Westerly High School - Westlyan Yearbook (Westerly, RI)

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14 THE SENIOR YEAR BOOR logs. We certainly get a great deal of amusement out of the bright sayings of the freshmen, don’t we, Marjorie?” “Indeed we do. Upon being asked who, in his opinion, was our most famous American author, an enterprising youth answered, ‘My father.’ Miss Simmons, somewhat surprised, ‘Why, does your father write books?’ ‘No, but he writes all my checks.’ ” Perhaps many fathers present tonight did not realize before that they were famous literary lights. Virginia Collins brought this humiliating conversation to an end by saying, “Well, Marjorie, we must be going. There’s the bell for class, calling us to a discussion of really important subjects.” And the Seniors of 1927 never to this day have discovered that their uncomplimentary remarks were overheard. With the passage of the months, we gradually became wiser and lived down the great shock to our self-respect caused by an innocent freshman’s eavesdropping. Bear with me now while I relate to you the report of my third group of observers, our present senior class. With great diligence and earnestness, they have collected for me a record of the activities of the class of 1930 during the last three years of their high school life. As sophomores, we had acquired a great store of legitimate pride, finding ourselves one step higher toward that goal in life for which everyone strives—Success. After getting settled and becoming accustomed to the routine of our life as superior beings, we elected the following officers: President Frank Acolina Vice President Everette Greene Secretary Barbara Briggs Treasurer Alphonse Gencarelli To make the achievements of our second year complete, we can truthfully say that we did our part toward bringing additional athletic fame and renown to swell the already glorious iecord of W. H. S. Reuben Deutsch and Quentin Tucker particularly deserve our wholehearted praise for their hard work and conscientious practice during the sporting season. Other outstanding football heroes, who by their many successful games helped put W. H. S. on the map, were Abraham Itchkawich, Vero Morrone, and Everette Greene. We can accredit the high standard of our records in track particularly to Edward Cotter, Reuben Deutsch, and Everette Greene, who, we even then felt sure, would win future honor as cross-country runners. In the opening days of 1928, we were glad to welcome several new members from Hope Valley, Asha way, Shannock, Rockville,

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Till: SKNIOR YK.Mt HOOK 13 humility, we were told that it would be necessary to elect class officers. The following were our choice: To this day, we have had no cause to be ashamed of our taste in choosing these leaders to represent our class. They have ever served us well. We attribute almost the entire success of the operetta “All At Sea,” presented by the senior class of 1927, to the following members of our distinguished group: Laura Thompson, Gloria Simmons, Gertrude Solomon, Mary Farago, Ruth Saunders, and Margaret Brindle, who, playful sprites that they were flitted about the stage in the most graceful dance imaginable. By the June of 1927, we had barely begun to realize that, after all, we were but children in the great family of Westerly High School. I almost hesitate to reveal to the public the point of view of my second group of observers, but my aim being truth, the absolute truth, and nothing but the truth, I feel compelled to do so. We had supposed that the senior class of 1927 regarded our remarkable group as prodigies of beauty, learning, and wisdom. But wait till I tell you. We soon discovered their feelings toward us by the following conversation which took place between Marjorie Chapman and Virginia Collins, and was accidently overheard by a hurt and astonished freshman: Said Miss Chapman, “Why is it that the freshmen always make such nonsensical remarks?” “Why, Marjorie, what gave you that opinion of them?” “Well, this morning I was studying in Room 3 where they were having history. As a group, they did not show much intelligence. The teacher told them that if they spent one half-hour on their history lesson every night, they would have no cause to be ashamed of themselves when called upon to recite. One especially brilliant freshman remarked, ‘I don’t agree with you. Last night I put my history book under my pillow and slept on it all night and yet I do not know my lesson.” Imagine a freshman thinking he could absorb his lesson by sleeping on his history book!” “I thoroughly agree with you, Marjorie, that the freshmen have a great deal to learn in order to acquire as much knowledge as we have already obtained. Do you suppose we ever could have made such blunders when we were freshmen? Yesterday, Miss McGovern called on one of the children in English IB to describe the log cabin in which Lincoln was born. The freshman, feeling confident that this was a very simple task, stood up and remarked that the log cabin in which Abraham Lincoln was born was made of President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, John Tobin Everette Greene Adelaide Croci ex-1930 Gloria Simmons

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THE SENIOR YEAR ROOK 15 Wyoming, Bradford, Carolina, and Kenyon. All of these have proved the best of comrades and many of them have greatly enhanced the fame of our group. Four capable scholars whom we chose to represent us during our third year were: Our Junior year is perhaps distinguished more for its entire lack of important happenings than for any extraordinary events which occurred therein, the most remarkable omission being that of the usual Junior Prom to which every socially-minded junior is accustomed to look forward. If you wish to know in more detail why we held no dance last year, ask our treasurer. As we were, however, the first class, since the dawn of history, unable to have a Prom, we might as well pride ourselves upon the fact as feel ashamed of it. The one outstanding feature of that year, in the estimation of my observers, was the forming of various clubs, including the following: English Club, Dramatic Club, Handicraft Club, Travel Club, Commercial Club, French Club, Radio Club, and Aviation Club. These groups met every Thursday, enjoyed themselves greatly, and accomplished much. One morning in Assembly we listened to an announcement of especial interest to the effect that each club would be called upon to present a program on a certain date and that a prize would be given to the most successful contestant. This award was won by the English Club in its presentation of the pageant, “The Coming of Spring,” based upon the old Greek myth Dimeter and Persephone. Later in the year, the Dramatic Club submitted Richard Harding Davis’ play “Miss Civilization” at a meet held in competition with ight other schools at Pawtucket. Although ‘Miss Civilization” was not given the honor of first place, it was enthusiastically received and reflected great credit on Miss Jane B. Stanton, director of the play. In spite of the numerous omissions and hardships of our junior year, it came to an end all too soon. Although we returned to school in the fall of 1929, feeling infinitely superior to the other classes, a few uncalled for but rather illuminating remarks by some of our teachers brought us to earth and a more humble attitude with a crash. Since the duties of senior officers are more arduous and responsible than those of other class authorities, wTe took great care to choose representatives who would make the school proud President Vice President Albert Green James Federico Secretary Treasurer Malcolm Hinchliffe Frank Acolina