Benjamin Franklin High School - Electron Yearbook (Philadelphia, PA)

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CLASS PULL Most popular .......................................... JAMES JENKINS Most active in school afairs ............................. WILLIAM CODY Best dancer ....................................... RICHARD HAWKINS Shows best school spirit ............................. ALVIN HONIGMAN Quietest .................................................. RANSOM LEE Loudest ............................................ EDWARD DRESNIN Sleepiest ............................................. WARDLAW HALL Best loafer ........................................ CLINTON MITCHELL Most probable bachelor .............................. HARVEY MORTON Most likely to succeed .................................. WILLIAM CODY Best athlete ........ .. . .' .................................. JAMES JENKINS Most talkative . . .. .................................... HARVEY THOMAS Most studious ........................................... PETER KOTOS Best dressed ......................................... CHARLES TAYLOR Best politician ....................................... , . .WILLIAM CODY Most handsome ...................................... CHARLES TAYLOR Who thinks he is most handsome ........................ CHARLES SMITH Wittiest ....... ..... ..................................... DUDLEY VICK Best lover ............................................. JAMES JENKINS Best cutter ........................... ................. CARL SHELDON Who is out to lick the world ........................ NATHAN SPELLMAN F avorite school study ............................. ............. ENGLISH Most disliked study ................................ HUMAN RELATIONS F avorite teacherLd ........ MR. BLUM, MR. ELIASSON, MR. ROSENBERG Most desirable companion on a desert isle ...................... MY GIRL

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SPHNSHH 34th ELASS CLARENCE ELIASSON UPPIEEHS 24th ELASS Left to right: Leonard James, Treasurer; Thomas Moss, President; Owen Vick, Vice-Presi- dent; Charles Gibbs, Secretary. 4

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JAN. 1951 F RESHMAN YEAR After months of anticipation and high expectancy, we finally found ourselves approach- ing a new milestone in life. We were actually entering a High School for the first time. We had been told many times by our parents and teachers that this was the place that really prepared us for our future vocations. As we sat in the auditorium of our new school many of us made a solemn pledge that we would try hard to overcome the dimculties that stood in the way of a high school education and eventual graduation. No doubt there were others of us who were too concerned about our new environment at the moment, and thoughts of graduation seemed remote, indeed. Our new principal, Mr. Williams, greeted us very cordially and made us feel at home immediately. This helped to make our first impressions very favorable. We had been told that in high school llthey treat you like men-not like kids?' We realized this soon after we heard several of the teachers and councillors speak. They informed us of the duties, respon- sibilities and privileges that high school students have . . . and they sounded pretty reasonable. A few weeks after the term started we learned of the many school activities. These in- cluded the Student Government groups tStudent Association, Student Patrol and Student Courtl; school newspaper, school band, student dances and many others. Sports, we found out, played a big part in Ben Franklin,s program. While a few of the holder freshmen joined in some of these activities, most of us were content to bide our time until we were more acclimated. For the time being, we settled down to our studies and took life seriously. Un- fortunately, some of the boys felt they could slide through easily. These were the lads who dropped out of the picture in a year or two. SOPHOMORE YEAR We returned to school for our sophomore year with much more confidence. Those of us who had survived the first yearis test, were prepared to take in stride anything that might face us in our second year. In fact, so confident were we that we looked down on the incom- ing Freshman. Our circle of friends expanded and we began to participate in the schoolis activities with enthusiasm and understanding. Many in our class joined the various athletic teams and some of them made city-wide reputations as fine athletes. By joining student groups we saw Democracy in action. We realized that it takes the help, cooperation and participation of all concerned to make demo- cratic government work. We were learning it through real life incidents right here in Franklin High. Our assemblies, just as in our Freshman year, continued on a high cultural plane. Some of the finest artists performed for us. We were being exposed to the finer things in life and we enjoyed them. Celebrities in all fields came to our school to entertain us. Definitely a feeling of pride for Ben Franklin was creeping into us. We took our subject marks more seriously than during our previous year. By this time some of us had our sights set on college and we knew that our scholastic achievements were a determining factor on whether we would or would not go to college. J UNIOR YEAR The time had come for us to consider the eRect school would have on our future voca- tions. We were no longer anxious about the outcome of our stay at Franklin. Instead, we were inspired by the nearness of graduation to put forth our greatest etforts. We began to think in term of careers and in some cases, institutions of higher learning. Some of the boys had become prominent members of the school newspaper, the iiJunto, sponsored by the ever-popular and well-liked Mr. Rosenberg. Others were on our great basket- ball team-the first in the history of Franklin High School to reach the Public High Cham- pionship Play-olfs. Under the able leadership of Coach Sam Browne. our team gained an impressive record of fifteen wins and three losses. Especially noteworthy was its outstand- ing sportsmnnship.