Ben Avon High School - Novaneb Yearbook (Pittsburgh, PA)

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School Board President ...... . . Vice President ......, School Board Visitor . . . . . . Architect .......... Fmarice . . . ..... . . . . Secretary . . . .... . . . . Solicitor ..... ........ ...... . JAMES M. BOGGs Lizvil B. Durr ll:Tl IEL MCBRIDE . . . ARTHUR E. PRACK ' . XVALTIZR P. HERO aww: . PERCY R. STONE FRED HOUSTON Sujaerzfising Principal . . . . . . lXLFRIED NV. B1zAT'1'11z 3 E, the students Of Len Avon High School, in recognition Of their con- tributions towarcl the development and progress Of Our school, take this Opportunity to express our appreciation to each member of the school board for his part in making Ben Avon Z1 highly commendable institution Of learning. S

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ADIVIINISTFQATICDN ' 7

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A VV. Blwrrrlf: Tzlpcrvisiizg Princillal Administrators ,-T ,,..,. T Pr-i11c'ipnl SCHOOL IS DUMB gg CI-IOOL is dumb, is the comment of pupils from time to time. They may be pupils who think and speak care- lessly or thoughtlesslyg they may be pupils who actually think that school is dumb. I prefer to believe that they are careless, thoughtless speakers because we can learn to speak accurately and thoughtfully. But the person who actually thinks that school is dumb is unfortunately handicapped. He is unfor- tunate for the same reasons that the blind and the deaf are unfortunate. For how can school be dumb when it is lilled with slides, maps, pictures, magazines, textbooks, and library books, each having a story of its own-some- times a prosaic story and sometimes an excit- ing story, but always a story of people? Perhaps these unfortunate pupils do not understand that all these things are speaking. Perhaps they do not understand why we have schools. Perhaps they do not know that it would be impossible- in the life of one indi- vidual to have all the experiences, good and bad, that men have been having for thousands of years. But these experiences become every pupil's experience within a few years because slides and pictures and maps and textbooks and library books are telling their stories. Seemingly, those people who say that school is dumb do not know that because of things learned in school they can almost begin their lives where their parents stop. Another complaint is School is a prison. Now, prison is a place for men and Women who won't play the game fairly-people who do not appreciate personal freedom and who encroach on the personal property rights of others. These people are housed together in prisons where they spend their lives doing time. But how can a red-blooded boy or girl feel that school is doing time? Part of school is learning about what has happened to other people. Another part is playing basketball, football, hockey, mushball, and dancing-all activities to develop healthy bodies and to give enjoyment at the same time. Still another part of school time is putting on plays, playing in the orchestra, singing in the glee club, and go- ing to the junior prom. None of these things is characteristic of prison. They are things that red-blooded high school boys and girls like to do, want to do, and which incidentally teach them how to live with each other and how to help each other. No, school isn't dumb, except for those unfor- tunates who can't see and Who can't hear. And it is not a prison, except for those who stand on the side lines instead of playing the game. ' VV. VV. HoLL1sNBxcK