George C Marshall High School - Columbian Yearbook (Falls Church, VA)

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c aihj 'nigAt eng igAt mi sr u wt me mi ou afoe co uliaMg Mvm'jed rT ime wAo alfendfia Uieb 44 42 C, 57. % «% lt X m iSX Term papers, tests, reports, quizzes, grades. Problems with parents, friends, jobs, school activities. The chain of adolescent tensions and pressures draws tighter and tighter, threatening to strangle a teenager. Where can high school students go to unwind? To parties, of course! As the weekend approaches, students become impatient for the opportunity to getI rowdy. News of available parties circulates) rapidly through the halls, and students consult with friends about which gatherings to attend. Perferred parties offer blasting rock music, an abundance of appropriate refreshments, and the chance to socialize. Informal gatherings at friends7 houses are popular. Small house parties are rare — a party beginning with twelve or fifteen people often spills out into the street after a few hours. Hosts are swamped by a deluge of partygoers, many of them total strangers. In cold weather, bodies cram together so tightly that even those who hate to dance end up doing the bump. Morning-after trash is a severe drawback of indoor parties. It often takes several days to dispose of all the beer cans and litter strewn throughout the house, the yard, the street, and the neighborhood. As a result of the inevitable mounds of party garbage, many students who would like to hold a party refrain from doing so. When a house is not convenient for partying, however, outdoor partying locations serve the purpose. Field parties are common forms of entertainment during the warmer months. Any open area, preferably concealed by a few trees and situated at a distance from traffic thoroughfares, is suitable for a field party. Students also congregate at area lakes. Lake parties are ideal for swimming in warm weather and ice skating in the winter. Autumn leaves and spring greenery encourage students to plan day parties. Carderock, Great Falls, and other local parks are overrun by Statesmen on sunny Saturday and Sunday afternoons. On official Senior skip days, upperclassmen throng to the parks. Students who prefer quiet companionship to enormous, impersonal bashes often arrange intimate gatherings with close friends. If invited friends keep the secret, a private party can survive without being spoiled by party crashers. Escape from wild, overpopulated parties can also be found in the automobile. Some stu- 38 Partying

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Moment oF trutIi C A + D- B+ F 3 -t L . 1. This least desirable passing grade is regretted, but accepted. Interpreted as a gift, the grade means the teacher likes the student and doesn't want to give him an F. 2. Failing or flagging a test is a dead giveaway to the fact that the teacher hates the student. Tests that are marked this way usually end up as tom, crumpled papers in the bottom of trash cans. 3. Angry cries of vengeance are typical responses to this grade, which students always feel should have been an A-. 4. This grade is received with a Jimmy Carter smile. It's a phenomenon that is rarely seen and often puts the recipient in a state of shock. 5. This grade is not the greatest, since it's right smack in the middle of the grading scale. After earning this grade, students usually comfort themselves by saying, Well, at least it's average. T or F 1. Teachers converge and plot a mutual test date. T or F 2. Tests are always given when it's virtually impossible to study. T or F 3. Students enjoy taking impossible hour-long tests. T or F 4. Five or six hours of studying are usually spent the night before a test. T or F 5. No matter how much studying is done, unfamiliar questions appear. T or F 6. The more pages there are of a test, the better. T or F 7. At least ten minutes are spent going over the teacher's typing errors before each test. T or F 8. Teachers always answer questions about the test by saying, That'll give you the answer. T or F 9. Whenever you think you have aced a test, to your dismay you fail. T or F 10. Even though you have never heard of some things on the test, the teacher has always gone over everything. 1. How many tests are given in each class during the last week before the end of each quarter? (a) three (b) four (c) five (d) six (e) all of the above. 2. The best preparation for skillful test-taking is: (a) a good night's sleep (b) worrying (c) watching TV (d) partying (e) a B.S. degree. 3. Tests are designed by teachers to: (a) keep students out of college (b) torture students (c) provide evidence for interims (d) keep the class busy while they grab a cup of coffee. 4. Teachers' favorite modes of testing are: (a) pop quizzes (b) five-paragraph essays (c) homework quizzes (d) extensive exams (e) all of the above. 5. The test you are taking now is: (a) thrilling (b) enlightening (c) a waste of time (d) none of the above (0 all of the above (g) a and b (h) b and c (i) none of your business. Testing 37

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dents prefer to carouse in caravans of two or three cars. Car partiers either cruise around or head for a serene spot. Expert partiers often see cause for celebration during school. They congregate in the back parking lot, or retreat to The Hill, a secluded ridge near school property. Some students manage to party in the school, but this is recommended only for professionals. Students who don't like to risk partying at or near Marshall skip class and head out to desolate dirt roads. Boredom with familiar party grounds is relieved by partying in other areas. Students find new rowdy faces at parties held in other local school districts. Bar-hopping and discoing in Georgetown are also alternatives to the usual party scene. Weekend trips to the beach, mountains, colleges, and cities provide opportunities to party in different atmospheres. Rock concerts at area arenas also attract partiers. Each student parties in his own individual way. Different students have their own favorite party spots. Frequency of partying ranges from the occasional fling to the continuous rowdiness of perpetual partiers. Some students never party — they enjoy themselves in other ways. Even so, a majority of students attend parties. Parties allow students to relax release inhibitions, and forget anxieties and pressures. Their leisurely atmosphere enables students to be with friends, meet new people, and let themselves go. An especially eventful party can be a topic of discussion for weeks afterwards, and a common bond between students. A random poll revealed that parties are essential activities for approximately 82% of Marshall students who replied to a questionnaire. §