"Over 1000 Wakefield boys participated in the 'Boys' Loyalty Day' parade which was held in conjunction with the first annual 'Boys' Week'. 'Boys' Week' activities included: Boys' Day in School - April 25th Boys' Day in Church - April 27th Boy's Day in Industry and Government - April 29th Boys' Day at Home - April 30th Boys' Loyalty Day - May 1st Boys' Day in Athletics - May 2nd Boys' Day Outdoors - May 3rd. The parade began at 2:30 p.m. by a 'blow on the fire alarm whistle' sounded by Major Joseph Yarushites of the high school cadets. The units formed at the high school (now the Galvin Jr. High School) and followed a winding route which included Main Street, Chestnut Street, North Ave., Yale Ave., Main Street, Park Street, Pleasant Street, Salem Street, Church Street, Common Street to Main Street where a reviewing stand was set up on the steps of the Lucius Beebe Memorial Library. Judges for the parade included Selectmen Arthur E. Newcomb, Charles F. Young and Roland W. Butters. The parade was led by the Wakefield Police Department, the Everett High School Band, and the Wakefield High School Battalion. The boys' groups included the following: Wakefield Boy Scouts Franklin, Woodville, Lafayette, Warren, West Ward, St. Joseph's, Montrose, Greenwood, and Hamilton Schools newsboys Baptist Boys' Club Knights of King Arthur and the Y.M.C.A. The latter group was the only one to have a float. At the end of the parade, the boys were treated to ice cream by A.B. Weld, a Wakefield ice cream manufacturer." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio. Image from the Wakefield Municipal Gas and Light Department annual calendar, 1992 Photo courtesy of Bourdon Studios.
