Dormont High School - Yearbook (Pittsburgh, PA)

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ir 'A' ak TORCH 1945 Page MAKE THE PEACE PERMA ONE WORD LEADS TO ANOTHER LAVERN E SMITH For the past two days we have been featuring the familiar' say- ings of the faculty of Dormont High School. We shall continue: Mrs. Aten replies to her hard- working girls, A word to the wise is, what, class? Mr. Church is often interrupted in the middle of a sentence by Mix Church, you're wanted on the phone. Mr. Dickerhoff's famous poem is, There was a little boy, Who isn't anymore, For what he thought was H2O, Was H:SO.. Miss Fretts, to her absent-mind- ed Freshman, Get your book and bring a tardy slip. Miss Luckhardt says when she has finished explaining a shorthand rule and the exceptions, Now here is the exception to the excep- tion. Mr. Luckey often tells his science classes, Now there are automo- biles and there are Fords. Miss McKinney tells her noisy boys to Be quiet or go to the office. Mr. McLaughlin always tells his bookkeeping students, Debit pur- chases forever and ever and even after that. Miss Paull often asks her seamstresses, Who broke that ma- chine? Mr. Robertson, after telling the boys something says, If the shoe fits, put it on. Miss Simon is often heard say- ing, Everyone has to hike, so get your coats on and get started. Mr. Snyder often remarks to his noisy Seniors, Quiet, the noise frightens mef' Miss Suckling is heard asking, 'tWho is coming to Current Events Club today? Since the words of these teach- ers leads to the words of the oth- ers, this column will be continued tomorrow. BOYS I THE SERVICE Breathes there a man with soul so dead, that never to himself hath said, This is my own, my native land .... It's a wonderful feeling to be able to say those famous words. t'This is my own, my native land. Just think of what they mean for a moment-and perhaps now you'll appreciate more YOUR native land! There is perhaps no class better able to feel these words than the Class of 1945 as we proudly hail our service men, who were yesterday our fellow classmates in Do1'mont High School. Although they did not have an opportunity to finish their high school educa- tion, graduate, and enjoy the prom, class play, and all the other high- lights of any student's Senior year, they have the privilege of helping to finish what is, at the moment, one of the most important jobs of all. We can't help but feel proud of them and lighten up when we point out their names on the School Hon- or Roll, and say, 'tThey were in the 1945 class. Some of them left for the services before their Senior year and were given a welcoming smile when returning home for a visit with us. We know they are not working in vain, and we are right behind them in heart and spirit, so perhaps Whittier was right when he wrote these words of encouragement: Press bravely D onward!-not in vain Your gen- erous trust in human kind, The good which bloodshed could not gain, Your peaceful zeal shall find. So proudly we hail our pals and classmates whom we know as: James Black, Raymond Blair, Jack Dimmoch, Bob Brandenstein, Joe Durish, Ray Hilton, Thomas Lark- in, Leslie Lofquist, John QSkipJ Mattern, Tony Fazio, Ken Mc- Cusker, Lyle Merritt, Anthony Ping, Clarence Reed, Bill Sietz, John Sentz, Jack Scheck, Ed Si- mon, Ralph Stoker, Charles Greiner, Joseph Dykeman, and Gilbert Hoffman. They may be- come Generals or Admirals, but no matter what, they will always be the same boys we knew in Dor- mont High. They are our own heroes whether the nation gives them wide acclaim or not. They are the ones that are making it pos- sible for the Star Spangled Ban- ner to wave o'er the land of the free, and the home of the brave. T0 OUR PRESIDENT Peace be with thee, O our brother, In the spirit-land! Vainly look we for another In thy place to stand. Unto Truth and Freedom giving All thy early powers, Be thy virtues with the living And thy spirit ours! Whittier

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Page 12 TORCH 1945 if 'A' 'A' PA S F N S Senior History Is As long as there isn't anything more important to do, I shall prop my feet upon the desk and lean back. My eyes lazily shift to the calendar, but so many numbers con- fuse me. I turn to the ceiling. It is very comforting to know that there is a roof over my head. Such a sense of security puts me in a reminiscent mood and my thoughts dwell on days of long ago-the day our class moved into D. H. S. and established itself. We weren't too unusual, except per- haps we got used to our own lockers more quickly than other classes. That was the year everyone was singing Chattanooga Choo-choo and Elmer's Tune. And we Freshies were still shooting paper- wads. It wasn't safe to walk through the halls at noon. Finally the administration slapped our hands and said No, no! Among other things that year came Moonlight Cocktail , the measles, and crewcuts. Our boys looked like sweet young convicts. G9 L. DORIS KIRK LAND The next year we learned the truth about dancing and accepted T. D.'s Boogie-Woogie and Moonlight Mood with gusto. Many noticed a few faint flutter- ings of the heart and began to take dating seriously. In such a con- dition, the girls decided they would look nice in boys' jackets. The boys consented readily, when their arms were twisted enough. With the same thought in mind the young ladies turned out in slacks. This was outrageous! All sorts of at- tempts were made to thwart the movement, but they all proved futile. Naturally. Who always wins the arguments? Some fellow by the name of Sinatra started singing. He had a nice voice. We liked to hear him sing Black Magic. While he was singing, some girl swooned-probably from claustro- phobia-and pretty soon they were passing out by the theatreful. By now we were Juniors. We sang Pistol-Packin' Mamma . The war was curtailing our sources of amusement, and we couldn't even get chewing gum. But we made the One of Great Glory best of it. Instead, we played 'fPaper Doll and parted our hair in the middle, and danced to f'Shoo- shoo Baby. As summer drew nigh, the boys got their annual shearing. Ugh! On fair weather days we girls knew we could find them playing Buck- buck after lunch. So nice to be able to keep track of them. Long ago and far away, I dreamed a dream one day- tata de dum. The next September we came to the beginning of the end. Would our last year be like the other three? we asked ourselves and waited to find out. It has been happy-in spite of Trig. tests. We've danced this year to I Walk Alone and lots more. Uniforms seem to have come into style for the boys, while the girls wear sil- ver ..... in their hair. 'fInto Each Life Some Rain Must Fall, so Till Then,', Don't Fence Me In. Which reminds me. I do have work to do. Besides, my feet have left big footprints on the desk. How would you like a personally- autographed footprint? Dependable Prescription Service 4' CHARLES R. MCDRRIS PHARMACI ST 15 39 POTOMAC AVENUE Free Delivery LEhigh 2123

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Page 14 TORCH 1945 if if af D THE WAR VICTGRIOUSLY THE MARCH OF EVENTS When school started in 1941, a class of Freshmen wandered around the halls in a daze. They didn't know where their rooms were, where the elevator was, and some of them couldn't even find the cafeteria. tlncidentally, some of them still haven't found itll Fin- ally, after a month or two in school, they became so Well acquainted with their teachers and fellow students that they started to breathe again. The next year they enjoyed watching the Freshmen of 'that year go through their first days. This made them feel so much su- perior that they got brave enough to talk in class and some even acted up a little in the halls. Then they became Juniors!!! This was really a step forward. Why, some of them even had dates'???'?? They looked at the Seniors with awe and knew they would soon become Seniors them- selves. Some of them even did. Finally the great moment ar- rived. An August 31, 1944, they walked into school feeling very good. They had reached the goal for which they had been striving for three long years. But, would they graduate? They struggled through their last year and then came graduation day. They had looked forward to it for a long time, but when it arrived most of them felt rather sorry to give up the good times they had had in school. Well, good luck to all of you!!! ODD FACTS NANCY WIBLE Dormont High School is oddly located because originally it was to be a Junior High School for the people of Dormont and Mt. Leb- anon, and the seniors were to at- tend South Hills High School. There are 62 pure glass windows in the front of Dormont High School and 50 steps from the first floor to the 3rd. N Our chemistry room was orig- inally intended to serve the pur- pose of a general science room! CLASS POEM From out your spacious, still interior. Your ivy cloaked brick and granite walls, To make this sphere a world superior, As Seniors, we must leave beloved halls. And tread new paths in 1ife's unbroken ground, In realms of vast achievement, schools of thought. These great unfathomed depths we have to sound With instruments of knowledge, learning brought From high school profs and lessons that we blindly fought. Behind us are the pleasant things of youth, The rooms, the classes, dear to every heart. And leaving them we come upon the truth, We see the value they to us impart, A value that within our make-up lies, One which forms our character and mind, Invests in us the willing power to rise And make secure unfinished task we find. These are the ties, old school, the greatest ties that bind. We'll miss your fine traditions and respect, That closeness only classmates entertain. And though it seems these things we all neglect, The memories We've created still remain. Each glimmer of the past will yet disturb Thoughts which bring to us a tear, a sigh That neither time nor weariness can curb. Yes, even till our time on earth is nigh, We've longing in our hearts for dear old Dormont High. F. HEINRICHS This room has suffered through these years without a hood twhich is a closet containing a fan, in which poisons are keptj. This is the factual reason why our chemistry students have suddenly disappeared! The high school which the Seniors of 1945 have attended for four years is Dormont High School! Upon entering this high school they were not certain that it was the right place, as our high school has no name on the front. At one time we had 900 stu- dents enrolled QB. W., before the warl. Our school library was once lo- cated in room 200, which has also served as a music room. The schedule of each Dormont High School student at one time included a period known as a Study Hall. Mr. Snyder fofficial statistics re- vealing his mustache to have 84 full grown hairsb has in actions revealed that in order to elevate one's mentality land also see what is going on in the normal class- roomj a platform 1115 inches from the floor will do the job quite suc- cessfully, and the 1945 seniors were the first to benefit by this new addition!