Elmhurst High School - Anlibrum Yearbook (Fort Wayne, IN)

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Crisis Means . . . Fort Wayne Fights Back 1982 was a year plagued by record snowfalls, tornadoes, and floods for the city of Fort Wayne. The most severe crisis for the town, however, came in October when the International Harvester Company announced plans to shut down its Summit City truck plant. This decision came after weeks of negotiations on the part of big business, IH employees, and state officials in an effort to increase the financial situation of the local plant. Though Fort Wayne did end up outbidding Springfield, Ohio, IH decided there were other reasons to be considered and thus con- cluded to close our plant. The announcement came as a shock and a threat to the community. With an unemployment rate already at 9.4% and another 2000 people soon to be ad- ded to the statistics, the future of Fort Wayne looked bleak. Many of those who lost their jobs left the town in search of employment elsewhere. Others remained, living on the measly sums of welfare and or unemployment wages. The future is still uncertain. When such a high rate of people are unemployed in a town, all other businesses, in fact the entire economy, are affected. But Fort Wayne is a city of survivors. The citizens saved their homes once, and the chances are they ' ll do it again. The revitalization of downtown has already begun, which, when completed, should have a positive effect on the economy. If the Fort Wayne people continue to support their city, the crises faced in 1982 will soon be a part of history and the future will be brighter and more prosperous. 4 — Crises

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2226422 Let ' s get ROWDIE! Julie Burt, Scott Stephen, Lori Auer and other members of the senior class show their enthusiasm at a pep session for the band. Say Cheese. ' Freshman Kathleen Heiney smiles widely while listen- ing to some tunes through a headset. The Start — 3

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Still anolher line! Local inhabitants assemble at the unemployment of- fice hoping for aid.