Barbe High School - Les Memoires Yearbook (Lake Charles, LA)

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THE PRINCIPAL ELEMENT. The cutback in teacher number was the most noticeable low. Coaches picked up classroom loads, teachcrx were scheduled in their minor fields, and administrators went back to the trenches. Stephanie Dubea. freshman, gets advice before turning in her assignment for Vice Principal Marianne DiGiglia's third hour English I class. THE BIG CHILL. A computer was one item the School Board bought to try to overcome the lack of money. One of its purposes was to regulate the air conditioners, but for the first few weeks of school it was actually accomplishing the opposite. Ms. Gwen Lancon's fourth hour French I class felt the chill as they wore coats and gloves in class and then stripped them off for the 85-90 degree weather outside. 2 — Opening

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THEY SAID IT COULDN’T BE DONE. A temporary lull in the Barbe-LaGrange pep rally set the stage for head coach Jimmy Shaker’s unexpected presentation of the 4-AAAA District Championship trophy. The bleachers exploded into wild cheering and arm waving as he proudly paraded down the center aisle, trophy held high above his head. Les Memoires Volume 11, 1984 A. M. Barbe High School 2200 West McNeese Street Lake Charles, Louisiana 70605 (318) 478-3628 Title — 1

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The heat of the summer sun had burned away the black mood left by the spring's tax defeat. The sounds of the now-distant doomsday barely echoed over shouts of laughter and greetings as the first hour bell called students to class August 29. But at classroom doors, the sight of 40 odd warm-bodies spilling over into the hall brought it all back. Seven teachers had been cut, including a coach, a librarian and a guidance counselor. Those who were spared, scrambled to find desks for overcrowded classes and shrank their budgets to fit smaller salaries. Assistant principals Marianne DiGigiia and Denton Heinrich picked up an English and a math class to help lighten class loads. Coaches put down basketballs, whistles and ping-pong paddles to pick up rulers, chalk and lesson plans. Signs chanting Baseball, hot dogs and apple pie cropped up at pep rallies as players lamented the loss of their sport. Copy machines, with less fluid and paper, turned out fewer pages. Students went back to copying from the board. As the sun set on that first Friday of school, optimism slipped over the horizon and pessimism dawned. Was there no answer to lighten the load? NO ROOM AT THE INN. Mrs. Jean Barker’s first hour English IV class felt the cutbacks first hand. Losing seven teachers resulted in the elimination of some classes all together or at times as many as 36 -49 were enrolled in a single class. Opening — 3