Westerly High School - Westlyan Yearbook (Westerly, RI)

Page 9 text:

The Senior Year Book — 1947 the sophs were represented by outstanding players like Bressette, Siciliano, Bookataub, Panciera, ami DeRocco. Now it came time for basketball. The sophs couldn’t be kept in the dark. We showed up with Al Siciliano and Ray Bressette doing extra fine jobs on the court. Evidently Mr. Valentine had heard of our many talents, including music. For the operetta Waltz Dream’ he chose Jayne Bradshaw, Tom Abraham, Carl Greene, Andy DeRocco, Margaret Lamb, and Barbara Slattery to play among the leads. Again as sophs we came through on top as our great orators, Thomas Abraham and Clifford Duhamel, won first and second prizes in the annual prize speaking contest. It was quite obvious that we were to become a very sporty class. The baseball team used such sophs as Bookataub, DeRocco, Dave Greene, Murphy, Panciera, and Siciliano for subs. Not only did we have many soph players, but the manager was a sophomore—no other than Frank Petrone. At length, June rolled around, bringing to a close our dearly cherished “green year.” The following September found most of us returning as juniors. At this time we welcomed in many students from Ashaway and Hope Valley. Again, for officers we chose a decidedly capable staff. Al Comolli was President; Peck Panciera, Vice President; Marjory Hill, Secretary; Eddie Crandall, Treasurer. That year we had a champion football team with such outstanding players as Panciera. Bookataub, Bressette, Murphy, Siciliano, and Smith. They were well supported by our peppy cheerleaders, among whom were Elly Tougas, Peggy Baker, Trudy Stevens, Laura Finizio, Irene Spo-sato. Esther Ricci, Dot Pignataro, and Helen DePerry. Before we knew it, the basketball season was here again. Bressette, Siciliano, Bookataub, and Murphy turned in stellar performances. No sooner had we put away our basketballs than baseballs began to fly over the wires. Beau-dreau, Panciera, Russo, Murphy, and Bookataub became pretty good “sluggers” under the management of Petrone.. Marion Burdick, our studious classmate, won third prize in the Martha C. Babcock Essay Contest. The outstanding social event of the year was our Junior Prom. A fine committee decorated the gym in the traditional spring theme and put forth their best efforts to make it a great success. As Caesar warned, “Tempus fugit,” and June was upon us before we realized it. We had struggled through the hardest year and were now prepared to “rule. September ’46 was the time that we as sophs had hoped for. Now w'e were the high and mighty seniors who could march into the auditorium (jaws working vigorously) and not be carried in by the throngs of “inferior beings.” During this year the Westerly High School Band was inaugurated under the direction of Mr. Silverman. Also, a tw’irling corps was established with Florence Priore as instructor and head majorette. Officers to guide us through our most dutiful year ware Ira Murphy, President; Gloria Ca-palbo, Vice President; Stella Trombino, Secretary; Barbara Bailey, Treasurer; and they all did a beautiful job. Of this class, the “Barker” was born. Trudy Stevens was the clever editor, competently assisted by Carol Coduri. In the fall we held our Senior Prom. A very profitable event, it was planned and supported by a truly cooperative committee. The football season again got well under way in a short time. Westerly gained Class B Championship and beat Stonington twice. Our cheering section was kept alive by the untiring efforts of Peggy Baker, Trudy Stevens, Linda Wilson, Laura Finizio, Helen DePerry, Marie Misisco, Irene Sposato, Helen Hannu, Cynthia Bennett, Barbara Gilbert, and Mary Dipollina under the excellent leadership of Elbe Tougas. The basketball team played a very successful year. Class B and State Champs, victorious over Stonington twice, were a few of our many boasts. Honors go to our ever dependable Ray Bressette, Al Siciliano, and Ira Murphy, who were expertly captained by Joe Bookataub (sh-sh . . . we’ll have to admit credit will have to be shared with the juniors . . . for what w’ould we have done without Goose, Walt, Tom, Jimmy, and the others?) . Glancing back over our three memorable years spent in Westerly High and the great traditions wrhich our class has upheld and glorified, wfe, the class of ’47, sadly leave our Alma Mater, with confidence in the underclassmen to carry on and uphold the great traditions of Governor Samuel E. Ward High School. - «e{ 7 )►- ALFRED COMOLLI CLAIRE QUINLAN MARY DIPOLLINA

Page 8 text:

The Senior Year Book — 1947 President's Address Fellow Classmates and Friends: Our graduation from Westerly marks a great milestone in our young experience. It is a goal that we have striven to obtain, for the greater part of our lives. It, for some of us, means the end of our tutored education and marks the beginning of our chosen careers in life. For others it is the beginning of more and higher education. Some of us will enter higher institutions which will aid us in preparing ourselves for tomorrow’s world. For all of us education is the basic tool which we shall use in our life’s work. We are very fortunate in having had the opportunity of a high school education presented to us. It was highly dependent on persons other than ourselves, and to them we should like to extend our most grateful appreciation. To the citizens of Westerly, our parents and friends, who have made available to us our fine high school and the implements of learning and to our instructors who have put them to use, we are greatly indebted. Through their untiring and unselfish labor our dream of education has become a reality. It means much to us, and the memories of their toil for our benefit will always remain dear to us. We earnestly hope that the future will present us with an opportunity to repay them in some measure for their priceless gift of a high school education. While we have been busy with our studies, the world has become involved in a terrible state of chaos. Many momentous events have taken place. Another great war of unparalleled precedence has been fought. Many of our former classmates and friends have helped in this new triumph of good over evil. Through their heroic efforts we have been spared the horrors of warfare. They did their share nobly. The war has been won. Now the task of reconstruction lies ahead. It is a job which we, the youth of America, must help tackle. Governments must be restored, industries must again be started, and, above all, the people of the world must be brought to work together. Our turn will come in this mammoth task, and we must be ready and able to lend ourselves to it. Our education will be our key to this task, and with it we hope that we may be able to solve the most momentous problems. It seems a gigantic task; but it is one that is necessary for the future of our civilization, and it must be successful. We pray that we can help to bring about the ultimate dream of world peace and prosperity. Our years in Westerly have been years of happiness and success from the very beginning. Most notably our senior year will always remain dear to us. We have welcomed the veterans back. Some have returned to teach us, while others have come back to regain their lost education. Our social activities have been highly successful, and we shall never forget them. The athletic teams of 46-47 again enjoyed a most triumphant year; we are indeed proud to call them our own. The establishment of the school band will always stand out as an event in our senior year. It has added pep to our assemblies and athletic events and has helped to put W. H. S. in the class of the best. All in all, it has been a very wonderful year, and one to which we may all look back with great satisfaction. To the Class of ’48 we wish the best of luck in everything and hope that they may enjoy a year as successful and pleasant as ours has been. To them we leave the pleasant task of upholding the best traditions of Westerly High. —IRA MURPHY Class History Three Septembers ago, the “best class this In need of very capable leaders we chose A1 side of heaven” entered these beloved portals to Siciliano for President; A1 Comolli, Vice Presi- spend the best years of our lives. In accordance dent; Jean Breen, Secretary; Bill Mearns, Treas- with tradition, we felt a bit scared and dejected urer; all of whom proved themselves as efficient at first, but were soon put on the straight and as we had anticipated. As the days grew shorter, narrow path by our benevolent upperclassmen. football practices began to occur, and before long --i 6 )i -

Page 10 text:

The Senior Year Book — 1947 Class Will We, the executors of this last will and testament, do, after twelve Ion years of careful planning and deliberation, take it upon ourselves with heavy heart and solemn burden of duty to bequeath the following: 1. I, Trudy Stevens, leave my headaches and fun as Editor of the Barker to Joan Meyer, my worthy successor. 2. I, Ernie Crowther, do will my big blue-green eyes and dark wavy hair to any boy who can cause all the girls’ hearts to flutter as I do. 3. We, the cheerleaders, bequeath our lung power to any of the girls who can stand the strain. 4. I. Hiram Kendall, confer my precision timing on arriving at 8:20 sharp to anyone who has a watch as accurate as mine is. 5. We, Marion Burdick and Marjorie Wetzel, leave our mental capacities and abilities to the sophs who belong to the “Flunk Club. 6. I, Roger Panciera, do will my beautiful Model A to my cousin, Floyd. 7. 1, Cynthia Bennett, leave my towering stature to Isabelle Anderson, who could use a few extra inches. 8. We. Pris Holliday, Mary Cawley, and Barbara Clarke, leave the “honor” of being called Red to Loretta Weston and Robert Leeds. 9. I, Ira Murphy, bestow my position “Mayor of Ashaway” on Roland Austin. 10. We, Helen DePerry and Laura Finizio, leave our daily letter writing to no one, as we are quite capable of doing the job. 11. I, Nat Brown, confer my muscles from beating the bass drum to anyone who would like to take a Charles Atlas Course for nothing. 12. I, A1 Siciliano, do leave my faculty to irritate Coach Federico to Walt Nigrelli, who seems to be doing a competent job of it already. 13. We, Andy DeRocco and Russell Holland, leave our dirty equipment from our experiments in the lab to Bernard Mathews, who, we hope, is good at washing dishes and cleaning up. 14. We, Esther Ricci and Jane Ashworth, bestow our efficiency in athletics on Elly Heyder and Doris Simpson. 15. I, Carl Greene, leave my reckless driv- ing habits to Charlie Cunliffe, who, incidentally, has a few of his own. 16. I, Tom Fanning, leave my ability to put over a point very dramatically (and humorously) to Eugene Wright, whose noisy chatter is com monly heard along the corridors. (Are we kidding?) 17. I, Eddie Crandall, leave my idiomatic speech (“that there!”) to anyone not minding the scoldings from the English teachers. 18. I, Joe Bookataub, bestow my athletic ability in all sports on any boy who doesn’t mind Charley horses and broken bones. 19. We, Phyllis Scott and Jean Breen, leave our hangout,” the art room, to Owen Scott and Ted Tamer. 20. I. John Biswurm, leave my curly locks to Jimmy Lamb, who could use a little more hair. 21. I, Ray Bressette, leave my loquacity (ahem!) with Miss Kingsley in English class to anyone who can talk with her as long as I can. 22. We, Mary Pellegrino, Barbara Slattery, and Claire Quinlan, leave our giggling and foolish behavior to three chums who have had as much fun in school as we have had. 23. I, Erastus Benn, leave my bashfulness amongst girls to that coy junior, Eddie Murphy. 24. We, Walter Barrus, John Crandall, and Dick Palmer, bequeath our racket with Mr. Sherman to John Fraser, Mike Gardella, and Gordon Burrell, those up and coming farm-hands. 25. I, A1 Comolli, do hereby bequeath my bulging biceps to Jackie Harrison, the aspiring junior. 26. We, the Salesmanship Class, confer our frequent “business” trips down street to future commercial girls, hoping they rush right back to school as we always did! 27. We, Ted Cercena and David Greene, leave our hard (?) jobs in the auditorium to Russell Avery, who seems to have caught on already. 28. I, Les Grinnell, do will my talents with a pen to Richard Heinhold, who is taking after his brother in the mechanical drawing room. 29. I, Bill Mearns, leave my wise answers in English Class to Ian St. Clair, that wise young fellow of ’48.