Stoughton High School - Stotonian / Semaphore Yearbook (Stoughton, MA)

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STOUGHTON HIGH SCHOOL 19 read it we started laughing again. All this time we were sitting on the side- walk and people, dogs, bicycles, baby carriages and everything imagi- nable was passing us. A baby carriage didn ' t quite miss Tom, running over his fingers and it was his exclamation that cleared my mind making me remember where I was. Standing up I searched for Madame, but she and Fifi had fled with Jacques in the blumont landaulet — out of our lives forever. A. Packard The Smile That Won HIS Honor, the Mayor of Minnow- ville removed his pince-nez, blinked, raised his eyebrows quizzically and looked at the spectacle which was coming down the street. The third sec- tion of the annual Prize Day Parade had obtained an addition in the form of a tattered boy whose cap sat well down on his ears. His Honor giggled and then coughed lest his associates shouM suspect. Perhaps, at last, his ambition was to be realized. Perhaps, perhaps he would at last see Harold Harry Hammerhurst, the haughtiest of the haughty drum major ' s smile. To under- stand this odd desire one must be aware of the esteem in which Minnowville holds their mayor. Every third Sun- day a parade is given for his approval. On the other Sundays the mayor usually is in demand as a judge in out-of-Min- nowville parades. And in his long rather tiresome career, he had yet to see a drum major smile. He would have given his bottom dollar to have heard the conversation going on between the gold-braided Harry and the ragged, much becapped Henry. Ssssst-Sssss Mister, Mister, stage whispered the urchin, twisting his el- fin face in an attempt to gain high-brow Harry ' s attention. Go-away, kid. Scram, said calm Henry in a tone which spoke in years of experience in talking while whirling his baton and without moving the huge overgrown fur muff perched on his head. Lookit me, Mister, Lookit me. Ain ' t I grand, screamed Henry over the rumble of drums. Truly he was a carbon copy of Harry without the re- splendent glory of the red and white uniform and the superior dignity of the height. Go away, growled Henry without flicking an eyelash or twitch of his white gloved fingers. But the little scamp was persistent and seizing at the stick which his puppy pal and bosom companion, Skippy, had brought him, he continued his imita- tion with the air of a professional. Look, Mister, I gotta a stick just liko yours — almost sorta. Skippy got it fer me. He ' s a plenty smart dog. This, muttered the strutting major as he gave his gold headed baton a twirl, is a baton. No, kidding, jeered Henry, mine is a ' batony, ' too. Go away and take your dog. Hurry up before he gets to the judge ' s stand sternly commanded Harry turning his head one-tenth of an inch because of his rigid collar. Naw, I like marching on front of a parade and Skippy likes it, too, re- assured Henry with a wide grin reveal- ing a wide gap in front of his dental apparatus. For the love of heaven, scram, gasped Harry at a loss to express his feeling. They were almost at the judge ' s stand. In one last desperate ef- fort Harry turned his head two whole inches and wagged the plume on the top of his enormous hat piece. Out, scram, go away. I ' ll give you a quarter — scram. Naw, I wanna see who gets the first prize. Me and Skip, we ' ll stick around, confided Henry as he calmly pocketed his grimy hands. Please, kid, be a pal, be a man. Go away said the exasperated Harry like a drowning man. And to show what politeness does Henry vanished in the crowd with an O K, Mister, anything to oblige. The company halted before the judg- ing stand and a huge very round in- dividual His Honor, the Mayor, in striped pants and a cut-a-way coat bounded down the stairs. He raised his plumb hand and got the desired silence immediately after five minutes. Hold- ing one ' s hand aloft for five minutes is fatiguing work so His Honor drew Continued on Page 22

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18 THE SEMAPHORE Walking in the Rain I HAVE ever been under the impres- sion that I am really a poetical soul at heart for I have always loved to expand in beauty as I once ventured to express it to myself. I can nigh well drive a listener mad, describing the White Mountains or Cape Cod, and some have even been known to walk out on my enthusiastic prattlings, about interpretive dancing, symphony orches- tras and modern paintings. Yet despite these distinct oddities I am afraid I fall far short of a true poet. An ' one with any literary aspirations whatsoever must at some time write a poem, ode, thesis or essay on the awe- inspiring, mind-relaxing, soul-expand- ing and spirit-soaring experience of walking in the rain. How delightful it is without hat, coat or galoshes, to sprint ecstatically about in a summer shower. What care you whether branches be crashing about you and your last wave lies limply on your neck. Upturn your thirsty face to heaven and feel the gentle rain from above stream your superlative make-up job redly off your chin. Shout and cry aloud, I love the grandeur of it all ! , while you bury feet in warm oozing mud. Laugh gayly as it brings an ill-deserved end to the pristine whiteness of your sandals. Tramp for miles and let the beauty of nature be absorbed by your soul and your starched linen suit ; let it trickle in rivulets of joy down your back, and if any say you are nuts, cry gayly I love to walk in the rain ! Nature is at its best; it is alive with poetry in the rain. If on the next day whilst sniffling de- jectedly in bed you can write a poem, ode, thesis or essay on your awe-inspir- ing mind relaxing, soul-expanding, and spirit-soaring experience you are a true poet and my hat, coat and galoshes are off to you. Priscilla Maltby Fifi and Madame f AN you imagine Madame, a beautiful lady of France and Fifi, Madame ' s pomeranian, dining together in the Cafe dwe L ' Etoile? Perhaps you can ' t imagine it — Tom and I don ' t have to for as we were promenading up and down that particular part of the Champs Elysees we saw it with our own eyes. Madame .stepped lightly from her blumont landaulet and followed Jacques as he strutted regally, nose high in the air, into the cafe, carrying Fifi ma- jestically before him, on a royal velvet pillow. When Fifi was settled comfort- ably opposite his mistress, Jacques left them and returned to the car. Tom and I stood staring at each other in the mid- dle of sidewalk and finally when we regained our senses we moved swiftly across the street and into the cafe tak- ing a table directly beside Madame. A waiter came to her table and between repeated bowing placed two menus be- fore her. She ordered her meal and then picked up the other menu and or- dered gourmandise maison for Fifi. I was puzzled and looked at Tom ques- tioningly but he did not see me, for he was staring wide-eyed and mouth open at the menu. As Tom turned to look at me his shoulders began to shake and he burst into a fit of laughter. I finally saw printed in large letters some French words which simply meant Canine Menu and my additional laughter must have disturbed Madame for she complained to the waiter and we were asked be quiet or leave. To ' stop laughing was impossible, and we were so weak that neither of us could think of leaving, so we continued to disturb Madame and Fifi until we were helped out. A big man took us by the coat collars and walked, or rather ran, us through the cafe, pushing us none too gently onto the sidewalk. In other words in good American slang we got bounced. I knew when I struck the sidewalk that we never would know what the dogs ate in that cafe, but I was wrong for Tom sat up and pulled from beneath his coat a menu for canines. He never told me how he brough it safely through the door of Cafe de L ' Etoile and I asked no ques- tions for we had what we wanted. We read it aloud : Regal de nica (consomme, carrots, minced meat) 12c. Dog vegetables, 18c. Bisca (white biscuit) especially recom- mended for puppies, 18c. Gourmandise maison (cereals and raw meats), 25c. This last canine dish was the one Madame bought for Fifi, and when we

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20 THE SEMAPHORE ICS Football Coach Burke has successfully com- pleted another year as head coach of the Stoughton High School Football team. Prospects were not very good this year, and Coach Burke, with his green team, had to be content with a fair sea- son. Stoughton started off the 1935 season by defeating Randolph 13-0. Stoughton High School began to click in the sec- ond half when Checca Rafalko threw a twenty-yard pass to Moose Scioscia who ran the remaining five yards to score. Rafalko kicked the point after. The next stop was at Nashua where the boys first realized defeat. Here they lost a well-played game by the score of 6-0. The score came as the result of a pass and power drive. Oliver Ames came to Stoughton ex- pecting to break a jinx, but o ur forces held them to a scoreless tie. Lady luck wouldn ' t consider it the day for the Orange and Black, and the breaks were against us. Our little Papoose Moose Scioscia was the only thing that saved us from a complete spanking by Mansfield. He ran ninety yards for our only score. Other observations of the football games gave us good accounts from : Captain-elect Meehan, that cute ( ?) little (?) feller toddling around at left guard. Power house Leahy, who wanted to be affectionate. (He was al- ways throwing his arms around oppos- ing players who came into his district.) In the backfield we had very good work by our three woman haters (?) Urcior- li, Reilly and Rafalko. Our Senior Romeos who were looking for honors were : Politician Katz, Tug- boat Bassett, Cowboy Griffin and Flash Stripinis. The greatest disappointment of the season was the turkey day defeat at the hands of Canton. In the first half the procedure of the game showed favorable prospects for our team. They played one of the best exhibitions of High School football since the beginning of their schedule in the second half. Canton started to break away leaving a dejected but determined Stoughton team. Although Canton won by the score of 20-0, we feel that with the help of a good cheering section, the team promised by Coach Burke for next year, will double that score. Resume of Boys ' Basketball Season The basketball team got off to a good start but finished up losing their last four games. The team handed out set- backs to many of the fine teams in the district. This year ' s team was a clever and fast group of basketeers. The sea- son ' s schedule included a total of thir- teen games. Out of these thirteen games six were won and seven lost. Several of the games offered great ex- citement and suspense as small scores and ties were encountered. However, the local boys came through to win. Much cooperation was executed ; no one particular player taking the spot- light, although there were games which were won by last minute baskets. Stripinis was stationed in the centre position, and his height and playing gave other teams something to worry about. In Copello and Leahy the team was fortunate in having two such dependa- ble backs whose performance defensive- ly had much to do with the team. The club was equally fortunate in having such dependable substitutes as Ferreira, DeLuca, Toomey, Rafalko, McEwan to call on, and whenever these boys were put into the line-up they carried on in an able manner. Graduation this June will take three of this year ' s team, as Captain Stripin- is, Copello and Christopolus leave. RESULTS: Stoiicliton 24 Fuxbi.ro 21 StdUdliton :V1 Kandollili 24 StoiiKlilon .Norfolk . (;r ' l School .... 29 StouRliton 24 North Easton 4S Stoujihton :{2 Sharon 31 ! tou :llton 27 Canton 31 Stoiiclilon IK . binpton Sti Stoiichton 12 Sharon 32 SKiiichton 1! .Norfolk Xf r X School 16 Stougliton 22 Koxboro 16 Stoughton 11 .North Easton 28 Stoughton 28 Randolph 38 Stoughton 28 Canton 30