Westerly High School - Westlyan Yearbook (Westerly, RI)

Page 14 text:

The Senior Year Book — 1950 “PASSING IN REVIEW” (The movie review from the “Quiggsville Times”) The current attraction at the Bijou is that long awaited production The Fleeting Years” which is the graphic portrayal of the events and activities of the Class of 1950 of Ward Senior High School. Produced by Mr. Charles Mason and directed by Mrs. Kathryn Moore, it presents a lucid, interesting picture of the three years of “blood, sweat, and tears” experienced by the most recent graduates from Westerly. The story opens in September of 1947 with fanfare, glamour, and pageantry as nigh on to two hundred hopeful, eager, but somewhat timid faces climb the front steps of Ward High for the first of numerous times. This group presents somewhat of a parodox, since by sheer number they exhibit apparent confidence, but behind this display of assurance lies that ever present sophomore inferiority complex. The film wisely avoids those first few days of doubt and confusion, which all new classes experience, and passes on to show us this same group, now fully oriented, engaging in the daily grind of school plus the extra curricula joys. As the camera shifts to Craig Field, we see Mark Sullivan, Frank Urso, Pat Cimalore, Bill Reynolds, Joe Morrone, and Stan Laing among the sophomores taking part in the football activities. With the days rapidly passing by, politics enter the act as class elections arrive. Ronald Jursa, John Patton, Nancy Capalbo, and Lawrence Bailey emerge as class president, vice president, secretary, and treasurer respectively. The film then speeds up showing only flashbacks of the class, representatives in the band, glee clubs, and school paper. We do catch a glimpse of Sal Reale, John Patton, and Mark Sullivan, performing in the shadow of the basketball squad which took the state championship. With a few scenes devoted to baseball and golf, ths first portion of “The Fleeting Years” comes to a close. The scene is once again the front steps of Ward High. The characters, with a few minor exceptions, are the same, yet the group looks infinitely wiser and more experienced, perhaps even a little cynical, for now the Class of 1950 are juniors. This portion of the film thoroughly enthralls the viewer, for it is filled with familiar faces taking part in the sundry phases of life at Ward High. We see Sal Reale, John Patton, Nancy Capalbo, and Larry Bailey the class officers, approximately twenty juniors in our fine band, seven juniors in the twirling corps, and the numerous 1950’ers in the chorus and glee clubs. In sports, Sullivan, Silvestri, Morrone, and Urso played leading roles on the gridiron; Reale, Morenzoni, and Andrews starred in basketball.

Page 13 text:

The Senior Year Book — 1950 Class Officers 1950 President.................Lawrence Bailey Vice President .... William Ironside Treasurer..................Victor Grasso Secretary...........................Nancy Capalbo Marshal................William Gingerella President's Address We, the Class of ’50, shall leave our beloved school in a very short time. We all have waited many years in anticipation of this event, and most of us will agree the time has passed too quickly. Our graduation is marked by the turning point of the century. We have witnessed a short period of peace and a shocking world war which has left the world in utmost turmoil. We are the ones to change the ways of the new half-century —a half-century full of prejudices and conflicts, uncertainty and hate. Let us do our best to change this confusion called civilization. Doubtless some of us will go on to schools of higher education, some will learn trades, and some will not. Whatever each may do, the entire class wishes him success and happiness. We have been fortunate to welcome to the faculty this year Coach John DiGangi, who has been a great coach, teacher, and friend. We also have been happy to have Mr. Edward Morenzoni, a student-teacher, with us for the first half year. Last, but not least, we give thanks to the entire faculty for their friendship and help. Now as we leave this edifice of enchantment we bid farewell to our teachers, our classmates, and some of our closest friends and hope that we may all meet in the very near future. LAWRENCE BAILEY

Page 15 text:

Tin-: Senior Year Book — 1950 Four junior girls stepped into cheerleading roles and did a fine job in their new posts. A good length of film is devoted to the junior prom, depicting the committee meetings, the decorating, and finally the big night. It certainly is one of the highlights of the entire production, and a tribute to the people who were responsible for the prom’s success. The action continues fast and furious, and among other scenes there can be seen Rosalind Murray being awarded third prize in the Martha C. Babcock Essay Contest; Kenyon, Strong, and Jursa trying to annoy the school by emitting strange noises and odors from the chemistry laboratory; Joe Silvestri being critically injured in an automobile crash; and the juniors reviving the “Barker” by publishing a June issue. Such was the junior year with all its joys and thrills, and thus ends the second portion of “The Fleeting Years.” It’s the homestretch, as some people would say, and our film turns to the final year in Ward High for the Class of '50. Larry Bailey plays a leading role in this section of the film as he is elected class president after two years of service as class treasurer. Captain Pat Cimalore, Joe Morrone, Butch” Geyer, Ernie Sposato, and Frank Urso appear as the core of the football team which conquers Stonington twice for the first time in many years. Crowding (that’s putting it mildly) the boys for honors is the new coach, John DiGangi, whom the class can never forget. Still in the midst of the football season, the senior prom takes the screen. What a spectacular scene with the largest crowd ever to attend a school prom in attendance! The camera then shifts to basketball and we see Captain Sal Reale, Ed Morenzoni, and Lev Andrews doing their part in bringing about another class B championship to Westerly. As the second semester rolls around, we near the climax of the film which now presents the yearbook staff engrossed in their publication, the baseball, track, and golf teams in action, the announcement of awards and prizes, and the final hectic week before graduation. In baseball. Captain Bill Gingerella, “Butch” Geyer, and Ronnie Gardiner are the standouts, while in golf Vic Grasso and Ed Morenzoni were the senior participants. The D. A. R. good citizenship award was won by Nancy Capalbo. The highly successful senior play, “Dear Ruth,” is featured at this time also. Following this we see those wonderful times at the class picnic, the banquet, and the senior reception. And then the grand finale, the night of graduation. Thus ends “The Fleeting Years,” the story of the Class of 1950. It is not an exceptional film, it will not win any outstanding awards, but it is an interesting, entertaining production, and there is an undercurrent of class spirit and pride which the viewer cannot fail to discover. While only the highlights of the class history are shown, it is not difficult to imagine the joys, experiences, and memories which the class will never forget. Whether any of the cast go on to fame and great success only time can tell. The true worth of the actors as a group is hidden in the future. The minor, unnoticed acts which they shall perform in the hazy future will be the result of the experience they gained in “The Fleeting Years.” In closing, may I suggest that the undergraduates of Ward High take time to study “The Fleeting Years.” Where the Class of '50 has succeeded, may you follow in its footsteps; where it has failed, may you profit from its mistakes, and from the Class of 1950, “Ave atque Vale!” RONALD JURSA RONALD JURSA Valedictorian — 1— ROBERTA WILCOX Salutatorian