Atlantic Highlands High School - Atrecall Yearbook (Atlantic Highlands, NJ)

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Rs we drove along Pennsylvania Avenue, we looked up the side streets only to see many trees, and more trees. On every side of us there was a picture--a picture of tranquility, of beauty and of prosperity--rare combinations in the national capital of a large country. We passed the Treasury Building and saw, set in a noble park, the home of the presi- dent, known to everyone as the White House. Washing- ton himself selected the place for the White House and laid the cornerstone in 1792, and lived to see the building completed. Although many of the public buildings in Washington are of gleaming marble, the White House is built of gray Virginia sandstone, paint- ed white. The mansion in its spacious green park has a dignified graceful beauty, probably unsurpassed by any other residence in the world. As we made our way through a long colonnade which led to the basement corridor, we observed the portraits of many of the mistresses of the mansion. Ascending theibroad stairway, we reache'd the center hall, from which we were allowed to enter the great East Room, where the formal receptions are held. With special permission we then had the guide take us into the Blue Room, with its hanging of blue silk and the clock sent to Lafayette by the great Napoleon. which was presented to Washington. The private rooms of the president's family were not shown. After leaving the Executive Mansion, we entered the bus which then took us to the Washington Monu- sf ment. Suddenly through the trees, we caught our first glimpse of the Monument. Most of us had decided at the last moment to take the elevator up. When we left the elevator and stepped out on a platform, we were overwhelmed at the bird's eye-view that we received from this collossal structure. Everything seemed so fairy-tale like. Here we saw the White House, Smithsonian Institute, the white gleaming dome of the Capitol, and far beyond, the beautiful Lincoln Memorial with the flowing waters of the Potomac River, while to the west were the wooded slopes -of peaceful Arlington, where lies the Field of the Dead, containing the bodies of many who gave their lives for their country on the battlefield. The tomb of the Unknown Soldier is also located here. Here too, is the burial place of Major L'Enfant who planned the city. As we moved toward the platform, a few of us decided to take the long way down. As we walked down the 898 steps, it felt as if we were being enclosed in a smaller and smaller place, until finally, without realizing, we were at the bottom and again seeing the faces so familiar to us all. That afternoon we took a trip to nearby Virginia, where we visited the home and burial place of George Washington. Overlooking the Potomac River stands a simple home built of wood, two stories high. A high piazza runs along the whole front of the house, which has six rooms of moderate size on the ground floor containing many objects of historical interest, 7 iiiit A f Q ,c,,t ' at t My ,,.,,,. rzi. 5 .-sfdgjgsffggfi 1.., .V 1 A-, Mn- , l.'i l S' ' if ..., is new ' -,yi Sitting, left to right: James Kehoe. Richard Snyder, Arthur Siegfried, Karl Van Brunt, Michael Cinkosky, Edwin Custer, Thomas Dobson, Morton Joy, Peter Guzzi, Donald Bradshaw, Henry Feste, Sebastian Muratore, Charles Anthony. Standing: Shirley Andrews, Marlene Barber Virginia Spicer, Jane Kugelman, Carolyn Gehlhaus, Lois 'v1uir, Carlene Petersen, Alida

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Wa hington Trip On the morning of May 6, 1953, 'the Senior Class of Atlantic Highlands H.S. was just beginning one of the most exciting and newest adventures that any of us had ever undertaken--our Washington Trip. With suitcases and cameras, we piled into the bus which was ready to leave at the early hour of 7:00 A.M. When we all had our seats and were comfortably adjusted, we settled back to relax for the long journey which was about to begin. After traveling for 455 hours we finally reached the United States Naval Academy at Annapolis, Maryland. Here we were to be taken on a tour of the buildings and grounds, and later we were to see the Midshipman Dress-Parade held every Wednesday afternoon at 3:15 on Worden Field. The first place we toured was MacDonough Hall, the gymnasium. Then we went on the other side to Dahlgren Hall, the armory. One of the newest and largest buildings is Bancroft Hall, where the midshipmen live. That afternoon, we saw one of the most impressive exhibitions of the day, the Midshipman's Dress Parade. At 5:45 that evening we entered our new home for the next few days, the Willard Hotel in Washing- ton D.C. This is one of the largest hotels in all of Washington. We had excellent service, cuisine, and the best of accommodations. At 6:30, famished, we entered the dining room of the hotel where we indulged in a delicious chicken dinner. After dinner we boarded the bus and went to visit the Library of Congress and the Lincoln Memorial. We walked on the beautiful grounds to the Library of Congress--an impressive marble build- ing. three stories high, surrounded by gardens with broad stretches of grass and trees. We entered the Central Stair Hall, a magnificent structure of polished marble. On each side of us there were lofty, rounded columns with elaborate capitals of Corinthian design. The lofty arches rose above exquisitely decorated marble rosettes, palm leaves, and foliated designs of wonderful delicacy. We then climbed the low, broad, stairway slowly pausing now and then to admire one or the other of the carved figures in its alcoves. ln the entrance pavilion above, we saw a wonderful series of paint- ings. We then went upstairs where we saw the Declaration of Independence, Constitution, and many more documents so valuable to our American Heritage. The next morning we were awakened by our advisors much against our own volition. At 8:00 after eating a hearty breakfast, we again boarded the bus for a visit to the Bureau of Engraving and Printing, Washing- ton Monument, White House and Pan American Building.

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The plain brick tomb, in which Washington, and his wife are buried, stands a few hundred yards from the house near a wooded ravine. When we returned to the city of Washington, we immediately went to the capital where we had our group picture taken. With the symbolic capitol build- ing in the background, we posed for the traditional picture that will be ever near to us. Through the massive doors we entered the rotunda, or interior of the dome. The Capitol possesses some interesting statuaries and paintings, and as we passed through its halls, we again saw them. As we came into the great circular hall, we paused for a moment at the door to note the magnificent columned cor- ridors spread out before us. The walls are decorated with a bewildering array of paintings, sculptures, and frescoes. Over us is the vaulted canopy of the dome which was aglow with color. We then visited the National Statuary Hall, one of the most beauti- ful rooms in the Capitol. It was once the Hall of the House of Representatives, before the new wing was built. lt is semi-circular in shape and adorned with noble columns. The domed ceiling was decorated after the design of the Roman Pantheon. Around the room on their marble bases, stands statues of persons who have been famous in the history of our country. Each state has the right to select two persons who have been prominent in its history. We then looked into the old Senate Chamber, later used by the Supreme Court, and saw the Hall of Representatives and the Senate Chamber, impressive in their sim- plicity. As we continued on our journey we visited the President's Room, with its quiet richness of decora- tiong we ,saw the Senators' Reception Room, known as the Marble Room. We inspected the Public Re- ception Room, a richly furnished apartment glowing with brilliant colors and having a vault ceiling with allegorical frescoes depicting War, Peace, Liberty, Plenty, Power, Temperance, Prudence, and Justice. After leaving our C'ountry's Capitol, we returned to the hotel where our evening entertainment was about to begin. Half exhausted with all the excitement of the past three days, we again entered the bus which was about to begin its long voyage homeward. As we all sat in 'the bus relaxing, some asleep, others playing quiz games. and still more singing in the rear of the bus, we looked back at the happenings of the days spent and we began to realize what our nation was really like, and why, with all our democratic ways, and golden opportunities, what a wonderful privilege it is to say that we live in America. We went home feeling richer, not in the sense of money, but in the wealth of knowledge gained by us on this tour and saying to ourselves, My, how lucky we are to call ourselves Americans! Pia Voorhees, Rollis Bock, Richard Kleva, Mr. George Wuesrhoff, Mrs. Rose D. Hoffmann, Mr. Bradley Van Brunr, Robert Geraghry, Virginia Meinerf, Martha Machette. Barbara Ely, Solveig Friden, Doris Leonard, Antoinette Barbetta, Richard Agee, John Malonson,