Thornton Academy Postscripts Alumni Magazine Spring 2010 | Page 11

200th Idea: Join Facebook We know many of you have a Facebook page and many others have just been waiting for a reason to use this widespread social network. Make Sure the Bicentennial Showcases Your Class and Friends This photo is from the estate of Pauline Fournier who taught at TA only two years from 1946-48. Without gifts and loans of photos, great pictures like this would never be seen. Scour your TA photos and call to loan or donate them to the archives. Tell us who is in this photo on Facebook or e-mail [email protected]. Hank LaVallee’s Football Helmet Stitched from three pieces of leather and lined with 3/4-inch fleece, this 1920s helmet was considered the best protection of the time. A shoemaker and a harness maker are credited nationally with making the first leather football caps for 1893 and 1896 college players. The new head gear was called a “head harness.” Helmets did not become mandatory in college ball until 1939. The first TA photo showing any type of helmet is in 1908. By 1914 everyone in the team photo (see below) had one, but there are at least six different models being worn. This helmet was donated by Henry ‘Hank’ LaVallee ’25, who played backfield in the fall of 1922, 1923 and 1924. Hank was later Thornton’s Alumni Office Director for over 20 years. In LaVallee’s junior and senior year, the team lost only once, and Become a fan of the Thornton Academy Bicentennial page and you can access all the latest updates, volunteer needs, posted photos and video, and more. Let’s break a record for number of fans for a high school page in honor of TA’s 200th! First Facebook Contest in 11 games their opponents did not score at all, while TA averaged 21 points per game. Known as “The Kid” it was Hank who scored the winning touchdown that let TA claim the 1924 state championship. Su ɕ