FASD — 1947 Alumni Archives

On September 3, 1943, we were the first class to enter Farrell Senior High School as freshmen. Under the direction of Miss Bessie Struck, our class advisor, we elected our class officers: William B. Anderson, president; Nicholas Cindea, vice-president, and Iris Hatwood, secretary. As members of the Freshman Class, we participated in all of the school activities that were open to us.

The following September, we, as sophomores, helped to sponsor the newly organized canteen where we enjoyed the dances and the entertainments held in the Junior High School Gymnasium. For our class officers, we elected James Pedas, president; Thomas Lewis, vice president; and Irene Zipay, secretary. Our class ranked high in the sale of war bonds, in the salvage collections, and in the clothing drives. When the curtain finally closed on our second year, we looked forward to our third adventure. We are grateful to our class advisor, Mr. Lewis Sarcinella, for his active interest in our class affairs.

As Juniors, under the guidance of Miss Julia S. Wallace, we elected our class officers; George Salem, president; William B. Anderson, vice president; and Rose Marie Fazzalore, secretary. We devoted our time and efforts to studying and to participating in all of the school organizations and activities. How proud we were when we completed our third year successfully. Everyone who attended it praised our Junior-Senior Prom. We are grateful to Mr. Paul Komar for planning and assisting with the decorations for the Prom and to Miss Julia Wallace for her never failing guidance in making it the Prom of all Proms. At the Class of 1946 Farewell Assembly, we were happy to see our class president accept the cap and gown, the symbol of another step toward our final year in school. When we attended the 1946 commencement activities, we were delighted to see so many members of our class in the Honor Arch and in the Honor Guard, after their having attained a ninety or better average in their scholastic work.

Under the direction of Miss Esther Zentz our class advisor, we were determined to make our final year a success. We elected our class officers: Jack P. Monaco, president; William B. Anderson, vice president, and Irene Zipay, secretary. We selected our class motto, “Endeavor Forever,” suggested by Magdalene Petrick; our class flower, the white gardenia; and our class colors, green and white. During the year, we published our yearbook, “The 1947 Reflector.” On November 1, 1946, we enjoyed the Senior-Junior Harvest Dance where Virginia Low ruled as queen. We also were active in all of the school affairs and helped to make the canteen a success. On December 12, 1946, at a special assembly, we bade farewell to Mr. Carroll D. Kearns, our superintendent of schools, who had resigned to become a Congressman of the United States. At another assembly on December 17, 1946, we welcomed Mr. John Hetra, our former high school principal, as our new superintendent of schools, and Mr. Anthony J. Pintar as our new high school principal. We pledged our loyalty to them.

After much study and hard work, we finally reached our goal! We were honored guests at the beautiful Junior-Senior Prom. We enjoyed our Senior Class Breakfast after which we presented our Farewell Assembly and bade farewell to our school, our schoolmates, and our teachers. We enjoyed the class day activities at Conneaut Lake Park. On May 27, 1947, we proudly stepped to the stage to receive our diplomas. We were proud of the honors that many of our classmates brought to the school during the past four years in scholarship, athletics, music, citizenship, and school activities. We shall “Endeavor Forever” to bring greater honors to our school, our community, our state, and our nation, as the years roll by.

To the Seniors and Underclassmen of Farrell High School:

Less than six months ago I addresseed you as your superintendent of schools. To you, that has probably been a very short time, for the mid-year school days pass quickly when one is young. To me, however, being away from you and missing you as I always shall, and starting upon a new job, these months have marked a long time, a time almost as long in fact it seems as that which has elapsed since I first became your superintendent, when the oldest amoung you were just entering the seventh grade.

In those years I learned to know the majority of you by name. My primary interest was in you, both as individuals and as members of school organizations or pupils of certain grades or buildings — in seeing that you received the finest opportunities for educatin that the taxpayers of Farrell could afford to offer you. You in return always gave me your consideration in what you sought in your school life. Thus we worked together, we made our plans together, we solved our problems together, and we succeeded together — you and I. We were on the same team and it played for one goal, the betterment of the Farrell schools. No superintendent was ever associated with a finer group of boys and girls and no superintendent ever had more reason to be proud than I was, and will always continue to be, of you.

Now I represent you as your Congressman in the United States House of Representatives. You are still my team, and I am counting on you to win. For now we have a bigger job on our hands. As I sit in conference on the Education and Labor Committee and have decisions to make in regard to educational policy, I know that those decisions are going to affect the boys and girls in schools all over America. I shall have you in mind as I think of them. Together we will still be planning, but this time for better opportunities for all the school children of America…

You comprise the student body of only one high school in America, but to me you will always exemplify my belief and my faith in the youth of our land. The hope of America lies in young people such as you. As I have had faith in you, so do I have faith in America. I know that you will not disappoint me in the years to come. May God bless you.