Columbus High School - Discoverer Yearbook (Columbus, NE)

Page 24 text:

Five seconds after liftoff, the space shuttle Columbia embarks on one of its two journeys into space. Remains of the Air Florida jetliner are being hoisted out of the Potomac River following the tragic crash. Thumbs up ... White House Press Secretary James Brady gives a positive sfgn upon his return to his home in Alexandria, Virginia, after 8 months in the hospital. 20 Student Life

Page 23 text:

City employees ready a birthday cake for Columbus’ 125th birthday. Two youngsters look for their name on the birthday card that was given to the city of Columbus. Trotting down main street on a horse is Mayor George Johansen. Columbus Events 19

Page 25 text:

Conflicts Threaten World Security Beyond the horizon ... beyond the walls of Columbus High ... out in the rest of the world ... it was quite a year. The big news happened in Poland, where the Communist regime there declared martial law and arrested anyone they could find who opposed them, including Lech Walesa and other members of the Solidarity labor union. In a previously unknown British possession called the Falkland Islands, a war raged. Argentina, to which the Falklands are adjacent, seized the islands after 150 years of British rule. Britain didn’t take kindly to this, and thus sent troops and planes by ship (including the luxury liner Queen Elizabeth II) to retake the islands, while peace talks went on to resolve the conflict. When the talks failed, the British invaded and slowly fought to reclaim the islands. Another major conflict occurred in El Salvador. A civil war raged between the U.S.-supported dictatorship and the leftist rebels, believed to backed by Cuba and the Sandinistas in Nicaragua. There was talk of U.S. troops getting involved, along with the fear of such an involvement becoming “another Vietnam.” Libya, the J.R. Ewing of world affairs, also made the news a few times. Rumor had it that dictator Mummar Kaddafi sent a “hit squad’’ to assassinate President Reagan and other U.S. officials. However, the plot never materialized. Libyan planes attacked four U.S. fighter jets in international airspace near Libya. Two enemy planes were shot down, which elated the U.S., and made Kaddafi angrier than ever. Meanwhile, a little closer to home, things were busy as well. FBI agents, disguised as Arabs, nailed several congressmen in Abscam, an undercover operation to try and briofficials, to test their honesty and integrity. The nation’s air traffic controllers went on strike, violating a no-strike clause in their contract with the government. President Reagan responded by firing them. Major league baseball players went on strike as well, resulting in a summer devoid of America’s favorite pastime. The strike was resolved, and “Play ball!” again rang out in the fall. Wayne Williams was convicted of two of the twenty-eight murders of black children and young adults in Atlanta, Georgia. He received a life in prison sentence. Two skywalks inside the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Kansas City collapsed on a dance being held below. One hundred thirteen people were killed and 186 were injured, resulting in millions of dollars lost in lawsuits. An Air Florida airliner crashed into the Potomac River in Washington, D.C. during an ice storm, killing 78 people. A Japanese pilot went beserk in a jet airliner and crashed into the Sea of Japan, killing all aboard. Rubik’s Cube was the fad of the year. A cube with nine squares of various colors on each side, the object of the puzzle was to move the squares in a certain manner so that there was only one color on each side of the cube. With billions and billions of combinations, that wasn’t very easy to accomplish. Off shoots on the game were other puzzles like Pyraminx and the Missing Link, a muscle strain called Rubik’s Thumb, and books by disgruntled cubists, such as 101 Uses For a Dead Cube.” The space shuttle Columbia went up two more times, experiencing problems with each trip, but each time coming back to be used again. The Rolling Stones toured the U.S. to the delight of millions of fans, who made sure nearly every concert was sold out. The Stones grossed over $30 million from the tour. The poor economy caused several major companies to file for bankruptcy. Among these were Braniff Airlines, Wickes Corporation (owner of Beh-lens), and Sir Freddie Laker’s Laker Airways, originator of no-frills airline flights. Egyptian president Anwar Sadat was assassinated by several members of the Egyptian army in August. These officers were tried, and died before a firing squad. Civilian conspirators were also tried, and hung. Other people of note who died included comedian John Belushi, actors William Holden, Paul Lynde, and Natalie Wood, General Omar Bradley, boxer Joe Louis, commentator Lowell Thomas, and singer Harry Chapin. In the world of sports, San Francisco defeated Cincinnati in Super Bowl. In the World Series, the Dodgers beat the Yankees. Wayne Gretsky broke several records in the National Hockey League, and the rookie sensation scored goals to the max (megagoals, so to speak.) Triumphs, disasters, good news, bad news ... yet, it was truly quite a year. Addressing a press conference is Lane Kirkland. AFL-CIO president. With his escort of deputies, murder suspect Wayne Williams exits. World Events 21