Worcester High School of Commerce - Caduceus Yearbook (Worcester, MA)

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Class 0rafion '55-ll By RICHARD JARZOBSKI UNITED STATES CIVIL DEFENSE The subiect of my talk tonight, United States Civil Defense, is a serious one and perhaps not too pleasant for seniors leaving high school. But it is one that should be considered carefully by everyone. Because of developments in this air-atomic age, the United States can no longer be free from the danger of a sudden devastating attack against its mainland. Civil defense can be defined as the protection of the home front by civilians acting under civil authority to minimize casualties and war damage and to preserve maximum civilian support of the war effort. The greatest deterrent to such attack is the knowl- edge on the part of a would-be aggressor that we have the power to destroy him by retaliatory action. Since there can be no absolute military defense, an effective civil defense is vital to the future security of the United States because it might provide it means whereby this country, if suddenly attacked heavily and without warning, could get off the fioor to fight back. . ..- :si:fzi ?f, .vat Itfigg -if Richard Jarzobski. Class Orafor An enemy attack would presumably be aimed at the great metropolitan areas, the cities and towns, at the country's most critical targets. Such an attack would be against all the people of the United States, therefore, defense against it must require the co-ordinated effort of the whole nation. lt is expected that such an attack would be partially successful. Whether it would succeed in destroying America's productive power would depend, in the main, on the organization and functional efficiency of the country's civil defense. This vital service has been a missing element in our system of national security. The national security structure of the United States becomes complete with the establishment of adequate civil defense. Until wars are effectually outlawed, civil defense must take its place along with military defense in any sound and well-rounded program. With the military establishment expanding, and with the industrial facilities of the nation being geared to that expansion, the drain upon America's resources will necessarily be great. Plans for civil defense, therefore, must be made with full recognition of the importance of maximum economy in the use of the available supply of men, money, and materials. Civil defense rests upon the principle of self- protection by the individual, extended to include mutual self-protection on the part of groups and communities. Manned largely by unpaid part-time volunteer workers, each service of civil defense will work in co-operation with the others for the common good. All men and women who make up these services will belong to a national team - The United States Civil Defense Corps. Civil defense is conceived as a system which will depend largely on co-operation between critical target areas, such as our own, and the communities around them. This must be done on a nation-wide basis. Advance preparations, combined with prompt and effective post-attack actions, would reduce casualties

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The final election of class officers resulted in the following victors: John Pakula, President, Carol Anderson, Vice-President, Rita DeToma, Secretary, and Henry Dobkowski, Treasurer. The Blackfriars of Commerce once again had a tremendous hit with their three-act comedy called Mother is a Freshman. This play was directed by Mr. Myles McAleer and the local paper gave a good comment on the cast and the play. During our Summer vacation we learned of the death of Mr. Donald Flynn who had for many years taught English at Commerce. The first issue of The Mercury with Carol Anderson as Editor-in-Chief, appeared in Octo- ber. Incidentally, The Mercury had been awarded first place by the Columbia Scholastic Press Association during the Spring. This Fall it was chosen as the best high school newspaper in New England. The T954 CADUCEUS took first place once again in the annual Columbia Scholastic Press Association Contest for yearbooks. Our class officers, along with the prom com- mittee, set the date of the Senior Prom as December 3 at the luxurious Sheraton Hotel. The class colors, purple and white, were used in the decorations for the Prom. The results of the elections for Class Day Representatives were as follows: Richard Jar- zobski, Class Orator, Barbara Perrone, Class Testatrix, Violet Andrews, Class Pianist, Jose- phine Ostrowski, Class Vocalist, and Barbara Alexandrovich, Class Historian. The words for our class song were written by Betty Michelson, the music was by Phyllis Ventura. For flower girls we had chosen Theresa Campaneli, Carol Donovan, Barbara Grendol, Joan Eident, Nancy Richardson, and Sandra Whitcomb. Violet Andrews, a Horace Mann pupil, was elected the D. A. R. Representative from Com- merce. Barbara Alexandrovich was chosen as Editor- in-Chief of the CADUCEUS. Serving with her on the editorial board are: Carol Anderson, Jerebill Barton, Carol Donovan, Marguerite Fer- nandez, Phyllis Hirtle, Louise George, Joan Lundberg, Harvey Marcus, Rudolph Pavini, Nancy Richardson, Nancy Wilder, and Sandra Whitcomb. Mr. Wallace Johnson and Mr. Lee Bartlett directed the Variety Show held at Chandler Street Junior High in November. Many in the senior class participated in this show and really showed hidden talent in their splendid perform- ance that evening. On November 30, l954, there was an assembly to honor our football team that won the Inter- High Championship. The final game was played against North and our very own Dick Haggar scored the winning touchdown. Coach Jablonski and Mr. Manning awarded W's to our trium- phant team. Mr. Matthew McCann, who had retired in June, l954, after 41 years of teaching, died November 24 at St. Vincent Hospital. He taught physics and science for many years in Room 45 and he was a familiar figure to everyone. Those having outstanding scholastic ability and rated as Horace Mann Scholars are: Carol Anderson, Violet Andrews, Mary Chianese, Betty Michelson, Barbara Tracy, and Nancy Wilder. Tonight is the last night that we of '55-A will assemble as a class. Our senior year is coming to an end and deep without our hearts we wish to express to our parents and to the entire faculty our sincere gratitude for giving us the encouragement that we needed to attain this goal. We now look toward the future. Each cher- ished memory of the past will remain as a symbol of our happy school days. I am sure that each one of us, with the help of Almighty God, will have the success and happiness that we wish to achieve in coming years. ' .. ,,,. f it Barbara Alexandrovich, Class Historian

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to a small percentage of what they otherwise would be. Responsibility for civil defense belongs to the individual and his local government. The individual, given all training possible, does what he can for himself in an emergency. The family unit, also trained, attacks its own problems and contributes to the organized community effort. The community's civil defense organization works to meet its own crisis, receiving outside help if its facilities are inadequate, or contributing support to neighboring communities under organized state direction. To help commun- ities carry out their responsibility, the state and federal governments contribute assistance about organ- izational advice, over-all planning, and resources. Every person and every community has a part to play in the civil defense program. Remoteness from places considered probable targets does not exempt any community from planning, since evacuee reception and care must be provided, and a support program organized. The civil defense program for this country must be in constant readiness because for the first time in l40 years an enemy has the power to attack our cities in strong force, and for the first time in our history that attack may come suddenly, with little or no warning. Granted a few minutes warning, casualties can be reduced through proper organization and training in civil defense. More important, civil defense could spell the difference between defeat and victory for our people. The thoughts brought on by a discussion of civil defense in this atomic age are sobering ones, and cannot be taken lightly. Our responsibility as we graduate must include participation in civil defense activities. ez CZSS Ong Words by Betty Mickelson Music by Phyllis Ventura l know that we shall ne'er forget These golden days gone by, The lasting friendships we have made At Dear Old Commerce High. CHORUS: To Our Old Alma Mater We'll sing this song of praise, Our hearts will e'er be loyal Through all our future days. The lessons we have learned no doubt, Will last us through the years, And they will be a help to us, ln this great world of ours. CHORUS The future though may troubled be Our spirits will not die, We'll still recall our school days At Dear Old Commerce High. Words by BETTY MICKELSON Music by PHYLLIS VENTURA