Gloucester High School - Cavalier Yearbook (Gloucester, VA)

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GHS 73 74 Overflowing and Almost Gone Would You Mind Removing Your Elbow from My Mashed Potatoes, or 1,000 People Is a Lot n a school designed for 600 students, 1, 000 students currently attend class here. The 1974 enrollment exceeded last year ' s nrollment by almost 200 students. The addition of these students caused many of the familiar conditions existing around chool. The cafeteria seethed with bodies for 2 hours a day. Stolen chairs, crowded chairs, lost books; and elongated lines narked the students daily visit to the lunchroom. Students filled some of the required courses far beyond the capacity of he room and teacher. Often students are seated on the new carpet because of a lack of desks. A teacher could hardly be ‘xpected to give his optimum to each of the 30 to 40 students in his class. With 39 other people in the room it was hard to eceive all that the teacher could give. When 1,000 people moved thru the same building, at the same time, going to dif¬ ferent places, many delays and hall jams resulted. The mobile units, the administrations answer to 900 extra people, con- inued to leak and be drafty. rhe administration took steps to correct or at least ease these problems. As the year, progressed more tables and chairs were idded to the same cafeteria. Students were allowed to eat outside for the first time in October. However, the two greatest mprovements to the school were carpet and climate control heating and cooling. The carpet proved to be quite a good ubstitute for chairs and an excellent retainer for chewing gum. Climate control meant mat it was cold in the winter and lot in the summer. The packed parking place saw relief in asphalt filled holes and m the form of gravel at the cost of one lollar parking stickers. Although discussed at length, no third exit, one for the student parking lot appeared, lo ease the :rowding of classrooms teachere were assigned to new subjects. One typing teacher had one class of English; a social studies lepartment head would be found teaching English. Mr. Cox ' s secondary job was to uncrowd the halls by persuing the elusive lall pass. All in all the administration made many attempts to relieve the uncomfortable situations. Still, 1,000 people is alot of people in this school. The future is becoming concrete in a naked scar on Short Lane Road But for the meantime, we ' re overflowing and yet we ' re almost gone.