William F. Donovan
Class of 1943

In early summer of 1939, my father informed me that I was to meet with Mr. Morrow the following evening at his residence on High Street.Dad had been working at Morris House and apparently my future education was discussed. I arrived at the appointed time, well dressed and a little anxious. I must say that Mr. Morrow set me at ease as we spoke of my future and Monson Academy. I was very impressed and pleased with our con- versation. The result was a meeting shortly thereafter with Headmaster George E. Rogers. We reviewed my academic record and the role that Monson Academy could play in my future education. I was very excited when I learned of my acceptance as a freshman in the class of 1943.

To reduce my tuition, I was given responsibility for cleaning two areas in the historic classroom building which was then situated next to the Holmes Gymnasium. The first floor had a large entrance hall, to the left was the Flynt and Packard Library which was located between two classrooms. In front of the library were two stairways, one to the east and the other to the west. To the right of the entrance hall were two classrooms. Mr. Rogers's office was at the top of the west stairway, over the external archway, with a classroom to the north and the chapel(assembly hall) entrance to the south. The chapel occupied half of the second floor.The re- maining half consisted of the two classrooms, a business office and the upper hallway. The basement contained a restroom, laboratory, and storage area. I was assigned to the west stairway and the classroom adjacent to Mr. Rogers's office. I was given that responsibility for four years after which my brother, Robert,'47, carried on for another four years.

As a day student, I did not eat with boarding students in the dining room at Cushman Hall. The lunch hour permitted me ample time to walk home, eat lunch and return to clean the stairway and classroom. There were occasions when day students dined at Cushman Hall. To start the year, the entire student body and staff attended an opening dinner at which the Headmaster and various faculty members explained the academic and sports programs; expectations for dress and behavior were also addressed. These were very convivial gatherings. Friendships were renewed and classmates had an opportunity to become acquainted.

My academic program consisted of five classes and one study hall. This was the context in which I met three teachers for whom I developed great respect and a lasting friendship. Mr. Morrow taught my Latin and algebra classes. Mr. Benton was my French teacher and Mr. Martin was my freshman English teacher. They were very dedicated men who encouraged us to do our very best work. They set an example in dress and performance. all students dressed appropriately and expected responses were " Yes, sir" and "No,sir."

All of our teachers expected daily homework to be com- pleted. Two or three hours of study in the evening were not unusual. Mr. Benton spoke French daily. He had an inter- resting way of checking to see if we had prepared for the lesson of the day. After the usual greetings,he would give us a short quiz, brief and to the point. If a student failed to pass the quiz, opportunity was given to take another quiz after school. However, even if one then scored 100 %, he only credited the student with a passing 70% grade. Obviously, it paid to pass the quiz initially and not to take undue advantage of a make-up exam.

Boarding students had an opportunity to seek assistance in the evening from the masters who were on duty in the dormitories. Day students were also able to visit a teacher in the evening should the need arise. On a number of occasions, I walked to Morris House to obtain help with an algebra assignment. It was reassuring to know that one could seek assistance during the school day and in the evening was well.

The student body attended a daily meeting in the assembly hall. The Headmaster was at the rostrum with faculty seated to his left and right. All students had to address the assembly at least twice a year. The public speaking experience was both extemporaneous and pre- pared. The addresses were called, appropriately enough, "chapel talks." The first speaking occasion was extemporaneous. The lucky student then walked to the front of the assembly and spoke for three minutes. The smart thing to do was to have some idea of topics prepared in advance for the momentous occasion which could occur any day. The other chapel talks were prepared in advance. Each knew the date of his presentation. Mr. Martin was one of the English teachers who advised each speaker on the topic selected and the manner of presentation. His advice and encouragement were very reassuring. This ex- perience, speaking to an assembled group. Large or small, was a wonderful and rewarding opportunity which has been of lifelong benefit.

Sunday teas were held in the common room of Cushman Hall. Mrs. Rogers was the hostess assisted by student servers. The teas provided an opportunity for parents and staff to meet. The most memorable Sunday tea occurred on December 7, 1941. I was assigned to assist that day. Little did any of us realize that day how our lives would be affected by the attack on Pearl Harbor.

Mid-term and term ranks in class were posted on the bulletin board and also included in the school newspaper, The Monson Spirit, that listed the names of students who achieved an average of 80 or higher. Athletic awards were presented at banquets held at Cushman Hall.

At the conclusion of classes, students participated in various sports. In the fall soccer and football kept us in shape. There were contests with other prep schools. however, in all sports, the Wilbraham Academy game was the most important of the season. Football rallies and parades down Academy Hill took place prior to this big game. There was no parade for any other contest; however, the the game with Wilbraham was the main event. we practiced soccer and football on Sullivan's Field. soccer players seldom, if ever, tired in a game. Mr. Morrow had us run around the field numerous times prior to and after practice. He loved the game and so did all of us who played on his team. The students, faculty and townspeople knew when Monson Academy was victorious in an athletic contest. Boys from the winning team ran to the belfry to ring the school bell. After all athletic games or contests of any kind with other prep schools, refreshments would be served in Cushman Hall. This afforded an opportunity for players from both schools to meet one another. We respected our competitors as well as our coaches and game officials.

Mrs. Andrew was in charge of food preparation and service. She also contributed to the rifle team. When desserts were left after lunch, she placed them on the serving table in the kitchen. The rifle range was in the basement of Cushman Hall. Knowing what might be available, we would hasten down the hill to enjoy a dessert prior to practice.

The Monson Spirit was our school newspaper. It provided an opportunity for students to write articles, report on school activities, and in general to be involved in the news- paper business. Bob McCray and I served as co-editors of the newspaper during our senior year.

The effect of World War II was felt by students and staff. Mr. Benton was the first faculty member to join the service. We were aware of his surviving the sinking of the ship on which he was sailing to Europe, his rescue, and his reporting of his adventure on the radio. The Monson Spirit issue of March 15, 1943 reported the departure of Mr. Blackwell,'36, for the ordnance branch of the army. Two students also left school for military service. Many more alumni would serve their country during the war and in later years. The first alumnus to return from combat was Corporal Matthew Lynch, '38, USMC, who spoke to the student body on March 1, 1943. Corporal Lynch participated the battle for Guadalcanal.

Graduation of the Class of 1943 marked the end of our years of study at Monson Academy. We were well prepared for college and military service. We parted from a school we loved to face an uncertain future. Some of us maintained our association with the Academy after World War II through the Alumni Association. I later returned to teach at our school for three years and to serve as president of the Alumni Association. One of my proudest moments as alumni president was to pre- sent Dr. Rogers the keys to the new classroom building on High Street, Alumni Hall. It was indeed a memorable dedication day in the fall of 1954. I later had the honor and privilege to represent the alumni for two terms on the Board of Trustees. Monson Academy has been an integral part of the life of this day student, and I look back on its contributions with great fondness and appreciation.