Westerly High School - Westlyan Yearbook (Westerly, RI)

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THE SENIOR YEAR BOOK 31' van. - uw it is a gift to possess such a marvelous imagination and ability to convince. 4. Deportment. In dealing with the fourth category, deportment, I found that there was one group of pupils that noone who enters the classroom can possibly fail to notice. 'fBob Drysdale, the class cut-up will probably be seen, either strolling leisurely into class late, or hastening out, early. Mary La Pere's boisterous laughter will be heard from one end of the room to the other, and Johnnie Edmond will undoubtedly be asking nonsensical questions to use up the teacher's time, or whispering to someone who is trying to study. The visitor will almost pass by Barbara Cataldo without noticing her at all, she is so gentle and unobtrusive. This group can easily be identified as the class cut up, the noisiest person, the class pest, and the quietest member of the class. 5. Philosophy. Every group of people, no matter how small, will be found to contain within itself, representatives of the various great schools of philosophy, the stoic, the epicurean, and the cynic. Some are naturally optimists, others naturally pessimists. The class of 1929 is no excep- tion. Here, Margaret Gilchrist is the sunny little body who chases away all the blues of her classmates. A more optim- istic person than she, never was seen. As the pendulum of life always swings both ways, there is at the extreme, Jack Clancy, the pessimist. Perhaps it is owing to this skeptical attitude toward life and consequent fear of disaster that he is one of the smartest boys in the school. At any rate, he has studied so hard and with such sincerity that he has acquired the title of class grind. 6. Disposition. We do not need the old saying, Laugh and the world laughs with you-weep and you weep alone to teach us the value of a cheerful pleasant disposition. As far as this worth-while asset is concerned, Alice Ledwidge and Byron McCoy, the best natured girl and boy, undoubt- edly have an advantage over the rest of the class. The other ancient adage: Laugh and grow fat, certainly doesn't ap- ply to Byron-as for Alice-well, we'll leave that for you to decide. Buddy Briggs's tremendous popularity is sufficient evi- dence that he also possesses a friendly, likeable nature. His classmates, good opinion of him is proved by the fact that they elected him president during the senior year. 7. Ethics. In order to keep any class up to its highest standard of conduct, there must be some wise counsellor. Edna Coon took this advisory duty upon her shoulders and soon became known as the H1929 class preacher. If you doubt Edna's ability to propound her knowledge-go to the

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CAST NIGHT RDAY TU -SA PLAY OR SENI

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32 THE SENIOR YEAR BOOIi wall. D519 Biology teacher, Mr. Sherman, and he will furnish all the evidence you desire. 8. Philanthropy. After careful investigation in the eighth field of inquiry, philanthropy. I decided that the one to receive the highest honor, as humanitarian is Gordon Michie, the boy who has done most for his class. He has worked with unceasing patience to solve the problems, and perform the duties assigned to him by both students and teachers. Therefore, too much credit cannot be given to Gordon. 9. Arts. But the human race craves food for the soul as well as food for the body and who but the artists of the world have been able to fill that need? The Senior Class of VVesterly High School certainly possesses its full share of Bohemians. For instance, Broadway will no doubt some day see Rupert Coleman and Ruth VanVleck starred together. Their superior dramatic performance in the Senior Play should be a good enough advertisement to carry them along the Great White Way to success. After having inspected numerous masterpieces in post- ers, signs, and sketches painted by Art Wills there could be no doubt in my mind as to the identity of the class artist. The boy with the appropriate nickname brought many an en- tertainment to the public notice by means of his clever, in- teresting pictures, and fine clear printing. No one who has once seen Betty Steadman trip the light fantastic toe will dispute her close affinity to the loveliest of the wood nymphs. Her grace and variety of steps have won her many prizes in the delightful art of dancing. So many and so varied are the arts: Why one may even be an artist in the selection of the costume he wears and Catherine Estabrook is an adept in this respect. Indeed, her taste in choosing the many different gowns which be- come her so charmingly has won for her the title of the best- dressed girl.-whereas Bob Drysdale's is a walking ad- vertisement for tailor-made, perfect fit, best-harmony clothes. It is surely no wonder that he was chosen the best- dressed boy. 10. Aesthetics. In the class of 1929, as in every group, there are those who have been especially blessed by Provi- dence with the much-sought for gift of beauty-a gift so greatly desired, that it caused one of the most famous wars in history. Donna Wilcox and Stanton Gavitt are the lucky boy and girl who outshine all the others as far as this valu- able possession is concerned. I seek not to justify my in- clusion of this bewitching attribute in a serious, scientific in- vestigation, since I thoroughly agree with the philosopher, Emerson in maintaining that beauty is its own excuse for being.