From the CATSKILL MOUNTAIN NEWS June 1950

Fleischmanns 1950 Seniors Will Don Their Caps and Gowns Monday for Commencement Exercises.

The Fleischmanns senior class, all smiles and happy faces, anticipating Monday's graduation exercises.

Left to right: Top row, Nancy Rosa, Lynn Vermilyea, Herman Wadler, George Ernst, Lois Maben;

second row, Donald Tubbs, Elfrieda Simmen, Francis Osterhoudt, Ellen Bryant, Daniel Donahue;

bottom row, Nancy Birdsall, Alfred Eignor, Frank Jones, Jr., Patricia Wallace, Charles Myers.

Fleischmanns' 1950 graduating class is, on the whole, a quite, unassuming and to the casual eye, well behaved group. As far as group cohesion and cooperation are concerned this has been one of the best classes. This is an interesting fact since most of the students come from widely scattered homes, leading one to believe that their interests, backgrounds and asperations are equally divergent,. But that did not seem to be the case. Once they got together they stayed together, planning their various projects and executing them with effeiciency and dispatch. They raised between $700-$800 for their Senior trip to Washington without to much apparent difficulty.

The six girls and nine boys who constitute the graduating group, started their freshmen year with 25 students. The class history recalls that one of the highlights of that year was "our class picnic which was enjoyed by everyone." It goes on to point out that during the sophomore year although the number of students in the class was the same as the preceding year, they lost a few old faces and gained some new ones. "The sophomore year was devoted to dances and mostly such small entertainment as we could produce efficiently for the purpose of making money. Ruth De Groat was the star of the Spring Operetta and give a commendable performance."

During the junior year the class devoted most of its time to projects which would swell the treasury coffers in anticipation of the coming class trip. "We all worked hard to raise money by any possible method so that we could be able to visit all the points of interest while on our tour of Washington."

Swinging into their final year of highschool the members realized in the following words: "After three years of joyous anticipation, we finally attained the glorious title of Seniors. In our final year there were 16 of us and once more we found ourselves in the French room under the guidance of Mrs. Wood."

Seemingly quite concerned with financial matters thoughout their school days, the achievement of becoming Seniors did not deter from that pre-occupation.. The history days:

"Our financial problem demanded our immediate attention and serious consideration. We presented two bake sales, two movies, our Senior play and finally a benefit basketball game which the Fleischmanns Town Team played for our benefit."

Tallying up the takes on these projects they found that. "Our largest profit came from the Senior play, "Look who's Here." The star, Nancy Rosa, played the part of an old spinster aunt and the co-star, Lynn Vermilyea, played the role of her nephew. The play was a tremendous success and we gained $200 from the money taken in on tickets and advertisements."

Football players in the class included: Lynn Vermilyea, Donald Tubbs, Daniel Donahue, Frankie Osterhoudt and George Ernst. Basketball Varsity players were: Lynn Vermilyea, Donald Tubbs, Alfred Eignor and Daniel Donahue. Lynn and Donald played in the county all-star game. Francis Osterhoudt and Frankie Jones made the Junior Varsity and also made the all-stars.

The Senior class will is short and to the point: To the juniors, we hereby leave an appropiation from our treasury to build a smoking lounge.

There also are the battered, but still useful erasers and yardsticks of the French room for a game of ball whenever desired.

To Mr. Fagone's Sophomores we leave a book, "The Fine Art of Heckling" by Frank M. Jones. This is to keep Mr. Fagone happy on those awful Monday mornings.

Last but not least, we leave to the Freshmen, one dozen shiny red fire alarms. A sure cure for lack of excitement.-- yearbook

And here are some of the class prophecies as taken directly from page 13 of the "White Orange."

Lynn Vermilyea--We see Lynn's green telephone truck parked in front of the telephone office. It seems a certain operator is interested in his future.

Danny Donahue-- Danny now a full fledged member of the U.S. Air force, complete with jet fighter plane, delights in buzzing the Big-Indian area.

Francis Osterhoudt--Tusky is now the speed king of the Indianapolis speedway.

Donald Tubbs-- We'll probably never see Curly again. He's either a sheep rancher in British Columbia or an "Observer in the Palmyranian Blimp Corps."

George Ernst-- We see George every Tuesday night on television. Godfrey and Berle now work as his gag writers.

Ellen Bryant-- Ellen attends all Chichester basketball games with Thomas Jr. Daddy is the star of the team.

Nancy Rosa-- Nancy is now chief operator for the Fleischmanns office. She can sit there and watch the grey ghost go whizzing up and down the street.

According to Charles A Kiefer, guidance councilor, well over half the class has definite plans for the future. Two or three are going to nursing school, two boys are going to the Alfred Agriculture and Technical school in New York to become engineers, four are off to Delhi to major in commerce and home economics, three are going to teacher's colleges, one to the Kingston Hospital School of Nursing and one boy is going to the Ford Motor Company school.

The salutatorian and valedictorian for Fleischmanns' class of 1950 are Nancy Rosa and Lynn Vermilyea. They have both been active in class and extra-curricular affairs.

Nancy has gone to Fleischmanns highschool for four years. She is a resident of Shandaken and "likes school so much that she doesn't want to leave."

But knowing full well that the time will come to depart she has turned her thoughts toward the future and plans to be a receptionist. She doesn't know exactly where yet, but she thinks a doctor's place would be as good as any. While in school she's been working part-time as a telephone operator in the Fleischmanns exchange. Academically her main interest was centered around the business courses.

Nancy was a cheerleader for four years on the basketball cheerleading squad. She was also the star in the class play, "Look Who's Here." She explained that the play was a farce and that everybody had a hilarious time putting it on.

She also has been a member of the chorus in which she sang alto, "but I haven't been singing with them this year," she said; "I had something else to do!"-- As a representative on the student council she gained experience in what it means to make laws and represent a group of students on an executive-judicial body. Asked how she liked that sort of work she said she liked it but that the council didn't work to well. She felt a lot of the fault lay in that the kids "didn't cooperate." "Nevertheless, she was of the opinion that the idea of such an organization is good and should be worked on, both by teachers and students, so that it can become an effectively functioning body.

During the Junior Prom dance Nancy had the experience of being president of her class. She said that it took them two weeks to get all the decorations and preparations for the affair completed. Although she sometimes '"had a hard time" getting kids to do what had to be done, she managed admirably and the dance was a roaring success.

Among other things Nancy has played soft-ball--pitching most of the time--and basketball.

Lynn Vermilyea hails from Bedell and also has attended the Fleischmanns school for four years. While there he said that as far as school work was concerned, he liked intermediate algebra and science with emphasis on chemistry. His future ambitions are to go into the teaching profession. In order to prepare he plans to go on to the State Teachers College at Albany. He isn't sure yet whether he wants to be a commercial teacher or a science teacher. Asked why he wanted to become a teacher he said that the idea of teaching kids appeals to him. "Pay is good, hours are good and it's a respected profession; besides I get along with people well and that's important in teaching."

Outside the class-room Lynn's major interest is probably sports--his other interest is something universal--not uncommonly noticeable in the spring time. He's played on the basketball, baseball and football teams during his school years. He has been captain of the basketball team during his senior year.

He also went to Boys' State at Colgate university to learn about government by actually creating government organizations and living the part. He stayed there for one week and during that time really got an insight into the workings of his local, state and federal government. When he came back he tried to apply his newly gained knowledge to the student council of which he was a member.

The senior play found Lynn in the leading role, opposite Nancy, who was his aunt.

Graduation Activities

Fleischmanns graduating activities are more or less lumped into one day, Monday, June 26, is the day for the commencement exercised. The program will start at 8 p. m. Herbert Pickett of Cooperstown, N. Y. will be principal speaker. His topic: "The Important Things are Still Simple." At this ceremony awards and prizes will be given out. The salutatory and valedictorian addresses, by Lynn Vermilyea and Nancy Rosa, will be given at this occasion.

Howell T. Birdsall, president of the Board of Education, will present the diplomas.

After commencement, around 10 p. m. the Junior Prom will start, complete with fancy decoration and rocking to the tunes of the Golden and York orchestra.

The night before commencement, Sunday June 25, is the baccalaureate service. Rev. Moody of Fleischmanns and Rev. Payne of Shandaken will officiate. This ceremony will start at 8 p. m.

On Friday June 26, is Fleischmanns class day. The affair will start at 1:45 p. m. and will concern itself with "the moving up of classes, and "giving of the class will and prophecy."