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

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We must not forget Coach McMahon ' s baseball team because one of our sophomores, Biddy Jalbert, handed Jackie Lonergan of St. Louis High his only defeat in school-boy competition. In addition to Biddy, Frank Kaitbenski and Tarkie Materas helped to bring Wells a successful season. The last notation on the agenda for our sophomore year was the Class Picnic. Although it rained for several days before the picnic, we were very optimistic. After all who would dare to interfere with any plans made by the Class of 1950? The day of the picnic arrived damp, foggy, and rainy. After many class meetings we decided to cancel it, and there was a mad rush to refund money to the students. The year expired on this frantic note, which was overshadowed, how- ever, by the thought that in September we would be full-fledged upper- classmen. JUNIOR YEAR Entering Wells High as seasoned upperclassmen, we Jubilant Juniors understood that we had to buckle down to work ; and we also realized that our junior year was going to be packed full of exciting activities. To guide us through the year we again called upon popular Ray Casavant, with vivacious Connie Matys, ever-teasing Jimmy Athanas, and delight- ful Kae Hyland. Our first important business, choosing the traditional class rings, took a great deal of thought and much controversy. The outcome, how- ever, was pleasing, for on receiving the rings everyone seemed well satis- fied. On Thanksgiving Day, we thoroughly enjoyed our turkey, for the Crimson and Gray proved victorious over the Green and White by a score of 25-0, only accomplished by the able assistance of George Perikli ' s catching many passes, as well as Bill Martin ' s and other brilliant Junior stars ' work. One of the highlights of the year was our successful dance, the Janu- ary Junior Jubilee. Who could ever forget the jitterbugging contest, won not by a member of our class, but by Hugo (and his turtle neck sweater) DeAngelis, who wowed the girls with his peculiar rendition. After mentioning our football team, we must not neglect the basket- ball team, which, with the help of such members of our class as Tarkie Materas and Jerry Lizotte, had a very successful season and played in the Assumption Tournament. Along with the boys we also gave Wanda Ber- nard, Louise Perron, and the Castrucci twins to the girls ' team. After who knows how many Thursday morning sessions with dif- ferent photographers, we unanimously chose our class photographer with hopes we would all be made beautiful. Spring brought the presentation of our class play. Directed by Miss Tait, A Connecticut Yankee, with its beautiful costumes competed with the local Strand ' s movie of the same name. Very successfully helping to make our play a huge success were Jerry (Clarence) Tavernier, who de- lighted the audience with his long black tights, and Red (Sir Lancelot) Coderre. The end of our Junior year brought with it the most outstanding event of the year, the Junior Prom. It is certain that Wilma Swirbliss, Millie George, Ninfa Ricci, and many others saw white paper roses in their sleep long after the eventful evening; and who will forget the last minute dash to Betty Lou Hart ' s house for more flowers to make the chaperone ' s corner entrancing. We helped the seniors on their merry way by decorating for grad- uation week activities. We realized on graduation night that when we next roamed the halls of Mary E. Wells High School, it would be as seniors.

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CLASS HISTORY FRESHMAN YEAR It seems only yesterday that we, the class of 1950, entered Wells High. The Freshmen of 1946 came full of curiosity and ambition, for high school was a new and thrilling experience. We also anticipated the approaching period of initiation, Freshman Week. The upper-classmen took great pleasure in warning us how ridiculous they would make us look. Our fears were soon justified; at an assembly the seniors announced their plans for the green newcomers. Among many, many other indignities, we had to wear large signs proclaiming that we were lowly freshmen. Finally the seniors gave us a nice party to celebrate the end of the school ' s entertainment at our expense. Now that we were recognized by our fellow students, we got down to class business and elected Ronnie DiGregorio, president ; Irene Clements, vice-president; and Anita Bozzo, secretary. Our treasurer was Nickie Costa; and, after he left for Florida, George Perikli managed our financial affairs. During the elections we were introduced to Miss Troy, our class adviser. This was the beginning of a friendship which is very dear to us and, we hope, pleasing to her. 1946 saw the first freshman football team in the history of Wells High, coached by Mr. Tardiff. Members of Miss Tait ' s English class put on a skit based on The Merchant of Venice. Wilma Swirbliss played Shylock; others in the cast were Yoland Poirier, Elaine Vangel, and Mary Rutcho. The coming of spring, 1947, found us looking forward to the time we would become sophomores, those carefree souls without the worries of upperclassmen but who are, nevertheless, not freshmen. SOPHOMORE YEAR Our sophisticated sophomore year started off with Freshman Week. Although we were not yet upperclassmen, Leonard Ethier, Gilly Chrisi- kos, and other members of the class paraded through the corridors, visit- ing Freshmen Home Rooms to see that the rules were strictly obeyed. Then the class showed its good judgment in elections. Ray Casavant began his long regime as class president. Other officers were vice-president, Irene Clements ; treasurer, George Perikli ; and secretary, Connie Gravel. We settled down to Latin II, Geometry, and English for the time being ; but we didn ' t stay quiet long. Football took the limelight that fall. To the football team, 1950 gave George Perikli , Frank Grandone , Bill Martin, Ira Brackett, and Red Coderre. With such representatives it is no wonder that we defeated Bartlett 13-6 in the game of the year. After Thanksgiving comes Christmas, and the class presented its first dance. The decoration committee, under the leadership of Elaine Vangel, started work on the enormous task of decorating the auditorium. In the capable hands of Anita Bozzo, Jackie Allard, Mary Rutcho, Wilma Swirbliss, Gilly Chrisikos, Gerry Tavernier, and Nicky Costa, the audi- torium emerged dressed in Christmas attire — beautiful enough to satisfy the most critical observer. The Sophomore Hop proved to be a huge success by swelling our treasury considerably and by paving the way for our future successful class dances. To break the monotony of schoolwork, the English II class gave Mrs. Keenan, who was leaving us, a surprise party. Of all the parties, the third period ' s stood out. The janitor ' s trash wagon was rolled in by Casey and Dexter Clifford with Leo Martello hiding in the basket. He presented Mrs. Keenan with her gift. Amid the hilarious laughter, Leo undertook the job of analyzing our handwriting.

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In September of 1949, we superior seniors had the privilege of ridi- culing the freshman, humiliating the sophomores, and ioshing the juniors, lest the ti tle of upper classmen inflate the latter. Led by Raymond Casa- vant, Connie Matys, Kae Hyland and Jimmy Athanas, under the guiding hand of Miss Troy, and the co-operation of the senior class, we set forth on the last year of our high school education. Our first senior activity was the sale of doughnuts during the milk period. Ann Maloney, our selling agent, thanks the early morning appetites of the student body for this source of income to our treasury. After a week of initiating the freshman in a truly brutal fashion, we, along with the sub-upper classmen — the juniors of course — threw a party for the newcomers so they would not be too angry at their treatment during the week. Football season under our new coach, Mr. Paul Duhart, found start- ing positions for many of the seniors. Ken Boland blossomed as quarter- back in the T formation with his magnificent handoffs and accurate passes. The pony backfield and the hard-charging line had plenty of heart. Its excellent season ended by defeating the Green and White 23-6. The Diane Poirier-led band and the cheerleaders-sponsored victory dance added extra festivities to the affair. Our class will always have pleasant memo- ries of the turkey day classic because we triumphed three out of four years. Also in November we put on our senior play, You ' re Only Young Once. No one will forget Gilly ' s mustache or John Fish ' s derby hat. Then, too, Ted Hong ' s rifle, Kae Hyland ' s crown, the love life of Cynthia Mattson and Lord Tolloler Clifford leave pleasant memories of Iolanthe. We also had excellent representation in the Talent Show and Dramatic Club. Because everyone was endowed with the Christmas spirit during De- cember, we decided to run a Christmas Capers dance. Amplified advertis- ing by Harry Chapell was instituted for this affair. The familiar Christ- mas tree, the yuletide atmosphere, and the group singing blended together to form a successful dance. It was during these cold winter months that we appreciated our basketball teams. Gerry Lizotte ' s height, Tarkie ' s set shots, Tom Michael ' s all around play, and Lefty Varin ' s ball handling were very encouraging to Coach Duhart who is still unhappy because Andrea is the last of Periklis whom he will coach. Captain Louise Perron, Wanda Bernard, and the Castruccis were seniors of much value to the female sextet. During this season, our school politicians, Ann Maloney, Gilly Chrisi- kos, Paul Woodbury, and Tom Michael, asked for our support for good government day. Kae Hyland was our D. A. R. representative. This is an opportune time to thank Mr. Arthur Lane for pinch-hitting for Miss Troy during her convalescence. We grinned our prettiest for the class photographer and turned our attention to the class trip. Although some wanted to go to Bermuda and others thought our finances limited us to Washington, Gene Dudek and Ann Maloney, our steering committee, decided upon New York. Norman Dumais, the student manager of the magazine campaign, lorded it over Arthur Coderre, his super salesman. With that money, plus the doughnut sales funds, we finally reached our destination and enjoyed four hectic and educational days. Now, as we await graduation we look back upon the past four years spent here only to realize that, although it may have seemed like a long time, it really wasn ' t. Class Historians Frank Grandone Cynthia Mattson Anne Maloney Jordan Zack