Eleanor McMain High School - Echoes Yearbook (New Orleans, LA)

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Comment That Grand School Spirit WEWE wished for an ideal gym department many a time. We've longed for a swimming pool, show- ers, a gymnasium, and, I bet, even golf links if we'd thought of it. Yet have we stopped to realize that a gym isn't made by the equipment, but by the students who must work hand in hand with their instructors to promote that spirit which knows no defeat? Often a school that is rich in all the conveniences a girl could wish for and has a gym complete in every respect, is lacking in supporters. Our McMain, with capable teachers and enthusiastic girls, is fortunate, in- deed. We have the proper ingredi- ents . For instance, we can boast volley-balls and teachers to teach girls to play, tournaments-girls to enter and teachers to supervise. We have teams-Ivories and Jades, cheer-lead- ers, and a picked varsity falthough competition is scarce at presentj. So you see we have a grand gym-even better than we might have thought -for, although we may lack, in some respects, some equipment, we have that which is more desirable-the SPIRIT! Yes, the summer months will spell a long awaited joyous time for you and me, but wherever we may be, or whatever we may be doing, let us ever be thankful that our privilege to do as we please, and to enjoy the real life that was meant for us, is all part of our way of living, the AMERI- CAN WAY. Elements Amy Green, '42 0 gift of God ! The rumhine hrighi, 0 gift of Love! The moon at nighi, The rippling hraoh, the Jihging tree, All there are giflr from God to thee. E-C-H-O-E-S QLD i Through the Keyhole of the City By A Stranger Edlea Kelly, '42 UAMERICA'S M o s t Interesting City , Queen of the South , these and many other flattering titles make New Orleans a must on every traveler's list. People who have visited it return home with phrases that stick in one's mind such as Mar- di Gras . . . the Vieux Carre . . . mag- nolias . . . antiques . . . gumbo . . . Lafitte, the Pirate Mardi Gras is the never-to-be-for- gotten epic of the city. The jovial- ity of its crowds, the blinding glory that is the parades, the careless abandon of the maskers, the spon- taneous gaiety of the very at-mos- phere, all add up to a whole that is the essence of Mardi Gras. Canal Street is the great divide of one generation from another. On one side is the musty, grimy, yet fascinating area of antique shops, patios, wrought iron balconies, and overflowing museums. On the other are the huge buildings and bustling activity expected of every modern city today. New Orleans' semi-tropical climate is responsible for the flowers that bloom throughout the winter that amaze non-Orleanians, and the abund- ant flora which has for its setting the picturesque moss that hangs from watchful oaks viewing the centuries march by. And now the Spring Fiesta is a recent attempt to cement more firm- ly the past history with that current- ly being made and to re-picture the enchanting surroundings of old New Orleans. New Orleans' colorful history so influences the life of today that one glimpse of, say, Jean Lafitte's cell will whisk you along the mouldy corridors of the past in a delightful chain of events until you awaken in the Cabildo conscious of the hum of everyday voices. A place where the old and the new grasp hands and mingle charmingly to form an everlasting impression in a visitor's mind is New Orleans. A Field Trip Miriam Keating, '42 Class-Miss Randolph's second per- iod English class. Place-WWL Studio. Time-1:30 P. M. Comments- Miss Randolph and her English class made a visit to the WWL studio where the genuine hospitality of everyone there enabled us to have a most interesting and enjoyable trip. Many things which had before puzzled some of the girls were made clear by our host who acted as a guide and showed us around, explain- ing different things and answering our questions. When one hears that a program is transcribed it simply means that the program is coming over the air on huge records which the studio calls pancakes , Every little word and every little pause must be timed to perfection so that all will come out on time. The rooms of the studio are sound proof so that even if one screamed the sound could not be heard in the other rooms. Because the rooms are soundproof, some means of communication besides by conversation is needed. Therefore, hand signals and telephones are used. To tell whether a program is on the air or not is a very simple matter now, for outside the door of the studio the light goes on if a program is being broadcast and off if one is not. In the studio the microphones are specially lined to catch the mois- ture which always comes from one's mouth when he or she speaks. An- other interesting fact learned was that when a program is on the air the people out at the lake hear it before we do. However, to many of us, the most enjoyable thing of the trip was meet- ing the announcers whom we hear everyday without knowing what they look like. Also the girls were fasci- nated by the music of Mr. Ray Mc- Namara, who played many pieces for us on his Hammond electric organ. To put a perfect ending to a perfect trip, a program was dedicated to us, the pupils of McMain High School, which made us feel quite honored. To be sure everyone left the studio with a little more knowledge of a broad- casting station and with the hope of making another field trip as enjoy- able as that one had been. Thirty-three

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Frlendship Mary E. Knight, '41 There are a thousand nameless ties, Which only surh as feel them know, Of kindred thoughts, deep symgathies, And untold fancy spells, w ich throw 0'er ardent minds and faithful hearts A rhain whose rharmed links so blend That the bright eirelet but imparts Its forre lnlthese fond words- 'My Friend' -Anon. FRIENDSHIP is the finest experi- ence that one can have. Its lan- guage is as varied as the wants and weaknesses of humanity. To the timid and cautions it speaks words of encouragement, to those who lack strength it extends a helping hand, to the overbold it whispers words of caution. It improves happiness and abates misery-it doubles our joys and divides our griefs. These four high school years are a proving ground for the more youth- ful friendships we have enjoyed dur- ing grammar school days. Through grammar school our friends were often limited to the immediate neighborhood in which we lived-a small community bounded by a few blocks in each direction, but the population of a high school is made up of ten or twenty such communi- ties. and developing a friendship be- comes a much wider and more fasci- nating experience. In the fertile ground of high school associations many friendships take rootg the sturdier of these crowd out the les- ser ones and grow to steadfast bonds that often last a lifetime. Friendship is not confined to any particular class of society or any particular geographic locality, nor is it necessarily limited to those of one's own age or mental develop- ment. Wherever it is watered with the dews of kindness and affection, there you may 'be sure to find it. It is not uncommon that a strong and lasting friendship may develop be- tween a faculty member and a stu- dent-a friendship that brings coun- sel and understanding to the pupil and joy to the teacher. Perhaps the foundation rock of friendship lies in the fact that we humans are made happier and better by notice and appreciation. If we had no friends, who would come for- ward to praise us in our hour of triumph, cheer us in time of depres- sion, urge us on in time of struggle? However, the river of friendship flows much deeper than this. In- deed, it can wisely be said that our friends love us not because of our Thirty-two Schools of Yesterday And Today WHETHER we realize it or not, the public school system has altered greatly since the time of our grandmothers and grandfathers. At one time children went to school for the sole purpose of gaining knowl- edge through hard and intensive work. The discipline was strictg and the schools were conducted on pin- drop order. Pupils who did not do the required work were not tolerated. The teachers were exacting and nev- er tried to present the lesson in a way to make it interesting or enter- taining. Lessons were obtained di- rectly from text books or lectures given by the teachers. The majority of subjects were required, and no subjects such as sewing or drawing were offered. Long passages and numerous dates had to be memorized. Handwriting was directed toward per- fection. More emphasis was laid on memorizing and retaining facts than upon encouraging pupils to think for themselves through project work. There were no clubs or forms of rec- reation to make school a pleasurable activity. Education was much more formal than it is today. How different our schools of today are! Teachers are striving to pres- ent lessons in forms to attract the attention of the student and to best impress the important points upon the student. Among the things which are helping most considerably in this field are the moving picture and radio. Films relating to the particu- lar subject of the class are becoming increasingly popular. The radio is used extensively to listen to current news. Subjects are constantly being added to the curriculum in order to give a broader and richer prepara- tion for life. Getting pupils into col- lege is only a part of a modern high school's work. It is seeking to be a comprehensive school, fitting pupils not only for higher education, but also for their duties as citizens, as home-makers, as bread-winners, and as socially well-disposed, physically sound, and morally well-behaving members of the community. Educa- tion has made ,great strides in recent years and is steadily improving. June Chandler, '42. virtues but rather in spite of our faults. 3 :Edits ia The Months Ahead Sylvia Chin-Bing, '41 THE seemingly long tiring school session is near an end. Soon you will cease for awhile to do the same daily routine of arising at the sound of the alarm clock, of scurrying about the house for misplaced books, and of traversing the well acquainted route to school. No longer will you hear the clanging of bells, the rattle of homework papers, the familiar voices of teachers, or the incessant roar of noisy chatter in the halls and in the cafeteria at lunch time. Month- ly tests and daily recitations which caused your head to whirl will soon be forgotten. Gym uniforms, worn- down pencils, and ever-handled note- books crammed with continuous writ- ing will be cast aside into some ob- scure drawer or a nook in the attic. Yes, in short, you will be atleast free from mental worries with a long stretch of recreation and rest before you. Undoubtedly you are planning how you will spend your vacation. Per- haps a summer camp in the peaceful woods where one can bask lazily in the sun and dip occasionally into a cool inviting swimming hole will hold your interest. Or perhaps you are looking eagerly forward to going on some long trip, maybe to View the skyscrapers and the brilliant lights of New York, or maybe the Golden Gate and other multiple attractions in California and the West. Or finally, perhaps, you will spend the summer months at home with your afternoons devoted to reading and air-condi- tioned picture shows. Ni ght Barbara Bartlett, '42 With the velvet touch of night All our earthly fears take flight,- Wrapped in veils of midnight blue, Lightly dipped in early dew All of life unfolds anew. E-C-H-O-E-S

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Blind Date fContinued from page 261 all that matters at a dance, Janie insisted. You certainly won't be at the end of a twenty-foot pole when you dance with him. Well . . . Pat considered doubt- fully. And then,- Why not? lk ll' lk Miss Patricia Laine, high school graduate, marched down the aisle in a daze, so happy, that she was above the clouds, so in need of her glasses, that she brushed right past her ador- ing parents and into something very tall, who apologized hastily, and ad- ded, Do you know Jane Martin? Pat stared in wonder, trying vainly to see past the misty haze that float- ed between them. Surely such a rich, vibrant voice could come only from a fairy tale prince. Yes, she said sweetly in her most impressive voice. 'You must be Jerry Martin. I'm Pat Laine. ' Before he could answer, what :sounded like her parents rushed up with Janie and her beloved Bill and, Oh, darling! You were so lovely! But don't you think . . . Mother, Pat interrupted, this is Jerry Martin. How do you do, Jerry, dear, Mrs. Laine said graciously. But, Pat, don't you think you ought to wear your . . . Mother, please . . . Pat said hastily. Goodnight, dear. With a whirl of white, they were gone, Janie in hopes, and Pat in re- lief despite her bewilderment. li il ll K Y! Well, Janie demanded, gasping' from her daily exercises, after the most beautiful evening imaginable had evaporated into morning, how do you like him? Did he ask you to go out with him to the swimming party? Yes, Pat said quietly, digging into her overnight bag for one more bobby-pin. Don't you like him? Yes, Pat said. Then, in a cloudburst, Oh, Janie, I'm a miser- able flop! I was so happy, even though I didn't get a part in the class play, because I was going to star at the prom, and now . . . Now what? Jane said, swinging her feet back to earth with a bang. He doesn't like me, Janie, Pat said disappointingly. He didn't once say he was surprised to find me so Thirty-four ' lovely, or that my eyes were beauti- ful-and, when we went to the win- dow, he didn't talk about the sky or the moon. There was a moon, wasn't there? Janie laughed uproariously, in fact, so uproariously that Pat threw her bag and herself down on the bed in a rage of tears. You poor little sap, Janie said unappreciatively. When I was dancing with Jerry, he practically bored me to distraction with how wonderful you are. The trouble was, he insisted, that he couldn't see a thing without his glasses! Things We'd Like to See CContinued from page 221 Serra, Katherine-minus some of her sweetness Sherlock, Harriet--busy as 8. bee Sherrard, Eloise-talking' like Andy Devine Simmons, Mae-Speaking English in- stead of Spanish Simoneaux, Maureen--Without a love affair Staehle, Dorothy-a contralto Steclcler, Althea-With plaits St. Julien, Elaine-loud Stone, Virginia--tall and stout Sundmaker, Vivian-with the 3 V's -vim, vigor, vitality Sutter, Dorothy-a goody-goody Swatzfager, Anna-with jet black hair Terry, Phyllis-Willowy Thompson, Gloria-not lending a helping hand Trahan, Rita-down to earth Trout, Jane-with short finger nails Twigg, Cynthia--not cheering for Fordham Ulmer, Bernadine--talking loud and fast Umbaeh, Amelie-being quiet and demure Vaeth, Shirley--not being so inter- ested in aviation Venza, Lorraine-as a timid, fair blonde Von Belmren, Elaine-making' up a duet in a certain orchestra Vorbusch, Betty--speechless Walker, Virginia-serious Walling, Nell-with her hair un- combed Walther, Frances-a dumb Dora Walsh, Bettye-in a convent Ward, Margaret-with short hair Weatheraby, Claire-disagreeable Wells, Kathleen-not having so much to say Whiteside, Jane-without that poetic instinct Wild, Juanita-without that fear of dramatics Willem, Juneau old maid Wood, Emily--without that glamor- ous look Yeast, Adele-with a thirty-inch waist me Zahn, Shirley-speaking above a whisper Zander, Clair-ea Raggedy Ann Quiz Column Beverly McClure, '42 SINCE poetic quotations are useful in composition writing, we have decided to add this column to our Echoes . 1. Rivers of gold-mist flowing down From far celestial fountains,- The great sun flaming through the rifts Beyond the wall of mountains. 2. I am sorry that I spelt the word: I hate to go above you, Because-the brown eyes lower fell- Because, you see, I love you! 3. Let us welcome, then, the stran- g-ers, Hail them as our friends and brothers, And the heart's right hand of friendship Give them when they come to see us. 4. Honors are but silly toys, I know, And titles are but empty names. 5. Yes, Heaven is thineg but this Is a world of sweets and soursg Our Howers are merely-iiowers, And the shadow of thy perfect bliss- Is the sunshine of ours. 6. Good advice is beyond price. 7. America is the only place where man is full grown. 8. A thing of beauty is a joy for- ever. 9. Mother is the name for God In the lips and hearts of chil- dren. 10. Our whole duty for the present at any rate is summed up in the motto: America first. 11. Lovely was the death of Him whose life was Love! Zatarain, June-in a serious mood Ziegler, lvy Mae-with straight, long, black hair . Zoller, Geraldine-not worrying Monday for Friday Rita Comarda, Chairman: Clare Rita Allen, Jeanne Baker, Joy Barren, Doris Bertbelot, Joyce Bosrh, Ella Bourgeois, Yvonne Qoll, Shirley Gitz, Madeline Green, June Hutchinson, Glori- ana Jahn, Etbelelda' johnson, Dorothy La- Poutge, Rita McGinnis, 'Barbafau McNl1f, Kath- erine Planchard, Pamela Phillips, BeltZ.Por- retro, Shirley Pregeant, Dorothy Ro mxon, Ioycelyn Schully. Altbea Sfechler, Mae Sun- rnons, Virginia Stone, Gloria Thompson, Lor- raine Venza, Belly Vorbuscb. E-C-H-O-E-S