Westerly High School - Westlyan Yearbook (Westerly, RI)

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The Senior Year Book — 1934 flrmiiPttt’H Aiifirraa TEACHERS, students and citizens of Westerly, we, the class of 1934, extend to you a most cordial welcome to our last evening of frolic and revelry, as students of our beloved Alma Mater. We wish to thank you sincerely for the cooperation and good will which you have extended to us during our strenuous, yet happy, career. How generously you have sponsored our athletic events, our cantatas, our prize speaking contests and our plays! In a few more weeks we shall leave the building which has sheltered us so long; and go forth into the world, where we will meet many difficult problems. These, we trust, will be made much easier for us because of the tireless efforts of our faculty who built the stairs up which we are climbing to success. To them we extend our sincere thanks, and hope that they will continue their good work with the classes that follow us. Last, but not least, we have this year the special privilege of thanking all the alumni and friends who contributed toward the construction of the new fence around our athletic ground. We feel very proud indeed of the Craig Memorial Field. For the past three years, we have been endeavoring to reach a certain landing on the stairway which leads to success. Although we have found the climb exceedingly difficult in places and have had to grasp desperately at the railing to keep from slipping backward, we have at last attained that greatly coveted goal. Strange as it may seem, we look down with regret upon those very steps that have given us so much trouble—but also so much joy. The stairs ahead look steep indeed when we think of climbing them without the help of our teachers and classmates. For this evening, however, let us cast aside all sorrow and enter heartily into the fun of the program which has been prepared for us. You will hear some very distinguished degrees conferred upon our scholarly classmates—listen to the reading of our last will and testament—learn from a most psychic soothsayer the fate and fortune of the members of our group—and see the gifts which some very generous donors have purchased for us. “May your joy and ours be unconfined!” —Joseph Gencarelli

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The Senior Year Book — 1934 (Cnntrnta Dedication - Faculty ... - - Senior Board Class Poem and Song Class Picture - President’s Address Class History ... Class Will - Class Statistics - Class Prophecy In Memoriam - - - Class Pictures Student Council Senior Play—Wednesday Night Senior Play—Thursday Night The Orchestra Athletics - The Football Team The Baseball Team The Track Team I he Cross Country Team Basketball Team Advertising Section PAG 3 2 4 5 - 6 6 8 9 - 12 14 - 17 20 21-30 15 - 16 16 - IS 31 - 31 33 - 33 32 - 32 34-4 -4 7

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The Senior Year Book — 1934 (Class ffitstarif SCENE: A room in a girls’ dormitory at Westmore College, in November, 1934. My roommate and I are talking to one another. My friend is busy putting finishing touches to hair and face. I am watching her, while now and then glancing at a book in my hand. “Why, Marge,” I ask incredulously, “you’re not going out again ?” “Uh-huh.” comes my roommate’s distracted reply as she gives a final pat to her fluffy hair and an anxious glance at the glowing reflection in the mirror. “Helen and I are going to the theatre. Won’t you come, Babs? We’d love to have you.” “No, thank you, dear. I think I’ll write a letter to Mums.” “Well, take care of yourself, old dear,” and with a hug and airy kiss she is gone, leaving me with a momentary feeling of loneliness, for Thanksgiving vacation is likely to be lonely when one is a freshman at a distant college. “Well, that’s that. Now where do you suppose I’ve put my writing paper? Come to think of it I’ll have to start on that new box in my trunk.” 1 hastily procure the writing materials, but, while getting them, I happen to notice a group of High School Seniors” which I have brought from home as souvenirs of my high school life. I pick up the Commencement issue and idly turn the pages, until I come to the class pictures. I haven’t seen any of my former classmates since graduation; therefore it is with a pleasant feeling of reminiscing (all thoughts of letterwriting forgotten) that I carry the book to an old rocking chair by the fire, and, slowly rocking to and fro, lose myself in the past. As I look at those happy, expectant faces, my mind travels slowly back to my first year at High School. How imposing and venerable that ivy-covered building had appeared to my inexperienced eye as I first entered upon my career there. The upper classmen treated us as they have treated freshmen from time immemorial with an exasperating big brother and sis- ter “attitude,” thinking that we, poor things, in our ignorance, would deeply appreciate their condescension. We resented the attitude, however, and rallied to the occasion by holding a class meeting and electing officers who would protect us from upper classmen. Addison Archie was, we decided, just the one for president, for we certainly needed a mighty Goliath to wield the gavel. Betty Crandall’s sweet manner would, we felt sure, break all barriers; thus we elected her our vice president. Joseph Gencarelli was given charge of the minutes of our meetings, while little Agnes King efficiently took charge of our stray bills. Scarcely had we launched upon our life at the Senior High, when the news reached us that we must move. We had heard rumors of this intended removal to the Junior High, but we hadn’t dreamed that by February we would be installed in that magnificent building where the water was cold, and the janitor’s cat was not always under foot! Alas, we were too optimistic ! Combination locks for our lockers were the bane of our lives (especially for bus and train pupils!). I have seen the faces of many an out-of-town student go suddenly blank, while their fingers nervously twirled the dial. How I sympathized with them, for I too, had been an unfortunate victim of those same lockers. That year the operetta “Sleepy Hollow” was given by students of the Junior High. Those most delightful James twins (the only twins to grace our class, and then only for a year) participated in this performance in which Norma was the captivating Katrinka, while Walker Schofield was the daring young gallant who won fair Katrinka’s heart and hand. Walker is no longer with us, but we think of him affectionately and mourn him as one who can never be replaced. The end of our freshman year found us exhausted from the year's work and ready for a much needed vacation. The combination locks were returned with a secret feeling of elation that they would no longer cause us any harassing moments