Calumet High School - Chieftain Yearbook (Gary, IN)

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Advertisers wave ' old glory ' , America buys An American flag, waved, means a penny earned! Viewing the nation ' s bicentennial in terms of dollar signs, business and industry undertook a con- certed effort in 1976 to reduce Americans to “poor Richards, poor lanes, poor Johns and, in general, to empty the public ' s pockets in the name of the red, white, and blue. Oh, forgive them Ben Franklin, for they know not what they do. Or do they? From By the dawn ' s early light to the sun slowly sinking in the West, American business adopted the stars and stripes to fit any pos- sible commodity in 76. We saw red, white and blue dresses, pocket books, electric trains, sleeping bags, etc., etc., etc. Betsy Ross might have dropped a stitch if she had known that one day her pat- tern would adorn a casket. The flag business was never bet- ter than in 1976. American industry had difficulty keeping pace with consumer demands. Old Glory was even displayed in the tradition of the 1970 ' s: on the automobile bumper sticker. Only during 76, Americans were loving it, not leav- ing it. And business was not just loving it, but cramming it down ev- eryone ' s throat. Once upon a time, 56 men sat down and listed their grievances and declared themselves indepen- dent of the British Empire. Little did they know that 200 years later, American business would declare themselves rich in celebration of their founding father ' s historical decision. BELOW LEFT: A simple item like this sleep- ing bag sports the 1776-1976 theme. The states of the union and stars are a part of the design for the piece camping equipment. BELOW: Fabric shops are very much into the bicentennial celebration. Stars and stripes and the colors red, white, and blue were available in many stores. Patches relat- ing to the 200th anniversary were available for application to jeans and jackets. i S yes y ■ - ] OPENING 5

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ABOVE LEFT: Footware is a pari of the bi- centennial celebration. This tennis shoe manufacturer cashes in on the 200th an- niversary of the country. ABOVE MIDDLE: Stars and stripes become a part of the light- ing decore in 1976. This item was on sale in local shopping areas. ABOVE RIGE1T: Spirit of 76, a national slogan during the bi- centennial, is everywhere. Consumers found numerous celebration items in local stores including this lamp. ABOVE: The red, white bile battery sports a freedom theme in b.

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Red, green lights twinkle As students celebrate Calumet students trugged through snow and sub-zero tem- peratures, amid glittering lights and department store crowds, in an at- tempt to recapture some of the childhood innocence of Christmas. They visited Santa ' s knee and reminisced about earlier days when they exhibited blind faith in a kindly, old gentleman with a bi- llowy, white beard. It is, perhaps, amazing that with the gawdy, commercialized as- pects of Christmas, people have managed to maintain some of their traditional feelings regarding this holiday season. Students took a traditional approach by trimming their trees with homemade orna- ments. Self-expression in tree trim- ming, long ago, was an economic necessity. Today, these delicate, hand-constructed ornaments are considered chic. But alas, the age of innocence is impossible to recapture. One can- not return to the days when visiting Saint Nick was an exciting and emotional experience. Or when on Christmas Eve, while tucked in bed, one totally believed it possible to hear the pawing of the reindeer ' s hoofs and the thud of Santa ' s boots. Therefore, perhaps, younger brothers and sisters or nieces and nephews are blessings in disguise. For although they are a pain 364 days out of the year, it is through their eyes that we rekindle memo- ries of the true experience of Christmas. For, afterall, Christmas is a cele- bration for children. Good night Elizabeth. Good night Mary Ellen. Good night )ohn-Boy.