Searles High School - Yearbook (Methuen, MA)

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down the stairs at Senior Chapel. There are those among us who performed the feat of maneuvering the Whole three flights without touching once. The autumn of our junior year found us facing the ordeal of electing new class officers to comply with the ruling of the student council. This we ably siurmount- ed and was a result the following officers guided the class for the next eight months: as president, David Lynch: vvice-president, Ida Fossg secretary, Helen Laing- and treasurer, C. Elmer Northam. All was not serene, however, on the horizon. The Senior class., with whom we had avoided actual conflict thus far in cur scholastic career, made loud and upi roario-us protest against the stuclenlt council decision that the Senior Reception and Junior Play be separated. Senior! representative-s appeared before us in assembly and pleaded in a manner sufficient to cause a criminal lawyer to turn green with envy, but to no avail. The two functions were voted to be separate. VVe Hrst came into official contact with Mr. Thoimp- son as a class when he told us that the success of the Junior Class Party would to a great extent determine the future of class panties in the high school. On Dc-- cember 17, we made Searles High safe for clasig par- ties by putting over one of the best parties held in the school up to that date. Just Out of College, a clever comedy, was pree sented to a capacity house at the Central School hall in February. XVIIthout the least boasting on our part, we may safely say that itg presentation was considered one of the best performances ever given by a high school. Certainly there was never a smoother one. The Senior Reception was given two weeks before the close of school. This was the first public appear- ance of our class banner with its motto selected by us a few weeks before, Aegis fortissima virtue. This function was on a par with all of our other effonts- a success. For the last time we partlciipatecl in Senior Chapel as spectators. We stood in .silent meditation as the de- parting Seniors filed around the chapel to the strains of Auld Lang Sync. It was impressive, doubly im- preLs.ve to us who would be the next senior class to take leave of the school in this manner. Summer passed all too quickly, yet the coming of September brought a thrill of anticupation. Our three years of probation were over and now the Class of 1925 looked up to no onee-looked down on all. Our laurels rested lightly on our brows, however, and we noncha- lantly and gracefully accepted the homage that was due us. Our Senior year has been altogether too. kaleido- scopic to analyze carefully. YVe held our class party very :ucceeufully indeed. Our members who are cadet officers have aibly assisted Lieut. Patnaude to create the most efficient and largest cadet corps in the history of the school. XVe of the Senior class have met our problems suc- cessfully, as they have arisen. XVYIGH Mr. Thompson, coming from another high school where it had been the custom for the senior' class to present a play instead of the junior class, frankly stated his doubts of our abil- ity to put the thing across suicceusitully, wr' wasted no words in refutation, but Went out and diid it. During the four years of high school, we have had three principals. Mr. Goodwin initiated us into the manners and customs of high school life. Mr. Conant was instrumental in bringing the class into a more com- pact body and, as superintendent of schools, has taken keen interest in our affairs. It is Mr. Thompson, how- ever, that we have come to know most intimately. Dur-

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The address of welcome was given by .James Fag- giano, president of the Senior Class. At the end of his speech a large box of carnatioits was pre-rtentetl to Arthur Jacktsron, president Ui the Freshman class, who responded fittiingly. The Freshmen were then introduced to the mem- bers of the faculty. After this presentation, the mart-h took place. The only thing' to mar the evening was thr- faict that the hall was too small to acooininodate such a large freshman claiss. However, it gave many uf us :i neveii'-to-be-forgotten thrill of our tiist rf-al grand march. We dug into our studies with eiierg-y that fall. Many of us, newly introduced to Latin, l renf'h, Alge- bra, and other such bug'-lm--ars, burned not a few qiiarts of midnight oil. It was :i novel experlenee, this study- ing, but we toiok to it like a duck to water. The restt off the schoiol year passed tranquilly enough The tboys, intioduced to military drill, perforimid squads right and left with 11 vim and vigor that has been lack- ing ever Since. VVe Freshmen used tu wniider how it was thait the upper classmen failed to become enthus- iastic orver drill, VVe found the answer. VVe had no Freshman party, for it was found im- possible to seicure an open date agreeahle to the f2lC'llltX. Juine came quickly and with it Senior Chapel. Sen- ior Chapel was once an ancient and sat-red institution. sanctified and solemnitied by long' usage. Ol' late years, however, due chiefly tot the Sophoimore class, it has de-generated into more or less ot' a circus. Hutt it was no circus for us, that year. NVe were on the receiving' end. Upon returning to begin our Sophomore year, we folund that with the elimination of the Freshm-in class l- - --Pl'1-- L N we the Qimis of UQE5, were again the lowest c-lass in Schmid, that is, S9C'S1!1lY. Sc-holastically we were the highest. 'l'o retrieve seme-what.our wounded sense ot dignity, and to placate our desire for revenge, small sorties and skirmishes were made un the l i'esliinen. sziteiy entrenched in the Central School, but Mr. l-Jlxvell galiantly tniiiw to tht .r rescue and put us to rout. Studies came easier that set-ond fall. I -rhaps we had gotten the halnt. Mr. Gin-ilwiii had left us and in his place came Mi, Vonant. We all regretted Mr tloodwiirs departure. liis prowess in suhduing unruly and lie-tlig-'iw-iit fri-sliinen had het-oiiie tradizi-vital. The .Xthletie Ass-it-iatinii Hallow--'en Party and Stunt Night gat A us our tiisi chant-e tu carvv- a nicht tor ours-lves in the hall Ufl-Tllli1'. XX'e Sulilioiiiuiw-s pref sented :is oui otT--riiii.: a one-at-t piaylet. A Ni:-tht at an Inn. It was :i I-rrihle trag.:w-dy. only the audience did not s.-em to realize this for they laughed at the moSi Itugit' parts. .Xlthong.:li we failed ln ret-eive the prize, We galm-d xpei'i--iiee in set-ne shifting and Stage car- pentry whit-li stood tis in good stead for the Junior play. Ask Mr. Piper--he knows. The it-si nf our Snlilioiiinre year was spent in study'- ini:--tliat is, we nianaged to keep up with our work. just how WI' inairiged li--ing one of our Erf-at secrets. Mr. Ccnant had introduced several new systems ahotit the st-limit and it :ook ns some time If iret used to them. NN'e he-Id our tirst real social Pune ion in the form of a e!ass hop in March. We ti-aine out on top. hetterinf: the record of 'i good many classes, hut the lack of a party the tirst yt-ar had its effect. NVQ- had not then reaehed that state of ei't'it-Lency for which we have ht-en noted in the past year. Again came June. Although we were one year near--r graduatioii. ive. were still the last class to go ,-

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me ec-' e - 2 ing the four months preceding' graduation he helped us solve many of our most tlifflciuult problems. He has gen- erously allowed us time out of school hours for class business. To many of us he has given unsparingly of his time in order that we might pursue the course ot' study most, suited to our individual needs. VVe have seen many changes ln the teaching force. Miss Emerseon. class advisor in our senior year, has left the class room for the joys of married life. Among oth- ers whom we have 'seen depart with regret are Mr Reed, Mr. Alley and Miss Taylor. Our- stay in high school has not been all pleasure. Twice fthe hand of the Grim Reaper has plucked com- rades from our midst. Lydia CUSillTTl'1lll passt-rl away during our Junior year, March 20, 1927. Just one year later, as We were busily loking forward to graduation, ,a f we learned. with thc greatest sorrow. of the death ot Jcst-ph Faggiano 4March 21, 19281. 'We havc maintained a high scholastic standard, keg-ping the highest average in the school for two con- secutive years. The Lincoln Mt-dal has been twice won hy members Of our Class and it was a mcmbcr Of th: Class of 1928 who was selected to be awarded the honor of being.: Mayor of Lawrence for an hour. XVQ- do not boast of these things. 'We let them stand as history, for all to judge. If wc have been worthy. the satisfaction comes from knowledge of the dt-ell, not from thc p.aising of it. And as wc leave this Sslitml, some LO continue our education, others to tnkc our places in industry, in business and in the home. lct us always ht-:nr in mind. the words of our Class M0ttaJ. Aegis for-tissima vixlus - Virtue is our strongest shield. A ' 1 '--'affair--f r Af - - -fm --'qi - --er-e -. --