Wells River High School - Chatterbox Yearbook (Wells River, VT)

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Senior date Jlistoi V Here we are just starting out in the first grade with Miss Darling. We are a funny looking group in various shapes and sizes, but determined to learn. In the first grade the future class of 1955 consisted of four boys and three girls; Dudley Bickford, Douglas Hatch, Larry Lamarre, David Riggie, Gertrude Bijolle, Lee Farwell, and Ida Wilson. We struggled through the elements of reading, ’riting, and ’rithmatic, and went along into the second grade. We lost Douglas Hatch and Gertrude Bijolle, but gained two new classmates, Francese Chamberlain and Margaret Mays. In the third grade we really began to enlarge. We still had the se- cond grade class plus Frank Bailey, Rosemary Basch, Eva Nelson, and Lorayne Simmons. ’We really felt grown up when we finally made it into Mrs. Stanley’s room. There we spent three more years furthering our education. When we entered the fifth grade we discovered that we had lost David Higgie and Eva Nelson, but we gained Reginald Corliss, Ruth Leonard, Patty Roben, and ivonne Grenier. In the sixth grade we discovered that we had lost Frank Bailey, who had moved to Bradford; Reginald Corliss, Chamberlain m°Ved t0 Saint Johnsbui y» and Francese Then came one of the most exciting days in our life. The day when we finally climbed up those gold plated stairs into the Jr. High Room. In the seventh grade we had two additions to our happy family, George, Ranno and Beverly Mayhew. In the eighth grade we were disappointed to lose Ruth Leonard, but we gained Gordon Boomhower and Harold Gravlin. After eight long years of primary, secondary, and Jr. High school, we became mighty freshmen. Our class consisted of 17 members and was the largest in the school. Donna Andreoletti, Connie Egner, and Bonnie Grapes come down from South Ryegate, and Robert Sargent from Ryegate Corner. From Bible Hill, came Betty Lou Bickford and Jeanette and Everest Flint. In 1953 we became sophomores and took our turn at initiating the new freshmen. We lost Betty Lou Bickford and Lee Farwell in our sophomore year, but gained Dora Dargie from East Ryegate. However, before the year was fin- ished, Dora was transferred to Mclndoes Academy. Throughout our junior and s'enior years we have stayed a solid class of 14 and still the largest in the high school. We look back on our history now and remem- ber all our old classmates and all the fun we have had, but we look with both anticipation and reluctance upon our graduation day from Wells River High School.

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CLASS OF 1954 Geraldean Brock Student at Becker Jr. College, Wor- cester, Mass. Charles Come U.S. Army. John Demeritt U.J . Navy Richard Sherwin Mt. Hermon School, Mt. Hermon, Mass. THE MUSIC PROGRAM Again this year Wells River was able to have music through the courtesy of Mrs. Rowe who gave her time freely. This year the Hilldale League music festival was held at St. Johnsbury Trade. Each school sang two in- dividual selections; then, all participated in the big combined chorus under the direction of Mr. Paul Zeller. During the course of the year the Glee Club sang at the Christmas program and also took part in the Commencement Exercise. Connie Egner, Ida Wilson and Yvonne Grenier were chosen to represent the high school at the Vermont Mu- sic Festival at Burlington as members of the All-State Chorus. Ann Sherwin played in the All-State Band. This year the Glee Club felt the loss of male voices, but since the beginning of the year it has in- creased in size. The Glee Club wishes to express their appreciation to Mrs. Rowe for the time and quidance she has given to make the music a success.

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Class Prophecy It was March 10, 1974» when I received a notice that the class of 55 was going to meet in the Wells River School on the 25th. The 25th came and at ten o’clock I arrived at the school, which is a new ultra modern building, just out- side the heart of the city. The first thing I did was to go to the office of the principal where I was greet- ed by a woman. I recognized her as being Connie Egner, from the graduating class of 1955. She said she was busy, but I could look through the building myself I left the office and walked down the long corridor till I came upon a door marked Agriculture.” I de- cided to go in and have a look around. When I entered the room someone was giving a lecture on progress so I sat down to listen. The speaker was talking about the economy of atomic power tractors which was a very in- teresting subject. I asked a student who the speaker was and he said it was Mr. Sargent, a prosperous farm- er in the area. I knew at once that it was Bob Sargent another member of the class of ’55 I talked to Bob for a few minutes and then contin- ued on my way down the corridor. I was looking out one of the new plate glass windows, when I noticed a huge Cadillac convertible drive up out front, chauffeur and all. The chauffeur jumped out and on his back was a sign which read, Simmons Modeling Agency. He opened the back door and out stepped our model, Lorayne Simmons from the class of ’55. I stood in front of the window thinking about my high school days and the classmates I had met so far, when I happened to notice a huge building across the street. On the front of the building was a sign which read, Gravlin Lines, Inc. I went across the road and entered the office. The foreman told me that Mr. Gravlin was out in the warehouse. On my way to the warehouse I had a chat with another member of the class of ’55» Donna Andreoletti. Donna explained that she was also a teacher at the new Wells River School and had taken Miss Legare’s place teaching drivers training to fifty girls. I finally reached the warehouse where I found Harold talking to one of his big shippers who wanted to knovf if his shipment of stuffed animals was in. The shipper was none other than Larry Lamarre. A few years ago Larry had made the headlines when he discovered a valuble uranium deposit while digging a cellar hole. He sold the land to the government and became a mil- lionaire in the process. The shipping business was just a hobby of Larry's. The clock was striking twelve when I arrived back at the school so I went into the school’s cafeteria .