Alexander Park High School - The National Yearbook (Portsmouth, VA)

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NATIONAL ATHLETICS

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THE 1945 The school opened that year with 2200 pupils and 46 teachers. The grade school was at one end of the building and the high school was at the other. Al- though the school was only one story high, it was very long. It housed the lower and upper grades quite comfortably. We had one senior class, two junior classes, three sophomore classes and four freshman classes. The days went by very nicely, but the only thing that some of us couldn’t get accustomed to was the electric bell. We really got going fast around here. Right at the beginning, we organized a football team, then came a girls’ and boys’ basket ball team, then baseball. We played many games, and for a newly organized team we did okay. Then came th.e newspaper. Boy, we were going places ! Then Miss Hundley organized a Latin Club. When our new orchestra played the school song, Onward Nationals,” many of us felt a never to be forgotten thrill. Next the Glee Club, with Airs. Aloon at its helm, started to supply us with many entertaining chapel programs. Air. Seawall, who teaches science and mathematics, organized a Science Club. Everyone who had a good average and who was in any of his classes had the privilege of joining. They sponsored many parties and dances to which the student body was invited to attend. Then Air. Early and Aliss Hundley organized a branch of the Beta Club here. Besides having a high average, one had to have the personal approval from every one of his teachers. Some students just walked around and complained, because they simply wouldn ' t take part in any of the school activities. “In my school they would do it like this,” or “Why do we have to do this?” Those were the only words of en- couragement that the school leaders got from certain people. But on we marched ! Why, towards the end of the year, they were even talking of the possibility of having a lunch room. Imagine ! The enrollment of the school by this time had increased to 2,988 pupils and 83 teachers. That summer everyone got a big surprise — the United States Government planted grass. It was refreshing to the eyes after all the brown coloring all winter. They also sent large tractors to plow up the land behind the houses in crder that we could plant our Wctory gardens. That summer was not so bad, all one had to do was to hop a bus, then a ferr}-, then a trolley and zing ! ! ! They were at Ocean A’iew or A ' irginia Beach. September dawned again (as it will dawn for a thousand years hence) and back to school we went. But back to a school with many improvements. Back to a lunch room ! xA.lso, we had a new x ssistant Principal, Air. L. W. Anderson. Air. Anderson came to us from Robersonville, X. C., and has contributed much to the efficient organization of our school this session. Several new courses were taught. Distributive Education with Airs. Ostenkamp, in charge, opened a lot of new fields for her students. Commercial work consisting of Typing, Shorthand and Book- keeping was offered for the first time with Airs. Chittum as instructor. School began quietlv enough, but soon someone started to yell for an annual. Teachers told us to plug for what we wanted and plug we did, or rather Howard Sparks did the plugging. Airs. Chittum was put in charge and things began to buzz and buzz till you have what you now see before you — the first annual of Alexander Park High School. The year is over. For many of us it is to be our last year in high school, for many it is just the beginning. But for those of us who are leaving, we will never forget the many happy hours we spent here and the joy and satisfaction of seeing our school grow into one that we all can be proud to call our Alma Alater. —Marsha Weiner.

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THE 1945 First Row: Mr. Zchzcniak, Coach; Crawsoii, End; Wood, End; Griblile, Halfback; Williams, Quarterback; Smith (Captain) Fullback; Merriweather, Halfback; Vick, Guard; Jones, Manager Second Row: Newsome, Halfback; Johnson, Tackle; Ellington, Halfback; Webster, Tackle; Jesse, Center; Kelly, Tackle; Hiatt, Guard; Sloan, Tackle; Hill, Assistant Manager Third Row: Mahaney, Halfback; Poplin, Halfback; Tanner, Tackle; Johnson, Bob, Guard; Costner, Guard ; Wood, J. B., End ; Raley, End Fourth Row: Welch, Halfback; Bradshaw, Center; Leonard, Halfback; Martin, Guard I FOOTBALL The 1944 Xationals were the first team to represent Alexander Park High on the gridiron. Our team, although they were under many handicaps in their first year of Class P Competition and lost many games, they were a hard hitting, determined bunch and never took a beating lying down. Our team took their wins and losses with equal pride for they had faith as we had faith, that when another season opens, Alexander Park will be more able to cope with their more experienced rivals. T are proud of the fine group of boys who played so hard for us this season. SCHEDULE Sept. 30 — -Alexander Park 0 — Cradock 20 Oct. 2 — Alexander Park 6 — Suffolk 40 Oct. 20 — -Alexander Park 0 — Broad Creek 25 Oct. 27 — -Alexander Park 0 — X orview 27 Xov. 3 — Alexander Park (5 — Churchland 24 Xov. 15 — Alexander Park 0 — South X orfolk 19 Xov. 22 — -Alexander Park 0 — Portlock 28