Great Neck North High School - Arista Yearbook (Great Neck, NY)

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The Class of 1940 was the first to successfully organize as Juniors since 1930. Class officers were elected and a festive Junior Prom was held. As Seniors, sponsored by Mr. John Lusch, who had sponsored the previous ten Senior classes, they established an executive council com- posed of three representatives from each of the Senior homerooms. This council approved a constitution which became the basis of its government. In the same year, the dream of having a Senior Room was fulfilled. Supervised by Senior hostesses, the room became a Senior haven during study halls. Tea was served every afternoon at four, and the refugees danced the gavotte and the stately minuet to the accom- paniment of the Boston Symphony Orchestra. The class also held a Senior Day, and, showing a cooler head than their predecessors, simply tried to close school for the week. For some reason, the attempt was unsuccessful. During their Junior year the Class of ’41 initiated the present custom of buying Senior rings and pins. The class established an executive council as Juniors and held a successful prom while Seniors. The Class of 1942 was again fortunate in having a Senior Room. At commence- ment exercises a class orator was substituted for the usual outside speaker. A feature initiated by the Class of '45 was a monthly mimeographed newspaper, the first news sheet in the school’s history devoted exclusively to Senior activities. For some obscure reason, it was called the Bwang. This was undoubtedly the stimulus for other frivolities, such as a here- tofore unheard of Valentine’s Day party. In February, the Senior Room was again opened as a study hall refuge for Seniors. A closely knit, very spirited class, the Class of ’4 S organized and published a class news- paper, the Hubba Hubba Herald. Homerooms sported such imaginative signs as Gordon’s Goons,” Ma’s Menagerie,” Admiral Perry’s Brig,” Duncan’s Dungeon, and The Hole of Fame.” A red and white Senior banner, which all the homerooms coveted, was awarded each marking period to the homerooms having the best average in marks, attendance and dues payment. The highlights of that year were a hilarious Fashion Show,” given by Senior boys, and the aforementioned Junior-Senior Valentine party, the Senior Prom and dinner and Senior Day. After completing organization in the fall of their Junior year, the Class of 1947 held an extremely successful party and prom. Warren Pffaf was elected president of the class for both years. The Senior Room was reinstated in December, after an absence of a year. Other high- lights of the year were the Senior party, complete with shoe scrambles and hula dancers; Senior Daze, the class newspaper; Senior Day and the Prom. A number of boys, who had left school for the armed forces during the war, were welcomed back to finish their educations in 1947. A baby picture contest, prom, and a Junior-Senior Valentine party

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School on Polo Road did so in 1930. Succeeding Senior classes adopted the custom and, since then, one Senior class had graduated annually, and this year’s Senior class will doubtless follow suite. Except for the period when the Carlsbad decrees were in effect, there have been many class organizations in Great Neck High School. The class of 1932, sponsored in their Senior year by Miss Mary O’Connor and Mr. John Lusch, elected three officers instead of the usual four, the posts of secretary and treasurer being combined into one office. As was the custom, they also had the right to nominate G. O. officers. This has been duly recorded in modern history books under the title of Le droit du seigneur,” or seniorial rights. In 1932 the Sophomore and Freshman classes were forced under- ground by a decree of the school authorities, who felt that organization of these classes was unnecessary. Soap box oratories and subversive pamphlets indicated that the feeling was reciprocal. In 1934, G. O. officers were still nominated from among the ranks of the Seniors. The members of the Class of 193S hold the distinction of being the first to have completed both their junior high and senior high school educations in the new building. It was the largest class to have gradu- ated up to that time, having the record breaking number of one hun- dred fifty-five members. Dues, necessary to finance the various Senior activities, were set at ten cents a week. Perhaps the most important of the Senior projects was the publication of the Arista, which, at that time, featured the Senior class. 1935’s grads held a supper dance, the first of its kind in history. In 1937, the Senior class, through its officers and council, again levied a tax of ten cents a week to help pay for Senior activities. Some Seniors, misguidedly believing that they didn’t have sufficient representation, dressed as Indians, raided the cafeteria and threw all the milk overboard into the light court. Election time rolled around for the Seniors of 1938 and, for the only time in the history of class organizations, a girl was elected Senior Class president. The highlight of the year was a grand prom accompanied by a banquet. Although an unsuccessful attempt was made at organizing the Class of ’39 during its Junior year, they were well co-ordinated as a Senior class. So proud were the members to be Seniors that they sported class hats and pins and ruled on Senior Day.” It is true that the student administration unsuccessfully voted a government subsidy for members of their class, but we are sure this was only because of the gay mood of the day.

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were memorable events in the Class of ’48 s Junior year. As Seniors, they established a sort of hippodrome among Senior Rooms. Tropical breezes lulled the B” average Seniors, while uniformed lackeys polished their shoes and an IBM machine figured their homework. A class newspaper, Senior Noose, and a daily bridge club were also enjoyed by the Seniors. The class officers and council arranged for a Junior- Senior party and the traditional Senior prom. This class was not without its personalities. High among these was Ann Hyde, who placed fourth, and first among girls, in the Pepsi Cola National Scholarship examina- tions; and David Hayt, who received an honorable mention in the Westinghouse Science Talent Search. In 1948, for the first time since 1932, the Sophomore class was or- ganized. As Seniors, this class came up with a first” by initiating the custom of having a Senior breakfast. Herman Wouk, the author, was guest speaker at this event, during which Seniors consumed two hundred seventy orders of bacon and eggs as well as the first two periods of the day. The traditional Junior-Senior Valentine party was forgone in favor of an all Senior party held at the Youth Center. The 1950 Seniors also took in the sun during the Jones Beach trip. Soon after came the Senior Prom, Regents, and finally graduation. As Sophomores the 1951 grads drew up a constitution, elected class officers and a council, held an informal picnic and the first Sophomore Hop in school history. When Juniors they sported orange and blue crew hats bearing the class numerals. During their Senior year they sponsored a class newspaper the Spirit of '51, and held homeroom competition in volleyball. Every student in the Class of 1952 was a member in good standing. The dues helped to pay for the Senior Prom; a Senior party, which featured games, dancing, a pie eating contest and an all-male baking contest; the Senior Breakfast; dinner; and an outing at Jones Beach. As a class, the members generously donated five hundred dollars to the North Shore Hospital Fund. During their Sophomore year, 1953 graduates held the first Sopho- more dance in school history— Heavenly Daze.” Class rings were dis- played for the first time at the Junior Prom, Arabian Nights,” which was moved up from the traditional spring night into January. One of the Class of 1953's outstanding members was Norman Strax, a winner in the Westinghouse Science Talent Search. Since 1929 Sophomore classes have become Junior classes. Junior classes have become Senior classes, and a Senior class has graduated each year. It is said that this year’s Senior class will graduate also ... a testimonial to their hard work and perseverance. We hope that Great Neck High School will always graduate a Senior class, and that each in its own way, will be a credit to the school.