Classical High School - Blue and White Yearbook (Springfield, MA)

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The Time Machine Travel back in time almost 150 years from 1976 to 1828, the year that the school now known as Classical High School began. It is eight o’clock in the morning, and you find yourself in a small brick building with scarcely fifty other students. You are headed for a class in prosody, a required course in the rhythm of speech. Although you had a choice to take what was termed an English curriculum or a Classical curriculum, prosody is required, whichever you choose. Both the English and the Classical curricula are college preparatory in nature, modeled after those of New Hampshire’s Philips-Exeter Academy. The course requirements (approximately seven per year) never vary. Following an English curriculum, you proceed from prosody to surveying, and then to navigation. Later in the day you attend classes in math, English, and history to fulfill requirements still in effect today. Students opting for the Classical curriculum take courses focusing primarily on Latin and Greek but also fulfill a two year requirement in both math and English. It’s last period now and off to forensics (debate) and declamation, another course required by both curricula. “Give a speech? Who me?” As you stammer through a talk on the virtues of temperance, your thoughts race ahead to 1976 and the world of open campus and electives. “Take me back to 1976,” you scream, ‘take me back ... ” Awakening with a start, you find yourself alone in the familiar Coffee House, the bell faithfully signaling the start of the day. The Kitchen Staff Mrs. Betty Moody — counselor

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Teens Learn Law One of the popular courses taught at Classical this year is Teenager and the Law, taught by Mr. Daniel Meder. The background of the course’s origin is unique; it first began four years ago and was offered as a replacement for Open Campus to seniors. The class’s first teacher was a local lawyer, Mr. Philip Joseph. The course’s popularity grew quickly, and it was soon proposed that it be added to the curriculum as a credited course, rather than something only students with free time could participate in. The School Board approved, and the change was made. The subject is now taught solely by Mr. Meder. Students research such areas as the Bill of Rights, the workings of our legal system, and what to do if arrested. In addition to the use of textbooks, such materials as newspapers and magazine articles are frequently used to keep the subject matter of the course current. Mrs. Erline Provost - science Mr. John Sweeney — assist. principal Mrs. Audrey Szlachetka — science Dr. Philip Miller — language Miss Maria Santos — language Mr. Jerome Shea — science FACULTY 19

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Counselors ounselors constitute a very large and nportant portion of the school, as ney work totally for the benefit of the chool and its occupants. Excellent ave- ues of communication, they serve as iiddlemen amidst the principals, the »achers, and, in some cases, the par- ints. The counselors’ job is indispensa- le because of the assistance it offers in ttempting to mold more prosperous utures for students, today. Dur counselors have quite a job, to say he very least. An average day for the iard-working counselor could include, n the morning, familiarizing a new tudent with the schoo l, in the after- 1oon, attending an important meeting oncerning the school program, and, fter school, counseling a student or amily with special problems. Their everal duties include such technical ind clerical work as organizing re- cords, arranging report cards, planning ndividual programs, and preparing for students’ future educational advance- ment. Although clerical work consti- tutes a great part of the counselors’ work, there is time left, nevertheless, for a more rewarding duty, helping people in need. Counseling people with personal prob- lems on a one-to-one basis is a reward- ing job, quite different from paper work. Students undergo extreme emo- tional stress, in many cases, as family situations undergo change. Counselors need to be very understanding and, most important of all, to develop their ability to listen. With one-to-one rela- tionships, counselors learn to listen perhaps more than advise. This aspect of the counselors’ job, along with their several additional obligations, makes their position a crucial one. Our counselors, Mildred Cabana, Ger- ald Canter, Mary Corcoran, Baron McDuffee, Betty Moody, James Wilke, James Walsh, and Gary Watson, are very special people, working contin- ually towards the improvement of Classical. Without them, our school would not funtion at its best and would be a far more impersonal place than it is. Librarian In acknowledging some of the people who help Classical function, one must remember the indispensable librarian. The librarian maintains complete order in the library, and her job is very sig- nificant for its existence. Our librarian, Miss Isabelle Brown, aids students all day long by, for example, assisting someone in his search for a book need- ed for a term paper or report. If a teach- er wishes to maintain certain books for his students, Miss Brown will reserve them for use solely by that particular class of students. In addition, time con- suming but neccessary clerical work behind the scenes adds to the responsi- bilities of our librarian. It takes a lot of work and enthusiasm to create a well run and comprehensive library such as These People Help Classical Function As It Should. Mrs. Evelyn Paige — head cashier Mrs. Jeanette Scheehser — clerk Mr. Gary Watson — counselor the one that Classical can boast of. Cafeteria Students do not live by books alone, of course. What would Classical do if, suddenly, we were without cooks? After three or four periods of school, the average student is starving. All that hard work throughout the morning re- sults in growling stomachs at about eleven o'clock, and it is then that the student looks forward to the time when he can relax, converse with friends, and eat! The cooks work hard all morning to prepare the food that satisfies Clas- sical’s appetites. They not only cook this essential and nourishing food, but they serve it, as well. The cooks pro- vide our school with lunches every day of the week; without the service pro- vided by these ladies, all students would have to bring their own bagged lunches and many students would not bother, resulting in hungry students who perform poorly in class. Mr. James Wilkie -counselor FACULTY 21