Wells High School - Crimson and Gray Yearbook (Southbridge, MA)

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DECEMBER 1938 FLOOD AND HURRICANE FLOOD AND HURRICANE Our memories of 1938 will always include the hur- ricane. We have printed excerpts from the many papers written about the experiences of M. E. Wells High pupils. One could imagine the ancient Goddess of Wind blowing to conquer her rival, the God of Rain. Wa- ters rumbled and roared over dams and reservoirs taunting Wind, who soon crashed in, destroying trees with thunderous commands for Rain to watch her methods .... The Universalist Church steeple teeter- ed back and forth three times. The fourth time it crashed into the driveway in a mass of broken and splintered wood (John Beverage.) Main Street, the pride and joy of Southbridge, was a swirling river. Water poured out of cellar skylights in front of the Edwards Company and Woolworth ' s Central Street was a miniature Niagara Falls. Police and firemen rushed madly and helplessly about. Store owners and managers gazed pitifully at the water that poured from their cellars, carrying hundreds of dollars of merchandise with it (Alvin Greene.) Candid camera fiends were in their glory, dashing here and there snapping pictures (Bob Girard.) The steeple of the Elm Street Congregational Church swayed and dip- ped with the wind, when there came a snap, faint above the wind. Then suddenly there was a much louder rumble and down came the towering mass of brick, wood, and twisted steel (Bill McCann. ) In Stur- bridge the old Revolutionary cemetery was covered with massive trees fallen and uprooted (Clarence Drew.) Dresser and West Streets were masses of wildly racing, yellowish water (Bob Hofstra.) Trees scratched and tore at windows as though they were intent upon destruction (Sally Cheney.) The disastrous flood and hurricane that swept over Southbridge cost the town over one half million dollars (Silvy Tobia.) MR. DION For His Skating Rink EXPERIENCES OF A PAPER BOY Philip DeAngelis I had started to deliver my papers when I saw a boy open his umbrella in the middle of the storm. The wind did a topsy-turvy with the umbrella and finally turned it upside down. That boy probably saw the first part of the hurricane produced by Mother Nature and the latter part right in his home produced by Papa. I kept on delivering for fifteen or twenty minutes but upon seeing a tree uprooted too close for security, I went home and decided my life was more precious than my customers. I might well have gone on ped- dling, however, for I had not time to change my wet clothes when simultaneously a giant tree in front of the house gave way, the two chimneys on one roof scattered like so many peanut shells, and the tin on the roof was whipped off, crumpled and blown away and only stopped its journey when a barn near by got in its way. The sum of all this I consider an afternoon- mare which could not be equalled in a dream! MISS HEBERT PERSONAL EXPERIENCES I thought the first Reservoir was the most unusual scene created by the flood. To see just an empty hole made us ask, Where shall we skate next win- ter? .... I liked the hurricane for two reasons: We had no school and we had no lights, and I love candle light (Rita Adamick.) It rained cats and dogs and what not all day (Ernest Nordman.) I went into the store and headed for the cellar. The sight that met my eyes was one of those things that even in the middle of disaster are comical. Boxes, bottles, and other miscellaneous articles floated in about a foot of water. Clinging to a cardboard box in the center of the mess, and crying their hearts out, were three little kittens. But on top of the box was Pixie, the mother of the three — sleeping soundly (Alvin Greene.) We rode forth into the whipping rain which beat on the windshield like a jitterbug drummer in a swing orchestra (Patricia Smith.) My mother called the Hur- ricane a hustle-breeze but I called it a Corrigan Wind because it was really headed for Florida and it hit the New England states instead (Dorothy Hitch- cock.) I saw something that looked like a house turn a couple of somersaults and then break up. The next morning I found out it was a garage and, be- lieve it or not, not a single pane of glass in either window was broken (Robert Olson.) On and off went the lights in the theatre, until the management an- nounced the impossibility of continuing the show. What a disappointment, for we were anxiously await- ing the moment when Marie Antoinette would lose her head in the guillotine (Bob Gatineau.) I thought how strange it was that water, so necessary to us, should actually turn upon us and destroy life and property, and how helpless we were to relieve the suf- fering caused by it (Doris Girard.) The storm left scars that will never be erased even by time .... All the survivors looked into changed surroundings, the fortunate looked forward to re- construction and repairs, the less fortunate to loss, depression, and heartbreak (Barbara D ' Arcey. ) And then when Mother Nature came and smoothed the ruffled feathers of her children, the Goddess of Wind and the God of Rain, they laid down their swords and slept (Phyllis Whiteoak.) MISS BRODEUR For Christmas Party

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8 THE CRIMSON AND GRAY Youth Hostels were organized in Germany about 1 892 by Ernest Schirrman, a school teacher. He frequently took trips from Berlin to the country. His love of the outdoors led him to take a few of his pupils with him. Gradually more pupils wanted to come; they wanted to go on longer trips, as well. Together they hit upon the plan which Youth Hostels now follow. This plan is to have hostels leading out from large cities so that the young people can get out into the country and enjoy themselves. The idea spread through Europe like wildfire until, in 1932, it came to America. In 1931 Mr. and Mrs. Monroe Smith were hosteling in Europe. They liked the idea to such an extent that they thought others, especial- ly the young people, would like it also. They sought for and obtained the approval of nationally known organizations end educators. In 1932 the first hostel was opened at Northfield, Massachusetts. The or- ganization immediately caught the fancy of Young America; and, in the season of 1938, more than 4,000 boys and girls enjoyed hosteling throughout the United States and Canada. MISS WALTERS As this is not a history but a tale of events, I had better get started in telling them. Leaving South- bridge August 1, at eight-thirty by bicycle, David Ohlwiler Gnd I arrived at Northfield, a run of about seventy miles, at four-thirty, slightly worn out. That evening, despite my plan to be left in peace, I was forced to join a group dancing folk dances. We danced until ten o ' clock, the hostelers ' bedtime. In the morning our party, which included two boys from Buffalo, left Northfield for points north. We had planned to go north into New Hampshire, but we altered our plans when we discovered that a four mile hill lay ahead of us on that route. We imme- diately crossed into Vermont thinking the mountain too stiff to be tackled by amateurs such as we were. We rolled merrily along on our tour, drinking in the scenery and every available drop of water. We gos- siped with the natives, learning of the scenic attrac- tions and the best swimming holes. If you have never swum in a Vermont marble quarry, you cer- tainly are missing one of the chief joys of life. The fourth day out we passed the Camel ' s Hump, the most striking of all Vermont ' s mountains. Its bald summit cone, its rocky shoulder to the north, and its barren ridge to the south gave the impression of a crouching lion. The fifth day we arrived at Stowe, the ski center of the earth. The celebrities who visit it, among these Lowell Thomas who broadcasted from here a few years ago, consider it one of the beauty spots of the world. David left me here; the end of his vacation had come. I was not alone for long be- cause hostelers are always friendly. On Saturday I climbed Mt. Mansfield, the high- est in Vermont, with a group of Germans. Despite our ignorance of each other ' s language, we got along very amiably. However, I found out that Germans are darned good mountain climbers. Mt. Mansfield is a world in itself. Arctic plants grow here — rare ferns, cotton grass, and many other plants of the heights. From south to north the mountain has the outline of an upturned face which can be seen for miles around. From Stowe I crossed over to Littleton to begin my adventure in the White Mountains. I decided to climb Mt. Washington while my bike was given necessary repairs. Starting from the base station of the cog railway, I started the ascent at one-thirty in the afternoon, arriving at the Lake of the Clouds hut at five o ' clock. Fog chased me all up through the mountains. Next day the huntsmaster forbade us to travel on account of a dense cloud which en- veloped the whole Presidential range; but on the second day we crossed the range, a distance of six miles, in seven hours. This is a feat which I never want to attempt again. On the third day it cleared perfectly and we were able to get some good pic- tures and views. We could see as far east as the Athntic Ocean and west as far as the Adirondacks. From Littleton I rode down to Wildwood through Sugar Hill to Meredith, taking in Franconia Notch end all its attractions. This almost broke me for I arrived at Meredith, 175 miles from home with $1 .25 in my pocket. However my finances did not prove to be a serious obstacle. Meredith is the cheapest hostel that I know of. I stayed here for sixty cents a day includ- ing my meals and a dance in the evening. The cheap rate was possible because the hostel was run as a camp which it formerly had been. Leaving Meredith, I met up with my first catas- trophe; I smashed the front wheel of my bike while avoiding a lumber truck on a narrow road. For- tunately I was able to get a ride into Laconia, bike and all, for repairs. The rest of the trip was down through the rolling foothills of southern New Hampshire through Con- cord, the capital, Keene, and then to Northfield. The next day I crossed Massachusetts down through the Harvard and the Yale Forests, finally crriving in Southbridge at four-thirty in the after- noon. The total trip cost me exactly $27 for three weeks. It certainly was a novel and inexpensive way of traveling, and I am hoping that I may go again to some other sections of the country. THE SNOW STORM Phyllis Swenson ' 39 We crawled out of our holes and looked around. Why, everything was white! There must have been a snow storm during the night! How deep it was. It tasted funny, too! Some of our braver brothers ventured over the first few mounds of the funny white stuff. They seemed to like it. Little by little, more of my brothers crept out and crawled around. What a gathering! The whole town was out, I guess, — or so it seemed. We never had this happen to us before. We ' re used to hav- ing hard, dry ground. In this stuff, our feet sank down. Oh! What a nice feeling! Eat all you want! (They soon scattered, however, when the house- keeper swept up the sugar spilled on the kitchen floor. The ants, (the pests) had crawled all over it.)

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10 THE CRIMSON AND GRAY CHRISTMAS SEALS LOCALS Help to Protect Your Home from Tuberculosis The Crimson and Gray welcomes these new faculty members: Miss Plant, teacher of commercial subjects, Mr. Kyrios, assistant coach and teacher of general science and biology, Miss Walters, teacher of home economics. We are sorry to have three of our teachers leave: Mr. Win ston, who is teaching in Newton, and Mr. Hawks who has gone to Braintree. Good luck and best wishes to you. Miss Evelyn Dover, who left to teach in Weymouth, was married November 26 to Mr. Dana Bent. The Crimson and Gray wishes her great happiness. We welcome to the faculty nursery, Robert V. Beals, Jr., born October 31, 1938. MISS HOWE For Her Seniors CLASS OFFICERS 1939 President Price Burgess Vice-President Isabelle DaDalt Secretary Fleurette Demers Treasurer Frank Guardiani Adviser Miss Howe 1940 President Lester Newlands Vice-President Odile Girouard Secretary Louise Bouvier Treasurer Armand Sansoucy Adviser Miss Troy 1941 President Raymond Chauvin Vice-President Sally Cheney Secretary Janet Migala Treasurer Richard Bardwell Adviser Mr. Snell 1942 President Thomas Walkinshaw Vice-President Jean Robertson Secretary Gertrude Bouvier Treasurer Roger LeBoeuf Adviser Mr. Mickleson 1943 President Wayne Morse Vice-President Susie Tobia Secretary Celeste LeBlanc Treasurer George Young Adviser Miss Drake TRAFFIC SQUAD The traffic squad this year elected Robert Gatin- eau president, and Frank Krysiak as his assistant. The traffic squad is carrying on its good work, started last year, in directing pupils across the streets at twelve and three o ' clock. It is under the leader- ship of Mr. Mickleson. MR. MICKLESON Jack Sullivan Eugene Roy Roger Larochelle Howard Cole Robert Laliberte Douglas Brown John Gifford Kenneth Phillips Gerard Bastien Beu Guertin Lester Newlands Alfred Martin Gilbert Atwood Donald Hutchinson Robert Proulx Raymond Mercure Raymond Varin Gregory Decataldi William Swiacki William Chamberlin Florenzo Locki Edward LeClair Raymond Freeland Normand Donais Albert Bouvier Victor L ' Ecuyer Alphonse Homicz Norbert PickGrski Richard Nichols Raymond Robida Frank Guardiani Raymond Trudeau Arnold Goodwin Richard Woodbury Steven Casavant James Champagne K. Niejadlik Robert Girard Alfred Tiberii George Vasil Alvin Greene Jimmy Bastien George Fitts Charles Roy Armand Sansoucy Hazen Locke Warren McGrath SENIOR PLAY Do I have to rehearse tonight? When does the football team rehearse? Are the principals to come tonight? Don ' t be alarmed. These questions were only a few that were asked as the night for the pre- sentation of the senior play, November 1 8, drew near. The play, very much in keeping with the season, was a football story, When Stars Shine, by Tacie Hanna Rew. Congratulations to the whole cast. It was a great success! Eleanor Barr ' s exciting personality, Mary Weissner ' s demure charm, the two heroes ' , Louis Decataldi and Alphonse Homicz, dash and nerve, together with dominant Coach Green, and teasing young Virginia Gagnon, were particularly outstanding. Yvette Proulx deserves special credit for her excel- lent portrayal as Granny Campbell. Her hesitant means of ambulation, cracked voice, and nervous ges- tures made her characterization particularly realistic.