Waltham High School - Mirror Yearbook (Waltham, MA)

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TIIE- MIRROR V 23 was viciously chewing a cigar with one side of his mouth and dictating rapidly to a slight, red-haired girl with the other. This was Harfvey King, the present director of the Waltham Follies, and his two-in-one combination, wife and secretary, Pearl Reeol. He was probably taking notes from Dot 's number for his next showing. The next number was a lovely little butterfly dance, with Locice Champeon as one of the flutter- bys, and Nettie Rimmele as her partner-in-crime. Elinor Andrew ap- peared next in a scene from one of the latest musical comedies. Opposite her in the male starring part, was Lo-nis Salamone, who had developed quite. a voluminous voice. They have been quite popular on Broadway for some time new in musical Comedy parts. In the background, as a chorus, appeared Doris Benson, with Leo Corrigan, Oscar Meller, with Etta Bailey, and Frances Merowite, with Victor' Taletoioicz. They all did exceptionally we-ll, the only hitch being Victor 's, when his trousers needed it. In order to give the crowd a rest from applauding, Charley got up to make a speech, but never got very far, for he was interrupted by the belated appearance of Homer Wear with his fourth wife, Agcla Lenclell. Funny how these little men do such big things. His arrival was greeted with applause, for he was bringing with him a letter in which the non-appearance of all the absent members was to be explained. Homer climbed up onto the middle of our table, cleared his throat and began with the fate of Lilly Anderson. Lilly couldn't come mainly be- cause the day was Saturday and she always did her baking on Satur- day afternoon, inasmuch as her husband, Ralph Nileb, insisted on home- cooked food. Sophie Menhowitch couldnlt come because she was taking part in a beauty contest in Los Angeles. CI'm sure we all felt we knew who would win U Norman Streeter and his wife, Dorothy May, were en- tertaining dear mother-in-law-who was a veritable tyrant and wouldn't let 'em off. Phyllis Broclerich and Alma Wilso-n, both Sunday school teachers now, had to take their classes to the annual Sunday school picnic. Thomas Gilligan was scheduled to run in a road race, and had had to go to a bargain sale of sport stockings in Filene's. With a sigh, Homer closed his letter and we wept a few useless tears at their absence, and the feeding, fighting, and flirting went on. The waiter at our table was supposed to be an importation from that famous hostelry, The River- side Hotel, of Waltham, and was none other than Kenneth Rhodes, who had the real English butler style. The waiters at the two other tables included Henry Small, Dick 0'Halleran, Thnre Merrill, Bill Randall and Bern-arcl Kelley. Charley, who had tried three times to make his speech, in vain, now turned to me for talk as a last resort. But I didn't mind much, because he told me some interesting bits of gossip. He said Thelma Peterson had developed quite a liking for Sqaeeh Connolhq, and had later married him, which later turned out to be quite an eco-

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90 'T' 1... m in -,Ama ,lm---EVANA-F-A WN 1 M I R R O R Y W showing. I recognized the tall, blonde fellow in the fish-scale costume as Freddy Hicks, the aquatic star of the class, and his four beautiful sea- maidens were Lois Smith, always fond of the water and what it held, Marjorie Shakespeare, Mary Sheehan and Loiiha Campbell. I learned that the four fair females, plus Fredddy, were now all life-savers in that famous bathing resort, Forest Grove, and had only yesterday, With their combined forces rescued from a watery grave, Teddy Campbell and Phyllis Claypole, who had been out canoeing together. The crew had had a diflicult time, for the pair had been determined to die the deaths of martyrs. Vtlell, the crowd did some ine fancy diving into a huge pool and came up looking more like drowned rats each time till finally they were thoroughly watersoaked. Then King Neptune and his sorry-looking sirens finally departed and the show was over. It was now six-thirty and most of the crowd had disappeared home- ward. At this momment, Charley Smith clambered up on a platform before one of the booths and announced that all those who were not mem- bers of the class would kindly leave the grounds.. without delay, but any who could prove themselves members of our illustrious band were to go to the Big Tent, where a banquet would be served to us by Martin Con- nerney, caterer. There was a mad rush for the tent on the part of all the '27 'ers, but we were not permitted to enter till we were all paired off for the grand march. Charley, leading his wife, J osephiiie Gibbs, was the first in line, but I was a close second with Betty Pollay as my partner, who told me of her marriage to her old schoolday idol, Boots Cofiitafht, while we were marching. Boots was a famous aviator now and couldn't come to the Held day because he was in the throes of a non.- sQop flight from East lioston to Somerville, and couldn't even get there in time for eats. To my delight, I found I was to sit at the center table with the committee- CI wonder if Charley was still giving the crowd a laughlh, whence I could easily see the stage and the other two long tables. ' At the table on my left sat all the participants in the various ex- hibitions, and the table on my right was talzcn up by the other members of the class. In the first two places at the latter, I noticed a hungry- looking pair whom I had seen somewhere before. I asked who they might be and was told that they were the model couple of the class, Irene Stebrier and little Spuds Murphy. They had been living for eight years now with Irene's mother and had had not yet a single quarrel. At this moment the band struck up a lively piece and out onto the stage tripped Dorothy Kellias, famous throughout the country for her dancing and her male partner, Vlfilliam Welch. They executed a fine little acrobatic number. Thunderous applause greeted their exit. ln the meantime, l took a second glance around, I noticed a man who

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may - Tnliz MIRROR g nomical measure, because George had become a piano tuner when Thelma herself wrecked pianos at an average of one a we-ek, teaching harmless kids how to murder the Spring Song and the Butterflies' Serenade, etc. Joe De Coste and Betty Moore had been divorced Cwhich was stale news to me--I had printed a private story of its causes and Betty had pretty nearly made it impossible for me to be at the reunion at all lj, and last., but not least, Steph'ie Hanscom had married Claire Dnnbrack. This last was an interesting bit of gossip, because I had always cut Stephie out as a bachelor. Hhm-yes? Maybe! I asked Charley where Hadron Greenblot was and what he was doing now, I had noticed Homer hadn't mentioned him. Well, I learned that Hudie and his dear wifey, I da Rosenberg, were making their annual trip around the world. The last that had been heard of the pair was that they were stopping in Ireland for a. few months in order that Hudie might see the Blarney Stone, in which he was always reputed to be a strict believer. The show on the stage had been going merrily on all this time and I had caught indistinct glimpses of Nina Shnrnway and Pea-rl Jacob tripping the light fantastic toe across it. But now there was a little lull before a tall, broad-shouldered man stepped out onto the center of the stage, accompanied by a strangely familiar figure, and they began to recite the usual bunk about 'IOh-father-come-home, mother-is-passing- away-leave-the-awful-saloon--and-come-with little-May I' ' In this queerly matched pair, I met another husband and wife, Arthur Johnson and Rornaine Shoenberger. They had wanted to help out, Charley told me, and since this was the only opening, they just jumped at the chance. They had wanted to amuse us. They certainly did when they got to the part where the little daughter prevails upon the rough fatherls heart to come home from the saloon and he attempts to toss his infant daughter lightly on his back. Now, Romaine, was never cut out for an infant daughter, so this part of their act was sort of a f1op.i But we were a good-natured crowd and they managed to get away with it. In between the flop and the recovery, I took another glance at the table, where the class members were gorging themselves and noticed a tall- regal-looking blond woman, three-quarters buried in a baked potato. After she had 'finished and removed its traces from her face, I was able to recognize Professor Rosarnond Whitcoonb. She had not only passed her college examination to get into Radcliffe, but had obtained a position there as an English literature instructor, and now it was a question whether she would ever manage to get out! Beside her sat two giggling girls, Helen Gnstaoson and Dorothea Ford, who were simpering and pointing at a young man across the table in whom I saw nothingwrong till suddenly it dawned on me that he not only had his shoes olf, but also had his arms bare to the elbows and wa.s thoroughly enjoying himself