Coronado High School - Legend Yearbook (El Paso, TX)

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 shared the spotlight for the Republican vote. America’s favorite cowboy. John Wayne, died of cancer leaving an empty space in the entertainment field, as did Arthur Feidler, conductor of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, who also passed away. The mishap at Three Mile Island gave Americans cause to be concerned about their future energy sources. This nuclear threat combined with the unexplainable use of Russian troops in Afghanistan led to a nation concerned about its safety and the possibility of war. In the Year of the Child, youth dominated the tennis scene as 16-year-old Tracy Austin and 18-year-old John Mclnroe became the youngest winners ever of the U.S. Open. Another favorite sporting event, baseball, received much attention with the Pittsburgh Pirates defeating the Baltimore Orioles to win the World Series. Many competitors were brought together in Lake Placid. N.Y.. for the 1980 Winter Olympics. Kl Paso did not remain unchanged. New mayor. Tom Westfall, kept his campaign promises to clean up city government, forcing resignations of city administrators and instigating investigations. A new dimension was added to the downtown skyline with the completion of the City-County Building. The public voiced their hope for change in passing the jail bond issue. Crime made local headlines when Federal Judge John Wood w as murdered in San Antonio. The convictions of Lou Ksper and Leon Moore and the disputed death penalty given to David Wallace brought an end to the publicity involved in the death of Kl Paso attorney Lee Chagra. However, a new question was brought to light upon the disappearance of Jimmy Chagra who was convicted of drug charges but lied bond before sentencing. Kl Paso made national news when in Kl Paso’s second hijacking ever, a youth demanded to be flown to Iran. '('hough the year held many discouragements, hope and promises could still be found—after all. the Miners did win two football games. Ayatollah Khomeini’s return to Iran, which caused the exile of the Shah Mohammed Reza Pahlavi, led to more drastic acts of violence. In an effort to extradite the cancer-stricken Shah from the United States. Iranian students took over the American embassy and held hostages. In retaliation. America imposed an oil embargo upon Iran. The ban on Iranian oil imports, which composed four to ten percent of American energy, only lengthened already growing gas lines and boosted skyrocketing prices. Another high price to pay was for gold which hit the high marker of over $800 an ounce, then dropped slightly during the year. Chrysler’s money problems also became the nation's concern as corporate president Lee Iococca faced an $800 million deficit despite a government promise of federal loans. The nation’s number three car manufacturer still had to lay off hundreds of workers. A new coin hit the troubled money market with the Susan B. Anthony dollar being the first woman ever coined. Another first lady, Mamie Kisenhower. passed away. A slightly downcast nation looked up to the smiling, hope-filled face of John Paul II. The Pope’s first visit to the U.S. brought cheers from crowds in Boston. Philadelphia. New York, Iowa and Chicago. The main focus switched from religious leaders to political as the nation looked toward the 1980 presidential election. Senator Edward Kennedy challenged Carter’s hold on the Democratic nomination for the office. Former candidate Ronald Reagan, former Texas governor John Connally and Senate Minority leader Howard Baker From the seizure of 60 American embassy employees in Iran to the worst potential nuclear disaster at Three Mile Island, the year was filled with apprehension and turmoil. 18 ihe saga

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 COWBOY KICKS Besides sitting in the classroom learning the three R’s, reading, ’riting and ’rithmetic, west- siders practiced three more R’s—recreation, re- laxation and rowdiness. Westside parties were a major part of Coronado’s social year and according to senior Gary Helsten, parties and partying helped everyone to get away from it all and have a good time.” Although there were were many different ideas of how to party, the end result was always the same—”a good time.” Most prefered the C W sounds of the Moon pie Dance Band at the Anthony Gap, while some liked the flashing lights and tunes of Donna Summer at Cosmo’s disco. El Paso’s sister city, Juarez, often lured many to its discos and establishments. I love to meet new people when I go to the discos,” said junior Rosa Rivas. ‘‘I can’t leave Juarez without getting a Fred’s sandwich or some tacos, commented Jason Beavers, senior. Usually the weekend scene was filled with one or two my-parents-are-out-of-town parties, with plenty of refreshments to go around for everyone. It’s great to get with a crowd; meeting the girls is half the fun,” explained junior Kevin Bohannon. For the outdoor partiers there was the river levee (when it wasn’t closed) and the sand dunes of Surfers for the four-wheeling fanatics. T birds managed to keep themselves entertained even on those Saturday nights when “there was nothing to do.” Tammy Gladkowski, sophomore, commented, When my friends and I are bored, we just congregate at someone’s house and go see a movie.” As a last resort, another pastime was just staying home and watching Saturday Night Live. Besides partying, another popular method students used “to get away from it all” was recreation. “Jogging through the ditches in the valley helps me to forget everything ... I just think of what’s ahead of me, explained junior Debbie I Insalata. With jogging, frisbee and football the most popular pastimes, students used the weekend to keep in touch with the athletic scene. Many chose more leisurely recreational activities over the more strenouous ones. “On Sundays I like to get together with a couple of my friends and go play pool,” commented senior Jay Wiggs. Coronadoans usually managed to assemble themselves at Cloudview Park or the Rio Grande levee on Sunday afternoon to toss around the pigskin or frisbee. Horses proved to be the “in” animal to ride, for those who had access to one. Junior Kelly Carpenter commented, I love riding my horses any time of the day, but taking care of them is part of it too.” Skateboarding, another sport which required many hours of practice to master the skill, was kept alive by the die-hard skateboard fans. According to Russell Ledbetter, “Riding the pools with your skateboard is the best kind of recreation there is.” He then added, “It sure beats staying home and watching TV.” Demonstrating their two-step techniqu are senior Jennifer Wood and junior Jasoi Spier. Sophomores Denise Dickey and Tracy Reich and junior Sally Carpenter casually observe the antics at a Coronado costume party, early in the year. ♦ Senior I orry Maloof demonstrated his skill at skateboarding by riding the pool. 20 the saga