Erasmus Hall High School - Arch Yearbook (Brooklyn, NY)

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ZMZS 7 dgioorlb AS THE YEARS have rolled on, girls have finally earned their rightful position in the world of sports. Basketball was the first sport played by girls in Erasmus Hall. ln 1906 the seniors. instructed by Mrs. Edgell, made their debut in dribbling, juggling, and sinking the ball into the basket. Later this sport was opened to girls in every grade. Every one has his 4cWHtCI'lOOl7 and this senior class is no exception. This is the only sport in which we have not quite mastered the technique of team work. The results of the round robin basketball tournaments planned by head coach, Marjorie Wieideman, and her assistant. Rose Perrone, showed that this was true. Three years after basketball was introduced in Erasmus Hall. Miss Turner told the students of an English game called hockey. Teams were formed and today it is the most popular of all the girls' sports. XVOIHGIIQS Hockey Leagues have been formed which are a goal for many an Erasmus Hall hockey player. When the players of our senior class were mere fresh- men, with but a few weeksi practice, their team was victorious over the Soph- omore and the Junior teams. This same team was the runner-up in the hockey tournaments held in Prospect Park last fall. The spring coaching schedule, which was planned by the head hockey coach, Jeanne Neubecker. and assist- ant, Roberta Morgan, provided for an adequate number of coaches to aid the girls during the practice season. ln l9l5. about the time women were giving up the idea of wading and were going in for swimming in earnest, a small group of girls went to Public School 89 in the afternoon with Miss Guerin to practice their swimming. In 12

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ln the spring there was a concert, flowers, fever, and exams, Which was the only time none of us wanted to be an upper-classman who undoubtedly crams. Third term, we Haunted our shining new 'asophomorityi' ln the faces of little Freshmen whom we scorned and misdirected Hlld who still looked up to our superiority. We discovered phonetics in our English course Vlfhich would have been much better left alone, since it was no clearer to us than the code of Samuel F. B. lVlorse. Some of us started to work for Mr. Rohrberg and flourished our little red pencils, And naively wondered what person could produce so many stencils. We joined many clubs, and followed up Rostra and Senate, And faithfully attended each Friday night debate. Many of us made Junior Arista, and there was the usual, wonderful Christ- mas concert, after which we exchanged seasonas greetings, And attended endless program committee meetings. Sorry, but nothing much happened in the fourth term because we were in a haze Since with Regents 'round the bend, all you can do is groan and count the GG 77 daze. Fifth was the heyday of our grade as it was for the rest of the school What with the Pageant in which we took part, our sesqnicentennial cele- bration. It kaleidoscoped the history of Flatbush accompanied by war dances, verse choirs, waltzes, minuets, and the never-to-be-forgotten horse who de- serted his station. We voted in the primaries, for the first time, and took a course in Social Forms once each week And learned what to say, when to tip our hats, and how to be divinely meek. The National Association of Student Oflicers, ably led by Erasmus Hall, met at lnternational House, a favorable location. Grade 7 was the pinnacle of our political career, Almost all of us ran for G.O. officeg some of us got as far as the platform and beamed with honeyed smiles sincere, Some of us were even elected! We filed countless applications for college, And found that what we really needed besides passes, campus chatter fame, charm bracelets, trylons and perispheres, and crises, Was a hit of that recently discovered phenomenon, called knowledge. Having supported our Senior Hop and hoping for a Senior Prom, We ceased to consider Arch Patrols, up-staircases, and busied our ad- vanced brains, sharpened by scholastic aptitude tests, with fvelly solly. Mr. Wellsj things to come.

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1925 our own Erasmus pool was opened and a year later swimming became compulsory, for each girl had to pass a swimming test before being able to graduate. Later swimming teams and Junior and Senior Life Saving classes were formed. Many of the graduates have received their Senior Life Saving awards which they will proudly wear on their swim suits this sunnner. Owing to Miss Dibble's efforts. a tennis club was formed in 1916. The first club consisted of a few enthusiastic girls while the 1939 tennis club has about five hundred enlisted members. of whom Betty Armstrong is the head coach. The most recent of girls' sports is indoor baseball, perhaps better known as softball. Since 1926 it has grown in popularity until it has become one of the most popular sports among the young women. The spring round robin tournaments were planned by Lois Black and Esther Rojas. As a result of her noticing a number of natural leaders among the many girls who came to the park to play hockey. Miss McGlue formed the Eras- mus Hall branch of the Leaders' Club. This club is made up of the best girl athletes in the school. Girls applying for membership must be more than 'flosie Musclesf' They must have an outstanding character rating and a friendly personality as well as leadership ability. Some of the many duties of these girls are: assisting the teachers in various gym classes, managing squad periods. conducting annual Held meets, and coaching girls in all the sports given to the girls in Erasmus. It was the Leaders who transformed Gym 57 into a splendid recreation room which now accommodates over one hundred girls a week. Besides all these duties, the Leaders are trained to acquire social poise by acting as hostesses for the Arthur Murray Dance Club. The Leaders elected the following girls. all seniors, to be their officers for this spring term: president. ,lean Neubeckerg vice-president, Elizabeth Armstrongg secretary, Lois Black. The following is a list of the Leader graduates. Elizabeth Armstrong. Lois Black, Elizabeth Finochio. Shirley Fouts, Sheila Lemont, Dorothy Munson, Jean Neubecker, Sylvia Paret, Rose Perrone. and Esther Rojas. Lorraine Bandeccha and Norma Frugone, who are not in the Leaders, Club. must be mentioned for their outstanding talents in sports. We thank you, Erasmus, for opening a new vista to us and for teaching us to look on the right side of the tapestry of life. We are most thankful for the greatest of all gifts-the power to lose and take our disappointments gracefully. 13