Jefferson High School - Revolution Yearbook (Bloomington, MN)

Page 31 text:

Mary (an average student) received a $100 paycheck from her employer. Mary had hoped to save most of her check for the future, but like many other students, the price of movie tickets and clothing gobbled up her meager earnings. An economic view of her week’s expenditures is shown at the left. PAGE 26 — Top: Price and style are important factors to consider as senior Barb Fong browsed through a rack of skirts. Lower: With an eye on the gas pump senior Dan Dahlen watches the dollars tick by. Signs of the time hair cut and perm $45.00 record album $7.99 pack of Wrigley’s gum $0.20 pair of Levi’s jeans $18.00 pair of Calvin Klein jeans $38.00 pair of hiking boots $60.00 pair of Nike tennis shoes $36.00 Erasermate pen $1.50 Buck Hill ski lift ticket $8.50 one bowling game and bowling shoes $1.45 girl’s letter jacket $58.00 guy’s letter jacket $125.00 Signs of the time 27

Page 30 text:

devote to homework or extra curricular activities. Approximately 150 students were polled in mid-December on the ways in which they spent and obtained money. Of the over 50 per cent of the students who were employed, the average number of working hours per week was 16. Two-hundred dollars per month was the average income. Most of the students responded that they spent the most money on entertainment and clothes. Those that owned cars claimed monthly payments were their biggest expenditure. The high cost of a college education prompted many students to deposit about 30 per cent of their income into a savings account. Part-time jobs are the best bet for bucks Mentioning the word ‘‘teenager’’ to any executive of the clothing or entertainment industry immediately caused dollar signs to pop into their eyes. The selective demands of the high school age consumer could easily have determined whether a company made a profit or a loss. The buying power of teenagers was so great that advertising and promotion was geared solely towards the tastes and values of high school students. Where did all of this money come from? Most students would admit that begging for money was not totally out of the question, but part-time jobs were the main source of income. Finding a job seemed to be much easier to most students than trying to convince their parents that they really needed designer jeans or their own “wheels” to be socially acceptable. Even then, sacrifices had to be made. Earning money was great, but the jobs were usually less than desirable. Bagging groceries or having to work on Saturday night at a fast food place wasn’t anybody’s idea of a career. The student’s time spent as an employee cut into the time he or she could 26 $igns of the time

Page 32 text:

Jaguars’ lifestyles full of fads Bzzzzzzz! It was 6:30 a.m., time for all Jaguars to get out of bed and hit the showers. A hand emerged from under six blankets to turn on the radio. “KQ ... Minnesota’s best album rock,” came across the waves, drowning out the groaning beneath the covers. Next Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers belted out, ‘‘Don’t have to live like a refugee ..a hit tune from their album. A jingle followed which went something like, ‘‘Don’t worry mom, I’m eating right at Arby’s,” a popular fast food place on Lyndale Avenue. Pink Floyd’s tune, ‘‘The Wall” could be barely heard above the buzzing of a hand held hairdryer. Next came choosing the appropriate attire for the school day. After a shave, the average guy pulled a Shetland sweater over a plaid shirt, making sure it stayed tucked into his Levi’s jeans. A pair of Frye boots on the feet made the whole look. Meanwhile, another student took her last breath before jerking on a pair of Gloria Vanderbilt jeans. Next came a pair of toe crippling Candies’ shoes, topped off with a wooly sweater or a silk shirt with a petite collar. After booking it through six hours of school, students cruised home. A can of Rondo soda (the thirst crusher) waited in the refrigerator for those who were thirsty. The more sophisticated may have opened a bottle of Perrier water. After tossing their multicolored jackets and backpacks into the closet, students watched a Home Box Office movie on their newly-installed cable TV. Glancing at their digital watches, they realized it was time to get to bed. 28 • Fads