knew so much could not convince the faculty of the vastness of our knowledge but such was life, we thought for no one ever really understood Sophomores. The year was filled with many memories for that was the year that the Mighty Mites went through their basketball year with great zest and when many of us took the long trip to Trenton with high hopes in our hearts. We held our heads high that year in town for we conquered the City Championship. This was the year too that Sacred Heart set off on her Baseball career. What pleasant memories of that year of years, when we were the best sophomore class ever. That Summer was a cool, wet one for the thirst for Knowledge was not longer with us and the zeal of 1943 had become water logged by 1945, when we with hesitation made our feet trod back that long last mile to Landis Avenue. Again as we went to Mass we felt compassion for those youngsters setting out on their High Sch x)l activities. They were cute “kids” but who liked kids. When Basketball Games started being the topic of the year, we now started making more trips with the team for we were starting to use buses. This was the initial trip for Spagettti and it was the year of great activities for after all we now had several represenatives on the Cheering Squad. The Basketball Team didn’t fare so well that yt»ar but after all, we were comparing them with the year before when we had a championship team. Then as the spirits of Christmas were dying down, faint rumors were starting to spread that Play Practice was in the coming. Then we started the practices, those Sunday afternoons when we tried the dance steps and did our songs. Finally the opening Night when we came down in all the finery of our evening wear to charm the spectators with our poise and talents for after all we were the Juniors of Sacred Heart. “Anne of Green Gables” was a huge success that year, and we never let on but we knew very well that it was because this was the first year that we were in it. Then as Spring came closer and we began to thaw out from the winter we entered the Magazine Drive with full pep and vigor. For the first time we not only reached our goal we far sur- passed it. With the passing of Easter we had a new activity added for it was then that the weekly dances started. What a chance to keep up on all the local happen-

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Leases go through with that we could do anything. December brought something new when the Christmas Formal was added to the list of activities. When we had finished seeing what Santa Claus had brought us we finally settled down to the practice for the Senior Play (!!!). It was here that the first surprise was dealt 11s for we learned to our chagrin that it was no longer a senior play. That certain class, of which we have already spoken suddenly tried to gain t(K many leads so we had to take measures in hand and work a little harder. Finally the actual cast was selected and the work began. Those Sunday afternoons when we just couldn’t seem to get our feet to go the way we wanted them to, and when the connections of our feet and the music seemed almost impossible, are still void memories. At last the final curtain fell and much to our surprise, since they were so rash as to trust the show to others besides the seniors, it was a great success. The town and papers raved about it for weeks and Sweethearts as our first musical attempt was the answer to what Sacred Heart needed. Our dreams after this soon settled down and we were counting the days until the Junior Prom, as this goes to press we are looking forward with interest first because we are anxious to see their attempt at this activity and secondly because of the pleasant evening. As we sit dreaming of this Prom, we suddenly find that we are growing sentimental for now at last we are beginning to realize that these were the “Best Years of our Lives” and that for many of us it means the end of school. As we go, however, we know that we leave her honor and glory in good hands in all the underclassmen. School days with its acquaintances, its carefree days when worn' and trouble were farthest from our mind are soon to end, we know, that we have had our measure of them all and it is time for us to bid adieu, it is with sadness, however, that we do say adieu for all that it has meant to us. It had its sorrows as well as its joys but despite the hardshps and inconveniences we did enjoy it. To the Juniors who will take over the management of the sehcx l spirit and to whom the task of being the example for other classmen will fall — we wish the very l est. You are both competent and willing. To the underclassmen we say — be loval to your Alma Mater and strive to bring her honor and glory, to our faculty and priests we say — our sincere thanks for everything that you have done to our fellow students — we sav Farewell and Adieu; To our Alma Mater we sav may vour name l e ever praised and honored — to God we address our prayer that we may be loval to the teachings we have received and never prove a disappointment to our parents, teachers and alma mater. May He and His Most Blessed Mother whom we honored every Monday keep us close to their hearts, ever loyal and obedient, never fearful of the world’s criticism, nor readv to compromise with false philosophies. It was marvelous while it lasted, but it didn’t last long enough. Class Will We, hereby will and bequeath to our underclassmen . . . Wilfred Bertonazzi my shyness to James Sessa Marie Boyle my Irish blue eyes to Mary Lou Hennessy Lucy Brignolo my homework papers to the Junior Class John Camp my build to Edgar Peterson Edith Cavagnaro my pep and energy to Joan Pagano Barbara Cervini my natural curley hair to Pat O’Brien