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

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ABOVE: Andy Vivenzio makes another famous shot. LEFT: Dave Serafino and Andy Vivenzio strive for the Western Mass. Championship. RIGHT: The Harvard Plaque is an honor to the memory of Classi- cal. ABOVE: The 1968 math team prepares for a competition. The 1985 members are inducted into the National Honor Society. History xi

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The Blue and White staff of 1960. he ee ae Throughout the years at Classical High School many things have changed, and many things have come and gone. One tra- dition, however, has always remained the same: excellence. In the students, the facul- ty, and the curriculum, there has always been a tradition of excellence that can nev- er be taken away from Classical’s reputa- tion. Classical has always turned out the best in its literary works. The Blue and White staff won high awards in 1958, 1960, and 1979-84 from the Columbia University Scholastic Press Association for an excep- tionally well-written and well-put-together yearbook. In 1947, 1961, 1967, 1968, and 1969, the Recorder staff won the same award for the photographic make-up and editorials found in its newspaper. And of course, this year Classical’s English depart- ment was commended for being a center of excellence in the nation. On another scale of excellence, our Sci- ence and Math departments have been com- mended many times for their achievements. In 1962, Classical’s physics program re- ceived high praise from Professor Roy S. Anderson, the head of the physics depart- ment at Clark University. Once in 1965 and twice in 1968, Classical won first place in the Western Mass. Mathematics League competition. In addition to getting awards in specific areas, Classical is known for turning out students who are gifted in all areas of edu- cation. For many years, students have been inducted into the William C. Hill chapter of the National Honor Society. History = ‘ Pr % ee i - ee 4 Pee ABOVE: Some members of the Recorder staff of 1968. BELOW: Ms. Regina in 1968 (top), and in 1985 (bottom). Classical has always had above-average athletes. In 1980, the Classical foofball team was named champion of the Suburban League, and was also the highest-scoring team in Western Massachusetts. The J.V. baseball team was called “‘the best in the league” by coach Keough in 1981 when it finished with a 10-1-1 winning season. Also in 1980, the track team finished with a 10-0 record. Coach McLaughlin was quoted as saying that they were “the best of the best’’. To top it all off, two years in a row, once in 1981 and again in 1982, the wres- tling team was named division champs. We can’t forget this year’s boys’ soccer team, which proudly won the Western Mass. championship. Above all else, perhaps the biggest honor that Classical High School can boast is the permanent holding of the Harvard Plaque. The Harvard Trophy was an award given out every year for ten years to the school with the largest percentage of students on the honor list for the Harvard entrance exam. At the end of the ten years, the school that won the trophy the most was to become the permanent holder of the award. Classical won the award four out of the ten years, and became permanent holder of the plaque. This award can be seen when walk- ing through the front doors of the school. It is truly an honor to be taken seriously. Classical has become quite a school dur- ing its history. We all know its reputation, and we all recognize its excellence. Maybe William C. Hill said it best in 1910 when he stated, “Classical is the best school in the solar system.” Y

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Xi Chris Nicholson (class of ’71) shows concern. In the late ’60’s, individualism was “‘in’’. The big “thing” with the teenagers of that period was rebellion. There was an outpour- ing of emotion over civil and equal rights, sexual freedom, the Vietnam war, and the ever-present menace of nuclear weapons. Teenagers turned to drug abuse in an at- tempt to forget their problems, and the pop- ular music of the time dealt with peace and rebellion from traditional motives. Law was questioned extensively, and rioting was common in the big cities. At Classical, the student body demanded elective courses which held relevancy to the times. Courses such as Urban Sociology, Teenager and the Law, Latin-American his- tory, Cultural Geography, and Utopian Lit- erature were introduced. The dress code, which for decades was maintained at Classi- cal, was abruptly abolished and the ‘“‘hip- pie” look became prevalent. Participation in school activities during the early seventies was at a record low. For example: in 1971, the Classical marching band consisted of only eight members. Any achievements made during this period were done solely for the individual, and not for the benefit of others. History However, after the Vietnam war had end- ed, the attitude of the American teenager slowly began to take on a conservative tone. Racial segregation and discrimination were lessened considerably, mostly as a re- sult of the battle for civil rights. More and more, teenagers became concerned with playing an important part in society and making something of themselves. There was more of a “plan for the future” attitude, as opposed to the “live for today” way of thinking that had prevailed in the sixties. Traditional values made a comeback with the teenagers of the ’80’s. For the first time in a decade, the “Star-Spangled Banner” was played at the 1985 fall sports rally. Courses that were instituted at the height of the rebellion had faded out as a sign of the changing times. The senior early-dismissal program at Classical was reinstated after having been done away with years before. In recent years, the students attending Classical were given more credibility as re- sponsible members of society, a fact which may open the door for greater compatabi- lity between teenagers and adults in the fu- ture. ABOVE: Students making use of their early dis- missal privileges until they were revoked. BE- LOW: Miss Keenan as astudent in 1970 (top), and as a teacher in 1986 (bottom).