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MARGARET W. PERKINS
Dear Abbie, '
I do Indeed know that we gradu-
ated from Barnstable High School
thirty years ago come a foggy
night in June, but I don't much
mind. By and large, I don't feel any
different, anyway, except that I no
longer have marcel wavis and it
doesn't matter if a fog rolls in, and
I'm perfectly content to wear a sen-
sible heel.
We've all added a few gray hairs
and a wrinkle or two, and we may
seem antediluvian to our offspring,
but most of us have kept that bois-
terous verve (which is a nice way
of putting it) that earned us a repu-
tation as the "worst" class that
ever entered the school. I expect
we'd seem very Ingenuous to this
year's crop of graduates, but we
had something that's seen us
through a depression, a new deal,
and two wars; Jet propulsion,
atomic warfare, and virus infec-
tions. Thirty years is another world
away from the one when we were
launched off the ways into the sea
of life.
Some such sentimentally nautical
words must have been addressed
to us at our graduation in 1931, be-
cause speakers still talked like that,
but I have no memory of them. As
a matter of absolutely clear recol-
lection, I can remember only that
the foghorn on Bishop and Clark's
punctuated the proceedings at
mournful intervals and that I wore
a white shantlng dress which had
come from a Boston store and not
been home-made. Buried as I was
behind the backside of Brud Tripp,
who was a foot wider and two feet
taller than I, he looms larger than
anything else about that occasion.
Mr. Hodge, whose memory I've
rifled , says a Dr. Franklin W.
Hawks delivered the oration that
evening. Left to my own shaky
memory, I'd have said it was prob-
ably your father, who was frequent-
ly picked for all such unrewarding
chores. I suppose, too, that James
Otis from Hyannis Port, who was
always referred to as a direct des-
cendant of "the Patriot," must
have handeu round raw diplomas.
He was perennially on the school
committee, and although at that
time I had no idea who "the
Patriot" was, it was all the recom-
mendation needed apparently. He
was very learned, too. Remember?
And he used to Invite Miss Fair-
banks' French classes to sessions
of untelliglblc French records and
superannuated marshmallows. We
always went on a day when a raw
northeast gale blew in from the bay
and slatted against the windows on
his porch where he'd park us. I
suppose he didn't dare expose the
rest of his house to our doubtful
mercies, but the French language
has always since carried the sullen
whine of a northeast wind within it.
Anyway, if it weren't he who
capped the climax of our gradua-
Hon, most certainly It would have
been a Mr. Cobb, who was alsc
, perennial and sent all his own chit
lren to boarding school, Mr. Galger
:ouldn't possibly have been super-
intendent still, but who it was I
don't know. Those were the years
Df academic unrest and turmoil.
Probably none of this matters. I
io remember our diplomas were
led with bows of pink baby ribbons,
which occasioned a few ribald re-
marks in the back row, and that I
tripped over Brud's feet getting out
and. nearly plunged headlong into
the orchestra.
We must, of course, have sung
our class song, which Eleanor San-
born wrote and for whlqh Rog Mur-
ray composed the music. Goodness
knows, we practiced it enough. . ., .
"Along the road thus far we've
come/In friendly, loyal thro-o-
ong. . . . " The last line, something
about our motto, "Dare to be true,"
didn't quite scan, and we had to
teeter around with it so that we
never managed to end in unison.
Miss Kern had a fit . She hadn't a ;
note of music In her makeup, but
she harbored the soul of a drill
sergeant. The result , If not tuneful,
was mean't to be mathematically
precise, as was our processional.
How she labored trying to get us to
march In step, and, of course, with
Brud Tripp in front of me, some-
how congenltally unable to master
anything but the Lohengrin bob, I
was always going up when he was
coming down. This threw off
Eleanor Wlrtanen, behind me on
the end, and, all In all, the three of
us were a shining disgrace.
Miss Kern kept bursting Into
tears at intervals during these
graduation rehearsals and insisting
that we were the class that bound
her to Barnstable High and that she
couldn't bear to part with us, but
I notice she suffered another ten
years or so. Miss Kern In tears was
almost as startling as Cape Cod
suddenly disappearing into the
fcvtay atid twice as unsettling, and
if we didn't march straight, it's no
wonder. But let's not get off on
Penelope V. or we'll be here all
night.
It seems to me there was also
some kind of musical rendering
(and I use the word deliberately)
with eight or nine of us trying to
prove that Mr. Griffi ths wasn't
squandering the taxpayers' money.
Roger on his trumpet; Irrrta Co-
burn with her violin; and of all
things, Charlie Howes masterfully
mouthing a clarinet. "Spanish
Dance." That was it, and by a
supreme triumph of mind over
matter , I accompanied the effort
and finished at the same time as
the others. I think.
Herble Crocker , who ran the tele-
graph office In later years, sang a
couple of solos, I'm sure, because
he had one of those heart-piercing
tenor voices, and we did recess, me
still stumbling In Brud's ample
wake, to "The March of the Wood-
en Soldiers."
Who could have fastened on that
one? Was it the only thing the band
could play or was.someone hopeful
we'd take the hint and walk sedate-
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SPEED UP THE ROLL CALL
The Massachusetts Federation of Taxpayers Association is
urging public support of House Bill 547 providing for the in-
stallation of an electric roll call system in the House Chamber.
According to the association 's report, 128 roll calls in the
1960 session of the House took an estimated 64 hours of legisla-
tive time. The Massachusetts House is the fourth largest in the
nation with 240 members. Twenty-nine states now use the pro-
posed system, and none, once installed, has been removed.
Capo Representatives Allan P. Jones and Harry Albro ap-
pear among the names of petitioners for the bill which was filed
by Representative Harrison Chadwick, 75 House members, the
Massachusetts Taxpayers Association and the Massachusetts
League of Women Voters.
It, was pointed out that citizens testifying at hearings are
often interrupted for 30 minutes or more while House members
answer roll call. This could be reduced to two minutes or less
with the electric device. Installation , rental and maintenance foi
the first year would cost an approximate $60,000 with annual
rental and maintenance $12,000 thereafter. With the longest
session in history just behind the Massachusetts Legislature, it
would seem a most, appropriate time for the installation of 'any
time saving, and therefore money saving, device.
E D I T O R I A L
The Barnstable Patriot
FOUNDED IN 1830
Published Every Thursday el 24 Pleasant Street, Hyannis, Mass.
By The Patriot Press
Terms: $4.00 per year in advance, six months $2.50
RICHARD B. HASKINS, Publisher and General Manager
PERCY f. WIlllAMS, Editor
BARBARA H. WILUAMS, Associate Editor
KENNETH R. LEONARD, Advertising Representative
The Barnstable Patriot is entered as second-class matter at the Hyannis Post
Office under the Act of Congress of March 3, 1879. We assume no financial
responsibility for typographical errors in advertisements, but we will reprint
that part of an advertisement in which the error occurs.
I Office: Patriot Building, Hyannis, Mass. Tel. SPrins 5-3443
j, '
Editor,
Barnstable Patriot
Hyannis, Mass.
Dear Sir:
Enclosed are copies of two letters
written to the existing civic groups
In the Town of Barnstable.
The first letter was written March
28, 1960, and the second on March
9, 1961.
To keep you constantly informed
as to the activities of this Civic
group we submit these copies,
i Very truly yours,
j . Allen Coy, Secretary
Marstons Mills Athletic and
Civic Club (March 10, 1961)
March 28, 1060
To the members and officers of
all the Civic groups in the Town of
Barnstable, Mass.
The officers and members of the
Marstons Mills Athletic & Civic
Club are very interested in the
promotion of a combined Town of
Barnstable Civic Association, mem-
bership to be composed of all the
officers of each independent Civic
group.
This group or officers, represent-
ing: the membership ol all existing
Civic groups, would in turn elect
their own group of officers who
would set the by-laws, regulations
and constitution.
These officers could meet once a
month for the purpose of discussing
local civic problems that their re-
spective members had brought to
their attention, and their decisions
could be talked over and even voted
on. To us, the possibilities of such
debate, could lead to the develop-
ment of better planning, less con-
fusion at Town Meetings and a
better program for the development
of a long range Youth Program, in
all the villages of the Town of Barn-
stable.
If you could present this promo-
tion to your members at your next
meeting and if they are In favor of
further details of the plan, we would
like to arrange a group meeting at
our Club House.
Your opinion will be appreciated.
March 9, 1961
To the members and officers of
all existing Civic groups In the
Town of Barnstable.
Dear Sirs:
On March 28, 1960, one year after
original plan was presented to our
members, a letter was written to all
existing Civic Associations In the
Town of Barnstable, relating to the
combining of all Civic groups into a
ly? We were anything but wooden,
and no one, except on Decoration
Day, thought about soldiers thirty
years ago.
(And this is all'for now. We'll
finish next week.)
Master Civic group to be known as
the Town of Barnstable Civic Asso-
ciation.
The reply to this letter by the
Civic groups was discouraging and
our Club shelved the Idea.
Recently an editorial appeared In
the Patriot which dwells on the
above subject and encourages us io
try again at this time.
We would like to get the opinion
of your members In order that be-
fore Town Meeting time next year
a combined organisation can con-
struct a program that will be of
benefit to our Towns folk through-
out the area.
The Marstons Mills group meets
the last Monday of each month at
Liberty Hall, Main Street, Marstons
Mills, and will diligently pursue
any suggestions you may have as
well as welcome any of your offi-
cers and members.
Very truly yours,
J. Allen Coy, Secretary
Letter To The Editor
Signs of Spring openings through-
out the town are sprouting in al-
most the same number as the daffy
and tulip leaves which are showing
a good three inches of green al-
ready.
Along Hyannis Mam Street one
more note of Spring is the face
lifting that the Baptist Church is
getting with its new steps and rails.
Cary Sabanty of Lynn was not a
bit confused about the Towns of
Barnstable, Mass., and Barnstaple,
England, and he knew what he
wanted when he wrote to Howard
W. Sears, the town clerk at Barn-
stable and asked for information
about Francis J. Broad , town clerk
of Barnstaple in Devonshire.
"I need it for my autobiography
for school," wrote Cary, "as my
mother is a descent of his."
Mr. Broad has left Cape Cod
but Mr. Sears has many old family
files and will do what he can for
Cary. "It was nice of him to
write," he said.
TOWN TOPICS
The Junior High Fellowship 0l
Hyannis Federated Church has
been engaged In a most orlginal
project. The young people, in cos.
tume, have recreated scenes of the
Holy Week pageant end Mr. and
Mrs. R. D. Celentano have taken
colored pictures of the scenes
which will be shown at Eastertide
in rest homes. Though commercial
slides of Holy Week events are
available, this program Is unique
in that the scenes are depicted by
members of the local group and the
pictures are taken by their ad-
visors.
Parents and others interested art
Invited to the fellowship meeting
Sunday at 5 p.m. In Baldwin Hal!
i when a pre-showtng will be given
^
Fellowship Depicts
Holy Week Events
During a two-hour meeting of the
Centerville-Osterville Fire district
voters of the district made the posi-
tion of chief engineer a full-time job
with an annual salary of $5,000.
Indefinitely postponed, was an
article for an addition to the Oster-
ville Fire Station and it was voted
to name a committee comprised of
one member from each village of
the district , from the board of engi-
neers and the prudential committee
to study the matter further.
Article 9, providing more power
to the water commissioners in re-
gard to Installation of water mains
was passed , after lengthy debate,
109 to 20.
Appropriation of $4,200 also was
voted for purchase of a tractor
back-hoe for the water department
and extension of 6-inch water pipe
for 300 feet on Tower Hill Road,
1500 feet on West Barnstable Road
and 8-inch pipe on Fuller Road with
stipulation of 10 percent return per
year. Wlanno Circle and Crystal
Lake Road extensions were turned
down and a Wequaquet Road ex-
tension was Indefinitely postponed.
According to ,Clerk Robert O.
Mott, the 1981 tax rate willremain
about the same approximately
$4.00.
In the Fire District's election
Monday night, a record turnout ol
1,183 voters elected Stanley Buckler
of Seabury Lane over a field ol
three other candidates as chiei
engineer. Results in the voting
were, for chief engineer, Mr,
Buckler, 598; Freeman Scudder,
383; Larkin Swift, 126, and Charles
Hallett, 76. 1st assistant engineer,
H. Alfred Whiteley Jr., elected with
478; George McOoff , 380, and Ste-
phen Fuller, 281.
Full Time Engineer
Voted By District
"E L E C T R O I U X "
THE ONIY AUTOMATIC CtlANER
O. McARTHUR
BOX 301 HYANNll
Deliver or Demonstrate Anywhere