Derry Borough High School - Derrian Yearbook (Derry, PA)

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Administration for so difficult a task. A democracy insures our doing such a task if wc are properly educated. Our progress, since King Arthur and Sir Galahad were sent by some inner desire to find the holy cup, has been rapid. We have accumulated our culture in books, in painting, discarding only that which has been proved useless and detrimental. We students have our school books and, more important, we have a leader. Our goal is education, our leader's is in helping us to find our goal, and in trying to guide us so that in later years our goal will be the findings of a different kind of holy grail. Mr. McKelvey is not alone in his quest. He, too, has his knights, men who are known throughout the community for their Christian beliefs and generosity. They are staunch cltizens, supporting the laws of the land, aiding us to find truth and deliver to the world the peace our forefathers have so long sought in vain. Then, too, there are the members of the faculty, leading us in our quests for knowledge, just as King Arthur's Knights led loyal subjects to their goals. They hope that by educating us we will want, not war, but a desire to further our education so that we may have the zeal and the good- ness that will enable us to capture the answer to those questions we shall need to answer if ever the time comes when we must take our places in the making of future history. Those who do not become leaders, but remain subjects, must be educated to enjoy those privileges which have been so carefully preserved throughout all these centuries. Our school life is given to the building of our knowledge and of our character. We have received good guidance and influence from our prin- cipal, the school board, and the faculty. Their principles and ideals will be of value when in future years we shall hold courts of our own. Echoing through the halls of Derry High School, which might be com- pared with the vast halls of Camelot, can be heard the tread of marching feet, ever striving to advance toward the final reward of the seat of honor at the Round Table. A smiling face, a mischievous glitter in his eyes can mean only one person-our lovable principal, Mr. Landis. It seems to us he would be such a hard person to get along without, for, when the absence of our supervising principal makes it necessary for him to take over office duties, his admin- istrative ability is apparent. Does he ever fail to be on hand? one may ask. No, never! We must not overlook the fact that the success of many of our student functions is due to the undying effort he puts forth as faculty adviser to the Student Council. With the already- mentioned duties he carries, one would think it impossible for him to find time for the council, yet he has. I can say here, without doubt, that the council duly appreciates this. Further- more, the council has found him a highly imaginative man of many helpful and original ideas which have been the true success of our student functions. Much credit goes to Mr. Landis for making our high school days our happiest as well as knowledge-gaining, for he also instructs us in mathematics. M SEVEN

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Administration MR. EUGENE M. Mc-KELVEY Supervising Principal 4 Every school has a leader, and the students of Derry Bor- ough High School are fortunate enough to have such an ideal one as our supervising principal, Mr. Eugene M. McKelvey. As a guiding influence he is yet to be surpassed. His freely- given advice is readily accepted by most students who, in the end, can not find enough words with which to thank him. Little does one realize the great tasks which confront this man: student problems with which to cope, dissatisfied parents to satisfy. Besides these tasks and many others comes the greatest task of all-making students want to succeed. His mingling with students as one of them has only increas- ed the admiration and respect we hold for him. One finds it quite a common sight to see him aiding a pupil here and there, assisting in the plans for student activities, and always ready to i give his helpful suggestions. Little need one wonder why we, the student body, are very proud to hail this man as our leader. The most famous king of England was one who fought for love, truth, and honor-King Arthur. The history of his reign is mostly mythical, and only because his subjects loved and honored him and told of his famous court is he known to us today at all. He discovered no great lands for Eng- land, nor did he defeat other nations, but he did restore peace and equality to his people. He was taught by Merlin, a clever magician. By being changed into a lion, Arthur learned the value of walking softly, by being an owl, he learn- ed the value of being able to see in the dark. Merlin knew that this orphan, Arthur, was someday to inherit a throne if his talents were developed and if his character were strong. The rulers of men must be strong and wise, yet humble toward others' rights. Following such ideals as Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table had may enable each of us to do bigger things. The difficulty of the task should be no barrier. Small tasks might mean important hurdles in our ride through life. A large bridge might mean crossing a division line between doing what we want to do and what we should do. As the truth of his royal birth was explained to Arthur by Merlin, this young knight pledged his loyalty to God and to his subjects. King Arthur surrounded his table with noble knights. Their victories in battles gave them physical strengthg their belief in God gave them spiritual strength. These knights, therefore, also pledged their lives to the duty of restoring the Holy Grail to England. A year and a day was declared the time in which to discover the Grail and repossess it for Eng- land. Of all these brave men, all but four perished at the end of the year allotted. Three of these who remained had had visions of the cup, but only Sir Galahad found it. His pious zeal, his repentance for his sins, and his goodness were his only weapons. His reward was death, of which he knew no fear. Christians have been striving to accomplish these two objectives since time began. In all works of life men have sought to follow God and to in- crease the happiness of their brothers. Education in a sense prepares us SIX

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l l l N S Faculty MISS ANKNEY Miss Ankney, our English teacher, was graduated in 1936 from Seton Hill and began her teaching career in Derry High in the following fall. Six classes out of seven periods a day is the mammoth undertaking of Miss Ankney. She teaches English to the freshmen, sophomores, and juniors. Her three-minute talks and ''two-hundred-and-fifty-word compositions are well known in her English assignments. Miss Ankney, however, does not confine her efforts to the classroom. For the past few years she has been in charge of production of the senior class play. Through Miss Ankney's efforts, this year book is the well- written annual that it is, as she is in charge of the literary assignments of the Derrian. MR. BOVARD Mr. Bovard, a graduate of Grove City College in 1929, began his teaching career in Derry High in the same year. During the following four years Mr. Bovard served as football coach as well as a teacher. Beginning in 1934, he devoted his efforts, in the main, to the classroom. This past school year, Mr. Bovard, filling his part as a teacher quite capably, has taught general science, world history, and problems of democracy. Mr. Bovard, however, is not a stranger in the extra-curricular activities. He w-as seen at all the football games and basketball games where he took charge of the sale of tickets. Mr. Bovard likes nothing better than to talk to a group of students and find their opinions on the various forms of government and to show them the advantages and disadvantages of their choice of government. He is then in his element. MISS BOYD From the gymnasium comes a buzz of activity as Miss Boyd conducts one of her girls' gym classes. Miss Boyd joined our faculty in 1937 after having been graduated from the University of Pittsburgh. Miss Boyd is active in all stages of the school life. Once a week she conducts a home economics class for the girls who wish to attend this instructive class. Miss Boyd, besides being the girls' gym instructor, teaches English IV and general science. Much of the success of the junior class play was due to the able co-direction of Miss Boyd in cooperation with another member of the faculty. All in all, she is one of the busiest members of our teaching staff. MR. BUCCI . Mr. Bucci, who was graduated from Pennsylvania State College in 1930 and taught at Derry Township High, our close rivals, began teaching here in 1934. Mr. Bucci, better known as Pat, taught science, biology, solid geometry and chemistry. On lab days Pat makes his subjects more than interesting by the actual demonstrations. Pat took over the coaching duties relinquished by Mr. Bovard in 1934. Whipping the team into a fast and powerful machine, P-at soon had one of the best teams in Class B competition. Basketball, started in Derry High in 1937 by Pat, has progressed until now Derry has one of the best teams in section XIII. Mr. Bucci also wrote the words for our Alma Mater. The words to this song show how much love and spirit Pat possesses for the school. EIGHT