Smith Academy - Echo Yearbook (Hatfield, MA)

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were the class to welcome the freshmen. Not so long ago we had been the victims of our initiators. Initiation Night had not only given the freshmen a hearty welcome to Smith Academy, but resulted in the biggest profit that our class had ever earned. The Senior Play, this year, was produced very successfully with the aid of some members of the junior class who, for the first time in their high school career, had shown their acting abilities. Springtime found the juniors busy. It was not spring fever, but a part of the English course that found us unfortunate juniors appearing before the assembly to give our declamations. As a result, five boys and five girls in formal at- tire spoke before the public in order to compete for cash prizes. Charles Sadoski and Jane Romanowski received well-earned first prizes. The next activity, the Junior Prom, shall never be forgotten. Wonderland, our theme, consisted of a center floor attraction — a Fairy Princess, dressed in a filmy gown and holding a magic wand. Under the balcony were scenes from the land of make-believe. To complete the eve- ning of enjoyment, music was played by Ray Black and his orchestra. Then, with the closing of our Junior year at hand, we sent Charles Sadoski to boys ' state and Jean Klocko to girls ' state. Again, it was time to bid goodbye to another senior class, one with whom we had shared experiences for three years. We left again with a lesson in mind: Diligence and determination lead to success. It seems only yesterday that twenty-three proud seniors returned to S. A. in Sep- tember of 1954. Now the cap and gown lay within an arm ' s length, ready for each of us to grasp at our own will. A few months of work and play to make these two articles ours forever. Our Senior year was, perhaps, the busiest year. We were led very successfully by Phyllis Baceski, president; Leona Brown, vice-president; Phyllis Cybulski, secretary; Stephanie Majeski, treasurer; Michael Raffa, Charles Sadoski, and Edward Merriam, Student Council representatives. This year found us present- ing the successful play, Seventeen Is Terrific, which was acted out almost entirely by Senior class members. Among the profitable activities held during the year were a food sale, concessions at Corky Calkins ' square dances, and concessions at basketball games. Much toil was spent on the Good Government Day assembly, which was spon- sored by our class, who nominated three members, one of whom, Jean Klocko, was sent to Boston to represent the school. Amid the ordering of invitations and name cards, fitting of caps and gowns, preparing for and experiencing the Washington Trip — (water pistols), the Class of ' 55 is proud to present the PURPLE AND WHITE ECHO, which we hope is meeting your approval. It is the end of our Senior year and we must all admit that it was one of the best years of our lives. On our day of Commencement the cap will be worn proudly and the diploma will be carried delicately. As each of us passes out of the auditorium, we shall have in our hearts the fond memories of both hard work and good times, and the hope that all un- derclassmen will share the same joyful memories.

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ss History On June 17, 1955, twenty-two students in dark blue caps and gowns will be gath- ered in the Hatfield Memorial Town Hall for the final event of their high school career — that of receiving their diplomas. The cap and diploma, which the graduates mer- ited as a reward for their hard work and avid participation in both learning and school activities, had also served as guideposts from our Freshman to our Senior year in that they stimulated our anticipation, eagerness, ambition, and most of all, pride, in what was available to us and all that we could accomplish to attain our goals. When we twenty-five uncertain students, seen but not heard, timidly entered Smith Academy in September, 1951, the cap and diploma were only visions in our minds — visions which were four long years of toil and excitement ahead of us. How were we to know that four years would flee rapidly and it would be time to leave — each one in his own direction? Nothing can be as memorable as, perhaps, that first trying day in the strange building, when one of us green-looking students was a lone newcomer, broken away from his group by the healthy upperclassmen and left stand- ing helplessly in the empty corridors. Many of us will tell how often we met the veterans gazing on us as we chose a seat in the far-away corner of the study hall, or how often we had to be reminded of the dozen or so rules and regulations broken within a few minutes. The end of the first week found us not only well acquainted with the building and teachers, but also with the Juniors, who were preparing to for- mally accept us into Smith Academy on Initiation Night. All of us passed our grue- some test and were at once tabbed as The Freshmen of S. A. This was the go- ahead signal to begin our activities as the Class of ' 55. Chosen to lead the class as a result of our first class meeting were: president, Michael Raffa; vice-president, Phyllis Baceski; secretary, Jean Klocko; treasurer, Stephanie Majeski; Student Coun- cil representative, Charles Sadoski; and class advisor, the ever ready, always willing George C. Feiker. Under this group, we freshmen conducted a very successful post-Lenten Spring Dance. What a gala evening of dancing under the numerous pastel streamers radiat- ing from the flower-entwined May Pole; what a heart-warming feeling to see the name Freshmen written in paper carnations. The music for dancing was by the Melody Aces. Before we realized, June rolled around and we had to bid farewell to a fine group of seniors. We left the Freshman Year with one lesson in mind: Cooperation is an invaluable help in success. September, 1952, found twenty-five confident sophomores return to Smith Acad- emy. The cap and diploma still remained a challenge to us, who were finding our- selves a little more bold than the pi ' evious year, and a bit more experienced in the complicated and hurried procedures of high school. To lead our class in activities the following officers were chosen: president, Michael Raffa; vice-president, Joan Roma- nowski; secretary, Robert Byrne; treasurer, Stephanie Majeski; Student Council rep- resentative, Charles Sadoski. Before very long, we found ourselves making plans for cur second activity, the Sophomore Hobo Dance. Filled with the usual autumn scenery of bright orange pumpkins, dried cornstalks, and colored leaves, the dance hall was offset by a ludicrously dressed hobo in the center of the floor. The affair was completed by the Melody Aces, and refreshments which included cider and donuts. This year, more than the previous year, our eager, ambitious class found ourselves as a small cog in the wheel of activities, including all sports, the glee club, and school publications. Because one of our favorite mottoes was Washington or Bust, we sponsored another school dance in May of ' 53; the theme Big Top was carried out in colorful streamers depicting a circus tent; the music was again furnished by the Melody Aces. When June came again, and it was thus time to say farewell to our sister class which had advised us in our troublesome exploits, we all felt that we had learned one of the most important lessons in our high school career: Eager participa- tion in class and school activities lead to a more enjoyable year. Returning in September, 1953, as juniors, twenty-six of us re-entered the halls of Smith Academy, but this time distinguished as upperclassmen. What had passed in our first two years seemed to us, at that time, very exciting and adventuresome, but how were we to guess that our last two years would be twice as hurried, business-like, and enjoyable? The cap and diploma were now plainly visible a t a distance of two years away. Two years had brought them much closer to reality. This year found the following officers installed: president, Charles Sadoski; vice-president, Ronald Bar- rett; secretary, Lorraine Woloss; treasurer, Stephanie Majeski; Student Council rep- resentatives, Patricia Zagrodnik and Richard Cechvala. Much to our excitement, we

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CLASSES