Stonington High School - Pawmystonian Yearbook (Pawcatuck, CT)

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Pagezz THE PAWMYSTON'lAN The sanatorium owned and operated by Sylvia Var- dilos and Virgene Sullivan for teachers suffering from dementia praecox, was filled to the brim the days after the waters subsided. Many schools were flooded by water and many teachers had a relapse from all the excitement. Many of those injured were taken to the Convent of Sister Mary's, named after Mary Young who sacri- ficed herself that others might live. She swam miles to get help for those marooned on an island, and fell exhausted when she reached shore and gave the infor- mation. Sister Anita Marcorte is now Mother Superior, and her kindness and gentleness will long be remem- bered. It was quite a coincidence the day before the gale that Marjorie Lamb, playwright, thrice winner of the Nobel Prize, had just finished a play dealing with the hurricane of 1938. Says Miss Lamb, I suppose that I will now be considered a soothsayer, with the public finding ominous implications in my plays. Rose King, Margaret Larkin, Edna Lewis, Mildred McGuire, Lois Whipple, and Marjorie Sebastian, world famous sextette with medals from all the crowned heads of Europe, made a petty picture on Stonington Hill overlooking the bay as they sang hymns of all churches to people crazed with misery. It was so beau- tiful that Penena Thorp, renowned skercher and painter, drew a picture of them as the sun sank in the west. Janet Lee, the woman who made possible the idea of having battles transmitted through television so that everyone would know who was winning and losing the war, kept Red Cross stations informed as to the areas which needed most help. The idea has been perfected by the noted mechanical engineer, Thomas Lord, since the last great war in 1950. Perhaps the strangest thing of all, not so much to us as to a person in the year 1950, is the mechanical robot. Most of us take this gentleman for granted, but he was particularly useful during the recent storm. Charles Trant, inventor and perfector, has a great deal of which to be proud. The King of the skies, the aeroplane with its speed and size, was also more helpful than it would have been years back. The modern Perkins, nmed after Raymond and Robert Perkins, aces of flying, is as use- ful during peace as during war. The Capitol of the United States was badly damaged, and this proved what a help the underground capitol was. It is a series of tangled caves filled with all the gold and important papers of this country. Betty Young, the inventor, should have no trouble persuad- ing the states to do the same with their capitols. Celeste Travis, retired doctor, opened her rambling Cape Cod cottage to children whose parents were lost in the hurricane. Her lovely house, with its picturesque garden and walls, was symbolic of the kindness by which she is known. At the end of the room where the children play are the medals of Scientific Dis- covery, Honor and Courage which Dr. Travis received in 1963. Harriet Vincent, Secretary of the Treasury, saved this country a great deal of money by taking good care of receipts which had not been taken to the under- ground vault. She searched debris for hours until she found the lost one among the ruins of the left wing of the capitol. Lucy Lenagh, Madelyn Maine, and Dorothy Smith, co-authors of the new magazine Intimate Conferrionr, are going to devote the next issue wholly to experiences which occurred during the storm. Josephine Rustici, Virginia Shortman, and Mary Scira, florists, were disappointed when their green- houses were smashed by trees. Only one of each of their valuable green and purple roses remains. Ernest Santos, renowned arguer and agitator, was busy today as usual, on the topic of the cause of the hurricane. Mr. Santos is so clever that he can argue the positive perfectly and then turn around and argue the negative, usually winning over himself. Charles Smith, the originator of the rain machine, was busy perfecting a wind machine for hot summer days. Public opinion seems to be pretty much against his invention, however, and he doesn't dare put it on the market. The opera, Rigoletto, is being presented by the Metropolitan Opera House for the benefit of sufferers during our late crisis. Marjorie Patterson, famous soprano, will take part, her name being expected to draw a large crowd. jean Miller, who poses for famous artists, is ex- pected to be chosen to pose as the Madonna, which is to be done in colored glass. The originator of this -idea, Anthony Saporita, says that she is just the type. There were many famous personages who distin- guished themselves of late, and at the top of this list is Anna Jean Shaw and Martha Perry Lesniewski, wife of the multi-billionaire Peter Lesniewski. These two women opened wide their spacious houses and club rooms when hospital room was scarce, and offered their services. The ultra-modern and streamlined glass automobile was tried out yesterday for speed and proved its worth by going at a rate of 600 miles per hour. The co- inventors, Robert Seibel, and his mechanically-minded sweetheart, Dolores Ostigny, were amazed at its ability. It appears that the huge underground river stretch- ing from one end of New England to another, for trade and war, was finished just in time. Mathemat- ically-minded Frances Pierce, who laid the blueprints, saw that no shirking was done and that everything was correct to minute details. The three girls, Margaret Marikle, Rosalie Mitchell, and Florence Wood, starring in that recent production Creaking Stairs or The School By the Sea, written by Virginia Richards, are also putting on a special performance for charity. That play won the prize for the best all round show, and it still is going strong. Catherine Wood, Mary Travers, and Margaret Mor- rison had quite an experience in their all-around

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THE PAWMYSTONIAN Pagezr Ernest Cravinho, the boy at Notre Dame that used to run the fastest and play the best, had to run for his life a few days back. Sauntering slowly up Beach Ave- nue he turned to see a tidal wave coming like an express. Mr. Cravinho insists that that was the fastest run he'll ever make. A new Secretary of Labor nearly had to be elected in place of Mary Crowley, that efficient business woman who fell and injured herself quite badly. However, Miss Crowley is doing nicely, and is busy thanking all those who sent her flowers. Ann Cusack and Leo Higgins, that famous Irish team of the movies, have decided to take the leading art in the new hurricane pictures. They hesitated Because they had planned a tour of Ireland for their honeymoon, having been married, you know, two days before the storm. They are the most popular stars with their public. They were suggested for the part by Sophie Czekala, scenario writer, who wrote the back- ground for their new picture. Dominic and Josephine Diangi, owners of the Diangi Department Store, will have to spend weeks cleaning up. The store, one of the largest in the United States, was ruined by the waves, but the Diangis are hopeful that they will be able to build again. They also own one of the Elite stores of the Florida re- sort. The Photographets' Club, run by Frances Dipollina and Norma Holmes, had plenty of material during the recent storm. Some of their snapshots were so good that they will be used in the hurricane picture. They, the most noted photographers in the United States, have won many prizes for pictures, both snapshots and moving pictures. Miss Margaret Dunham, an honor member of the D'Oly Carte Opera Company, world-famous for her renditions of Gilbert and Sullivan, is resting comfort- ably after a stumble resulting in a broken leg. She was singing on the stage when the heavy curtain fell and struck her. The stirring and magnificent theme about the after- math of the hurricane, which is printed in large. type in every newspaper and magazine, is that of Senator Fauliso's. His speeches in the Senate have long been remembered for their truth, eloquence, and delivery. His theme for faith, though, will make his name im- mortal and blessed by all those who suffered and needed faith to help them through. james Fallon, the cowboy singer-banio player, has written a touching song about our late disaster. He is going to sing it as soon as electricity is restored to all arts of the country, because he wants everyone to hear it. On this month's program will be Frank Ital- iano, of the Su reme Court, who will make a speech for the recovery of the country, and will give his message of cheer and comfort to all those suffering. Everyone is looking forward to his peaceful chat. Exactly twenty .people were saved by a brave man swimming out an rescuing each of them separately from a whirlpool of 'angry waves. He battled the ele- ments and won. Twenty times he swam out and back with a life to his credit every time. Thar brave courag- eous man was the world's heavyweight champion, the honorable Jack Gatchek. He received a medal for his astounding bravery. Of course, the shipping industries received quite a blow. The Hirsch Star Line Company, for example, lost two or three of their liners, and a huge commercial barge. Saxon Hirsch, the owner of the huge company, says that no schedule will be changed as he has plenty of ships to take the place of those lost. Helen Higgins and Marie Kelliher, soprano and contralto stage singers, plan to make records of the current song hit, After the Wind Was Over. They also sing for Victor, and have persuaded that company to let them make this recording. Miss Kelleher, with her dainty voice, and Miss Higgins, who took the place of Louise Homer, go very nicely together and have sung on the stage frequently. Vernon Hauschild, the electrical engineer, who was working on a government project whereby all cities and towns will be able to be lowered under ground in time of war or attacks, was extremely lucky. When the wind became a bit too strong, Vernon simply low- ered the whole town of Pawcatuck under the surface. It shows that the money spent on these projects is not all wasted. Kessler and Munding, that daring couple who flew the new flexible rubber airplane to the planet Bruin, which was discovered in 1950 by Everett Wilson, the noted scientist, were on the planet when the great wind struck this country. This is the second time that they have made out-of-the-way trips to the stars. The 4-H Club, managed by Harriet King, president, assisted by Mary Kirk, Vice-President, was one of the most useful organizations, helping the Red Cross and other nursing institutions. 4-H workers all over the United States were busy for weeks. 'I'he huge bridge from the United States to Great Britain which is being built by Ricker, Prescott 6: Com- pany was completed in time to have supplies come readily from the British Isles. That great engineering company plans to build a straight line highway directly across the United States using the designs of Milton Maynard, whose plans were used in the new Capitol of the country. The only glass house in this country, owned by Eleanor Wilhelm who thought of the idea, was de- stroyed by the hurricane when a tree crashed on it. The contractor, Walter Volinski, intends to build more of them, however, and this time he will make them tree-proof. Food rations certainly would have fallen short dur- ing the recent storm if it hadn't been for scientist William Stearns and his concentrated pills. Mr. Stearns has whole meals concentrated in one tiny ca sule, which dentist James Lawton insists are much Better for the teeth than regular food. He broached the sub- ject to the Dental Association of the World, of which he is president, and found that all agreed with him.

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THE .PAWMYSTONIAN Page23 aeroplane, when the wind forced them out of the skies. They are the inventors of the cross-country house which becomes an aeroplane, a boat, or an auto, de- pending on traveling conditions. Running for aid became a common occurrence dur- ing the storm and none was better fitted for the hazardous job than the running cadets of Homer Tripp's School for Runners. Mr. Tripp was voted the most all-American man this year, besides holding many medals for startling feats on the track. Modern improvements certainly help during a crisis, as was proved when the penta-highway made traveling easier. Years ago no one would have thought of five roads being built one over the other to accommodate certain types of trafiic, that is, no one except Nelson Reid, whose invention it was. Miss Barbara Trumbull, author, was heard to remark recently that this world-was filled with hor air. We can believe her now. Miss Trumbull is the author of How to be Childish, The Way to be Successful, Rude juvenile Sarcasm, and How to Make People Think You Are Something You Are Not. When a catastrophe occurs suddenly, New York City is a dangerous place with its conflicting nationali- ties. The fight for peace and aid would not have been successful if it had not been for Dorothy Miller who is Dean of Industrial Woman's College. Lawrence Lynch, Alfred Kupidlowski, Henry Wan- amaker, and Robert Morrison were rather shocked CLASS Now that we are nearing the end of our last year at Stonington High School, let us pause to recall the incidents which have made our journey so pleasant and interesting. Our first year, though we were scattered in different sections of the town, we approached somewhat timidly, but we soon lost our apprehensions as we became interested in sports and other activities. In Mystic several clubs were organized and later in the year they gave a play which was written by the class. Pawcatuck ended its year by giving a promenade, while those students at Stonington confined themselves to study- ing. Thus passed our Freshman year. ' By the following year, however, we were a united group. As the result of our class election, Charles Trant was elected president, Marjorie Lamb was elec- ted secretary, a position which she has held for three years. Then came the selection of our class rings. At mid-year we came upon a stubborn obstacle in the form of an examination, but in spite of this, we came through and many from our number found their names on the honor roll. Many of our classmates went out for sports and did exceedingly well. In this way, our sophomore year slipped by and we looked forward to the next year with een anticipation. when the wind destroyed some of their valuable ma- chinery. They have charge of The World of Tomor- row, an important feature of the World's Fair, of 1970, which is to be held in Stonington, Connecticut. As in the case of war, the hurricane brought more business to some firms. Heading this list was Dorothy Palencar's Hospital for Flowers and Plants. The twenty-five chain hospitals were overcrowded, and some of the wealthiest plants were forced to recuperate in wards. Damage to trees was very high as it always is during a bad wind storm, and our New England would look rather bare if it hadn't been for that charming experi- mental nurse, Cecile Steadman. Miss Steadman dis- covered, through various experiments, a seed that would grow into a huge towering maple in five days. Nona Traynor, Dr. james Lawton's principal dental hygienist, has developed an amazing set of teeth which can be fitted in the mouth and never have to be both- ered with again. They stay cleaned and never decay, so Miss Traynor is afraid the offices will have a deluge of people who want all teeth pulled. The constant battering of the wind smashed part of the great playwright's house, Eugene O'Neil. The archmologist, Josephine Whitlock, digging near there for relics of the past, discovered a play supposed to have been unpublished before., Anna Sammatato, the theatre magnate, immediately bought it and production is going to start soon, with that great Shakespearian actress, Marion Sylvia, in the lead. HISTGRY After a summer of relaxation, we returned to school ready to take part in activities and to assume those responsibilities that fell to the junior. This year Ernest Cravinho was elected class president. We sponsored the Thanksgiving Day Dance and then for a while confined ourselves to studying. In the spring our class made its debut in dramatics by presenting Curse You, jack Dalton, in the competitive plays. Our year ended with the Junior Promenade. In September, 1938, we returned to school, eager to begin the last days of our journey but perhaps not quite as eager to finish it. Homer Tripp was elected to fill the position of class president. As a result of their splendid work on the gridiron, Ernest Cravinho, Charles Smith, and john Gatchek were placed on the all-conference team. Amid an array of silver bells on a green background, students and friends of S. H. S. danced to the music of Johnny Nesco's orchestra at the Senior Promenade in December. Soon after Christmas vacation came the taking of graduation pictures and try outs for the Senior Play, entitled Seven Sisters. On june the sixteenth we graduated, the last class to spend its Senior year at the old high school. Although we are departing from our dear Alma Mater forever, we shall never forget our happy years spent there.