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

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THE CRIMSON AND GRAY v u r REVIEWS RTRuOLAV BLACK BOY By Richard Wright Reviewed by ROBERT LANCEVIN ' 47 BLACK BOY is the story of the turbulent youth of Richard Wright, a southern boy. Hard times, the separation of his mother and father, the death of near relatives and the resultant shifting from town to town, from city to city, all caused him much dis- tress in his early years. The theme of the biography is the author ' s con- viction that he should exist as a distinct individual, not merelv as one of the many southern blacks . He is constantly forced by his own relatives to con- ceal his personality and his intelligence. They told him it was not good for black boy to try to get ahead ... he should be meek and mild, and even servile. Richard Wright was not content to be a nobody. He wanted to be a man and not a mere flunky. He was fired from numerous jobs because he wanted to get ahead and was often told to be content with what he had or get out, Around whites he was supposed to be some sort of automaton, a robot, a mechanical man. He was not to think or even feel. As he puts it, the safety of my life in the South depended on how well I concealed from all whites what I felt. Throughout the book Richard Wright keeps your nerves taut. He takes you in and out of the many predicaments which dotted his life. He makes you feel what he felt. His anger at being kept down, his inability to understand this attitude, his supreme wish to be a man by men ' s standards are all there. He concludes his book with these words: With ever watchful eyes and bearing scars, visible and in- visible, I headed North, full of a hazy notion that life could be lived with dignity, that the personalities of others should not be violated, that men should be able to confront other men without fear or shame, and that if men were luck in their living on earth, they might win so me redeeming meaning for their having struggled and suffered here beneath the stars. TWO NEW BOOKS Reviewed by ROGER HEBERT ' 46 The success stories of great negro personalities, whom we are glad to call Americans, are presented in two well written books: GREAT AMERICAN NE- GROES by Ben Richardson and WE HAVE TOMOR- ROW by Arna Bontempts. The former book includes people of such diversi- fied talents as George Washington Carver, scientist; Paul Robeson, actor; Joe Louis, fighter; and Marian Anderson, singer. In WE HAVE TOMORROW are twelve lesser known American negroes who greatly dared and greatly achieved. Included are Col. Benjamin Davis, Jr., who for a year was given the silent treatment of West Point; Horace Clayton, who discovered col- ored boys don ' t attend the school dances in Seattle; Mildred Blount, who as a child worked so hard she fell asleep in church; the phenomenal Hazel Scott, who overcame many obstacles to obtain her remark- able success at the piano in the blending of modern jazz with the classics — and others. Many people in the United States today have little realization of the ability and courage of the American negro. If Americans read these books, they would appreciate the colored race to a greater extent. Ap- preciation would mean less prejudice and wider tol- erance. DAYS AND NIGHTS By Konstantine Simonov Reviewed by KATHLEEN BROUSSEAU ' 47 Konstantine Simonov brings to us the tremendous struggle of the Russians to hold burning Stalingrad from the clutches of the powerful Nazi war machine during the turning tide of the war. Simonov, war correspondent, poet, playwright, as well as most suc- cessful Russian novelist, has written a truly magnifi- cent military novel with his own extensive experience as the background of the battle of Stalingrad. The battle — one of the most murderous yet courageous battles — of the Russians to hold their line and halt the Germans ' onward rush before they could reach the Volga. Here are seventy days and nights with Saburov, war-toughened Red Army officer, fighting his way from Odessa and Moscow to Stalingrad, as he and his battalion struggle through the shell- blocked streets of smoking ashes and ruins to win back three apartment buildings; we cross the frozen Volga, black and treacherous with bombholes, while Nazi 88 ' s roared overhead; mortars are dragged through open spaces alive with flying shrapnel and the deadly German cross-fine. Three times Saburov crawls through the German night patrol on to the Volga. The battle surges from street to street, from build- ing to building. Brave men live and die; and yet amid the holocaust that was Stalingrad, a Red Army nurse finds her way to Saburov. DAYS AND NIGHTS, writ ten in military language, is devoid of politics and propaganda. Konstantine Simonov has written a great Russian novel. THE RED PONY By John Steinbeck Reviewed by BEVERLY FOX ' 47 At last the master of such stirring novels as THE MOON IS DOWN has turned to a lighter mood and written something of interest to the younger set. THE RED PONY is the book — the author is John Steinbeck. jody wondered what he had done when his father called him that morning, and he never dreamed of the unexpected delight of the new red pony. The de- votion of the two increased every day, as Jody trained Gabilan into a fine pony. And when the two were separated by the pony ' s death, life didn ' t seem worth while. The stranger, Gitano, who came to the ranch where Jody lived because he had been born there, and wanted to die there, too, helped to relieve the unbearable ache of the days which followed. The news of the colt which was to be born soon brought a new joy to Jody, who was named sole owner of the yet unborn animal. After the days of tense waiting, which seemed eternity, the little black colt finally became a reality instead of living in Jody ' s dream. THE RED PONY is written in such an easy, charm- ing style that it appeals to everyone, regardless of age.

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DECEMBER, 1945 MY IDEAL DAY RITA LEDUC ' 46 My ideal day is a day on the farm. I rise by the gentle crow of roosters, approximately at four o ' clock. I then begin to dress. I put on a pair of overalls, a plaid shirt, a farmer ' s hat, and down 1 go to break- fast. On the table before me are stacks of pancakes piled so high almost to reach the ceiling. After eat- ing about a dozen, I am off to work My first job is to milk the cows. With the help of my uncle and quite a few helpers, also after an hour ' s time, I have the honor of saying that I have milked a cow. My next job is to feed the chickens. That, of course, doesn ' t take too much of my time. The next thing I do is watch, not help, my uncle clean the barn. Soon I leave. By this time the clock has reached twelve and I ' m off to dinner. As I get close to the house, I can smell the southern fried chicken my aunt has pre- pared for a hard-working girl like me. The afternoon is full of fun. I go horseback rid- ing and swimming. Toward the end of the day my uncle tries to teach me to drive the tractor. I am in bed about nine o ' clock. What a strenuous day, but still my ideal day! MY IDEAL DAY RUDY DiGRECORIO ' 46 My ideal day would begin somewhere from half- past eleven to about quarter to twelve, when the pangs of hunger strike me most. I get up, go down to my swimming pool (where the water is always kept to my taste in temperature), take a few dives, wake up, and go to my special room, where I press a button and inside of two seconds am drier than a dried fish. I call Jonah (my most faithful servant) and ask him to get my favorite dinner suit. After dressing (Jonah doing most of the dressing) I get into my elevator, and James (the elevator boy) brings me to my breakfast room (a special room for each meal) . I then get into my super-strato-hy (one of my own inventions) and go to the Madison Square Car- den where my very good friend Rocky Craziano is fighting Freddie Cochrane for the middleweight crown. At fight time, much to my — and the crowd ' s — ■ dismay, Rocky is unable to fight. I, being, always in the best physical condition, would render services in my friend Rocky ' s place. Whereas the betting changes from even money to 1 6 to 1 against me, I would surprise the crowd by toying with the champ in the first round, and then come out of the ring in the second round the new champion.. I then get back into my super-strato-hy and fly home — unde- feated champion of the world! MY IDEAL DAY BESSIE MICHAEL ' 46 Being a devoted student of both history and litera- ture, I have always been interested in the events and personalities of the past. Therefore, as you can foresee, my version of an ideal day is going to be wholly fan- tastic and imaginary. On the morning of this ideal day, Father Time and I are just about ready to push back the clock several hundred years to begin our romantic adventure. Our first stop alights us in the midst of Robin Hood and his Merry Men in the beautiful Sherwood Forest of England. We are, fortunately, just in time to join Robin on one of his daily hunts. Friar Tuck, however, is too busy devouring a chicken leg to participate in the regular activities. After the hunt, we resume our journey and reach Queen Elizabeth ' s palace to witness one of her daily tantrums with the members of the court. The old girl ' s fits of temper are nothing new to modern his- tory. However, she calmed down long enough for us to have lunch. This time we dropped in on one of the great King Arthur ' s tournaments. Sir Launcelot, his prize knight, was giving his opponent a terrific beating and was, at the same time, holding the undivided attention of the audience. True, reading it is fun, but imagine the thrill of seeing it! After this magnificent feat we journeyed across the Atlantic to colorful climax of our journey. This was President Washington ' s ball in the White House. Here, amidst frills and flounces, tails and buckled shoes, powdered wigs, and lords and ladies dancing to the divine music of the Minute Waltz, one could truly say that it was the most breathtaking sight to behold. This is my version of an ideal day. True, it is too unbelievable to be real, but it is fun to imagine. In short, it ' s fantastic, but nice! MY IDEAL DAY LUCILLE LUSICNAN 46 My idea of an ideal day is to go off for a tramp in the country with a book of my favorite poems un- der my arm. I find a shady elm and sprawl out be- neath it. I take a big rosy apple from my pocket and shine it until it gleams. I sink my teeth into it. Delicious! The atmosphere is quiet. The only sound is the distant whirr of a mowing machine. As I lie there, I look at the clouds and make pic- tures out of them. That one above those trees looks like a giant turkey ' s head. Enough of this day dreaming. I open my book to page 34. That is my favorite poem; the dog-eared and fingermarked page tells that while I read the poem. It fills me with a sense of quiet. I ' m contented just to sit and read poems all day. I laugh at the funny ones and sometimes when I ' m in the right mood, work up enough emotion to cry at the extremely sad ones. The leaves are beginning to stir. I can see the farmer plodding his weary way home. The sun is low. It is time for me to go. I must go back into reality again. THRILL OF A LIFETIME ROGER DION ' 47 It happened a year ago when I was sixteen and a sophomore in high school that great thrill of a life- time came, that of going on a vacation by myself, un- accompanied by any older person. I had dreamed of this for many weeks, even months. In fact, I gave so much attention to the idea that at night I used to wake up and not be able to regain sleep. Some- times I even had nightmares about the trip. Days of anxiety and careful planning soon passed, and finally the day came — the day when I was to start. It was a beautiful morning. Although the glori- ous sun shone directly into my bedroom window as it gradually appeared, I had a terribly hard time wak- ing up. Roger, get up, eagerly shouted my mother for the third time. (Continued on Page 16

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DECEMBER, 1945 F 1 9 4 9 WELCOME CLASS OF 1949 It is with a feeling of great satisfaction and with a deep sense of pride that I take this opportunity to welcome the members of the Class of 1949. You have become a very integral part of Mary E. Wells High school in two short months. The spirit of sportsmanship exhibited by you during your Freshman Week activities has insured your place in the annals of Wells. But the initiation you experienced was a small part of that week ' s gain. You became a class. You became conscious of your fellow members and dis- covered that as a class unit you can accomplish much. This sense of close unity must be cherished by each of you as you move through your under- graduate years. I trust that each of you realizes the seriousness of a high school educa- tion and that from the beginning to the end of your high school days you will move toward your graduation date, striving every day to better the re- sults of the days before. Today ' s learning, culture, and knowledge make tomorrow ' s success. JAMES M. ROBERTSON, Principal ajgrt srsssr s RULES FOR FRESHMAN WEEK The Seniors of Mary E. Wells High School would like to have the Freshmen of Mary E. Wells High School observe freshmen week by distinguishing them- selves in the following manner: Girls Monday — Two different colored sscks. Hair in pigtails. Tuesday — Sweater inside out. Green ribbon around throat in bow. Wednesday — Eight different pigtails. Green colored ribbons around left arm. Thursday — No makeup. Hair in pigtails. Green bow on pigtails. Two different colored socks. Friday — Big sign 12 xl8 — I AM A FRESHMAN. Put name (and nickname if you have one) . Boys Monday — Two different colored socks. High water pants. Tuesday — Tie down the back Wednesday — Green bow around hair. Green bow on left arm. Thursday — Shirts backwards. Green bow on left arm. Lipstick on lips only. Friday— Big sign 12 xl8 — I AM A FRESHMAN. Put name (and nickname if you have one) . There will be a party provided by the upper class- men for the freshmen Friday, September 28, from 3 to 6. THE UPPER CLASSMEN MUST NOT ENFORCE THE ABOVE OBSERVANCE THEMSELVES. THEY SHALL REPORT ANY FRESHMAN NOT OBSERVING THE ABOVE TO THE SENIOR CLASS OFFICERS. FRESHMEN WEEK WLL BE OBSERVED WITHIN THE SCHOOL DURINC SCHOOL HOURS ONLY.