Stories from the 1940s-50s
Read about how alumni finally made "Old Flick" and "Young Flick" proud, were part of the Yale-est class, learned a lesson from Mr. Murray, and more.
Herbert Donovan ’49:
“The fall of 1944 (my first year) I went home for a weekend. I was so depressed about my classes--and efforts in sports--that I feigned illness so I would not have to return to school. Some ten days later, when it was clear I was not ill, my father took me back, and as we parted he said, ‘I wish I could have attended a fine school like this one.’ I then entered the main hallway where I ran into headmaster ‘Old Flick’ Hoxton, who immediately greeted me, saying: ‘Old Mike, Old Mike, don't be an Also Ran!’ That did it! I got some coaching in algebra from Mr. Hoxton himself, and the following grade period did well night to get out of Eighth Period. While I only made B Squad in football, I did make varsity track, but failed to get a letter. I was a Monitor my fifth & final year. I got medals for most valuable in choir and for declamation. I was choir manager and acquired the title 'Mother Herb.' I failed my final algebra exam and thus did not graduate with my class. I was able to get a diploma later that summer after passing a make-up exam. One of my most valued possessions is a letter from ‘Young Flick’ Hoxton in which he said: ‘Even though I failed to make you a record breaker in track, or an Einstein in math, I will always remember you as one of the finest boys who ever went to the High School.’ I hope 'Old Flick' would also be proud that I did not turn out as an ‘Also Ran!’”Charlie Cook '52:
“It is hard to think of memories from over 60 years ago, but EHS was a wonderful experience and the faculty had me thinking big for my college education. Seven of us went to Yale, the most of any class ever before or since.”Bill Saunders '56:
"EHS was a four- or five-year period in our lives where we definitely learned to meet the challenges in life and made choices or otherwise suffered the consequences."David Wysong '59:
"As a 'RAT' at EHS, I went to my first Latin class taught by Mr. Heslett Murray. He called on me to translate a Latin paragraph about the war in Gaul, and I answered that I was not prepared. His answer was OK, he would get me prepared. He directed the rest of the class to read something, then pulled up a chair and sat with me for the duration of the class period helping me translate the paragraph. You can imagine my embarrassment at having this occur in front of my classmates! I can promise you I never entered that class again without being fully prepared."Help ensure that the EHS experience continues to challenge young people by making a gift to the Roll Call today.
