Page 50 - 1933

The closing of our sub-Freshman year was saddened by the death of one of
our classmates, Eugene Capotosto, a boy liked and esteemed by all, one who
showed great promise. We were sorry he could not have been with us at our
participation in Commencement Day. At this time, we looked enviously on
while the great class of 1929 had its final splurge and became another class in
the long list of alumni. When the excitement and smoke of that time finally
cleared away, we found we were home for the summer, prospective Second
Formers!
II.

What a change had come over us in one year! The opening of school, with
its handshaking and general getting acquainted, seemed not so overawing as
exactly a year ago! We deemed ourselves "pals” with "Breck” and "Jit” as we
greeted them, and saw the newcomers shaking in their boots exactly as we had
formerly done. What lost souls we had been then! With assumed nonchalance we
took the desks that were assigned to us in the less terrifying study hall, deigned
to toss a few books within, and then spent the rest of the time talking to the
old boys of the former year. With more ease came the learning of our classes, and
soon we became acquainted with the new fellows. Among those who brought
Moses Brown renown with their fame were Joe Wild from "South Goose,”
younger brother and side-kick of George Wild, who then was a big Upper
Former. Joe’s infectious laughter and athletic ability soon made him notorious.
Then there were Walt Hanson and A1 Stokes of future literary fame; Langan
Swent, the lad from Mexico; Holden Nicholson; and Chase and Sanborn, the
coffee twins, who strangely enough were cast as roommates.
That year we had even more good times in our scholastic work. Once again
"Smoothie” led us through an English course, teaching us everything from The
Lady of the Lake to predicate accusatives. "Pat” continued with those in Latin
whom he had not flunked the year before, and it was here that Caesar and his
Tenth Legion first were introduced to torment us. The chalk slinging was still
kept up, but poor "Two Gun” was baffled when two "smart guys” sat in the
front row and started "cutting up.” How could one slam chalk at those who
were only an arm’s length away? Accordingly "the big shots” were kicked out of
class on several occasions, but always got away with going down to the base­
ment instead of reporting to study hall.
Algebra and French were under a new master, Gardner M. "Plug” Nichols,
a meek soul whom the boys loved to joke with. Toof tried to get away once,
but "Plug” subdued him royally. Ask "Herm” about it sometime. In History,
which was supposed to be Ancient, but too often reverted to modern problems,
especially those of a social nature, we had the great Everett B., "Salesman Sam”
(a nickname which has stuck since the Dark Ages, because of Rainsey’s far-
famed purely hypothetical arguments and general verbosity). Here we learned

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