George Mason High School - Mustang Yearbook (Falls Church, VA)

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Class History Well, here vve are, through with high school and ready to start out for something brand new and completely dif- ferent. And we are all different, too. Some of us have made our name here at George Mason in sports, some in studies, some in other things. From here we will go on to college, to a career, or to marriage, beginning again with new friends and acquaintances. We have been together for five years now, long enough to really get to know each other, long enough to have plenty of memories to look back upon. Remember when the Class of ’56 began back at Jeffer- son in the days of the cottages with broken stoves and the buildings with rickety stairs. Remember Miss Knox, our first principal! And detention hall! Marybeth Roeder and Sara Jeffrey were our first representatives to dance courts when they were attendants on the Sweetheart Court. We published our first newspaper, the “Garnet and Gold Glitter,” with Roy Smith as editor. Mr. Snodgrass spon- sored our new yearbook, THE MUSTANG. Remember the JOE Club sponsored by Mr. Warner; we had a won- derful time skating and swimming. Mr. Warner also took his class exploring in historic Falls Church quite often. Then there was the day that Miss Klein sneezed over the “morning air” alias sneezing powder. Miss Bishop taught us math; Mr. Meneeley taught us to be mad scientists as we did his experiments. Our freshman year was our first vear in the new build- ing. What a contrast to Old Jefferson! There were shiny new walls and polished desks. We loved everything about George Mason. We had our first lockers, too . . . nice, but did we have to rush between classes to get our books! Half of us studied personality under Mr. McClellan; the other half was busy filling out corporation income tax re- turns for Mr. Warner. Mr. Little was our principal that year, and he really made us feel important when he knew us all by name. We played on Falls Church High’s foot- ball field; almost the whole school turned out for every game of our first football season. Howard Bronson really fought for our Mustangs that year. We also started the band under Dr. Scholl; our class was well represented in it. Tom Webster, Terp Palmer, and Chris Farrell were those from our class. Then we were sophomores. We put on our first dance, the Red Garter Cafe Dance. Remember the afternoons we spent painting murals of Parisian scenes. We loved putting up the sidewalk-cafc-type tables and the crepe paper awn- ings. Eight of our girls spent many evenings practicing the can-can and sewing skirts to entertain at the dance. Tom Webster, Warner Butler, Tcrp Palmer, and Steve Ilcdctniemi were asked to join the Key Club that year. We were really beginning to feel like senior high. We had Mr. Davis for biology and spent several periods out on the lawn in hot pursuit of grasshoppers. There were SCA elections in the spring, and some of our class mem- bers, along with students from all other parts of the school, covered the walls with posters. Tcrp Palmer was elected vice-president; and Corky Feagin, public relations chair- man. We were getting nearer the goal; but there were still two years to go. Our junior year was terrific. We had new classes and new teachers. We studied hard and worked diligently to finance the Prom. And as the sense came rolling in, the cents did, too. Mr. Harmon taught us that year; we’ll never forget his lectures before every dance encouraging the boys to take out “these beautiful girls who are just waiting for you.” Most of us could have drawn floor maps of the Library of Congress from memory, after working on our term papers for Miss Zukunft. Mr. Russell was our new principal that year. Our basketball team went far, and we went with them — the whole way to Blacksburg and the state tournament, where we placed second. SCA elections brought six of the available eight positions into our hands. Gil Hansen was elected school president. Then came the Prom. We had a hard time deciding on our theme. Remember the rumors that we were going to flood the gym and have a Viennese canal theme. We finallv decided on a Chinese garden. Who can forget painting dragons and hanging bamboo curtains to the strains of “He’s in the Jailhouse Now?” With the lights down low, who could sec our beautiful chartreuse and red brick walk and our little fish pond? Class night came, and we had our candles lit as the seniors extinguished their flames. We were the seniors, now. At first it seemed strange to be the oldest class, but we soon got used to it. We elected Robert Shaw as our president. We had Miss March for English, and we were very sorry to see her go in April when she became Mrs. Randall. But Mrs. Macks did a very fine job in her place. Mr. Holton was new, too, and went “full steam ahead” in his government course. Captain of the cheerleaders, Judy Stetson, became the homecoming queen; lovely Rosalie Stuart was our sweetheart queen. Senior dav came, and we had a ball taking over the classes. We had our own teachers’ room and drank free cokes all day. But our greatest thrill of the day was being able to cut into the lunch line. Ray Peterson starred for us in track. Dick Weede and Dan Capper were our basketball men. The district tournament was held at our school. We’ll never forget Fox, of the Herndon team, and the night they beat us in the district finals. Thirteen senior girls formed the first Kevette Club in the nation. They modeled it after GM’s successful Key Club; now the school has both a girls’ and a boys’ service club. We were also the first senior class to have a class trip. It was 6:00 a.m. when we piled into onr cars and headed for the Union Station with our class sponsors, Miss Crocker, Mr. Snodgrass, and Mr. Scanga. Off for New York! Mr. Schmitt, the railroad rep- resentative who went with us, was really great. Remember those subway rides and the walks to the automat. We never saw as many television shows as we did that week- end, but we loved it — Eddie Fisher, Steve Allen, the Dorsey Brothers, Elvis Prestly, and all. We returned home, dead on our feet, but there wasn’t a person among us who didn ' t think the trip was more than worth it. Once home we began working on class night, as the band practiced “Pomp and Circumstance.” We knew that zero hour was approaching. The Juniors gave us a beautiful, wonderful Prom for our last dance together. Exams were passed — graduation was next. We join the alumni — The Class of ’56. — Linda Stahl Page 12

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KZVP T f ? OiAJ , ' rt) Q r p- co fsp Senior Class Officers Robert Shaw President Tom Berry Vice-President Sara Jeffrey Warren Davis Page 1 5