Donora High School - Dragon Yearbook (Donora, PA)

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Sflllllli lIlllSS HlSlllHU ticipating in many activities that we were not privileged to enjoy as Sopho- mores. We started off by electing class officers and cheerleaders. Sherman Wall, Colleen Hickman, Margaret Priecko, and Carmella Maisano were well cast as leaders and successfully supervised our sponsored affairs, among which were the tea dances. As our official representatives in the yell capacity we chose Joan Titus and Betty Jane Jones. Though a member of the Class of I944 live to be a hundred years old he shall always remember the Catalogue under the supervision of either Mr. Ley or Miss Weddle. And who can forget Albert Brody's arguments with Miss Pearce in American History? All Juniors were thrilled when it came time for the Junior Class Play, The Nutt Family. The true histrionic ability of our classmates became evident when the day before the play three members of the cast got the measles and such willing understudies as Frank Sadler, Rose Marie Rumora and Vivian Jones filled the vacancies. Thus, according to the tradition of our class and true troupers the show must go on -and a very successful play it was! To bring the social activities of the year to an end we had a very suc- cessful Class Party. An unscheduled part of the program was a blackout but we were permitted to have the lights on in the auditorium where we played games. The delightful evening ended with dancing and food in the gym. We were thrilled at our first Prom as we danced to the music of Johnny Vince la Seniorll and his orchestra. The three summer months held a great deal of activity for most of the students. Some worked while others went to school. The school's enrollment had decreased considerably when August thirty-first found us back at our desks. Many students were in the armed forces, some working, and a few had changed their schools. Robert Leddon and William Boyd had donned sailor uniforms during the summer. Herman Gonzales had left for Valley Forge Military Academy. Those of us who remained filled our roles as dignified and sophisti- cated Seniors very well. We now had the coveted seats in assembly and also the privilege oft leaving the auditorium first. The Junior Class Officers were called for a return engagement to serve as the Senior Class Officers. We also elected Betty Jane Jones and Bill Swan as our cheerleaders. Those Seniors in charge of the concession stands at football games made a financially successful job of it. The year was also marked by the sale of War Stamps and the Tin Can Drive. For the first time the Varsity Dragon was sold on a subscription basis. We had full-length movies with honest-to-goodness movie stars. ' The Senior Dance was informal as it had been the year before. Every- one enjoyed the evening of fun. James Emler proved to be quite a matinee idol in our Senior Class Play, Spring Dance. By this time spring was just around the corner and with it came thoughts of graduation. We stopped counting weeks and began counting the days until graduation. Somehow we were not quite as happy as we imagined we would be. Our Prom, Senior Banquet and Class Day were marked with the gaiety that is so common to important graduating Seniors. Baccalaureate and Commencement were impressive with a solemn air of deep thought. Our thoug-hts were of past, present, future and of absent members as we received our diplomas. Now that we have completed the twelve years of training we realize it was a rehearsal for the bigger things to come, the training has been pre- paring us for our premiere as active citizens of the community. The laughter and fun of by-gone days will be restaged as we move on to new scenes, new roles and new drama.

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Stlllllll lIlllSS HlSlllllU Wanted: Actorsl Requirements: Vaccination and proof of being six years old. The time was a bright September morning in l932-the scene, a first grade classroom. Some of us were anxious for a tryout and others were literally dragged in by their parents. After a few preliminaries we all signed contracts which were to involve the next twelve years of our lives. We hadn't gone very far in our new career until we came in contact with daily health examinations. Some had their first experience under the spotlight in the annual Music Week plays. Who can forget James Howard os the King in Sleeping Beauty? The roles we were filling began to become a little more exciting as we moved on to fourth grade at Sixth Street and Castner School. Health Demonstrations became something that were eagerly anticipated in the spring of each year. We felt quite grown up because we were privileged land requiredl to read a newspaper, The Weekly Reader. Another new experience was that of presenting assembly programs. Everyone received a chance to prove his talent. Miss Rongaus sponsored the Health Club which made trips to Pittsburgh once a year. The Heinz Company, lsaly's Factory, the Block House, and the Clark Candy Company were among some of the interesting places we visited. Betty Jane Jones always enjoyed these trips. Her chewing gum propensity supplied the ne- cessary energy for such sight-seeing. Having served as understudies for quite awhile we moved on to bigger and better roles in Junior High School. Even though we wouldn't admit it we all had a bad case of stage fright as we embarked on a new life filled with extra-curricular activities. There were many clubs such as the Hi-Y, Tri-Hi-Y, and Foreign Cor- respondence. The Hall Patrol was also a popular organization. We had a Health Drill that simply packed 'em in. We were forced to hang an S.R.O. sign at the door an hour before the show was to start. As a matter of fact everyone was so wonderfully delighted with our excellent performance that an encore was demanded. Some students got their names in lights for the first time. Virginia Stoneman was chosen as the May Queen. She was attended by a host of attractive girls. We had a very successful ninth grade party. There were two hun- dred and three students present to take part in the games, dancing, and to eat the food. For the first time there were four American Legion Awards given. This was done because the mid-term system had been discontinued. Two awards were given to the outstanding students who had been mid-term students. Ruth Hatfield and Sherman Wall were the recipients of these awards. Margaret Priecko and Robert Morton were the other two students to receive this award. Having survived the awkward age and with a feeling of superiority we moved on to Senior High School. We felt we had obtained our top billing. But our ego was soon deflated when the name of cubs was attached to us. Our pride suffered another blow when we were ordered to remain seated until the Juniors and Seniors had left the auditorium. Then came the outstanding day of our Sophomore year, December eighth. Pearl Harbor had been attacked the day before! Everyone filed into the auditorium with a solemn quietness to hear the radio address which resulted in the formal Declaration of War being read in Congress. The events of this day meant a change in the life of each of us. Another shock came when it was announced there would be no Junior- Senior Prom. We were given rain checks for the following year though. A three months intermission rested us and when September came most of us were back for a command performance. We found ourselves par-

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Silllllll Pl-llllllillllll-I And departing leave behind us Footprints on the sands of time. Though the setting will change these things we will never forget: Sadie Albert crying when she had to enter school. Bea Gress falling off the swing in the playground, while talking of airplanes. Always finding Barbara Johns with an extra pencil. Allen Kern standing in the corner for being naughty. Bobby Leddon dipping the pigtails of the girl in front of him in an inkwell. Dolores Grazzini, without a sense of proportion, walking her puppet in the air. The time Joan Titus performed as a balloon dancer and in the midst of the play there was an explosion. Joan finished without the balloon. Joa Jordan directed to sit with the girls across from him. They called it punishment then. The days Don Harrell, Mike Boros, and Joe Bozik sailed a squadron of paper planes to the front of the room. Bud Wells became the favorite of his teachers due to his cute baby face. At one time Danny Prystash was rather shy! lbut the senior girls have changed himl . The scraps that placed Anthony Ferretti in the waste basket and Ed Suski under the teacher's desk. The Baby sign that Robert Krapek had to wear in second grade. Zelda Ackerman bringing candy bars to school and Duane Wichterman selling his magic slates. Alex White bought the first one. The long braids of Virginia Stoneman and Rose Marie Rumora's pipe curls. Bashful Julia Yuschak and Elsie Muniz wouldn't utter a word in first grade. Our nature lovers, Julia Kapty and Ann Krupa, collecting leaves for geography class. Those Health Trips to Pittsburgh when Wilbur Johnson and Bob Pyle always wanted to show the girls the scenery. - Dorothy Marinkovich and Irene Stima running home from school because they were afraid of the big boys. Louise Johnston and George Saylor getting the measles the day before the music week per- formance. A tragic ending for a Prince and Princess. The way Ada Mae Clendaniel never failed to do her nightwork. She also handed her notebook in on time. The amazement of Donald Little and David Hirsch when returning from the Patrol Boy Convention in Washington to discover that they had forgotten their baggage. The absent-minded Ruth McCulloch and Martha Rose .Teeter wearing their aprons to school. The golden butter made in health class by Ann Todora and Edythe Sullivan. That was before we worried about ration points. Those opposites, Marjorie Hickman and Wilma Lee, invariably attired as twins. The pranks of Betty Jane Jones. Far be it from this poor writer to choose the most unusual. The charming attendant Margaret Orient made in You Can't Beat the Dutch. Early in his career, Anthony Debowski making the acquaintance of Mr. Latta. The way Helen Damiani and Helen Nescott collected and read their valentines. Betty Greenlee wearing perfume before the rest of the girls. The days when Buddy Morton and Carmen Dabiero wore short pants. Tommy Henderson cast as the Wolf in Little Red Riding Hood, Woodie Hetherington and Ruth Hatfield in roles of Mr. and Mrs. Santa Claus. The original skits written by Betty Mendola and Rose Malavolta for Miss Roode. Colleen Hickman shedding tears after being kissed in second grade and Jean McPherson wanting to trade seats. Frequent comments on the lovely red tresses of Betty Dragon, Marina Rodriguez, and Ruth Ryan. ln years gone by, the tomboy traits of Vilma Yurgovsky and Susan Takach. The esteem we had for Margaret Warholic in the grades because she sang swing music- The Dark Town Strutter's Ball. Frances DiGrino and Mary Frances Karch establishing their basketball reputation in fourth grade, but the climax was in Junior High Schooi. The day Mr. Wunderlich broke a yardstick trying to get Vivian Jones from shop to science class.