Austin High School - Comet Yearbook (Austin, TX)

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Tulio Browning proposes a bill as Fall semester Student Council President Valerie Castanon looks on. second period classmates. New representatives and alternate representatives are chosen at the beginning of each semester. The representatives must come to the student council meetings each Wednesday which are held at a different period of the day each week. The representaives should communicate with their second period classmates and relay any suggestions to the student council during the next meeting. The student council gets the student body during each semester. They usually poll student activities and opinions on issues concerning the school, The student council proposed to paint a mural in the commons this year. Alexander said that the student council had the student body approval for the project, but ran into some disagreement with the school administration, The 1983 Spring Thing, aside from too many off-campus visitors, was a success according to Alexander. I think it went almost better than planned, he opinion on different issues by circulating survey sheets. The surveys are sent out several times said sf' 9 1 9 i llfuiln pi? bv-' wr'--Q .9 wwf A record number of 17 students earned the honor of National Merit Finalist. Pictured students are lbottom left to rightl Richard Merrill, Scott Brown, Dudley McClellan. ltop left to rightl Jaana Karttunen, Karen Tannert, David Schewitz, Cyndi Barbour, Carter Breed, and Jon Luckstead. Not pictured are Dan Alexander, Catherine Arnold, Sally Bernau, Khoa Bui, Joshua Calder, Amy Cogdell, Julie Fulton, Martha Moody, Ami Willerman. Students had to buy a ticket for 8.50 to go to the carnival-style assembly. DIVING, TENNIS HONORS Three Austin High students won top state honors in diving and tennis competitions in April and May. Jeff Kelby won fourth place in state UIL diving competition as well as gained a qualifying score for All-American. ln tennis, both Mark Smith and Diana Dopson won in the state tennis finals in their respective divisions. Both Smith and Dopson were members of the winning Austin High tennis teams which won District honors this year. CITY COUNCILIMAYOR RACE In the local city council race, two close races resulted in run-off elections. The mayorial race ended in a run-off between Lowell Lebermann and Ron Mullen. Another run-off was between Mark Spaeth and George Humphrey for City Council Place 4. Charles Urdy was reelected to his Place 6 seat, as was John Trevino for Place 5. Newcomer Sally Shipman was elected to the Place 1. The April 30 run-offelection declared Ron Mullen the new mayor of Austin, with Mullen winning with a narrow victory over Lebermann. Spaeth also narrowly defeated Humphrey for the Place 4 seat. NUCLEAR FREEZE The United States House of Representatives adopted a nuclear freeze resolution May 4 by a 278-149 vote. Although many proponents felt the original freeze resolution had been weakened by amendments, others felt the symbolic importance had been preserved. The resolutions calls for a mutual, verifiable freeze on the testing, development, production and deployment of nuclear weapons and delivery systems by the United States and the Soviet Union. The amendments, which supporters of the President succeeded in attaching to the resolution, called for arms reductions within a specific time period following implementation of the freeze, a point that nuclear freeze advocates didn't dispute since their idea all along was that afreeze would be a first step toward arms reductions. Whiletheresolution was notbinding on President Reagan, it is intended to guide President Reagan in arms negotiations. ln other nuclear-related issues, the Roman Catholic Bishops of the United States approved a lengthy pastoral letter which called U.S. nuclear policy immoral and which also called for a nuclear weapons freeze. The Reagan administration had been bitterly critical of the Bishops' letter, which had gone through several drafts. One draft changed the word freeze to curbl' at Reagan's insistence, but the Bishops later voted to change it back to freeze The Congressional resolution and Bishops letter came at a time that the administration was trying to find a way to base the controversial MX nuclear missile which would have as many as ten nuclear warheads each. The administration was also in a standstill with the Soviets in nuclear arms negotiations in Europe on strategic and theatre nuclear forces. Controversy continued to swirl throughout Europe over the American decision to base Pershing ll and Cruise missiles in Europe to counter the Soviet advantage in Europe, although rough parity exists between the nuclear arsenals of the U.S. and U.S.S.R. overall. continued on page 18

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repeat offtenders were chosen from defendants in misdemeanor cases. In place of serving a jail term of the 30 days, the participants pay S200 for the program, lose their drivers' licenses, and remain on probation for two years. ln the program, the participants must spend one weekend in jail, and the four following weekends watching films and participating in group therapy. TRAVIS COUNTY JAIL The new Travis County Jail opening was delayed from six months to one year because of a faulty electronic security system. Inspectors from the Federal Bureau of Prisons recommended the delay until the security system is fixed. MAYOR FIACEICHICAGO The most controversial Mayor's race in U.S. history occurred in the Chicago race on Apr. 12. Democrat Harold Washington became the first Black mayor for Chicago, in a campaign that grew increasingly bitter. The primary issue seemed to be Washington's race. BASEBALL SUSPENSION Fifteen students were suspended on April 18 and 19 because of different levels of involvement with alcohol before the Austin High baseball game against Lanier, which was a school activity, said Assistant Principal Jack Kinkel. The suspensions were decided on by Kinkel and Associate Principal John Heath. Although drinking alcoholic beverages before athletic events has happened before, this was the worst case of studentsgettingdrunk,andSFAadministratorsfeIt the need to take some kind of action to prevent future episodes. Kinkel said that the students' actions had violated district rules prohibiting the consumption of alcohol during the school day, which is interpreted as beginning the morning before school until after the last school event the student attends. Kinkel contacted La Tapatia, the restaurant that served the students alcohol, and said he received a reasonable, accurate explanation. The restaurant said that the SFA students had come in with some older girls, and the students weren't checked because the restaurant thought that they were all together. After receiving this explanation, Kinkel ended the investigation. US EMBASSY BOMBING A terrorists bombing ofthe US Embassy in Beirut on Apr. 17 left 17 Americans dead, and over 40 injured. Moslem Holy War, a fundamentalist Moslem group, claimed responsibility for the explosion. President Fleagan, who attended memorial services for the victims in Washington on Apr. 24, called the incident a cowardly act by terrorists. SPRING THING The fourth annual Spring Thing was held Apr. 22, despite threatening weather conditions that had prevailed earlier that morning. Several activities, includingasoftballtournament,and mud-wrestling contests were highlight events. Four scheduled SFA bands performed at various times throughout the afternoon. A non-school band, the Big Boys, played from 4 until 4:15, when Associate Principal John Heath pulled the plug to the amplifiers. Heath cited the hour delay of the band's performance, and the fear of student injury due to the chaotic slamdancers. many students left the school grounds before then continued on page 17 The Spring Thing was officially over at 5, but A st ' h 'A , ,- Students listen to a speaker during a student council meeting. Student Council role is sometimes taken for granted The SFA student council plays an important role in students' lives, but, that role is sometimes taken for granted. The council sponsors the Spring Thing and the Ugly Man contest each Spring. They also sponsor school dances and candy sales throughout the year. The money that is raised is used to fund projects to help improve the school and help meet the goals of the student council, said Dan Alexander, Senior Spring Student Council President. Alexander said that some of the money raised would buy plaques to honor outstanding teachers. t The Student Council Representatives and alternate Representatives are elected by their sms L Wmwii if' Journalism teacher Tom Prentice dressed as a punk rocker for the Cultural Showcase assembly. Cheerleader candidates wish each other luck aft tryouts on Mar. 24. L. r E H Mr. Brian Schenk's flag collection was displays during Cultural Awareness Month. High Journal --

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EL SALVADORINICARAGUA Controversy swirled around the Reagan administration covert CIA support of guerillas in Honduras which were trying to overthrow the government of Sandinista-controlled Nicaragua. Congress had passed a law forbidding the CIA to provide the support to the guerillas, but Reagan persisted. Controversy also continued over U.S. aid to the government of El Salvador which had been embroiled in a civil war for more than four years. Although civilian deaths at the hands of the government-linked Hdeath squads had been reduced, human rights activists continued to criticize the Salvadoran government and American aid. The Salvadoran guerillas were receiving Soviet Military weapons while the Reagan adimistration was supplying arms to the Salvadoran government. Although Pope John Paul ll had, in a tumultuous visit to Central America early in the spring, called for negotiations to resolve the Salvadoran controversy and had called on the USSR and US to not intervene in Central America, the region seemed farther than ever from peace. TEACHER PAY RAISE Texas teachers continued to lobby hard in May for 2406 pay hike. However, prospects were dim since the Comptroller had reduced the projected amount of revenue by more than S2 billion, which meant that for teachers - and state employees - to get a raise, taxes would have to be increased. And the legislature didn't seem amenable to raising taxes. A mass statewide rally on May 21 at the capitol demonstrated teachers' determination that Governor White's campaign promise to raise salaries by 2406 would become reality. Under budget bills passed by mid-May by both the House and Senate, teachers would only receive step increases ranging from ODA, to 4M over two years. TEXAS TEXTBOOK PROCESS The legislature approved a bill which permits individuals who support adoption of textbooks to testify on behalf of those textbooks at the annual state textbook adoption hearings in August. Previous policy of the State Board of Education limited testimony to critics of the books and to the book publishers. Tyler gadflies Mel and Norma Gabler had made a cottage industry out of criticizing proposed textbooks which did not fit with the narrow, fundamentalist and conservative point of viewthey express. The new hearing procedure was spearheaded by a group called People for the American Way , a group founded to counter Rev. Jerry Falwell's Moral Majorityf' EXEMPLARY HIGH SCHOOLS Austin High was one ofthe2 high schoolsin Texas chosen by the Texas Education Agency to represent Texas in the Secondary School Recognition Program. The program was designed to recognize schools that show exceptional progress in effectiveness and student outcomes. An on-site visit on May 23, the day before undergraduate finals, plus an evaluation by a 15 member panel of educators will be the deciding factor in who's who in American high schools. COMPUTER PLAN A three year AISD plan to teach students computer programming and usage will allow SFA to receive several new computers within the next continued on page 19 2 English teachers Eva Arce and Brendon perform a dancing skit to the song Copa during the Senior Talent Show on May 13. Kenny Tony Diggs performed in a ballet skit with Dinn Mann and Ricky Chaney at the Senior Talent Show. Austin Police officer Al Hernandez spoke to Street Law classes, and held an academy in which Street Law students could attend. After completing the academy, students were allowed to ride with an officer on duty. M,,.wf Principal McGee takes some visiting Peking teachers on a tour of Austin High. The Big Boys, a local punk rock band, perform at Spring Thing Apr. 22. Four inducted into Hall of Honor The Austin High Hall of Honor is a place where distinguished alumni, outstanding faculty, and the Maroon Society become a permanent fixture in the tradition of Austin High School. The honorees are recognized on Dedication Day, which is held on or as near to May 2 as possible. A member of the distinguished alumni honored in 1983 was Edmund P. Craven, a banker, financier, and civic leader. Craven graduated from Austin High in 1909. Also a member of the distinguished alumni honored this year was the Honorable Homer Thornberry, public official, federal judge, and member of the Texas House of Representatives from 1937 to 1971. Thornberry graduated from Austin High in 1927. Mary Adkins, English teacher from 1942 to 1982, was a member of the 18 Austin High Journal...