Westerly High School - Westlyan Yearbook (Westerly, RI)

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The Senior Year Book — 1941 pectedly with his mother and father, Priscilla Holman and Edward Burdick. The haughty Kirbys realize—due to Grandpa, Robert Young — that money isn’t the only thing in the world and that “You Can’t Take It With You.” Penny Sycamore, played by Hope Smith, writes plays because of the fact that a typewriter was delivered to the house by mistake eight years before. Her husband, Paul, played by Kenneth Astill, is a producer of fireworks, and is assisted by Mr. DePinna, played by Eugene Ferraro. Amusement is derived from Essie, Harriet Babcock, who is supposed to be a ballet dancer, but is really more of a farce than an artist. She interprets her art to her husband, Ed, played by Patsy Cappuccio, who in turn is an interpreter of Beethoven on the xylophone. Boris Kolenkhov, Stanley Gould, who is a typical Russian in opinion and speech, is Essie’s instructor. He is adept at wrestling as Mr. Kirby finds to his sorrow. Royalty is introduced when Olga Katrina, Duchess of Russia, played by Barbara Lownds, comes to dinner and surprises the family when she asks to be permitted to cook Russian blintzes. The two colored servants, Jane Robinson and Michael Spezzano, contribute additional hilarity. The three G-men, Ralph Nardone, Lome MacLean, and Herbert Strong, interpret their comical measures of the long arm of the law when they appear in the second act. Altogether, the play was as much enjoyed by the audience as it was by the actors who took great pains to follow the directions of David Crockett, our director. The business management class certainly proved their mastery of the course—witn Ralph Nardone as General Manager, assisted by William Borsay and Margaret Turco; thomas Reilly as Sales Manager, Lome MacLean as Publicity Manager, Walter Palmer and Clinton Lanphere as Accountants. These people made this play a financial success. Applause is also due the two super-sales students, Marion Anderson and Robert Hyde, who sold a combined total of over 170 tickets. The Senior Class of 1941 has a larger percentage of members in the Rhode Island Honor Society than has been attained by any preceding class. The following Seniors made the roll: Normand Andrews, Kenneth Astill, Mary Baird, Walter Bres-sette, Phyllis Brown, Edward Burdick, Hannah Clapham, Helen Coy, Rebecca Curtis, Edith Dinwoodie, Richard Donati, Fred Ennis, Angeline Falcone, Eugene Ferraro, Stanley Gould, Douglas Graham, Anastasia Grossomanides, Adolph Jursa, Anne Murano, Eleanor Neville, Roma Palmer, Marion Pendleton, James Pignataro, Doris Rathbone. Louis Rosso, Hope Smith, Herbert Strong, Margaret Turco, Josephine Vuono, and James Wilson. We have received both profit and enjoyment from our three years in Westerly High, and it is with regret that we bring to a close our last year as students here. Historians HELEN COY HARRIET BABCOCK RALPH NARDONE 49 - THE LIBRARY

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The Senior Year Book — 1941 OJlasB Sjiatonj Under the guidance of Miss Sturte-vant, we, as Sophomores, commenced our three years as high school students. Nor-mand Andrews was elected president, a position which he held for all three years. Many showed interest and ability in athletics by their participation in varsity sports. The Leaders’ Club was formed during our Sophomore year, and we were the first class to enjoy its privileges throughout our high school career. Dorothy Stoppello won the girls’ prize speaking contest. In our Junior year several members of the class served on the board of the “Senior.” Under the persuasive tongue of Douglas Graham we, as Juniors, managed to gather enough class dues to swing a successful Junior Prom. The gymnasium was quaintly decorated as a Dutch Garden. The Juniors played an important role in the athletic successes of the year. Those on the varsity football team were John Stellitano, Joseph Capalbo, Frank Gencarelli, Benjamin Servideo, Isaac Smith, and Stanley Russell. On the Class B championship basketball team there were Harold Miner, Walter Bressette, and John Stellitano. On the Class B championship cross-country team were Robert Schilke, Douglas Graham, and Paul Algiere. In baseball our Class B champions included Walter Bressette, John Stellitano, Stanley Russell, Joseph Capalbo. Bernard Barber, and Arthur Han-nuksela. On the track team were Edward Burdick, Robert Schilke, Isaac Smith, Michael Spezzano, Patsy Cap-puccio, Frank Gencarelli, Nicholas Vu-ono, and Herbert Strong. The Juniors were also outstanding in the Prize-Speaking Contest, Robert Young winning first prize and James Pig-nataro, second. The Hi-Y Cup was awarded to Douglas Graham. Louis Rosso won the Italian award. Our classmates proved their outstand- ing ability in chemistry by returning from the state chemistry contest with the highest award. Kenneth Astill won first prize for the boys and Phyllis Brown first prize for the girls. Herbert Strong, Eugene Ferraro, and Stanley Gould are the other members who were congratulated on the fine showing made at this contest. In June, we honored the departing Seniors with a grand reception in the Ward gymnasium. In September of 1940, the erstwhile Juniors returned as Seniors, fully realizing the responsibilities which their age and dignity incurred. Our football team, under the captainship of John Stellitano, managed to defeat Stonington for the first time in several years. For our Senior Prom we manifested the traditional Halloween spirit in a ghostly setting of skeletons, pumpkins, and cornstalks. The Leaders' Club was ably headed by Constance Harvey, with Helen Coy as chairman of the Social Committee and Ethel Fulford as chairman of the Ways and Means Committee. For the second year in succession, our team, captained by Miner and Bressette, won the Class B championship in basketball. Enthusiastic supporters of the team honored them with a trip to the New England tournament at Manchester, New Hampshire. In April of this year, the most popular event of the school’s theatrical calendar, the Senior Play, was presented. “You Can’t Take It With You” proved to be the most successful play ever given by the high school. The Broadway show is the story of an unconventional family: the Sycamores. Alice, ably portrayed by Constance Harvey, the only sensible member of the family, falls in love with her boss’s son, Tony Kirby, who is played by Dick Donati. Havoc runs wild in Alice’s home when Tony arrives unex- -«5( 8

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The Senior Year Book — 1941 (Clans flraplu'qi (Stage is bare except for a huge sign reading: “Reunion of Class of 1941 to be held today.” Normand Andrews comes out in swallow-tail coat, black tie, and striped trousers, looks nervously around, fingers his tie, looks about with a worried air, shrugs his shoulders, and goes off. Voices are heard off-stage as the curtains are pulled so that only enough space remains for one person to be seen.) JIMMY—Say, Norm, aren’t you going to give your speech now? It’s way past time for the reunion exercises. NORM—Yes, I suppose so. (Walks in and is seen right in center of curtain with back to audience.) NORM — Friends, and fellow-classmates, it gives me great pleasure, as the president of the Class of ’41, to welcome you back to our Alma Mater, Westerly High School. Since we parted ten years ago, many things have happened. Why, just yesterday I read about Bob Logan’s fight with Joe Louis. Er—Bob was unable to be present today. (At this time there is a horrible explosion. Normand jumps.) NORM (composing himself)—It’s all right folks, Bob Young got into the Chem Lab again. You’d think he’d get enough of chemistry teaching it every day up here. We have quite a crop of our graduates up here teaching, haven’t we? There is Louis Rosso—rolling his R’s around teaching Italian (he has recently been made head of the department), to say nothing of “Kit” Cayer, who is having a grand time showing the kiddies how to play games in the gym; then there is Marion Pendleton, who is patiently wrestling with English verbs and pronouns; and Bert LaPere tossing x’s and y’s around in the Algebra class; Jo Vuono is over at Elm Street (not as a student you understand), and since the growth of our high school, we have instituted a course in horse-back riding, ably taught by Mary Jo Fiddes. This year a championship basketball team was coached by Hal Miner, and Stonington High lassies have Marie Edmonds for their gvm instructor. Now, dear classmates, that I have welcomed you back to good old Westerly High, you can get together and talk over old times. (Curtain opens wide. There are several rows of seats, but only one person is seen in back, who proves to be Jimmy Pignataro.) JIM—When do we eat? NORM—Now that I have finished my speech, Jimmy, perhaps you can tell me what happened to the rest of the class? JIM—Well, let’s see. (He looks out the window.) Ah! There’s Nick Vuono mowing the lawn, looking as if he were enjoying himself immensely riding around in a power lawn-mower. Sal Trebisacci has been detained, as he has just been promoted to director of foreign translations at the Curtiss Publishing Company. GEORGE (swaggers onto the stage)— Well, here I am, folks. (Applause by Jimmy.) JIM—How’s the election coming along, “Smut?” GEORGE—Swell! Have a cigar. You can brag to your grandchildren about knowing Shannock’s first-rate dog catcher. My mother always said I’d be President or hold some similar office some day. And here I am running for a third term. (Proudly struts across the stage.) BOBBY (enters)—You better tend to your business, “Smut.” (Dog runs across stage. George leaps after him.) JIM—Where is the rest of the class? BOBBY — They’re coming eventually. They were lured into Vars’ by Eggie Ec-cleston who was going to town on a quart of ice cream, since the manager was out. Eileen Spencer, who is a waitress there now, was doing the urging. Then, over at the Coffee Shop, Becky Curtis, Minnie Bliven, and Connie Durfee were wearing out shoe leather waiting on customers who demanded the famous buns made by this trio. Lucy Leonetti is the cashier for the Coffee Shop and threatens to go on strike if they don’t allow her all the coffee and buns she can carry home. Lois Johnson, who is now a beautician at Doris Rathbone’s Cinderella Beauty —•Sf io }s —