News from LHS…in 1956 – by Frank Benjamin

LHS 1956

In 1956 Peggy Emmert, a member of the graduating class was elected by the 1900 students as the school representative at Good Government Day at the State House in Boston. She was the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Francis Emmert of Bailey St. and was on the honor roll every month of her high school career and the president of the girls debating society.  She was also president of her class and a varsity cheerleader for two years. She is in the college course and plans to enroll in the school of nursing.

In later years she becomes future athletic director at CCHS Mike Sullivan’s bride.  Their son Chris is still on that school’s staff as an administrator.  Peggy as she was known became a great tennis player and won a couple of City championships with her partner Pat Khoury now of NH.

Mike was a teacher and winning baseball coach for the red and blue. His dad Bill taught this writer how to coach on the diamond when he took me on as his assistant coach of the Tower Hill Jr League Team. Bill ran the drive-in theatre that once was located on Route 114 where the mall is today.  I’d like to have a penny for every carload of friends he gave a freebee, too.

Peg has left us now and heaven was her next stop of course that must’ve been a great reunion with her hubby Mike.

 

 

Before there were cell phones we had rotary dial phones, there were party lines meaning you shared a line with someone else.  You were assigned a long ring, or maybe 2 short rings and even three rings to know if the call was for you.  You could also listen in on whoever was on your line a bonus for busybodies.

There were etiquette rules for the phone users of the day and here are a few: Don’t use the phone to discuss trivial matters with friends you expect to see shortly; do leave a message if the party is not at home; don’t use the phone as an instrument for homework collaboration; do courteously yield the phone when your neighbor is trying use the line for an important call; do be pleasant when answering a wrong number because it could happen to you; don’t call information to find a number when the phone book is handy; don’t use the phone as an escape from boredom – a good book will be more beneficial to you; do limit your calls AMEN!

How many of these rules would stand up now in the days of cell phones.  Some people today would revolt if they were even told of these rules with so many phone carriers around.

How many people today look as if they have a phone growing out of the side of their head?

Also think of what we would do without our cell phones.  Can you imagine if we forget it at home you almost panic and feel undressed without it?

 

LHS HIT PARADE (Dec. 1956)

Singing the Blues, A Rose and a Baby Ruth, Jealous Lover, Since I met you Baby, Love me Tender, True love, Moonlight Gambler, Green Door, Love Me, and Poor Boy.

That’s news from LHS in 1956.