St Bernards High School - Bernardian Yearbook (Fitchburg, MA)

Page 15 text:

In the Bishop Wright Declamation contest, a most excellent showing made we, Persevering were boys Hebert, McElligott, twins Reddy, Salmon, and Keaveny, And our girls B. DiRusso, P. Howarth, K. McGuirk, C. Morin, and S. Flynn; In our eliminations Charlene Morin and James Keaveny were the ones to win. In dramatics we were interested, the tryouts attending, and making a start In the all-school play with R. Dooling, A. Maston, P. McNamara taking part. In the Christmas play we made our second appearance as carolers twenty-three, And that another six of our class were in the play-cast filled us with glee. From December of ‘53 to that of ‘54 the Marian Year we observed in many ways, Paying homage to Mary by projects, devotions, and singing of well-known lays. To be more like our Heavenly Queen and our Mother, most chaste and most pure, We enrolled in the Fighting 69th that our efforts to keep pure might endure. In athletics we took part although boys did not shine with a light as keen As girl hoopsters—Bedard, DeBonis, Dooling, Nally, Brasili, and St. Jean. With the finish of baseball, track, and girls’ softball, athletics ended, As did final exams in all subjects our first year of high school concluded.

Page 14 text:

It was on a September ninth, in ‘53, that our freshman days at S.B.H.S. began, We remember so well that first day and the posted lists we had to scan, And how parted from friends we all scattered to portable homerooms six— Small fry grateful were we that with upper Bernardians we did not mix! Religion, English, Algebra were subjects we all were required to take, f seater g But with Latin, Geography, History, Science, a choice we might make. From the very beginning, determined were we to make a very good start, So all kind admonitions of teachers we heeded and took much to heart. But having heard it said that all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy, To the first all-school social, a record-hop dance, we went with great joy, At it we welcomed our new coach, Mr. John McCauley, so handsome and tall, And presented him with a gift from all loyal Bernies, both big and small. An experience thrilling was our all-school rally the athletic season to open, Although to the Worcester Tornado Disaster Fund Jamboree our varsity had been. We thought the cheering squad just great and their cheers the peppiest ever, But that none could surpass our own Brenda and Barb we were happy to aver.

Page 16 text:

Two hundred two were we beginning soph year, Of upperclassmen now no longer had we fear; For homerooms we had five, so easy to locate, Which one for each to be determined by fate. The Declamation Contest busied some all! fall, As did “The Song of Bernadette” and football— Saunders, Morin, Keaveny, Ouellette, LeBlanc, Gelinas, Horgan, Doucette, Lachapelle top rank. A novelty was a night rally at Bernardian Bowl, With lusty cheers reechoing from pole to pole. Enjoyed in Home Ec Lab was our soph Halloween, Where goblins, witches, spooks were to be seen. Flynn, Smith, Roy, others were hoopsters all, And helped make us City Champs at basketball; In March, at Townsend Tournament we took part, And saw Flynn a trophy win for playing smart. Girls’ Varsity basketball we must not forget, For fleetness on court they resembled a jet; Outstanding were Bedard, McGuirk, Connolly, Cordio, Dooling, Flynn’s, Pliska, and Landry. As February was the month for Catholic Press, We sophs took o’er albeit with some duress, For to appear before all on assembly stage, Was an ordeal not easy in which to engage. We saw the birth of a club—Booster by name, St. Bernard’s athletics to bring into fame, An active part we took to make it a success, And found it a source of work and happiness.