Westerly High School - Westlyan Yearbook (Westerly, RI)

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The Senior Year Book — 1935 OUaaH Siatnry FRIENDS and Classmates, as Historian of the ever glorious Class of 1935, I have taken the liberty of organizing a club, which, for lack of a better name, we shall call the Eureka Club, for have we not found the first step to success in Westerly High School? The club for all practical purposes shall be composed of members of this very Class of 1935. The only requirements for membership shall be that each person belong to the same Class of 1935, and that all promise, on penalty of expulsion, to meet at a specified place every five years, no matter where they are or in what circumstances. The purpose of this institution shall be to renew old friendships, old jokes, old news, old happenings dear to the heart of every member. As a special courtesy to the public, however, we shall invite them to attend the first meeting of the Eureka Club. Let us imagine, then, that we are in the year 1940, and in a private dining hall of a hotel. All of our members are congregated around a huge table, and. strange to say, almost our whole class is present. Well, our stage is set, our appetites are satisfied, and we are all ready to begin the game of reminiscing. Our toastmaster rises and gives us our cue—“Do you remember when—” The room becomes silent while he reviews for us the general events of our three years at Westerly High. “Do you remember when, in our second stage of life according to the greatest writer of them all, William Shakespeare, we came as school boys and girls, with satchels and shining morning faces, to the proud old building on which we had cast a longing eye for some time, a building which was for us no less than a house of dreams? “We were welcomed here by the genial Class of ’33, who introduced to us the faculty and various prominent figures in the classes of ’33 and ’34. “Then our first class meeting! I have often wondered if we looked as incompetent and ignorant as those attending other Sophomore meetings which I. as an upperclassman, have witnessed since that time. It seems possible and even probable. At last with the aid of Miss Fallon, we chose our competent Scots statesman, Andrew Low, as leader of our inexperienced group; Janet Coleman next as vice president; Dorothy Clark, secretary; and William Maxson as treasurer. It was in this year also that we proudly selected our class rings. This seems, however, to be the most uneventful year that we spent here, possibly because we did not know how to make it otherwise, or possibly because we were so busy becoming acquainted with everyone and everytRing. At least I am sometimes inclined to agree with Miss Mclntire in her statement that when we first enter High School as sophomores we are very eager to study and learn, but the longer we stay the more careless and independent we become. “After a reasonably profitable summer vacation we returned to these protecting walls, ready to accomplish almost any undertaking. “Now as experienced Juniors we could look down upon and scoff at the insignificant, uninitiated children entering for the first time the sanctum sanctorum. “Our first official move was to call a class meeting, for the purpose of elect- —• ( 9 )►“

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The Senior Year Book — 1935 Jlrmiifnt’B Abirrea CITIZENS of Westerly, teachers, and students of the Westerly High School or embryo citizens—we, the Class of 1935, extend to you a most cordial welcome to our last evening of fun together, before we are numbered among the alumni of dear old W. H. S. We wish to thank you for your wonderful help in our school activities during the past three years. To our athletic teams in both defeat and victory you have been loyal. To our Senior Play, “Milestones,” some fourteen hundred of you gave your attendance, which made this play. I believe, one of the most successful, both financially and dramatically, ever staged by a graduating class. The same support was accorded the school concert which was given a few weeks ago. The taxes paid by the people of this town for the support of their public schools make it possible for Westerly to have a school system second to none in the State. For all these evidences of your interest in our education, we again express our appreciation. To our teachers we extend our most sincere thanks and congratulations for their patient and willing guidance which has led us through these turbulent years. Many of our number will continue their education in higher schools, colleges, and universities. Some will seek employment in business or in labor. But we hope that as you may follow our careers, you will see that we meet life’s problems in a way to make you feel that your investment in us was good. In order that you may become even better acquainted with our lives and careers, you will hear our class history, written by a noted historian, which will tell you of our progress; our will, drawn up by one of Westerly’s leading lawyers, which will show you our wisdom; our prophecy, which will give you a foretaste of our future; and our gifts, which will demonstrate our amazing ingenuity. Now up with the curtain, and we will proceed with our evening’s entertainment. —Donald Graham. — 5( 8 )►-

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The Senior Year Book — 1935 ing class officers. This year we chose as our president, Genio Waters; as our vice president, we selected Helena Dunn; for secretary, we chose Jean Robertson; and for treasurer, Jennie Tassone. “Many of our class distinguished themselves this year. Roger Gould. Joseph Celestino, and Thomas Wills in football; Donald Graham and Allen Cornell in baseball; and Stephen Chernasky, Thomas Wills, and Joseph Celestino in basketball. “Sports, however, was not the only field in which our mighty class came, saw, and conquered, for Natalie Sherman and Andrew Low won first and second prizes in Prize Speaking; Helena Dunn scored first for the women and William Lamb placed second for the men in the Chemistry Contest held at Rhode Island State College; and Ethel Maines received second prize in the Martha C. Babcock Prize Essay Contest. “Following the example of the Class of '34, we omitted the customary Junior Prom, since there was still a depression. “Finally, after a busy year, our vacation arrived, and with great joy we rushed from the premises of our school for two months of play. “Yet even more joyfully we returned on one golden September morning in 1934 as the proverbial Dignified Seniors.” No longer did we stoop so low as to plague the new lot of shy Sophs. We left all that to the Juniors who had no tradition of dignity to uphold. “In order to make our last year a ‘Howling Success,’ we chose, as president of our class, Donald Graham; as vice president, Helena Dunn; as secretary, Mildred Sawyer; and as treasurer, Henry Bacon. “This last year was the busiest and most exciting of all. What with the annual Senior Play, ‘Milestones’ (which, by the way, was phenomenally successful largely due to the unfailing help of our well known and well beloved director, Jane B. Stanton, and to the outstanding acting ability of several in the cast), and preparation for graduation, our last hectic year in this protecting sanctuary ended gloriously. “One more event was to take place, however, which would forever insure our niche in Westerly’s Hall of Fame. Our Chemistry Team, for the third consecutive year, won the cup at Rhode Island State, and two of the three winners were of our class—Andrew Low, who stood first, and Joseph Gormally, second. “Our excellent baseball team was led through many victories by Donald Graham, and was made up of many of our own class. “Finally came graduation itself. How proud and important we felt, hustling hither and yon and displaying our dignified caps and gowns; yet how sad we were to think that at last we had come to the end of our happy times in this dear old school of ours. Ethel Maines was our valedictorian, and Eileen Moen our salutatorian. “We were no longer children. The next year we would all probably be out in the cold, cruel world, earning a living, or contriving fo cram more knowledge into our pitifully small craniums. At least we could be certain of one thing, we would never be quite so carefree or happy-go-lucky, for once we left the sacred portals of our dear old Alma Mater, we were no longer children but men and women and we would be expected to speak and act as such. “Now, tonight, we are gathered together again after five years of toil out of reach of the dragonlike vigil of all of our former guardians, who had kept us from rambling too far afield before we became alumni. Many of us have gone a long way toward achieving success in the careers which we have chosen for ourselves, and I wonder what one among us can deny that we are better men and women and have gone farther in life because of the helpful experience and friendships gained during those Tnemor-able three years at Westerly High School.” —Elizabeth Leon. —• ( io )►-