Caddo Magnet High School - Odyssey Yearbook (Shreveport, LA)

Page 38 text:

Music keeps the feet . . . Tapping to the beat ocking Rob scowled as the sounds of KCOZ drift- ed through the house. Shutting his door, he turned on his stereo and plugged in his head- phones. He upped the volume to ten and dropped the latest heavy metal album on the turntable. BOOM! crashed the drums and the guitar revved up with a loud screech. Rob settled into a chair. Now that was real music! “Music is my life,” said senior David Murray. “I live, breathe, eat, and love mu¬ sic.“ Listening to the radios of their cars as students leave the parking lot, it was hard to believe that David was alone in his feel- ings. However, the listener also would have been quick to discern that not ali musical tastes are alike. “I like top-40, new wave rock, and some hard rock,” said Tom Drummond, the bass guitarist of the band Critical Mass. “My favorite is soul music,” said junior Doris Piper, “it has rhythm.” “Jazz is the best,” replied David em- phatically. “It is the most expressive of all forms of music. It can be as sophisticated or as simple as one wants. It can be struc- tured and at the same time be totally spon- taneous. It has the best aspects of every other music category all rolled into one package. It was also conceived entirely by Americans. It is the only art form native to America.” Music listeners might have enjoyed the freedoms of their tastes, but a measure brought before Congress in the fall of 1985 proposed a rating system for albums with expressive lyrics that some felt was a re- striction of their freedom of choice. “Forget it!” pronounced senior Larry Marino. “It’s against the Constitution as far as 1’m concerned. I don’t believe that ‘naughty words’ corrupt people.” Larry wasn’t alone in his sentiments. In fact, most students agreed with him. ‘Tm totally against it;” said Tom, “no one can force you to buy something that you don ' t want. It’s up to you what you listen to.” ’l think it stinks,” agreed David. “They don’t censor books, why should they cen¬ sor music? If someone finds a song on the radio offensive, then they should change stations or turn it off. Nobody is forcing anyone to listen to the radio.” Even so, students had some guidelines for musicians. “Music stars should promote some kind of example to follow,” felt Doris. ‘Td say that stars should put on a good example in public, but stay out of the lime- light if they want to have some kind of life of their own,” Larry elaborated. “I don’t think people should copy-cat musicians, but they do, so the performers should be- have as society dictates whenever they Te in public. I think they should stay in pri¬ vate to avoid that problem, unlike Madon- na. I think she should be more convention- al in public or stay in private. If a reporter snoops into her (or anyone’s) private life, I don’t believe that the performer has to act any certain way. That’s the limit of their responsibility; the reporter has over- stepped his boundaries.” Teenagers found music to be an intri¬ cate part of their life. A variety of tastes and opinions could be heard. One thing was sure though, music was a force in high school lives that complimented emotions, stirred feelings, and inspired people to “keep on singing.” Junior Sheryl Wilemon escapes by listening to her Walkman during activity period. The sounds of her favorite radio station drown out the commotion of everyday school life. Selecting a record from his extensive eollection, sen ior Robby Magee prepares to listen to the music of The Clash. A former d.j. at Centenary College s radio station. Robby has a strong interest in music. 34 • Student Life

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Throughout the year Students managed to . . . Catch the spirit of magnetism usie Spirit slowly climbed out of bed. It was 5:30 A.M. and she had to feed the mustang. Why had she volun- teered to keep the mascot? She didn’t even like horses, but it did prove she had school spirit! She kept telling herself that as she went out into the cold morning air to feed the horse. Rah, Rah! At Magnet there was a special kind of school spirit, during the year. It was ere ated in a way unique to Magnet. Our spirit- ed student body exuded their fervor in ev- ery way possible. The various dances during the year were ali well attended and the students showed much support for the diverse themes. Mag- net’s own Critical Mass played at some of the dances and were well received at the fair by a supportive student audience. The annual faculty football game drew a large audience as always, as did other fa- culty student sports events. The intramur- als program also provided an excellent chance for the students to gather in the bleachers and cheer their favorite team on to victory. Pride in collective and individual achievements provided a cohesive atmo- sphere. Whether it was outstanding musi- cal ability, as in the case of All-State Choir and Orchestra, or outstanding academic ability, as in the case of our exceptional debate team; the Magnet family felt a sense of pride in their accomplishments. The impact of individual contributions was also felt. Brad Martin, for instance, in- creased our sense of pride in the appear- ance of the campus, by bringing his plants to enhance the academia. Commonly seen around campus were the Senior Class sweatshirts and Magnet bumper stickers. These items, although not ostentatious, were instrumental in con- tributing to the atmosphere. Although sometimes considered to be overzealous by adults, teenagers know that fervor grows with their love for their school. April Davis and Daria Jackson get in some track At school sports events and pep rallies, Mrs. Borders, practice after school. Mrs. Smith, and Mrs. Bell can always be counted on to display their spirited attire. 36 • Student Life