Winooski High School - Carillon Yearbook (Winooski, VT)

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And now we come to the Fourth and greatest year in the history of the class. They automatically (as was the custom in many things), became Seniors in September. With the gaining of this title, they began to take themselves more seriously than ever before. And when I say “seriously,” I mean, seri- ously!” As the year drew to a close they were positively dizzy with dignity. All this-was looked upon with friendly amusement by the teacher-explorers, who re- garded the result of their four years of hard labor with rightful pride. They had con- verted a band of ignorant, untamed abori- gines into intelligent, courteous citizens of their great school, and had lost only the usual proportion in the process. Better yet, they had found that for which they had been searching so eagerly, a genius—in fact, several of them: and all of the class were passable. The organization of the Senior class was noteworthy, the following list of officers being in charge: President, Edmund St. Peter; Vice-President, Harry Whittemore; Secretary, Charlotte Barbeau: Treasurer, Thomas Sulli- van. The social events were of marked bril- liance. Those most worthy of note were as follows: The Harvest Moon Dance, Valen- tine Dance. The Sociology class also went on a trip to Montreal and visited all the im- portant places in the large city. A number of Seniors gained unusual dis- tinction during the year, and their names ap- peared on the honor rolls. A class song, a class will, and a class motto were adopted and used on every possible oc- casion, to the despair and annoyance of all other members of the school. But it was deemed advisable for the sake of peace for the class to ignore them as far as possible. At the expiration of the four years, the principal expressed himself as greatly pleased with the additions to his country and pro- nounced them all highly eligible for admis- sion as citizens. He praised the work of the explorers and predicted that their names, with those of their discoveries, would be written in history together. By way of appropriate celebration, a strange ceremony, known as Commencement, was held. Speeches were made, for no par- ticular reason: songs were sung, including the aforementioned class song; and scrolls called diplomas—from the Iroquois word “diplomacy,” signifying the skill and finesse it took to get one—were given to the Seniors, and a good time was enjoyed by all. Settlement This next period, settlement, is not so easy to describe. In these rapid and disturb- ing times, nothing remains settled for long, but it appears that the Seniors were urged to stay in this country to which they remained to be explored and are now ready to be settled. They have all chosen their vocations. Each is destined to become famous and honored throughout the land. Among them are the lawyers, doctors, artists, musicians, great business minds, philanthropists and what-have-you's of the coming years. We hope that among their number are also those who are destined to become discoverers and explorers of young and eager minds, which await training for citizenship and life in our great country. Appendix I It has been suggested by our best friends and severest critics that the form of this history is ambiguous, if not misleading. They say it should have been written the way it really happened: the pupils discovered the school, explored its vast resources, and settled there for four years of hard work, after which they moved on to greater things. But we say it is our history and we wrote it to suit ourselves. Appendix II It may be that we have erred on the side of restraint in writing this history. So we take the opportunity to say now that in our far from humble opinion, the class of 1947 is the most brilliant and attractive of any class known to history and will be always remembered by the faculty of the Winooski High School and the people of the town as that wonderful class of 1947.” Theresa Sansoucy. — 28 —

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Thanksgiving they had become familiar with the topography of the school building and were often in the right place at the right time. They were permitted to form an organiza- tion of their own, and elected the following officers, all of whom fulfilled their duties well: President, Leonard Barron; Vice-Presi- dent, Charlotte Villemaire: Secretary, Pauline Laferriere: Treasurer, Thomas Sullivan. The Freshmen became interested in a new exercise called basketball. They suffered much agony and despair during this period because of the social func- tions which they were required to attend in order to acquire poise and dignity. The male Freshmen in particular found the dances tor- ture, but the females enjoyed them greatly. In time, however, these functions became festive occasions for all. Much information was gained by the ex- ploring faculty in this first year regarding the members of the Freshman class. Their intel- lects were found to vary in keenness from sponges to razors: but, on the whole, they turned out to be very satisfactory, and some were a source of great joy to their explorers. Already some of the Freshmen were showing signs of unusual ability in various fields, such as athletics, music, and art. At the end of the year, a terrible disaster befell the Freshmen. Although it was insti- gated by their benevolent faculty and in- tended to prove of lasting benefit to them, they suffered greatly. Many had their growth retarded a year by it and a few, permanently disabled, left the Freshman class forever. This disaster was called Final Examinations, and ranks as one of the worst massacres of the time. The most important social activity that year was a Civics Club meeting to which we were all invited. Games were played and re- freshments were enjoyed by all. With the coming of the next September, they received a new name. Because of their skill in acquiring the customs of the school, they were renamed Sophomores, and the process was called by a native name. “Promo- tion.” And now a strange thing happened. Re- membering the scorn with which they had been regarded the previous year, they now adopted the same attitude toward the incom- ing strangers who took their places as Fresh- men. The routine of the classroom was now familiar and they found studying easier than before. The talents discovered the previous year were developing rapidly, and the explor- ing teachers found much to please them, but also much to astonish them. Rushing for- ward into the fastnesses of the Sophomore mind, they found strange things. The most bewildering thing to the ex- plorers was the complete absence of what they had confidently expected to find. Instead of the intellectual gold mines, the purple plains of fancy that they had hoped to see, they found vast, arid spaces totally unin- habited. However, realizing that such is the common lot of explorers, they pushed bravely on through the underbrush of ignorance, hop- ing, before the time allotted for their ex- plorations was over, to reach what would compensate for all their time and effort: a genius. The social functions of this period were delightful, the most important being the Civics Club initiation, held in the Memorial School gym. A class outing was held in June at Mallets Bay where games and roller skating were enjoyed. The class organization of the Sophomores was as follows: President. Thomas Sullivan: Vice-President, Ethel Barber: Secretary, John Korzun: Treasurer, Henry Bouffard. This was a most distinguished body and reflected honor on the entire school. In the third year, owing to an old educa- tional custom, the Sophomores became Jun- iors, and their promotion made their sense of importance increase out of all due propor- tion. Great, indeed, was their scorn for the Freshmen and the Sophomores. It must be admitted that the aforesaid Freshmen and Sophomores, completely absorbed in their own process of being explored, were in no wise embarrassed or concerned. This was a year of hard work, and the dreaded ordeal of examinations was passed with few casualties. The teachers had en- deared themselves to the hearts of the class, and there was a feeling of genuine friendship throughout the school. The officers for this year were as follows: President, Raymond Barron; Vice-President, Harry Whittemore: Secretary, Charlotte Bar- beau; Treasurer, Pauline Laferriere. Among the activities of this Junior year were: the Junior-Senior Banquet held at the Black Cat Cafe on May 29, a Hallowe’en Masquerade and an April Shower Hop. A class outing was held at Malletts Bay and everybody had a good time. It was also in this year that we chose our class ring in the hopes that we would graduate very soon. 27 —

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TESTAMENTUM CLASSIS To Whom It May Concern: We, the class of 1947. in the city of Wi- nooski, the county of Chittenden, and the state of Vermont, being in as good mental condition as usual, and in much better temper than usual, do hereby make this, our last will and testament, rendering void and of no avail any former will or wills that may have been previously made by us during a period of temporary optimism. Although, being as psychologically com- plex as befits a Senior class, we consist of 26 separate and distinct entities, or what have you, we are in such complete accord, think- ing alike, and seldom, that the editorial— now, alas, funereaf— we will be used to denote our collective entity throughout this document. We have no specific directions to leave con- cerning our funeral, but we do hope you will come prepared to praise as well as bury us, forgetting only our manifold and remarkable virtues. We feel that our brilliant record and our unusual achievements will live after us, but not wishing to take any chances, we suggest that a tablet, on which shall be inscribed our several names and a few of our most astound- ing deeds, be purchased and placed in the auditorium of the school in a position where it will strike the eye of all who enter. And in this manner do we dispose of our possessions: We give and bequeath, freely and without reservations or stipulations, to the Junior class, our rightful heirs, and to their heirs and assigns forever, our most important and valuable properties, viz., our self-satisfaction, our importance, and our wisdom, all of which we possess in enormous quantities, and we hope said gifts will be of use in over- coming their present inertia. We also leave the Junior class our good luck. It made us what we are today, and it should satisfy them. In addition to this, all our privileges and rights as Seniors in class- rooms will revert to them, as well as any notebooks, pencils, fountain -pens, unfinished lollypops, or unfinished business, including debts contracted while engaged in the business of being a Senior, also any boys or girls whom we may have left behind in our haste. We give and bequeath to the Junior class our well-known nerve, which they will need next year, and all the examination questions we have been given during the past year. We believe that an examination, like history, often repeats itself. The answers, never owned in entirety, have long since been mislaid by us and are not included in this legacy. To our good friends, the Sophomore class, we leave our patience. It will be found useful as the only means by which they can endure the Juniors. To the young and unsophisticated Fresh- men we leave a map of the school building, so that they will not get lost and roam about in everybody’s way looking for their class- rooms. We include with this map our little book entitled, How to Tell the Teachers,” a pamphlet compiled by us after four years of arduous study. The legatees will notice this book is not what to tell the teachers but how. It contains specific information as to which teachers can be bluffed, which are easy and which are hard to please and those whom it is impossible to please. It tells who your favorite authors must be to stand well with the English department, which history teacher is especially fond of Napoleon, and what questions to ask to make the science teacher forget the lesson and be interesting. This information is invaluable to any wishing to make high grades in the subject mentioned. It will be noticed that, although we have left bequests to the Junior class, soon to be Seniors, to the Sophomores, soon to be Jun- iors, and to those who will, in the fall, be- come Freshmen, we have made no mention of the present Freshman class which will be known as the Sophomore class in a few months. We have left them nothing, because by that time their self-valuation will have attained such heights that nothing in our pos- session would be regarded by them as worthy distinction. To our dear old school building itself, we leave the peaceful quiet caused by our absence and any apple cores, wads of gum, or crumpled notes we may have left about. To our class adviser, Mrs. Prior, we give and bequeath a sense of relief that we have at last been graduated, pleasant memories of our four years together, and a feeling of pride in any great deeds or noteworthy achieve- ments that our future may contain, realizing that such glories—if any—we'll owe to her example and counsel. To our principal and to our teachers, the faculty of the Winooski High School, we — 29 —