East High School - Exodus Yearbook (Cleveland, OH)

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)an., June '42 EXODUS June '42 Class History By Catherine Spellacy On September 12, 1939, a gallant crew of 520 aviators came as new ap- prentice pilots to the great airliner, East High. They had come from the trainer ships Addison, Willson, Patrick Henry, Fairmount, and Empire with new blood and new ideas. They came together to pilot a course which would be remembered forever in the annals of East High. Their first days spent as ground crew at their new field were enhanced by a 1 OB Mixer given by the Student Council. At the Mixer new friendships and acquaintances were made, and East High became a new training ship on which many would receive their last training before their “solo flight.’’ But this first year was not all fun. On Recognition Day 172 members of that crew were mentioned because they had been on the job every day. Others were recognized for honor roll, merit roll, and the extra-curricular ac- tivities in which they had already found a place. Musical ability was displayed by Marjorie Kirts at the piano and Jerome Shapiro with his violin. In the first year of this new adven- ture the “muscle-men’’ of the class did not have many opportunities to display their athletic ability. But Frank Mohorcic, an exception to this rule, was definitely “on the beam” and played varsity basketball side-by-side with those wonderful seniors. In the second year of this long flight most of the gallant band had found the parts of the ship at which they could operate best. They were now recognized as a necessary cog in the mechanics of the plane. They won distinction in the classroom, in clubs, in Student Council, on the athletics field, with the Blue and Cold and everywhere they possibly could. Har- old Allick, Catherine Spellacy, Ray Stanish, Katherine Andrews, Ed Hayes, Dorothy Cooper, and Fred Haddad made important flights for the Student Council. The athletes of the class made names for themselves on the football field, on the basketball court, and on the baseball diamond. Frank Mohorcic continued his basketball and in the spring played an important part in baseball. Stan Carras carried the ball across the line many times for Old East High, and pitched many win- ning baseball games. Rudy Medevic, Joe Mancini and Carl Habenstein also played important parts on the football field, and Carl and Kenneth Weiss and Harold Allick won their letters in basketball. None of this crew ever lost sight of their beacon, the light of learning, and while they were still learning to fly many of them made three-point land- ings. During the second part of the journey 19 members of the crew were taken into the National Honor Society. But the last lap of this adventure brought by far the greatest glory to this noble band. To start out the last part of their journey, they chose a set of leaders to pilot them for one semester. Harold Allick was pilot, Dorothy Cooper, co-pilot, and Kathe- rine Andrews, Ray Stanish, and Fred Haddad assisted. When the 1 2B Mixer was held, the atmosphere was differ- ent from that at the 1 OB Mixer. The air was filled with confidence and un- derstanding. These pilots were now sure of themselves. They knew the course they were flying, and they un- derstood the ship that they flew. The airliner began to journey into higher skies. The ceiling was reached when Katherine Andrews received the mantle of the school at the graduation of the January class. When she re- ceived the mantle, she gave to this crew the responsibilities and duties which come when they become senior pilots. They were now responsible for upholding the traditions which belong to East High. As they approached the take-off runway for the climax of their adven- ture, they chose new leaders to pilot them on the last part of this perilous journey. Ed Hayes and Harold Allick were chosen as pilot and co-pilot, and 21

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EXODUS Jan., June '42 June Class Officers Ed Hayes, President Harold Allick, Vice-President Ruth Berglund, Secretary Ray Calati, Treasurer Frank Mohorcic, Sergeant-at-Arms Dinner Dance Committee Harold Allick, Chmn. Catherine Andrews Frank Arcuri Wilma Astor Sarah Barclay Don Blech Betty Brodbent George Cruzen Helen Dereska Bill Diehl Fred Janice Fleming Marion Ceiss Tony Ruggeri Helen Jagelski Doris Klemm Betty Kucharski Custa Milharsic Jerry O’Connor Harry Rice Mary Rozeski Wirt Dick Betton, Chairman Soiior Revue Merle Miller, Chairman 12A Mixer Committee 20

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EXODUS Jan., June ’42 Ruth Berglund, Ray Calati, and Frank Mohorcic were chief assistants. The crew of this ship began to diminish in number, as some members of the class bailed out to join the armed forces of the country and to work in defense factories to win the war in which our country had engaged. The extra-cur- ricular and scholastic work of the rest of the crew went on as usual, but now they were leaders and guided the un- derclassmen. The Blue and Cold, un- der the guiding hand of Elmer Manley, with the capable assistance of Mary Rozeski, Evelyn Wlosek, Suzanne Frauenthal, and Bob Davis, continued to bring the news to the school and to win national recognition. The Student Council, under the leadership of Ray Stanish, represented the student body well and accomplished much for the good of the school. The club program was piloted by Jerome Shapiro in the Lincoln Club, Ray Stanish in the Na- tional Honor Society, Sarah Barclay in Senior Friendship, David Nichols in the Chem-Cam Club, and your histori- an in the Athenaeum Society. The last part of the adventure was well begun when plans for the Senior Revue were made. Richard Betton, with the help of committees and a “grand bunch of troupers, made this a success. Eugene Filsinger and Rich- ard Egan will long be remembered as the capable Masters of Ceremonies which they were. And who will ever forget that bevy of beauties? The army scene, the Frankie and Johnny act, and that memorable Carmo Varandah dance will be recorded in indelible ink in the annals of this journey. Tony Leta and his dance band supplied the music for the Revue, and their inter- pretation of “Liebestraum” will long be remembered. The extra-curricular work of these pilots could not dim their scholastic ability. Late in the semester the language awards were presented to three seniors. The award for excellence in French was given to Elizabeth Farnfield. Evelyn Cwiklen- ski, having valiantly studied Latin for three semesters, received the Latin medal. Dorothy Cooper received the award for excellence in German. Oth- ers had made arrangements for further training before they attempted the so- lo flight. Ed Hayes, Jerome Shapiro, Marjorie Kirts, Merle Miller, Fred Wirt, Ruth Berglund, Liliian Wynne, Catherine Spellacy, Elizabeth Farn- field, and Dorothy Cooper won schol- arships to Adelbert, Flora Stone Math- er, Fenn, Baldwin-Wallace, Notre Dame, and Cleveland Colleges. By this time plans for graduation, the landing field for this journey were being made. The script was being written, the commencement chorus was practicing, with the theme the symbol of freedom for which our country is fighting. Plans for the dinner-dance, the last social gathering of the class were made. Harold Allick, with the help of a committee from the homerooms, made arrangements for the affair to be held at the Tudor Arms Hotel on May 16. There they came, young men and young women, to share an evening with the friends with whom they had traveled the same course for three years. They knew that very soon they would part and each one would fly his own course. But they ate and danced, and went home a merrier crew, be- cause they knew that they would nev- er forget that evening and that it would be a bright spot in their lives through the years that were to come. At last on June 10, at Masonic Au- ditorium, they came to the end of their flight. The theme of the graduation was the American flag. Ed Hayes, Catherine Spellacy, Richard Betton, Dorothy Cooper, Leo Sandel, and Ray Stanish told of the progress of the country and the flag. They told how all this would affect the course of their lives. Then they received their diplomas and left the training ship. They had piloted a glorious course which never will be forgotten and which will be followed by many. Hon- ors had come to them in scholastic, athletic, and extra-curricular work. Now they were each seeking a new ship, a new course, and they would have to fly alone.