Fort Hamilton High School - Tower Yearbook (Brooklyn, NY)

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EPARTMENT chairmen are an unusual group in the sense that they are neither fish nor fowl. They are both since they act in a teaching as well as in a supervisory capacity. Perhaps it is the fact that they must see both sides of a question that makes them such an opinionated group-opinion- ated. at least far as Fort Hamilton is concerned. All of these people agree on one thing4Fort Hamilton High School is the most beautiful school they have ever seen. Mrs. Lyons. who has lived in this area all her life. tshe even graduated from Bay Ridge High Schoolj. and helped to organize this school. says that her maternal pride toward Fort Hamilton might interfere with her judgment. but she believes it is one of the finest. if not the finest high school. lXlrs. Stern compares it with a small town college campus and bliss Dick says that the building and location provide a wonderful environment for her art students. As far as physical facilities are concerned. Mr. Lebowitz stated that coming from another school to Fort Hamilton was like coming from a hovel into a king's palacef, 'LThe essence of a schoolf' stated Miss Farquhar emphatically, His its student body and the weaknesses and strong points of our students are under- standable and close to my heart. Mr. Byron. a comparative newcomer since the majority of the chairmen came with the schoolf, as hir. Kearny puts it. says that he likes all Fort Hamilton students except the boys who sit in buses my Hziftan A swagmi Lai 'wh fi 0 ,Ibn jiiqlv 77111. mrpflraaqn X g Y L VV. m,wW, ws, .wa wvmm .L,f,, N'V,,,.--ws..

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School, where he likewise remedied the situation. Finally, he was appointed thi- Hrst principal of the newly built Fort Hamilton High School, a position which he despatched with the alacrity, understanding. and dignity which has 1-nclf-arc-cl hini to all Hamiltonitcs. Although it niight be dr-duced lironi his brilliant record that hir. Ludwig has had little leisure time indeed, he has, on the contrary, been an active incin- bvr of various organizations and an integral part of the connnunity life as a wholc. He has been president ol' tht- New York Schoolniastcrs' Club, treas- urer of the Brooklyn 'l'1-aclmr-rs' R1-lit-f Association, chairman of the Coininittcc on junior lligh Schools to the t'0IlitxI'I'Ilt't' ol' the Junior High School Prin- cipals' Association, and then president ol' tht- 'Iunior lligh School l'rint'ipals' Association. llt- was thereupon clcctt-cl to the lioarcl ol' llirt-ctors ul' tlu' l'rotcstant 'l'c':u'lu'rs Association, appointed Vlt'l'-t'll1lll'lllLlll ol the advisory council ol' the Brooklyn lnstitutc- ol' Arts and Sciences, and last, hut not least. to this imposing bevy oli social honors, to a lille lllt'IlIl7l'I'SlllIJ in tht- National liclucation Association. M1'. Ludwig has also found ainplc tinic to rnake an odyssey around the world. Ht- has seen the ruins of the grandeur that was Greece, and the glory that was Rome, as well as the Holy Land. MOI't'OVt.'F, he has also visited Syria and Egypt. Unlike many American travelers, however, he has also seen the native beauty of the American continent, visiting Grand Canyon, Yellow- stone and other national parks, as well as the snowy peaks of Alaska. Mr. Ludwig has always enjoyed music. His favorite male singer is the heroic Danish tenor, Lauritz Melchior. In the operatic field, he favors the Wagnerian masterpieces, and he has always held that the tragedy of 'cTristan und Isolde is the world's greatest work. Mr. Ludwig has long been an avid reader of poetry, and accordingly always has a suitable quotation for every occasion. He also has a Hair for writing verse himself, a fact which is amply illustrated by the majestic lines which he has composed to the music of Sibelius' 'iFinlandia.', Opposite: Mr. Augustus Ludwig and his secretary, Mrs. Anna George. Tzeefzty-one

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while women stand. Another newcomer, Mr, Nazer, having taught in twenty dillerent high schools, feels hr- has the experiencr- to say that our students are socially aware and well-manncred but rather reserved. Mr. Cummings, Miss Iligginson, and Mr. Kearny all expressed the opin- ion that Fort Hamilton students do not work to capacity. while Klrs. Stern wr-nt on to suggest that she would like to sec their Cultural tastes developed with the students showing more interest in reading and in attending plays and good movies. Mr. Kearny added a Hnal opinion on the subject when he said that Fort Hamilton girls are prettier than those of any other school. Since nothing is ever completely perfect, almost every chairman holds a. dream ol improvements he would like to see made in the school. X111 Byron would like to have a cooperative course established for Stenography and Clerical Practice students whereby they would work two weeks and attend school for two wr-1-ks. He added, Thr-re is no substitute for actual business training. In a somewhat similar vein, Mr. Cummings advocates the founding ol a Machine Practice class in which the students would learn to operate busi- ness machines, thus eliminating the necessity ol' attending a private business school alter graduation. Miss Dick has always harbored a plan lor a double art period while Miss Higginson would like to have an aclvancm-d Math Club whichi would he conducted like a class, nu-ct during school hours, and would compete in contests with other schools. Mr. Nazcr is most explicit in his program ol' improv1'm1'nts. ul would like to see opportunities for more musical groups such as a Boys' Chorus and small instrument ensembles. We could have even more community sings too. Ile also stated that Fort Hamilton students would develop ll greater appre- ciation for music if they had the opportunity to attend rehearsals. Miss IIenncssey's dream, which perhaps arises from her studies ol' history, is for more good student government and it is Mr. Mathr-son's ambition to have an additional shop room with up-to-date equipment. He would like to see all the students who are planning to take engineering in college, take at least one year of Mechanical Drawing in high school. It is a basic tool, he added, and is absolutely essential in the field of engineering. All our chairmen are satisfied with their lives and with the exception of Miss Hennessey, who claims she had never wanted to teach history, have always wanted to teach. Mr. Kearny summed it all up when hc said, 'SI never wanted to be president of the United States, I always wanted to be a science teacher. If I had my life to relive I would do it the same way. It is most understandable to us when the chairmen say that this term's group of seniors is one of the best. Both Mr. Matheson and Mr. Lebowitz feel that Hthe senior boys appear to be marked by a greater degree of serious- ness and maturity. This is probably occasioned by the sobering knowledge that in the not-too-distant future they will be in the Armed Services. Mr. Nazer expressed his regret at seeing the seniors leave adding that they were a serious, well-adjusted group, and most musical too. We too will regret leaving because we will be leaving behind a wonderful group of people-the department chairmen. T1t'e1zty-three