Somerset High School - Raider / Memoirs Yearbook (Somerset, MA)

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CLASS On a cold day in January, 1959, the new eighty-sixth Congress convened in Washing¬ ton. The first business on the day’s agenda was a committee report on the value of a high school education to the future citizens of the country. This survey is required by the Bergeron-Traynor Act, which calls for an annual report on the influence of education upon American life. It was decided that the committee investigate the alumni of a typical American high school ten years after graduation to learn what contributions they had made to the nation’s welfare. Somerset High School, of the Commonwealth of Massachu¬ setts, the Alma Mater of the two sponsors of this bill, was chosen. After the roll call by Clerk of Congress, Ernest Pacheco, the report of Committeemen Dave Barlow and Jim Waring, high school colleagues of Bergeron and Traynor, was read as follows: We traveled to Somerset on the U.S.S. Jean, a new deluxe steamship of the O’Connell Lines. We were shown to our quarters by stewardesses Mabel Rivard and Theresa Martin. On deck, we were surprised to see crewmen Blake Hayden and Pete Ginter. A special banquet was prepared for us by chef Roland Fenton, after which music was furnished by Rick Cadorette and his orchestra. Following a pleasant voyage up the coastline, we arrived at Newport, and then transferred to one of the Kenney-LeCompte taxis, which have set a standard of excellence in the field of Eastern transportation. Much to our dismay, we were stopped in Tiverton by a brash young police chief named Cliff Southwick. When he heard of our mission, he conferred with his driver, detective Ed Whalen, and they decided to let us continue on our way. Upon arriving in Somerset, we noticed that a new Junior High School had been built, and we later learned that it was designed by architect Tommy Lawton, and built under the direction of Ed Tuttle. We entered the building and were greeted graciously by Pat Doyle, the seventh grade teacher, Dot Thwaite, the girls’ gym instructor, and school nurse Collette Michaud. They informed us that a benefit concert was being staged that week for the March of Dimes Campaign. The performers were to be the great concert pianists Joseph Barboza and Lloyd Gold, the former a Harvard graduate, and the latter an alumnus of Yale. As a prelude to the concert, nurses Phyl Bradley and Janice Duckworth, both high honor graduates of accredited hospitals, had been scheduled to speak on the modern methods of treating contagious diseases. Charlie Courcier, renowned radio announcer, had been giving special advertising to the concert over Somerset’s own radio station, WSHS. Archie Soares, the great basketball star of the Kentucky Wildcats, was holding a free basketball clinic for crippled children. Carl Sanderson, head referee of the Narry League, had offered his services, also. The townspeople were certainly behind this campaign. After several more days of research, which carried us from Marilou’s Fashion Salon to Pete Miller’s Garage, we decided to split ranks to finish our search for the members of the class. Helen Lucian and Lorraine Trafka were found to be working as accountants in a Providence office under the supervision of manager George Souza. 22

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! HISTORY ber hop” with a humorous floor show; for it was one of the best dances in the school ' s history. This was the year which caused us so much excitement, for our basketball team beat our old jinx,” Provincetown; and proudly won the title, Class C Champs,” by defeat¬ ing Oliver Ames in the finals. It was with much excitement that we, as Juniors, became the proud owners of our long-awaited class rings. They bore the symbol of our school—a step further on the road to graduation. How proud we were to wear them! Our present to the grateful Class of 1948 was the annual Junior-Senior Prom,” which set the record for attendance at Proms. The beautiful decorations on an Alice in Wonderland” motif proved very successful and a splendid farewell to the graduating class. Once again, we spent another happy day together at Fort Phoenix saying good-bye” for the summer. The fall of 1948 finally arrived and we found ourselves lofty members of the Senior Class. It just couldn’t be true! Yet, we weren’t dreaming! We elected, with Miss Mason as our new advisor, Charles Bergeron as President; Patricia Green, Vice-President; Catherine Quental, Secretary; Ernest Pacheco, Treasurer; Joan Fredenburg, Girl Councillor; and Arthur Soares as Boy Councillor. Our first dance of the year was the Welcome Hop” at which the Freshmen were introduced. We, as Seniors, could well understand the feelings of the wide-eyed Freshmen. In November, Mr. Kilgrew appointed the staff of Memoirs XII; and, with Phyllis Bradley as Editor, Joseph Barboza, her assistant, and Joseph O’Connell as Business Manager, we began to busy ourselves in collecting data for our splendid Year¬ book. The Pirates of Penzance,” the operetta in which many members of the Senior Class took part, was a great success, and after its production we found ourselves beginning to feel the strain of solid” studying for various exams.In February we received a part of our Senior Orals—a present on which to work during the February vacation. The much- awaited Sadie Hawkins Day” was sponsored, and it proved to be an all day affair, with much fun for all. With the coming of the Class Banquet, the Senior Prom, and the Class Outing, we began to attract much attention by our endless bustling. And so, as I close the blue cover of my memory-filled treasure chest, my mind is filled with rosy thoughts of four wonderful years. And, through the blur of dreamy and exciting happenings, there is the one memorable event which brought many a lump to the throats of my friends—Graduation Night. It wasn’t until we received our diplomas that we realized we were no longer Seniors—we were Alumni ! ! !

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PROPHECY In the evening we were entertained at the Biltmore Hotel by Head Manager Warren Chace and his charming hostess, Joan Fredenburg. The next morning we decided to take a drive in the country. We were nearly struck by a stray bullet from hunter Arnold Lavoie’s gun, quickly followed by another from the rifle of Bob Lopes. On our return to the city we spotted Ed Santos’s Barber Shop, which seemed to be doing a thriving business. Just above the shop, we saw a sign which read Biello’s Shipping Company.” During our conversation with Nick, we learned that Bob Weeden was working as a diver, exploring the land below the sea. At our hotel we received a note from the Navy Department, in which Eve Bonin, the secretary of Admiral Berard, informed us that the Admiral had extended his cordial greetings. Next, we visited the Brown and Sharpe Machine Company and were shown some new equipment designed by foremen Marsden and O’Brien. Looking for an evening’s entertainment, we noticed that the marquee of the Metro¬ politan Theater was advertising its sensational comedian, A1 Comeau. We were immediately interested in this show, and bought our tickets from Dot Coulombe, cashier. Del Santos was one of the cordial hostesses, and Phyl Shaw, a charming usher, escorted us to our places. Seated next to us were Art Oliver and Paul Heroux, Vice-Presidents of the Robert Burns Cigar Company. Another magnate of the business world was Nick Massa, chief poultry producer of Bristol County. During intermission, A1 Lawton, Providence Journal photo¬ grapher, took pictures of the celebrities present. He was assisted by Art Marion, his colleague, who took care of the interviewing. Leaving the theater, we stepped into Smith’s restaurant, owned by Pat Kiley and her husband. Gerry O’Brien was managing it while the proprietors were on vacation. She told us that Claire Rondeau and Arlene Shutt were modelling at a New York style show and that Josi Yata had just returned from the West Coast, where she had been working as a make-up artist. We were escorted to a table directly opposite one occupied by Pat Greene, a third grade teacher in a nearby school, and Mary Burns, a secretary to a large printing firm. Walking down Main Street to get a bus to the airport, we saw the world-famed jewelry store of J. W. Grimshaw. Nearby was Bab’s and Kitty’s Millinery Shop—said to be the most exclusive one of its kind in New England. Thus, having contacted all the members of the Somerset High School Class of 1949, we have returned to Washington to report that this class has prospered and is enjoying unbounded success. We feel assured that the education received by the members of this group has enabled them to find places in American society as competent and intelligent citizens.” 23