Hoop Boys

New Ipswich Historical Society

Class of 1936 Yearbook

Extracted Text

BOYS' BASKETBALL

Since 1930, basketball teams representing Appleton have gained State-wide recognition. In 1933, a championship was won at the Village Tournament in Fitchburg, Massachusetts. Successive titles have been won each year since that time. Last year, the State Championship was won in Durham. This year the team was runner-up at the State Tournament and also won the Championship of the Small High School Tournament at Townsend, Massachusetts.

This season Coach Provenzani had to build an almost new team. Only three veterans were left from the Championship team of last year. There were many shifts made before the coach was satisfied that he had welded together the strongest possible team.

The season opened with Pembroke Academy. The team played erratic basketball and lost the game. This early season defeat by Pembroke was overlooked when Appleton decisively trimmed this same team at the Townsend Tournament. Following the Pembroke game the team suffered a short slump. Games were lost to Keene and St. Bernard's of Fitchburg before Appleton was able to register its initial victory against Marlboro.

Getting into the win column seemed to be all the needed because successive victories followed over Manchester Central, Nashua High, and Conant. Appleton, losing only to Peterboro, finished second in the Monadnock League. This League is considered to be the fastest Class B League in the State.

For the second successive year, Appleton was chosen to compete for the State Championship at the State Tournament in Durham. The team was not conceded much chance of retaining the title. In fact, Hillsboro was picked to eliminate Appleton from the competition in the first game. However, Appleton confounded the experts by defeating Hillsboro and decisively overwhelming Groveton, the great team from the North. The good fortune of the team ended here. Appleton opposed Peterboro for the second time in two years at Durham for the title. The game started out to be a thriller. The first quarter found Appleton in the lead by the score of four to two. From then on the game was Peterboro's.

Although the team did not win the Championship, it distinguished itself as being one of the two best Class B teams in the State for the season of 1936.

This did not end the season for Appleton. Further honors were to be gained at the Townsend Tournament. Although the team was without the services of two players, the five men that played most of the time at Durham continued their iron- man stunt by duplicating this performance at Townsend. Appleton's air-tight defense and dazzling offense completely bewildered its opponents. Victories were gained over Orange, Littleton, Pembroke Academy and Johnson High of North Andover, Massachusetts.

Awards received by the team were as follows: At the State Tournament each man received a miniature silver basketball. At the Townsend Tournament it gained permanent possession of the trophy awarded by the Townsend Men's Club to the winning team.

It also was awarded the silver basketball trophy, which, to gain permanent possession, must be won for three years. Each individual received a miniature gold basketball.

Individual honors gained by members of the team this year were as follows: Maki was selected forward and Burton guard on the All-State Class B team. At the Townsend Tour-nament, Maki was again selected forward, and Burton captain utility player. In the Monadnock League, Maki and Burton and guard on the All-Tourney team. Hill was selected as a were chosen on a mythical All-League Team. Hill and L. Kangas were chosen on the second team. Members of the team were: John Aho, Milton Burton, Leo Hill, Ambrose Howard, Harvey Kangas, Leonard Kangas, Ralph Kangas, Edmond Lambert, Lee Page, Bruno Maki, and James McCuddy. The leading scorers for the season were: Burton, 170 points; Maki, 160 points; and Hill, 128 points.

News Clipping - Children’s Oak

The town clerk recently called attention to two old deeds that his wife found among a trunk of documents, formerly the property of school No. 13. Deed of Stedman Houghton to School District No. 13, executed June 22, 1843, before Jeremiah Smith, justice of the peace, from whom Smithville or Smith Village derived its name. The witnesses were Jeremiah Smith and Charles Bateman. The second warrantee deed was that of Stedman Houghton and his wife, Maria, conveying a certain tract of land and "The Old Oak Tree" to School District No. 13, in New Ipswich, in trust for the children, executed, Nov. 8, 1869, before William A. Preston, justice of the peace. The witnesses were W. A. Preston and M. M. Preston. "Said oak tree is never to be cut down, unless it shall become dead, in which case a majority of the legal voters of said district present at any legal meeting may dispose of it as they shall think best. It being the intention of the parties to this deed that so long as the tree shall live, it shall always be a pleasant resort for the children of the district and be known as 'The Children's Oak.'! Recently some tree surgery has been done upon this aged oak in order to check decay. This tree stands not far from the Obear homestead on Academy Street.

James Roger diary entries

12th July 1912

Warm and variable from SW to East; cloudy and a little sultry. David cutting grass for Pines (and tossing our hay in forenoon. He brought in a 2 horse and one horse load in afternoon from J. Davis’ field. May and the children left at 4 o’clock in Chandlers’ auto for home. Got letter from Hamish. I picked a fowl for Newcomb. David got letter from Mrs. Spofford.