Westbrook High School - Blue and White Yearbook (Westbrook, ME)

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Westbrook High School T 9 We have written to and received answers from several Alumni who recall many memories of days gone by. We have taken excerpts from their let- ters, and although some are rather modest, we can feel quite sure that those who have not reached worldly fame have accomplished' much in their activities by being useful citizens. We feel especially fortunate in having received a letter from Mrs. Harriette Hacker Cobb, a mem- ber of the first graduating class of VVestbrook High School C now Valentine Street Schoolj. She tells us that the class of 1883 contained only three graduates, nfamiliarly known as Lottie Woodman. Nora Murch, and Hattie Hacker, and that the exercises took place in the Congregational Church with Helen Murch, john Lane, and others assisting. Dr. George Woodman writes: Forty-six years ago this coming June ten young women and eight young men received their diplomas as graduates of Westbrook High School. We were given a thorough training in mathe- matics, science, literature and history. This fitted us well for the usual claims of our day and was a good basis for after school self-education. In Principal Burns we had a very capable in- structor. He was a strict disciplinarian, but ren- dered justice with equality, and what was greatly appreciated by all of us was that he could lay aside, outside of school, all differences and meet us with pleasantness and courtesy. The chemistry laboratory, when the high school was first built, was down where the Domes- tic Science Department now is. The chief amuse- ment of the chemistry classes, says Mr. Albert Verrill, class of 1907, was to get down to the laboratory early and substitute water for the alco- hol in their lamps. The BLUE AND WHITE of 190.7 is the only edi- tion which contained no pictures 5 this was because of the immediate need of money. Mr. Augustus A. Staples tells us in his letter that the class of 1909 was composed of twenty- seven members, twenty-one girls and six boys. There was no choice of courses which a stu- dent might pursue, as at that time the commercial and industrial courses had not been added to the curriculum. There was practically no activity in music and art. Athletics at this time were at a very low ebb, partly because there were so very few boys in school and the lack of coaches. Mr, W. B. Andrews was our principal and has been held in very high esteem through these twenty-seven years since our graduation. What Dr. Cheever Smith, 1913, declares was one of the most interesting assignments might well be revived in the near future. Each student of the senior class was compelled to take his turn speak- ing at the special assembly each F riday. To descend the spiral stairs of Cumberland Hall was a gymnastic stunt in 1914, according to Mrs. Harold McIntyre. The girls wore middy blouses, hair ribbons and high buttoned shoes. C The boys had to be satisfied with high starched collars and knitted toques.j A girl's basketball suit of 1914 contained almost enough cloth to equip the whole team of 1936. How solemn must have been the graduation of the class of 1916, Mrs. Warren Lafiin CBertha Beasleyj makes us realize when she says: As three of our boys were already at war at the time of graduation, it was only fitting that those three chairs be draped with American'fiags in their memory. The French class sang the French national anthem. Practically all of the graduating class of 1918 were commercial students. This new added factor to the 'curriculum certainly proved its worth as nearly all of us were able to obtain positions im- mediately after graduating, says Mrs. Margaret Dinsmore C Margaret Lambj. Uln the typing class a graphophone was 11sed. Generally a tune of even quick tempo was played, the students keeping time with the music. This combined pleasure with work and was found to be very practical. In conclusion may we say that we greatly ap- preciate the cooperation of the Alumni who sent us letters and granted interviews.

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8 The Blue E-r VVhite ,?9f7Q3f7Q7fT19f7Q ' T191-TQ l 5 at it lU in is ll 91'llTQ9f BELKBLJC BLJ6'bl.36BLJ6ELJ4BLJ4'BL,l5 l, 2 E I STUDENT BODY f 1880 WESTBROOK HIGH SCHOOL First row fleft to rightj-Helen Murch, Marcia Pennell, Lizzie Hodgkins, Bertha Pennell, Alice Foster, Winnie Mace, Cora Clay, May Elwell, Hattie Hacker. Second row-Principal Thurston S. Burns, Hallie Woodman, Fred Babb, Nellie Pearson, Della Hale, May Allen, Nora Murch, Florence Best. Winnie Griggs, Dora Bailey, Louise Brown, Addie Ray, Assistant Teacher, Miss Maude Wilbur. Third row-John Minnick, Felix Barrett, John Lane, Lottie Woodman, Nettie Roberts, Florence Lewis, Nellie Day, Lizzie Winslow, Mary Burke, Mary Farley, Louella Gerrish. Fourth row-George Snow, Dana Cutter, Will Hazelton, Frank McCann, Herbert Littlefield, George Wheeler, Warren Phinney, Fred Stiles. QNames of pupils as they were known when in school.j Why not some of those days recall Lasting pals, Tom, Mary, and Paul. They may be in far distant places, But you can still see those smiling faces. And then you wistfully sigh When you remember dear Westbrook High. This year we are going to try to bring back old memories and the grand old times of your high school days. How many years has it been since you have seen your old classmates? Do you ever hear an old chum's name mentioned and wonder where he is living and what he is doing? Don't you often hear, I wonder where Tom is now? He used to be an excellent football player. Why. I remember one day when we were playing South Portland-the score was six to nothing and- P

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THE FOOLISH MAN The foolish man sat down beside the fire To warm his handsg and said with much pomposity, I've done the chores, my work is through. Now shall I rest. So he rested and waited, and outside the narrow room Of resting man Seeds were planted in the warm, responsive, Rich, brown earth That sprouted, grew, and brought forth fruit. The smoke from factories puffed Against the clean blue sky to manufacture clothes to Keep men warm. And while he waited there, inside his room, The world walked by-not glancing in the window. J. K., '37, MY RETURN TO HIGH SCHOOL Let us now turn the pages of the calendar for- ward to September, 1936. The scene is the street before the new annex to Westbrook I-Iigh,School. Standing there is an alumnus of the class of '36, who is intently observing every detail of the new building. That alumnus is none other than I, who has returned to see the improvements in the high school building. As I stand there, I am inspired by the architec- tural beauty of the three-door entrance. The building-126 feet long, 57 feet wide, and 40 feet high-faces Foster Street, where the front reflects the first rays of the sun every morning. As I enter, I find myself in a lobby surrounded by doors and stairways. At the left is the boys' cloak room, and at the right the girls'. I decide to go straight ahead, past the box office, and through a door directly before me. I am now in a large auditorium and gymnasium, which covers the whole ground fioor. In front of me lies the beautifully curtained stage. Going back stage, I find a stairway at each side leading upstairs and another stairway leading to the boiler room beneath the stage. I- climb the stairs and discover a dressing room at each side of the stage, halfway up between the first and second floors. Returning to the front lobby, I now go upstairs. Halfway up I find the girls' and the boys' base- ments directly over the cloak rooms. I continue upstairs to the second fioor, where I turn left and walk down the long corridor lined with the doors of eight spacious class rooms. At the end of the corridor, directly over the stage, is a locker room. Now I again make a left turn into the corridor connecting the old building with the new. Facing me are two sets of stairs. Cne leads down to the first fioor. while the other leads up to the second floor of the old building. I go upstairs and find the principalis office in what was formerly Room 25. Even the cloak rooms have now been remod- eled into a class room. Going down to the first floor, I notice a great change here also. Room 14 has become the office of the Superintendent of Schools and the cloak room is now a locker room. Coming at last to the old boiler room, I observe the greatest change. Boys' showers, lockers and dressing rooms have replaced the steam boilers. Going out of here, I find myself on the bottom fioor of the corridor connecting the old with the new. A door leads into the driveway which runs to Main Street. It is with a feeling of reluctance that I leave the school grounds. If only I had been born four years later, I, too, might have enjoyed the modern conveniences of the new annex. R. T.. '36.