Central High School - Wakitan Yearbook (St Joseph, MO)

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One-in-a-Million Amid the exciting new faces, interesting classes, and updated styles rose an important addition to Central. Unlike past years, the vice-principals have been united in one unique office system. Proposals for the building of the Administrative Center were discussed in the spring of ,83. After receiving the School Boards ap- proval, the actual construction began in late July. While students hurried to fill the last days of summer with as many thrills as possible, workers rushed to complete their job in time for the grand opening on Sep- tember the first. Maintenance I Advisor Tom McClain estimated the cost of the project to be at least 10,000 dollars. From viewing the i new office it is easy to see that a lot of time and energy was spent to create an atmosphere sufficient for both the administration and students. Mr. Carneai, Mrs. Piveral, and .g Mr. Wallerstedt expressed their desire for a central location where they could work closer with each other and the counseling center. it would also provide an easier access for both parents and students. Although there was a differ- .' ence of opinion as to whether or not the center was an asset to the school, one student described her feelings in a positive tone. So- : phomore Jennifer Drake observed, I1: I think it looks better because it's bigger and more organized Central is constantly making changes for the better. Alphabe- tically assigning students to the administrators was a fresh idea. ? Counselor John Schroeder rea- 1 soned that the counselors are now more aware of .the discipline i side and the administration has I: become more aware of the 0 academic side. These specific improvements help form Central into a tione- in-a-million school. I4

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101' rere Nith Ierit gan and heir 'lim ges ers, ' to are ting Dgi, son for all. ISSUES 1984: Fact or , Fallacy? The turning of 1983 to 1984 marked many new beginnings. Some seniors graduated and went on to college; people started new diets or decided to quit smoking. Many new friends were made; there were new job opportunities; and everyone set goals that were eventually accomplished. For science fiction buffs, the new year brought with it the speculation of George OrwelPs book 1984. The book, written in 1948, was a hypothetical look into the future. The year 1984 was chosen as the title simply by reversing the numbers of the year in which it was written. In Orwell's vision, the world in 1984 would be a world without books, history, or true conscious- ness. All people would be ruled by dictators, dehumanized by electronic surveillance, and in a permanent state of war. There would be three totalitarian states controlling four fifths of the globe; the remaining fifth would be the subject of endless dispute. In the totalitarian states, 85 per cent of the people, the proles , would live in poverty and play no part in politics. The other 15 per cent, members of the all-powerful party, would be compiled of the wealthy. This wealth would be given in return for which they would accept the rigid control of an omnipresent, invisible government with no writ- ten laws: Big Brother. Thi's tale follows a portion of the life of Winslow Smith, translator of Oldspeak to Newspeak ithe obscure language of idealistsy at the Ministry of Truth. He falls in love with Julia, who operates a novel-writing machine in the fiction department. Winslow tries to rebel, - but is defeated, imprisoned, and tortured. The first Orwellian prediction in 1984 that may be compared to actual society in 1984, is the division of the world into three superpowers whose regimes are all variations of socialism. The triumph of totalitarianism has not been universal, however, the prediction of the world being in a permanent state of war is somewhat true. The superstates of 1984 con- trol their rigid 'form of government through doublethink, tithe power of holding two contradictory beliefs simultaneously, and accepting both of them. Doublethink is the language of fanatics, stating that ttwar is peace, ignorance is strength. In our world, doublethink is practiced by ideologists every- where; the alteration of the past is common in politics, although it' is crucial in countries, such as the U.S.S.R. Another dramatic device in 1984, which stripped citizens of their rights to privacy, is the telescreen, which transmits and receives at the same time, watching its viewers as they watch it. Today, telescreens exist only on paper, not because they are an impossible idea, but because they would be quite expensive to develop. The modern state, however, has other means of surveillance. Electric eyes watch many public places, the wire tapping of telephones prohibits confidentiality in some situations; espionage is also a flourishing industry. Spying paraphernalia ranges from space satellites to cameras that photograph in the dark and microphones that can pick up a distant whisper. The computer is an amazing development in today's society, but is nonetheless the device that is most closely identified with 1984, even though Orwell does not even mention these instruments in his book. Technology inspires ap- prehension, perhaps, on the su- spicion that new developments will be used to reinforce the power of bureaucrats and politicians, of the police and the military, or any other authoritative group. OrwelPs novel has instigated many of these feelings of fear. George Orwell, or Eric Arthur Blair before his writing career, served in the Spanish Civil War fighting against fascism in the 1930's and was shot in the throat rendering him briefly speechless. He became frustrated by the English leftist press. tlThis kind of thing is frightening to me because it gives me the feeling that the very concept of objective truth is fading out of the world. Lies will pass into history, he once stated. Almost everything he wrote was against totalitarianism and for democratic socialism, 1984 sold over 10 million copies in 65 printings. Although the book was not a completely accur- ate prediction, it leaves something to ponder and possibly anticipate. In view of the novel, Walter Cronkite once said, 1984 may not arrive on time, but thereis always 1985. 1. National Merit Scholars: First Row: Shelly Ogi, Tracy Turner isemi-finaiisty; Second Row: Becky Kurz, Leslie Sifers, and Austin Wilson. Jeff Woods isemi-finalisty not pictured. 13 a l l. 5 i t ; i wexxwmnwmuamamtmaewwsmmuma. i

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,3 Wh XMNSK'N 5 1. The conversion of two classrooms into a unique office system creates quite a mess! 2. The finished product of much hard work over the summer proves a success. 3. Mr. Bill Tarpley diligently works at his desk. 4. Helping a student in the main office, our principal shows his importance. 5. Principal Bill Tarpley smiles proudly at the thought of heading a school such as Central. 6. Mr. Tarpley states his ideas at a faculty meeting. 15