Windsor Locks High School - Herald Yearbook (Windsor Locks, CT)

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20 THE HIGH SCHOOL HERALD SHORT STORIES THE FINAL REWARD The sergeant paced back and forth before the six men. Every few steps he would pause to praise some man in the line. They were his men, and they had come all the way from the United States here to Guadalcanal with him. It had been rather tough at first to convince them that following directions was absolutely necessary no matter what they thought should be done. They had taken streaks of pig-headedness, but then so had the sergeant. Now was the time to give them their reward for passing the final test. Shanton, you did a great job with that Jap sniper. It would have been too bad for Colonel Whipe if you hadn’t seen him.’’ Raymonds, Edwards, and Popolis — you three’ll get medals for getting rid of that machine gun nest. Rachowski, you and Friedman saved my life. I’ll never forget that. Here the sergeant stopped to wipe a tear from his eye — no it was not a tear just a cinder. Men, today you proved that you are marines. The jobs you six did today will probably not be told to the world, but I’ll always remember. I want to say that I am proud of you. Then he turned to a corporal standing a short distance away and said, Okay, Corporal, you can bury them now. Geraldine Cagnulari, ’45. A CLOSE SHAVE Private Joe Scalio wrung out the towel he had just placed in ho t water. It was his custom always to have hot water for an officer’s shave. As he placed the towel over the man in the chair, his victim squirmed. Joe whistled and watched his buddies as they mopped their brows and swung at flies on this hot Italian day, but all the time they were surveying his rude barber shop with keen interest. Joe mixed the lather and said to his customer, Hot, ain’t it. General? His customer grunted. But it was hotter in the hills, Joe said. The General spluttered lather, and wiped his mouth with the sheet covering him. Then Joe adjusted the bib tightly ■— perhaps a little too tight. Yes sir, said Joe, I’ve shaved majors and colonels many times but never a general before. I’ll have to write home about this. Colonel Benson, my highest customer, always is in a hurry. He always brings his officers and talks strategies. The general grunted and showed he was unimpressed. While Joe rubbed the lather on his face, he said, In fact. I’ve learned a lot about strategy. Especially up in the hills yesterday-.’’ The General protested, but Joe grabbed his razor and started shaving. Accidentally the razor struck at his throat. Relax, General, he said. His buddies burst in about this time and said, How long is it going to take? So it was a mistake, Joe shouted. Now if I slipped and cut you, one man would be dead — and a general at that. But when a general makes a mistake, many CN CN Page

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THE HIGH SCHOOL HERALD 19 have a tendency to get scarce. Thus the reason for rationing and setting of ceiling prices on various articles is to make sure that everybody gets the necessary com¬ modities for decent living. The problem of farm help is also serious. Many women are willing to go to the factories to work, but they do not like the idea of going out and doing farm work. This country has to produce more food this year than ever before. Conse¬ quently I think that the draft boards had better watch out and consider the men who are essential to farm work, or there will be no experienced young farmers left to work the land. The best thing and the only thing for the people on the home front is to cooperate with the government. We must remember that many of our young men who are close and dear to us have gone off, and left their good jobs and social life to fight and preserve our rights at home. Thus it is our duty to guard the home front. There is an old saying that goes like this, If we do not hang together, we will all hang separately, and it certainly applies to the situation today. Therefore let us all get together now and buy all the war stamps and bonds that we possibly can and back the war in this way. Theodore Pyznar ' 44. SPECTATOR — 1944 Last week, I was sitting in a car on the Main Street of our town waiting for my companion. I watched the people going by — people I have known all my life; but they assumed different forms and shapes in my imagination. It put me in mind of the Spectator Papers, which we were reading in school, and I found that some of the well-known characters were living right in our town. As I recalled some of these characters, Tom Touchy passed by. His shoulders drooped and he glared at the whole world suspiciously. His mouth was an inverted U, down at the corners. I had a mental picture of him, arguing with his neighbor about where his property ended and where his neighbor’s began. Following Tom Touchy was John Matthews, described in A Sunday At Sir Roger s. Instead of kicking the church pews to amuse himself, he was writing on every building he passed. He reminded me of the old saying, Fool’s names and fool’s faces, Are always found in public places. A group of five diverted my attention from John Matthews by their general air of confusion. The high school crowd — the modern version of the picts and dandies of Queen Anne’s period — taking life as it comes, their chief problem being, What excuse can I give Miss Browning this time for not doing my algebra? I’ll bet those books carried so carelessly on their hips weren’t opened for home¬ work, either. Sir Roger walked along behind these high-schoolers shaking his head at them. His clothes were neat, but about two years behind the times. His silver head was bare, and he had the air of someone used to being listened to. He was a little nettled at the youngsters because they disregarded him entirely. I was startled by my companion who had just returned, and without thinking, I said, Sir Roger just walked by.” Then realizing what I had said, I laughingly explained my queer statement to my friend, whose look of confusion vanished into one of amusement, and to this day I am teased with, ”How ' is Sir Roger Today? Jacqueline Cousineau, ’45. CN Page

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THE HIGH SCHOOL HERALD 21 men are killed.” The General twitched nervously. Joe said, ' Ju st one mistake. I went up to the hills yesterday and saw my Uncle Luigi shot through the head in his best bed. He was one of your mistakes.” His family was too poor to burn a candle for him. You put a field gun in his house, and when he argued, your men shot him.”. The General moaned. Joe smiled and showed his teeth. It was a terrible smile. Joe continued as the razor whizzed over the throat, Just one mistake. If I slipped, you ' d be dead.” At that moment his buddy called, Come on, Scalio, Colonel Benson wants this Nazi for cjuestioning. Get him out fast. That ' s orders.” (). K.,” said Joe, but you’ll have to carry him out, boys — he’s fainted.” Louis Preli, ’45. CLASS WHO’S WHO -Most sophisticated girl ——--Shyest girl -Class giggler --Quietest boy --Best dresser --—..Sweetest girl ---Most petite girl -Prettiest girl ..—.-Most active girl ----Neatest girl — .—.Most popular girl —.Most pleasing personality .-.-Most mischievous boy .Most popular boy -Quietest girl -Girl most likely to succeed ..-.Bashful boy of the class -Class athlete ..Most talkative girl --Class co-ed -Most talkative boy -Hardest worker ..Most attentive girl --Class musician Girl who receives the most mail Girl with the nicest complexion - .-Most serious boy - Most cooperative -Best dancer ..Most serious girl -Class dreamer .—--Most carefree -Class Prince Charming -Girl with prettiest hair -Jolliest girl Gloria Bruni Sylvia Bologna . Clarissa Williams Harold Firtion Robert Dowd Mary Lou Gallerani Laura Olivera Teresa Magleora Rosemarie Taravella.. Ann Mobiglia. Kathleen Secor Margaret Antonacci.. Saul Goldfarb Albert Holmes Mildred MacAuley Kathryn Silk... Richard Sluzinski Walter Andrik Irene Sibulkin Thomasine White Ernest Rossi Theodore Pyznar. Eufrasina Colo.. Justine Sedar Helen Murokwicz. Doris Quagliorali. Lawrence Balbi Bernard Kulas Frances Niemitz. Dorothy Christian Teresa Iskrzak.. Julia Zimowski Robert Asselin Julia Kuczynski Cynthia Clark CO CM Page