East High School - Exodus Yearbook (Cleveland, OH)

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January ’44 EXODUS MARIAN BURRHEAD” CRAN- DALL 7905 Whitethorn Avenue National Honor, Athenaeum, Laurean, French Club, Whirlo, H. R. Sports, Tea Room, Sr. Revue KATHLEEN KAY CROKE 1460 East 89 Street H. R. Secretary and Treasurer JANE CURLEY” CURLE 1 1 85 Addison Road Student Council, 12A Mixer Committee, Whirlo BEVERLY “BEVY” DAME 1346 Ansel Road Sr. Revue, Choral Club FLFANOR EADIE 8109 Melrose Avenue Jr. French Club, Commercial Club, Sr. Revue, 12A Nominat- ing Comm. Chmn., Choral Club ROBERT “BOB” EDWARDS 10321 Ashbury Avenue “Hi-Y,” 12A Mixer Commit- tee, H. R. Sports, H. R. Officer MARTHA MARS” FATICA 2089 East 125 Street Sr. Friendship, Sr. Revue, Tea Room, Riding MARJORIE SANDY” GAITANIS 6314 Quimby Avenue St. Council, Bookery Helper, Bank Teller, Sec. 12B Class, 12A Mixer Comm., Sr. Revue, Riding, H. R. Sec. MARY CALVIE” CALVIN 1355 East 1 15 Street French Club, Senior Revue, Blue and Cold, Choral Club ROSE RO” CEORCE 1905 East 121 Street Senior Revue, Victory Corps. Attendance Clerk JOSEPHINE JO” CRASSO 2085 Random Road Athenaeum, Laurean, Sr. Revue, Choral Club, Allied Youth ANN HACGY” HACCERTY 9501 Wade Park Avenue Mantle Orator, Sec. National Honor, Vice-Pres. Athenaeum, Pres. Laurean, Vice-Pres. and Sec. French Club, 2nd Pg. Ed- itor Blue and Cold, Chmn. Exo- dus, H. R. Chmn., Riding, Vic- tory Corps 9

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EXODUS January ’44 CLASS HISTORY By Robert Clark World War II has affected our graduating class more than it has any other. As early as the tenth grade we felt its effects. The fact that our class enrollment dropped from 222 in the 1 OB semester to 74 in our senior year, that we were the first class in many years to have a prom in place of a dinner dance and that we elected a girl president may be attrib- uted mainly to this war. Yet, not all of our high-schoo! enjoyments were interrupted. We had our mixers, dances, football games and most cf the ordinary high-school activities. The 10B was our first and last term during peacetime, and we made the most of if. Our first social event of the semester was the 10B Mixer, which was attended by 150 of us. At the mixer we became better acquainted with our new classmates through the mediums of games, a snake dance and refreshments. There was a war in Europe, of course, but that had been going on for some time and was very remote to most of us. if we could have only realized its path then! Having been assigned to our various homerooms, we began to take an active part in high-school affairs. Cora Hulbert became active in Student Council committee work; Anthony Novak snapped pictures for the Blue and Cold, and Carol Brandt worked overtime as Miss Budde’s assistant. In April, just as we were beginning to setttle down to our high school routine, the first real effect of the war in Europe came about when our principal, Floyd L. Simmons, later made a lieutenant-colonel and sent to North Africa, was called to one year’s active service with the Army. No one knew then that his one year of defense service” would be length- ened into a “duration job.” Assistant Principal James B. Fenwick became acting principal We were further shaken out of our cocoons by the arrival of George Traub. George and his family had just escaped from Czechoslovakia in time to avoid the “Berlin Express.” He was assigned to Mr. Fleishman’s homeroom, one of the four in our small class. By the time 1 OB Recognition Day came, we were fully launched in the work of becoming worth-while citizens. We were studying manners and proper dress as special homeroom projects, and we were doing our share in buying Defense Bonds and Stamps. At the recog- nition assembly we honored those who excelled in scholarship, student council participation and attendance. At the end of the semester the war was beginning to spread more and more, but we still felt secure in the fact that we were separated from it by thousands of miles of water. It was on December 7 of our 1 0A semester that this theory was blasted out of existence by the attack on Pearl Harbor. All of our enthusiasm, which had gone into the support of Activities Tickets and our football team, was diverted into making bandages for the Red Cross and buy- ing the newly-issued “War Bonds and Stamps. Dorothea Swirsko was helping to promote health among Eastites by informing them in the Blue and Gold how to gain “vim and vigor” through “vitamins,” and jimmy Johnston and Paul Landon were rating articles in the Blue and Gold for their track work. This track work was to help prepare them for duty with the armed forces, which they both entered soon after. It was in the eleventh grade that some of the most drastic changes in our high-school life presented themselves. We all began to experience something very new to us—ration- ing. Many of us aided teachers in distributing ration books to i'he public, and although these were given out in elementary schools, East High School itself was chosen to house Ration Board 18-10. Even though there was a great deal of excitement, we took part in the usual Life Career programs. Many of the plans and decisions made by us then had to be cancelled later on, for the war and draft boards intervened. 8

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EXODUS January 44 CLASS HISTORY (Continued) Despite all this, we were taking an ever-increasing part in school life. Marillyn Bolton, Lillian Butler, and Bonnie Watters were coming to the front of the band ranks. Robert Clark was again elected secretary of his homeroom. Lois Jean Batten was ably assisting on the stagecrew. It was at this time that Emmet E. Smeltz from Lincoln High School became our new principal. The opening of the 1 1A term found many changes in East High School. Aeronautical physics was offered to would-be aviators. In addition to the old, familiar fire drills, we were instructed how to act in the event of an air raid. We were asked to take part in the collec- tion of scrap metal which was to be used against our ruthless enemies. It was also in 1 1A that the greatest single blow came to our class. It was resolved by Congress that the draft age should be lowered to include 18- and 19-year-olds. One of the first results of this law was the enrollment of girls in the marching band. But not only the students were affected by the Conscription Bill. Early in December the boys lost one of their homeroom teachers when basketball Coach William Fleishman joined the Army. With the realization that most of the boys and a few of the girls would soon be in the service, the Victory Corps was instituted in the high schools. There was a branch of the Vic- tory Corps for each division of the armed forces. It was the puipose of this Victory Corps to help prepare us for various jobs in the armed forces, and it proved invaluable to many of our class later on. Finally the day which many of us had awaited so anxiously arrived. Seven of our mem- bers were inducted into the National Honor Society. Those seven classmates who had shown outstanding ability in scholarship, leadership, character, and service were Eleanor Cappell, Robert Clark, Beverly Dame, Anne Fenton, Ann Haggerty, Bonnie Watters, and Cordon Whit- ney. In the 1 2B Pauline Lembo, Martha Waldrup and Bob Mertz joined them. New mem- bers inducted in the 1 2A included Lillian Butler, Marian Crandall, Almira Svatek and Doro- thea Swirsko. The opening of our senior year found us with only one boys’ homeroom. The draft was really beginning to take its effect! Those of us who were left were menaced from still another quarter. The temptation to leave school for high wages offered by industry was great, but most of us compromised by finding a part-time job. Even though we were seniors, we were given gym, and for the boys there was gym five days a week. But none of us who entered the armed services ever regretted all the training. Despite all the handicaps, however, we were still maintaining a leadership in the school. Santo Regalbuto was elected president of the 1 2B class and also drum major; Ann Haggerty was acclaimed Mantle Orator, and Eleanor Cappell became Managing Editor of our news- paper, the Blue and Cold. At last the semester toward which we had all looked for so long arrived. We were 12A’s! Out of the original 222 there were only 74 of us left. There were only 16 boys, since most of the others had been forced to graduate in summer school in order to complete their education before being called away to the services. We were determined to have all of the activities usually associated with graduating classes. 10