Jeanne Charest spent only two years at Gardner High School, but made friendships that have lasted a lifetime.Jeanne was born in Gardner but spent her early school years in South Royalston. She feels that she was underexposed to the larger world -- she never experienced a library before going to high school. Going to high school in the "city" (of Gardner) was a big deal, but it meant getting up early to get on the train every day to go to school. She writes, "At first I was overwhelmed and felt awkward. I found out that there were uptowners, downtowners and "us"-- out-of- towners. That's hard to figure out when you are a kid with so little experience socially."
Soon Jeanne made new friends and that made a big difference. She lists Ginny Blake, Connie Lesneski, Sue Skamarycz, Joanne Bogdanski, Jackie Tousignant, Donna Blake, and Judy Bishop as her social circle. She felt academically overwhelmed but her goal was to play on the girls softball team in her freshman year. Earning her letter was a special reward.
By the time sophomore year arrived, Jeanne was more comfortable in Gardner but then discovered that Royalston was going into a regional high school with Athol. "The prospect of change was distressing but after every effort to find the money to stay in Gardner, I realized I'd have to go with the flow. " There, Jeanne lettered in thre sports and found total acceptance."
Jeanne married her boyfriend from Gardner, Barry Glinski. "We have three very successful daughters and five grandchildren. Our marriage didn't last and after a divorce, I married Phil Mallet from Athol. We have been together for the better part of 30 years and continue to be happy. We are both presently retired and live in a condo in West Boylston."
Although she only went to GHS for two years, Jeanne acknowledges that "Ginny Blake and I have been friends for 54 years, which means that my short stop at Gardner High School had an everlasting effect on my life."
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