The April edition of the Chronicle carried sobering news. Kids at CHS, including us, I guess, did not have their priorities straight, according to an unsigned editorial (page two).

The American Government class conducted a poll of students, asking each student 36 questions about national and international politics, news, etc. The average result was an “F” — only 16.6 correct answers to the 36 questions, or less than 47 percent correct. Seniors (Class of 1961) had the highest average of correct answers (show-offs!), but that still amounted to only 19.4 correct answers, just over half. The average fell with the age of the responders, with freshmen (us) answering an average of only 15.5 questions correctly.

Some of the questions covered “pop” topics. Indeed, the editorial reports, 91 percent of students knew that Elizabeth Taylor had had a recent bout with pneumonia, but only 45 percent could identify the US Secretary of State as Dean Rusk.

In happier Chronicle tidings, page seven carried a story of rousing success, and participation by our classmates in it. The CHS Chess Team, with a 7-0-1 record, locked up the Hampden Interschool Chess League crown. Among the freshmen on the team were Paul Donahue, John Quill, and Jerome Webb.

Also on page four is a report on a “courtesy campaign” conducted by two freshmen religion classes. Weren’t we nice? The theme was “Christlikeness through Courtesy.” (Is “Christlikeness” really a word?) Each student in the school wore courtesy badges of different colors specific to each class. Faculty members observing discourtesy confiscated the badge of the perpetrator. Our class had more badges confiscated than any other class! We won! . . . Kinda.

Here’s the April 28, 1961, edition of the Chronicle

Page one

Page two

Page three

Page four