Emerson High School - Emersonian Yearbook (Gary, IN)

Page 24 text:

DEBATING TEAM Resolved: that every able bodied male citizen of the United States should have one year full time compulsory military training before attaining the age of 24. This has been the big question to be solved by the debators since last October, but no final decision was ever reached. Last fall, the Auditorium Department again introduced a debate course for all good thinkers and students with a yen for argument. Some twenty students took advantage of this opportunity to match their wits in reasoning the pros and cons of the above question with the debators from eleven other schools in the Calumet Region. The formal debate season opened on Wednesday, October 10, with a meet at Crown Point and from then until January 30, practically every Wednesday found the debators expounding new theories and proof for their arguments. There are twelve schools in the Calumet Debate League, of which we were members, and each school played the role of host for one debate meet during the season. Our first season was a far cry from being perfect, but we were happy to win one fourth of our debates in the League. The most inspirational activity of the new year was a trip to Augustana College in Rock Island, Illinois, on February 7, to participate in their annual invitational meet. Jere Richards and Frank Guemple, affirmative team, and Ed Oljace and James Fox, negative team, represented Emerson. A grand week end of debate and fun was this experience in competition with high school debators from other cities in Illinois and Iowa. Debators also have their Sectional and State tournaments. The five Gary schools and Crown Point and Valparaiso comprise our sectionals. The tournament was held this year at Emerson on Feb¬ ruary 28. A complete “round robin” is debated, three rounds at each meet. Horace Mann copped all the honors to go on to State the end of March—Emerson’s goal for next season. Page Twenty-two

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They calmly overlook his feelings about the whole matter; they are so glad to have him back, but within the next few days they begin to suspect that their “child” has changed. Ronald is now quite a different person from the young boy who ran away from home. He is still a kid, but seems uncom¬ fortably grown up. He upsets the whole family with his efforts to convert them to military routine and arouses the whole town with the perplexing and humorous situations he gets himself into. The appearance of a former Army buddy, who is a well-known wolf, delights in reminising about bar-room brawls, and who is mistaken for Ronald by a newspaper reporter, doesn’t help the situation any. It has become, according to Ronald, Snafu—or situation normal, all fouled up. The plot becomes more and more one of continuous confusion, with private detectives, police, Legionnaires, and protesting neighbors becoming involved, and Ronald’s parents begin to wonder if they haven’t made a mistake in bringing him home from the Army. But in the end,, when he is almost given up as hopeless, everything is satisfactorily smoothed out and especially surprising to all is the ap¬ pearance of a colonel, who, instead of disciplining Ronald as his parents expected, confers upon him a high military honor. Sitting —Frank Guemple, Bob Lindel, Jo Fernandez, Viola Geanchos, Nell Burns, Dolores Barrick, Norma Heistand, Don McLaren. Kneeling —Louis Magrames, Julia Motto, Elaine Berezin, Jean Gerometta, Gerry Goldman, Marcia, Barret, Agnes McConnell, Tom Wilson, Dom Cefali. Standing —Margaret Lowe, Jack Donley, Miss Moell, Bob Mann, Frank Brudnakowski. Seated —Chuck Vas, Anna Mae Chervenak. Page Twenty-one

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expanding Out c Atomic Cnergy The atomic hit of the year occurred on May 31st. At that time the Emerson students turned out for the biggest Spring Prom ever witnessed by the Emerson Faculty. With the wonderful cooperation of Miss Newton and Mrs. Greenwald, we secured our dream out-of-doors ballroom—the Marquette Park Pavillion. Here, to the gay music of Jerry Maling’s orchestra, our young music lovers danced their fill to such mellow tunes as “Dreams,” “I’ll See you In My Dreams,” “Sweetheart of All My Dreams,” “Two Dreams Met”, etc. As you can no doubt gather, the theme was “dreams”. We might mention the fact that this theme went very will with the setting of Marquette Park. The girls, in their beautifully colored spring straplesses, backlesses, and what other clothing they didn’t have on, formed a beautiful spider web pattern as they danced with their handsome escorts. Velmir Gurgevich, the President of the Senior Class, and his partner led the traditional Grand March at 9 o’clock. Following them were Helen Wellman, President of the Junior Class, and her escort. The officers of the Senior and Junior classes and their partners next marched to be admired by the P ' aculty. The Prom Committee was headed this year by Jean Gerometta, representing the Seniors, and Vernice Mayes, the Juniors. This committee deserves much praise for the wonderful entertainment they provided for the students of their school. On the romantic day of February 15, the Sophomores gathered to have their Sophomore Hop. Their “ballroom” was decorated in red and white to carry out the Valentine theme. The Grand March was led by Jerry Gerasimo, Sophomore president, and his partner, Pat Hybarger. Throughout the evening the couples danced to the romantic music, and refreshed themselves with some very de¬ licious punch and little cookies with cherries on them. Almost every Freshman of the Freshman Class attended the Freshman Frolic on March 15. The gay affair was held in the beautiful decked out girls’ lower gym. Being so close to St. Patrick’s Day, the committee suitably chose green and white as their colors and St. Patrick’s Day as their theme. The Swing Kings, Emerson’s own musicians, provided the music for the dancing couples. Other enter¬ tainment consisted of Marge Berta’s singing; the violin and piano playing of Louis Kampouris and his sister, Mary; the tap dancing of Joyce Klein and Catherine Billick; and the young magician of the evening, Walter Landis. The Freshmen, decked out in their Sunday best, looked lovely as they march¬ ed by for the Grand March. Every Freshman enjoyed his first class dance which turned out to be one of the biggest affairs of the season. Page Twenty-three