New Trier Township High School - Echoes Yearbook (Winnetka, IL)

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The people speak! ' The passage of the referendum leaves New Trier's Board of education in good hands. I0stergaardj i LOCATION YES NO Precinct 1 Glencoe 1584 447 Precinct 2 Winnetka 2630 1069 Precinct 3 Kenilworth 699 233 Precinct 4 Wilmette 1104 635 Precinct 5 Wilmette 507 355 Precinct 6 Wilmette 446 270 Precinct 7 Wilmette 357 320 Precinct 8 Wilmette 442 237 Precinct 9 Wilmette 213 112 Precinct 10 Wilmette 949 570 Precinct 11 Glenview 212 144 Precinct 12 Northfield 589 468 TOTALS 9750 4850 ZISTUDENT LIFE DECEMBER 4, 1976-People anxiously milled through the halls of New Trier East. In the Faculty dining room, the vote totals of 11 of the 12 precincts in the district were listed on the blackboard. The migration to the Board room increased as the minutes passed. At 11:30 p.m. the phone rang in the office of New Trieris business manager George Babigian. A hush fell over the school as the Winnetka precinct captains spoke. Yes-2630.7 A roar enveloped the second floor. By a final tally of 9750 to 4850, the referendum to raise the taxes of New Trier Township by 68c per hundred dollars of assessed value passed with more than a two-to-one margin. Since 1973, the General assembly had frozen New Trier's tax rate at 1969 limits and prohibited a referendum without loss of state aid because of the Resource equalizer state aid law. Moreover, the Department of local government affairs had wiped out nine percent of New Trier's tax base because of the Cook County multiplier Consequently, the District's equalized assessed valuation had dropped E544 million since 1970. Although the average school receives 48 percent of its operating funds from the state, New Trier receives only 13 percent. The fact that the remainder of New Trier's revenue comes largely from local taxes prepetuated the monetary crisis. Since Dr. Roderick Bickert arrived from Mason City, Iowa, to become superintendent of the New Trier high schools three years ago, the Board of education and the Administration have worked almost exclusively on balancing the budget. The fund balances of S5 million built up over the past 75 years were depleted. An additional 1.4 million dollar cutback from personnel expenditures had caused the school to release 62 certified teachers. Cutbacks of 10 percent in the non-certified staff, 13 percent in the maintenance staff, and 20 percent in the school administration also resulted from this reduction. These personnel cuts resulted in 123 fewer class sections. There were at least 30 students in 30 percent of all classes, and several had over 40. Though money and time significantly decreased for activities and athletics, enrollment was down only five percent from the 1974-1975 level. In September, 1976, the General assembly, because of the serious plight of New Trier and similar schools, voted to return the right of referendum without loss of state aid. Thus, township residents were given the opportunity to control the fate of New Trier East and West. The election had to be held in the 1976 calendar year in order to be able to immediately use the money that a successful vote would bring in. Therefore, the Board of education and the Administration decided upon December 4, 1976, as the date for the referendum.

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f , f ,. fl! When Old Patriotic Pa turns down the thermostat, waking up on third floor becomes a traumatic experience. One is reluctant to leave the toasty warmth of the bed, after viewing the frost gradually stretching its icy fingers across the pane. The prospect of slipping back into a sound slumber seems much more appealing than throwing back the covers. This harrowing process, however, is an obligation that all students must finally meet. Enough of hearing the rousing cries from downstairs! The student is now forced to shake off the last remnants of sleep and make preparations for the big move from bed to icy floor. A shudder violently racks the body as articles of clothing are unconsciously slipped on. A blind grasp for scattered papers left unfinished the night before, and then, a careless stashing into a worn-out knapsack . . . hurried motions of washing, and finally, a toothbrush whisked over chilled enamel. Prepared for the descent, knapsack in hand, the student is ready to face all adversities. Unaware of the other beings in the kitchen, the student begins the arduous task of obtaining a morsel of food for mere survival. Whether it be a cold chunk of oatmeal, a piece of burnt toast or a slurp of orange juice that is eventually gulped down, breakfast goes unnoticed. Nor is it of any concern as long as it serves the purpose. Donning extra layers to face the winter's knife jabs of cold, the student silently departs from the domain, pessimistically viewing the school day ahead. Far left: Bundled up in down, Jerry Ostergaard takes the defensive against the cruel winter of '77. Left: Winter's blanket of whiteness envelops a lonely traveler. fWippma11, Ostergaardj rf' A, - - ' irfziliazzrnnw, ,.,wMw,,,Wew W b f ww- -'M-54.1 - t . -V - - - . N... vm... -.,--,

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OCTOBER AND NOVEMBER were months of hard campaigning which demonstrated the ability of students, faculty, administration, and the community to bond together and fight for a cause. Formed by the community, the committee for the New Trier referendum, headed by Co-chairmen M. Stanley Hughey and Paul Mikelson, was designed to inform the voters of the necessity of the vote. The township was divided into six sections: Avoca, Glencoe, Kenilworth, Northfield, Wilmette, and Winnetka. Each village had steering committees that were responsible for producing the yes voteg they produced excellent results through mailings, phone calls, and many dedicated volunteers. A great deal of support and enthusiasm stemmed from within the school itself. Special education students spent many hours preparing mailings for the entire community. Many New Trier graduates from the last five years were personally offered absentee ballots. Voter registration was held Thanksgiving weekend for college students and others who wished to vote. The press played a major role in the last pre-election days. Both school papers, East's New Trier News and West's Westwatch, ran editorials in favor of the referendum and closely covered the story. However, the major shock of the entire campaign came on December 2 when the Pioneer press published an editorial opposing the referendum on the grounds that New Trier had become a place for the elite, Instead of proving detrimental, this editorial greatly angered many people who simply became more determined to act. On December 4, students and faculty offered services to the voters: driving to the polls, calling people, and free babysitting sponsored by Girls' club. These volunteers were organized by Mrs. Charlotte Robling, director of Informational services, and Mr. Richard Rhoad, a mathematics instructor. The voter turnout was over 14,500, the largest ever for a school referendum. If the referendum had failed, the budget would have had to be balanced by further reductions in staff and elimination of offerings in all departments, both curricular and extra-curricular. The passing of the referendum demonstrated the value placed on a first class education by the community. New Trier has always been a prime example of the finest public education available, and the taxpayers have proven that they are willing to make a sacrifice in order to maintain New Trier's standard of excellence. -Daniel H1TSChh0IH ,I-!!,,. Mrs. Charlotte Robling, director of Informational services, amplifies the platform of the referendum campaign to student participants. f0ste1-gasrdj STUDENT LIFE! 13