Abington High School - Abhis Yearbook (Abington, MA)

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THE ABHIS 17 Besides attending school he was in the Army for four years in the Ordinance Corps of the Criminal Identification Department and served in the Pacific. His favorite food is steak and his favorite pastime is spent in raising boxers. VVhen asked what he thought of the school he enthusiastically replied, The student body is well-behaved and, on the whole, it is a fine school. CYNTHIA BUTTERS, '52 PATRICIA LAFERRETE, '52 TODAYlS ENTERTAINMENT In this age of modern science many advances have been made in the field of entertainment. The radio, the cinema, and the television are received by many more people than did re- ceive the old-time Shakespearean road plays of the city theatrical groups. Unfortunately these new types of entertain- ment have almost outweighed their usefulness with the damage they do. Because the radio and the movies reach more people they have to cater to many new types of interests. It is unfortunate that in the past leaders in the field of entertainment were forced to lower their standards in order to reach the level of this new audience. W'ith time, and much trial and error, the radio and the movies have acquired a more stable basis for the type of entertainment they produce. It is now not too often that a really useless motion picture or radio program reaches the public. The radio and movie magnates now realize that it is going to take more and better entertainment to recapture the waning interest of the public. But in television, that combined gold mine and atom bomb, proper emphasis has not yet been placed on the quality of the programs produced. Most television viewers are like small children with a chestful of strange toys. The child will First play with the simple and easy to understand toy and as he grows older graduate to more complex toys. The only Haw in this theory is that the stage of experimentation has passed, but the type of entertainment has not changed. It is the duty of each of us average television fans to prove that we are ready for more adult and informa- tive entertainment. ANN MERRILL, '52 TELEVISION POLL During the recent month the .ABHIS stall' conducted a TV poll. From this poll came the following results: In first place for the favorite program was the Colgate Comedy Hour with 78 votes. Milton Berle and Arthur Godfrey were tied for second place with 51 votes each. Your Show of Shows QSid Caesarj was a close run- ner-up with 42 votes and I Remember Mama received 38. The majority of the student body enjoys both boxing and wrestling, but of the two, boxing took 66 votes and wrestling only 34. Although Milton Berle was tied for sec- ond top program, he was voted most objec- tionable by 41 voters. Others highly objec- tionable were the kiddie shows such as Howdy Doody, Time for Beany, Kukla, Fran and Ollie, and other puppet shows. Gabby Hayes was voted most historical by 81 votes, while Living lfVonders walked away with the title of Most Scientific with 54 votes. Through this poll it was determined that 72 students watch television for an average of two hours a night and that 52 watch for three hours a night. As far as the favorite musical program is concerned, it was a land-slide for Fred Yvar- ing with 121 votes. The closest to this was the Hit Parade with 57 votes. Two hundred fourteen students watched the United Nations video broadcasts while 162 did not. News broadcasts are viewed by 364, while only 13 never watch them. The favorite news commentator proved to be john Cameron Swayze with 362 votes. The closest to him was the commentator for Shawmut with 6 votes. SHIRLEY RANSOBI, '52 ASSEMBLIES This fall we have been very fortunate to have a great many assemblies which have been both entertaining and educational. At the first assembly in September, Mr. john Della- raux gave an interesting talk on manners and explained how good manners distinguish a person from his associates. At the second assembly, Mr. Ernest johnson, a singer, entertained us with some Negro spirituals and southern songs. This was Mr. .Iohnson's second appearance at Abington High School. Mr. lfVilliam I-lauker, a talented concert pianist, provided an interesting and educa- tional program about classical music. Mr. Hauker explained the type of music that he played and told a few facts about composers, Mr. Kenneth 'Wheeler presented a delight- ful program on The Backstage of Radio and Television in which several of our senior students took part. Mr. Xvheeler is now with YVBET as an announcer and commentator.

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16 THE ABHIS The aims of this group are: To coordinate and promote student activity and encourage greater participation on the part of the stu- dents in school managementg to strengthen and develop an appreciation of membership in a democracy by stimulating a healthy school spirit and loyaltyg to maintain high standards of moral conduct and self controlg and to provide opportunities for development of leadership. Through the cooperation of all class repre- sentatives it is hoped that these aims can be accomplished. MARY LYNCH, '54 STRAWBERRY VALLEY TEEN-TIMERS The object of this club is to help boys and girls of Abington to become clean living citi- zens, to give them clean recreation, and to keep them out of trouble. The age for becoming a members is any- where between thirteen and twenty. The member should be willing to help his school, his club, and his community. The officers consist of two presidents, two vice-presidents, and two treasurers, two record- ing secretaries elected annually. The ollicers for the l95l-l952 school year are: Co-Presidents, Janet Soper and Brinton Belyeag Co-Vice-Presidents, Shirley Thayer and George Cullinaneg Treasurers, Helen Yvest- burg and -lack Shanahan: Recording Secre- taries, Susan Gates and Richard McKenna: Corresponding Secretaries, Dorothy Perry and john Mahoney. SHIRLIQY THAYliR, '52 NEW TEACHERS AT ABINGTON HIGH SCHOOL Miss Martha Cummings Anyone out for field hockey?'l was a' new cry that sounded in the girls' gym classes and echoed through the halls of AHS. Miss Cum- mings, the new gym teacher had spoken. Miss Cummings, nicknamed Marty , at- tended Bridgewater State Teachers College in Bridgewater, Mass. During her years at Bridgewater she belonged to the YVoman's Athletic Association, the Glee Club, and the Ensemble Club. Her favorite hobbies are driving and sailing. Her favorite food is steak. A comment on our own Abington High, made by her is: I was very much impressed by the school. It is made up of good students who are neat and friendly. Mr. Robert McCullough Mr. McCullough, a new teacher of driver education must have a great deal of patience, because some of the people taking the driver education course know just about as much concerning a car as nothing, and that is no exaggeration. Mr. McCullough, attended Fitchburg State Teachers College in Fitchburg, Massachusetts. XfVhile there he belonged to the Gandelier Club. Besides attending college, he has spent two years in the Navy. His favorite hobby is sleeping, and his favorite food is fried chicken. He has only one remark to make about Abington High and that is, It's a nice school. Mrs. Helen Seymour Mrs. Seymour, who attended Yvheaton Col- lege, belonged to the German Club, the International Relations Club, the Music Club, and to the Girls Basketball Team. Her hobby, and a good one, is being enter- tained by her daughter, Margaret Elizabeth. Mrs. Seymour likes just about every kind of food, but tripe. In her estimation the school rates very high and the students are extremely courteous. Mr. Walter Pastuszak Mr. Pastuszak, known better as VVheatie to the students of Abington High School, is most welcome as a teacher and coach at Abington High. He attended our fair school, Coburn Classi- cal, and Mfilbraham Academy. At the latter he participated in football, basketball, and baseball. He was a member of the Phi Delta Theta Club. During Mlorld W'ar II he served as an MP in the European Theater of Opera- tionslin both England and France. His favorite food is baked beans and salami and his favorite pastime is sports. Mr. Pas- tuszak's favorite saying is Anything your little heart desires, which the heroes of the A. H. S. football team will long remember. lfVhen asked what he though of Abington, he replied, 'Tm a local boy myself and I think a lot of it. Mr. Norman Roberts Mr. Roberts, teacher of the Automotive Course, is a new member of the faculty. He attended Fitchburg State Teachers College and while in school was active in many sports, including football, basketball, track, and hockey.

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18 THE ABHIS Twice this fall we were fortunate in having Mr. Mfilliam McAlpine who led the student body in singing popular songs and old time favorites. Groups drawn from the student body and the faculty participated in the program. Many of our assemblies consisted of a splen- did job done by the cheerleaders. They led the student body in the cheers for the foot- ball team. Career Day at AHS was an educational program of the student body with certain members of the body asking questions of a group of well-educated people from different colleges and occupations. This assembly was planned to help those who expect to enter a certain occupation after leaving school. This fall we were also fortunate to have a car presented to us by Mr. Ronald Colton of the Chevrolet Motors in Scituate. YVe had representatives from organizations which made it possible through the help of our principal, Mr. Frolio, for us to have this car to teach young boys and girls how to become good, capable drivers. Representatives of Registrar King spoke to the assembly about courtesy and carefulness on the highway. SHIRLEY HANSEN, '53 NOREEN Gootw, '53 TREES As I have been walking home from school this fall, I have noticed many trees which bear a card marked Dutch Elm Disease, and I have seen the tree surgeon at work re- moving some of these diseased trees. I thought how barren the town would look with only houses lining the streets. A town is only as beautiful as the number of shade trees it has to add to its other assets. How hot and glarey it would be in the summer without our trees to rest our eyes and give us a refreshening breeze. Today as I walked along I was glad to find that some tender young maples had been set out to replace the old, sick elms. Though the leaves are nearly gone for this year, I can vis- ualize the bright, cheery foliage that will adorn these new trees along my way home a year from now. By replacing new trees for those which are diseased, the officials of Abington will make their town more attractive to people who are looking for a desirable town in which to live. BARBARA DENNIS, '55 THE TROUBLE WITH HIGH SCHOOL High school is a place with four walls and a roof. There are one too many teachers in every class and the periods are a half hour too long and offer nothing of interest to our social standings, like who's going out with Joe to- night or whose hay stack are we going to burn on Hallowe'en night. There are monitors standing in the corri- dors like dumbies along Union Street in Rockland to make sure we do not break a law. The Student Council should dispose of the monitors and paint a little white line down the corridors and equip us with little tin horns to blow when students are coming out of door- ways which would be in a way like side streets. The passing time for going from one class to another is two minutes. Have you ever tried going from the basement floor to the top floor in two minutes? If you haven't, try it sometime. It is very good for the nerves as well as for leg muscles. Of course there are students coming out of doorways to get into your way, but thatis O.K. just pretend you're a ghost and squeeze by them. XfVhen you are through with the struggle, you are about to put your foot over the threshold and the bell rings and you are given a half hour's detention by some person who just loves to hand them out. DOROTHY PERRY, '55 NATURE'S ASSORTED COLORS The leaves were beautiful in the fall, with red, orange, brown and yellow predominat- ing. To me, outside of spring, fall has always been the most beautiful season of the year. The manual labor of raking these falling friends of ours is never bothersome, because many times after stopping to pick up these beautiful shapes and colors, I remember the forgotten years with their forgotten leaves. This array of color is hidden when the white of the snowflakes sets in. I find myself filled with emotion when I look upon the fall of leaves and think of the sudden arrival of winter. My thoughts are of Nature and Her wonderful power to change at will her coats of many colors. Even though trees and shrub- bery are heavily laden with this new visitor, they seem to change in form with their nat- ural browns still remaining prominent under their branches. It is different nowg in sum- mer their loving arms used to reach for the full glory of the heavens: complete with all the colors of the rainbow, eagerly make their appearance. Vtfinter is over, leaves will not fall again for many months. The cycle of color is never identical through the years, for there are always new, fascinating ideas of blending to be combined with the old. Nature has more than added to her share of loveliness and wid- ened our knowledge and over imagination with her thoughtful color scheming. - . JUDITH GAFNEY, '54