Patricia Barber Polacco

I am shocked and saddened to hear of the passing of my childhood friend Terry Valenzano. I guess my memorial to him will be this:  Terry and I were very much involved in the drama dept. and appeared in many skits and plays as the commedy relief. There was one skit in particular that was spoofing our rival football team. Terry was actually captain of our football team. In the skit we had sewn lace all over the uniforms, posted ribbons on them and pretty much made them look rediculous. I played their Russian football coach.  The school administrators thought the skit was so funny they arranged for us to perform it in front of the school board and Mayor. The recreation hall next to Tech had been decorated to the hilt, balloons, flowers, all manner of goodies to eat and a giant punch bowl as the center piece.  All of us in the cast were stationed upstairs. We were to make our entry coming down the grand stairway and act out the play in a small clearing that had been made for us.  All of the football players, including Terry were wearing cleats. The floors were slippery lanoleum. As we were coming down the stairs Terry slipped and lost his footing. Stradling the wide wooden banister of the stair case. As he slid down it with his feet up in the air on his but, he knocked most of us onto the floor, was airborn off the end of the banister, gained altitude and crashed into the refreshment table, landing in the punch bowl and collapsing all 6 tables to the floor.  Valerie Brennen, dean of women, was laughing so hard she cried.  The principal and the mayor couldn't catch their breaths they were laughing so hard.  The astonished look on the faces of all the women and men, their finery covered with punch, torn flowers, broken glass, little sandwiches was priceless!  The whole room convulsed in laughter and I do bleieve Terry got a cut on one of his butt cheeks from the broken glass from the punch bowl. If you could have seen the look on Terry's face.  That is what I am rememebering this day.  I'm undone at his loss but God bless him I am remembering him with tearful laughter. God speed Terry! Until we meet again. My heartfelt sympathy for his wife and family. Love Trish Barber (Polacco)