Westerly High School - Westlyan Yearbook (Westerly, RI)

Page 13 text:

The Senior Year Book — 1942 We started our senior year packed full of confidence and willingness to lead the school. We were no longer shy, unsure, and dependent. We had been the subjects of many pranks, sarcasms, etc., and we were now ready to set a better example than previous seniors. Our class officers were: President, Wallace Greig; vice president, Loretta Devine; secretary, Jean Graham; treasurer, Donald Miller. Some of the fellows and girls did not come back for their last year, a fact which we deeply regretted. A shining example of this is Curt Mast, who very patriotically joined the Navy in August. We had one addition to our group, Lloyd Coon, who has certainly shown us that our neighbors from the West are “regular fellows.” Our football squad did exceptionally well this year with practically a new team. ‘Cookie” Laudone, and “Duck Hunting” Saul Saila, our football heroes for three years, were both awarded sweaters for their outstanding work. Our senior class was well represented on the cross-country team by Mickey Lev-cowich and Aaron Tetlow, who came in seventh and ninth respectively in the annual Rhode Island State meet. Aaron very patriotically signed up in December lo fight the Nipponese so was not present to receive his just honors when they were being awarded, but he will long be honored for the.job he is doing now. He was, however, here long enough to see our “dear” friends from across the river beaten when they came over here. We elected Jean Graham as our leader of the Leaders’ Club. The club has been guided through all its problems by Jean’s assistance. Our annual gala senior prom lived up to all the expectations of the dancers, who waltzed and fox trotted to the rhythmic beat of Brennan-Quinn. It is reported that a good time was had by all. Our basketball team did as well as any team in the state by losing only one game, but unfortunately, due to a technicality, we had to forfeit our games. Despite this, the team, in their usual good spirit, showed the whole town that they could take it. We will long remember the high scoring of Seigal Ralls, and looking over the other stars on the team—Dino Pan-ciera, Eddie Gencarella and Mike Guarino. We are sure the next basketball team will miss these boys. It was during the winter months that there was lost to us the pride of the 12A history class, Jane Richardson; for, on January 8, she left many friends in high school to take up the career of housewife. In the annals of history, one assembly program will stand out more than any other. This was a play written by Mr. Kenyon and produced and presented by the Physics class. The audience accompanied Harold Payne, Ken Sayles, Saul Saila, Tommy Maines, and Ferdinand Comolli on a trip to Mars, a destination which was never reached. Bob Young and Jimmy Woodfield very realistically crashed the rocket ship on “Earth” with the help of tin cans, bottles, and metal fans. It was the funniest performance of any kind during the year. Due to our early graduation, many activities had to be omitted. There was no Prize Speaking or Senior Play, but we did enjoy presenting a Commencement pageant, which went over very well. We have very much enjoyed our three years at Westerly High and it is with deep regret that we leave these wonderfully exciting and memorable days. We wish to thank the faculty, principal, and alumni for the cooperation we have had from them throughout our high school career. We also hope that the next senior class will enjoy their final year as much as we have enjoyed ours. Though these learned pages may not entirely resemble Macaulay’s famous History of England in being as entertaining as the latest novel, we trust they may have informed and entertained their readers. —■St 9 ►- RODMAN GREENE PAUL TATE ARLENE CHURCH

Page 12 text:

The Senior Year Book — 1942 Class History We, the three eminent historians who have been chosen to compile your class history, have taken as our model the great English historian, Macaulay. Like him, we have delved painstakingly into the archives of our particular field, the history of the Westerly Senior High School, Westerly, Rhode Island, class of 1942. We have used his plans, his careful methods, his industry, and his regard for details. We, too, are fond of making heroes and have tried to make both our characters, and scenes as vivid as possible. Moreover, we have endeavored to employ an attractive style and to hold the attention of our readers. Perhaps, too, like Macaulay, we have had a slight tendency to exaggeration, thinking with him that “the best portraits are perhaps those in which there is a slight mixture of caricatures and the best histories are those in which a little of the exaggeration of fictitious narrative is judiciously employed. Something is lost in accuracy, but much is gained in effect.” In short, we have endeavored to keep and provide entertainment for our readers. On September 6, 1939, we, the distinguished class of 1942, entered this imposing edifice as sophomores, feeling proud to be at last in a real high school but at the same time rather shy and timid. Early in September, we held our first class meeting under the jurisdiction of Miss Dolan, our faculty advisor, who helped us at every opportunity. We needed every available aid (because we were at the mercy of the superior upper classes who played all sorts of pranks on us. We elected Wallace Greig, president; Loretta Devine, secretary; Michael Gua-rino, vice president; Saul Saila treasurer. Many students from our class took part in the various school activities. We were well represented on the Senior Board and Student Council, in the Leaders’ Club, and in all kinds of sports. Our outstanding representatives in the Leaders’ Club were Jane Richardson, Gertrude Schwabe, Jane Nestor, Margaret Saunders, and Carolyn Crandall. Genevieve Dubiel won first prize in the Prize Speaking Contest, an achievement for the girls to be proud of as never before has a sophomore received this honor. Her popular selection was Stephen Lee-cock’s “Mrs. Iderdown Roughs It in the Bush.” We came back in the fall of 1940 as juniors, more confident and very much more active. Our officers were: President, Wallace Greig; vice president, Loretta Devine; secretary, Jean Graham ; treasurer, Donald Miller. Although Donald Miller made every attempt possible to collect enough dues for a junior prom, he was unsuccessful. Anyway, by having no prom, we displayed our progressive spirit, and since that occasion, we have prided ourselves on breaking numerous traditions. During the junior year we had many students who were highly outstanding in their work, especially in the art of oration. Lily Tamer with Edna St. Vincent Millay’s “Blue Flag in the Bog,” won first prize in the Prize Speaking Contest, thus bringing added glory to our class. We had winners in other fields, also. Thomas Maines received third prize in the Martha C. Babcock Essay Contest writing on “The Importance of Education in a Democracy,” and Genevieve Dubiel third prize in the B. P. 0. E. Essay Contest on “What Uncle Sam Means to Me.” Many of our class members in chorus and glee club took part in the Providence Chorus. Thus time passed rapidly and before we realized it, we were ready to enter the gateway leading to the senior year. As far as history goes, we seniors have been thrust into the “Speeding Up” process of everything during the crisis. Consequently, we are the first class to graduate at night, and at an early date in the year.

Page 14 text:

The Senior Year Book — 1942 Class Prophecy Boom, bang, crash, smash? ! () ! ! ! ? ? ? (short period of silence). FERD—Well--------here we are on the moon and it’s still May 28, 1952, the same day we started from the Earth. Our rocket ship certainly performed as expected, including the crash landing. The clever inventors, Jesse James, John Tus-cano, and Ethel Whiteley, certainly deserve credit; our only criticism being Ethel’s inexperience at making springs. Boy, oh boy! What a landing! IRENE—Well, at least we’re not hurt. Let’s see if our super-duper atomic telescope, constructed especially for the expedition by Robert Young and Harold Payne, has escaped damage. BOB—Oh, don’t worry, it was made of that extraordinary non-effervescing metal compounded by our ingenious chemists, Eleanor Narciso and Rodman Greene. This being the tenth anniversary of our graduation from our Alma Mater, why not investigate the earth with our telescope and determine what our classmates are doing with their lives? FERD—An excellent idea—is it focused on Westerly? What can you see, Bob? BOB—What do I see? Well, if it isn’t George Cottrell, still reading magazines while working as president of the Mermaids’ Bathing Toggery. Under his employ are Mary Wolstencroft and Rita Feli-cetti as head designers. IRENE—Let me have a turn. You haven’t a monopoly on it, have,you? Oh, there’s Bernice Turnbull writing a history of the United States and correcting errors in the Hayes and Moon textbook Now I see Peggy Saunders and Mary Fin-ster running the Rollerdrome skating rink. Doris Field and Minnie Loughborough are in Woolworth’s doing more giggling than work. It’s quite dark in the United but I see that Helen Piccolo and Marion Sil-vestri are still with the fleet. FERD—How about my turn? I see that Jimmy Woodfield and Wilwyn Simmons are grave diggers, and still playing with skeletons. Wally Greig is president of the Westerly Town Council with Rose Sammataro, Walter Gardner, and Frank Capalbo as fellow members. Well, if Roy Knight and Frances Gorskoski aren’t still struggling to get to work on time for the N. Y., N. H., Hartford R. R. as timekeepers. Take a look. Bob. BOB—Gene Rose and Connie Wright are now a professional dancing team entertaining and instructing at Vars Brothers. And there’s Libby Zonfrillo, still the glamour girl of Ashaway, putting on the dabs of whipped cream for the soda fountain customers. Rose Paterno, Kathleen Cercena, and Angeanette Fusaro are now in the business of “Advice to the Lovelorn, some of their special customers being Caroline Wilbar, Eugene Notkin, Carolyn Crandall, and Warren Brown. IRENE—There are Jean Graham as our girls’ gym instructor and Nordino Pan-ciera as basketball coach. Look, Mike Gua-rino and Ed Gencarelli are co-coaches of Stonington. Just as one would expect, it takes two former W. H. S. boys to teach Stonington basketball. FERD—Why, there’s Blanche Y’ezina in charge of Westerly Library with Eleanor Howard as one of her assistants. Let’s turn to some other section. We must have exhausted Westerly. BOB—Okay—It's focused on New York now. Eddie Tourtellotte is playing for the New York Yankees but he can’t seem to strike out Cookie Laudone, the “Home Run King.” Look who’s modeling for I. J. Fox Furs Studio—Sally Archie and Chick Grispino! At the Empire Theatre Lloyd Coon and Lily Tamer are playing the tyrant Macbeth and “his fiendlike Queen. ’ I see Gerard Nardone and Gertrude Schwabe as leading stars in the Metropolitan Opera. They are the world’s most famous Isolde and Tristram. IRENE—Let’s look in on Hollywood with our telescope. Genevieve Dubiel has just succeeded in getting her scenario accepted by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer — S( io )■ -