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High school stories from September 1933

Saranac Lake High School’s new gym teacher in 1933 was accomplished and ambitious for the time about establishing girls sports here.

This column is continued from last week with stories taken from the sophisticated school newspaper, The Red and White, published 10 times a year — obviously by a bright, dedicated staff.

There were 18 long and short stories on page 1. Two were boxed with fancy borders: one with a schedule of events for the month of October and another about the school clock on the front of the building being one hour behind the town hall clock because “our electric timepiece has not been taught the intricacies of Daylight Saving Time.”

Of course, it was the season for football, and this edition was loaded with sport stories — all the following, on all subjects, are edited for space.

Big Red wins first game of season

The masthead of Saranac Lake High School’s student newspaper is seen in September 1933.

“Saranac’s Big Red team defeated Port Henry 6-0 in a game last Saturday afternoon that was far from exciting. The final score was no true indication of the superiority of the rejuvenated Red and White eleven. The Saranac team offered a revamped lineup of last week’s game. ‘Slick’ Gillmett [with that moniker, he has to be related to Jerry Gillmett] moved over from his position at left tackle to McMaster’s place at left guard, Bousquet replaced Duquette in the backfield, Silver played in Gillmett’s place at tackle and Fortune and McClatchie were at the terminal positions.

“Griffin, Saranac’s powerhouse full-back, scored the only touchdown of the game in the second quarter. ‘Ole’ Morello and Griffin had rushed the ball from their own 25-yard line into the shadow of the Port Henry goalpost on a series of bewildering end runs and off-tackle smashes.”

Junior high athletes

Here are some of The Red and White’s advertisements in September 1933.

“Several from Junior High School have gone out for athletics this year. The following are from Room 210: Julio Tanzini, Robert Smith, Pershing Tormey, Dan Sullivan, Albert Kunath, Donald Dupree, Edward Ferber, Louis Trainor, Francis Stearns [“Red” Stearns later, as a combat veteran of the Marine Corps in World War II, ran the Boston Marathon two or three times in an old pair of sneakers], Louis Hare and Harrington Rogers.

Charland beats record

“At the start of the second quarter of Saturday’s football game an informal cross-country meet was held among the members of the team. Art Charland ran the difficult 2.6 mile course in the record-breaking time of 12 minutes, 29 seconds. He was followed a few seconds later by Bob LeBeau and Jimmy White.”

The dreaded call

This gem was written by Jean Gibney:

“Breathlessly he waited. Monotonously the clock ticked the minutes away. Five more minutes now. He must overcome the feeling of dread which was enveloping him. He must face the situation like a man. Three more minutes. He felt his palms grow clammy, in spite of his resolutions. He glanced at the clock and grew cold at the realization that he had but one minute left. Summoning courage, like a martyr he faced the ordeal confronting him. Then it came, cutting the silence unmercifully; ‘Will-yum! Get up, or you’ll be late for school!!'”

Senior class has 95 members

“Early to bed and early to rise makes the seniors healthy, wealthy and wise.

“Wealthy? With only $78 in the treasury they have started the year with a bang by holding their first meeting on Tuesday, September 12.

“James Bellows was elected president of the class, Mary Connors was elected vice president. Leah Sweet replaces Mary in the office of secretary and treasurer. Miss Roslyn Chapman was chosen class chaperone.

“Many tasks are ahead of the Senior Class, with 95 in the class, the outlook for the future is bright.”

Students to confront Board of Education member

“The meeting of the Students’ Association called last Wednesday by President Oliver Clark at least gave the students a good opportunity to express their own opinions. The general impression held was that the meeting, called for the purpose of either substantiating or refuting charges that the high school principal influenced student votes in elections, went a long way toward accomplishing its purpose. The students expressed opinions freely and the result of the one hour and forty-five minute discussion was the election of three students to interview the member of the Board of Education making the disputed statements in order to determine the conditions surrounding these statements.

“When the committee completes its work another meeting will be called to discuss the committee’s findings.”

Junior high welcomes new students

“Junior High welcomes from other schools the following students: George Thorngate, Salem, W. Va.; Wyona Sawyer, Syracuse; Doris Golde, Boston Mass.; Richard Cross, Manchester, N.H.; Etta Volker, Schuyler Falls and William Clark, Silver Springs, Maryland.

“Also from Vermontville, Paul Smiths, Lake Colby and Lake Clear [schools in each of those communities went through eight grades], buses bring in Anna Comstock, Dorothy Dowd, Helen Finn, Helen Crary, Vernon LaFave, Frances Drew, Vernon Abbot, Harold Crary, Jean Betters, Carl Farrar, Lula Drew, Kathryn Huggins, Thelma Russell, Dorothy Wheeler, Julia Tyler, Arnold Sawyer, Reginald Sawyer, Barbara Sawyer, Adelaide Swinyer, Floyd Stickney, Bruce Darling, Eleanor VanNortwick, James Farrisse, Harold LaMay, Beryl Sweet, Carl Morford, Herbert Stickney, Charles Robear, Eva Shattuck, Rita Martin, Agnes Connors, Rose Paye, Lee Spinner, Ella Skiff, Theresa Tuthill, Estella Donaldson, Marion Turner, Harold Farrisse, Homer Tyler, Stewart Betters, Bernard Tuthill, Thelma Jaquis, Helen DeWitt, Isabel Woods, Geneva Patnode, Pearl Tyler and Laura Tormey.”

But what did the squads and patrols do?

“Members of the Assembly Squad, under the supervision of Mrs. Wilson, are: Alice Ridenour, William Scheefer, Doris Golde, Robert Curtin, Robert McCrum, Butler Sullivan, Theresa Ryan, Lillian Jordon, Lucy Agostini and Homer Trombley.

“The Patrol Squad, advised by Miss Creighton, is composed of Francis Stearns, William Cantwell, Louis Neubauer, William Hennessy, Raymond Wood, M. Brewer, Elton Pinkman and John Walsh.”

In the humor column

“Here lies the body of Warren Slade,

Who died during one of the lectures he made.

Prepared for the chemistry session next day,

He talked from his bed in sleep where he lay.

An unfortunate error cost him his life,

For ‘Ethyl’ and ‘Ester’ were heard by his wife!”

— By a sophomore Springfield, Vermont, student

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