Thornton Academy Postscripts Alumni Magazine Spring 2010 | Page 11
200th Idea:
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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
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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