Autograph Album from Junior High, 1935 - Treasure Chest Thursday

(Digital Image. Album Privately Held By Cynthia Shenette; Text and Images, Copyright (c) 2014 Cynthia Shenette)

Christine Sharayko

"To keep my friends

Is my delight

So in this book

I pray you'll write."
***

My mom, Christine (Szerejko) Shenette, went to Providence Street Junior High School in Worcester, MA in the 1930s.  Apparently, she and her junior high friends shared in the age old tradition of exchanging autographs.  It's funny how some end of the school year activities don't change.  I had an autograph album when I was a kid, and last week my son came home with a tee-shirt signed by all of his classmates.  The medium has changed, but the tradition has not. 

If you had an album back in the day I bet you can relate to the sentiments expressed here. Some are classics and have probably been written over and over in countless albums and yearbooks.  Still, it's fun to read them and imagine my mom going around collecting and signing autographs from her friends on that June day 79 years ago. 

Hook or by crook

I am the first

to write in your

book

An Everlasting School-

mate,

Jane Parath

Class of 1935

***

Don't be #

Don't be b
Just be [natural]

"Schoolmate"

Edith

Stonequist

***

June 25, 1935

Think of me long;

Think of me ever;

Think of the fun,

We've had together.

Always a friend;

Dorothy Morris
***

Eleanor Mikoloski

69 Harlem St. Worcester, Mass

Tel = 3-4978

Yours til Atlantic Ocean

wears pants,

To keep it's bottom dry.
***

If you get to heaven

before I do

Poke a hole + pull

me through

R.J.S.
***

June 24, 1935

If in the world a

secret you know,

Tell not your friend

Tell not your foe,

For when your friend

became your foe

Then all the world

your secret will know.

(205) Myrtle Olson
***

Roses are Red

Voilets are blue

pickels are sour

and so are you

Alden Gates

1935
***

(Got a little crush Alden?)

"1935"

Down the Lane he led her

The heaven was "studded"

with stars

Down to the gate

he led her

For her he opened the

bars

She turned her soft

eyes upon him

But theres nothing

between them now

He was just a hired man

and she a Jersey Cow

You Everlasting Friend Stella Rosochacki
***

(I think Stella and I would have really liked each other...)

Remember the girl in the

city

Remember the girl in the

town

Remember the girl who spoiled

your book

By writing upside

down

Yours Truly

Evelyn Robbins
***

Remember always a

Pal.

Sonia Mouskowitz
***

In your chain of

friendship consider

me a link

Edith Sklut

Yours till rats eat cats
***

Policeman Policeman do

Your duty,

Here comes Christine the

American Beauty

Your Schoolmate

Rose Morris

(Don't take this seriously)
***

When you

are married

and hubby gets

mad

Pick up a pocker [poker?] and

say I am boss

A pal

Rita A.
***

Christine Sharayko

Robert Smith
***

First come Friendship,

Them comes Marriage,

Then come Christine

pushing a baby

carriage.

A Friend

Cecelia Tilenda
***

Just a friend

Lillian Tarkiainen

June 25, 1935
***

Forget

Me

Not

Beatrice Sher

8' H.R. 205

(your Pal)
***

(It's nice to know Mom and Beatrice were in home room (H.R.) 205 together!)

Roses are red

Violets are ducking

When a girl gets out of

High School

She is ready for

College

Albert Quist

206
***

A. Louise Jones

~[G clef]~
***

Mildred Balcome

Providence St. Jr. High

June 25, 1935
***

(Many of the autographs are written with beautiful handwriting.  Why is it that we don't teach cursive anymore?)

Onward and Upward

Cora A. Stanton

Providence St. Jr. High School
***

schoolmate

Ray Luce

June 1935

P.S.J.H.
***

When Christine was a little

girl she use to play

with toys

But she goes to J.H.S. now

she plays with all the boys

Your schoolpal

Rose Potkaj

***

Nils Stead

Providence St. J.H.S.

June 1935
***

With Best Regards

Lula E. Mills Art

June 25, 1935.
***

(It's fun to know Lula and Mom were in art class together.)

Howard C. Norbeck,

24 Aurilla St.

Worcester,

Mass.
***

F.G. McGrath
***

Mildred Collins
***

Douglas (Pest) Wakefield

Providence J.H.S.

(Pest?  Another junior high crush perhaps?)

Sincerely!

Katherine L. Power

June, 1935
***

Christine it is

Christine forever

Sherako it is

But not forevever.

just an old

Pal

Anna Migliozzi
***

Raymond Stokowski

172 Vernon St.

Worcester

Mass.
***

When you marry and

get twins

Don't come to borrow my

pins.

Your's til' powder

puffs.

"Millie"

J.G.D.
***

(Your's til powder puffs?  I think I would have liked Millie, too.  I can see me and Mom and Stella and Millie all heading down to Liggett's for a Coke after class...)

Police man

Police man

due your duty

catch Christine

the American beauty

Doris Soderberg

Worcester

Mass
***

By hook or by Crook

I am the last

to write in this book.

Ruth Waska
***

If you are related to or knew any of the students from the Providence Street Junior High School Class of 1935 who signed my mother's autograph album I'd love to hear from you!



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Confessions of a Lunch Box Trader...

(This post was originally written in September 2010; Copyright (c) 2010 Cynthia Shenette)

"But mom, juice boxes are so kindergarten."

So said my son a while back. Who knew? I wondered why he kept bringing juice boxes home in his lunch box every day rather than drinking them. Apparently, when you're in second grade, squishy pack drinks are way more cool. Sometimes I have trouble trying to keep up with what's in and what's out snack-wise, AND keep it healthy. "Flavor Blasted" Pepperidge Farm Goldfish, in. Regular Pepperidge Farm Goldfish, out. Sweets, in. Yogurt, out. Fruit, definitely out. How can I compete? "Mom, did you know Johnny has a Cosmic Brownie for morning snack. A Cosmic Brownie," he adds for emphasis. At 10:20 in the morning? I don't think so. "But mom, they're cosmic." Yeah, right. They might be cosmic but they're not gonna happen, and certainly not at 10:20 in the morning.

Believe me, I feel his pain. You see, I was a lunch box trader. There, I said it. You probably knew a kid like me--the pathetic kid with the apple. Yup, that was me. I was the kid sitting at that table in the gymacafatorium with my bruised apple rolling around at the bottom of my metal Peanuts lunch box. Squished tuna sandwich wrapped in wax paper. No mayo. Frozen milk bought at school. No soda for this kid. Mom was a woman ahead of her time. She wanted me to be healthy. I just wanted a Twinkie. Oh, how I envied those kids with the Twinkies. Why couldn't I have a Twinkie like everyone else?

Years later, when I was in my twenties, I finally confessed to my mom about the trading thing. She was shocked. Shocked! "Some kid was perfectly happy to get that apple," she said. Frankly, I could never figure out why anybody wanted my apple. Actually, I still can't. Even today, given the choice of a Twinkie or an apple, I'd go with the Twinkie in a heartbeat if I didn't know any better. Today we have cholesterol. Ah, those innocent days of youth.

I hate to admit it, but yes, I've become my mother. Once I became a mom I knew it was just a matter of time. I hear stuff coming out of my mouth that my mother use to say. And despite that, NO, my son will NOT be taking a Cosmic Brownie for morning snack. I don't care if everyone does it. NO Cosmic Brownie. End of story.

What was in your lunch box? Were you the apple, or were you the Twinkie? I really want to know...

Submitted for the 122nd edition of the Carnival of Genealogy.


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