Hastings High School - Saxon Yearbook (Hastings, MI)

Page 32 text:

THERE ARE TWO SIDES . . Foreground: D. Yount;. Seated: J. Severencc. M. Gillc»pic. E. Gwtnn. Standing: B. Cortright. D. Broun. J. Osborn. Miss Smith, advisor. With only seven in her class. Miss Julia Smith, debate coach, entrusted much of her hopes for a successful season in the fact that all but two of these were experienced from the year before. Ap- parently her debaters shared her hopes, for they ended the season with the fine record of seven wins and one loss. The first two months were rather hectic ones with the debaters working on the Spotlight, get- ting dates for practice debates, worrying about their first league encounter, and spending their spare moments in finding out ail they could about the year’s topic, Resolved that the President of the United States should be elected by direct vote of the people.” They got their first real taste of the topic when they attended the high school de- bate clinic at the University of Michigan in Octo- ber. After a practice debate with Battle Creek Central, and the successful presentation of the Spotlight, the squad really got started when they met Battle Creek Lakeview here in their first league encounter. The Hastings negative team won their side of the battle, but the affirmative lost to a trick case. Not to be daunted, however, they studied up on such surprise attacks and after some practice with Charlotte and Hickory Corners, they won out, along with the negative, over East Grand Rapids in a close one here. The squad received some excellent experience when they met hot teams from Lansing Sexton and Eastern in practice there, and made good use of it in taking both sides from Grand Rapids Ottawa Hills, after traveling there via Gwinn’s Buick. Two more practices with Ionia and Woodland, a sweeping victory over Kalamazoo State High, a demonstration before Kiawanis, more practice with Grand Rapids Crcston and Hickory Corners, and the squad tensed itself for the district elimi- nation debate tournaments. Cortright’s new Studebaker was initiated into service at the hands of Bill as the squad trekked to Albion for the tournament. Hastings drew the bye for the first round, and the negative was de- feated by Battle Creek Central in the second to bring the season to a close. Pins were awarded Bill Cortrighl, Evelyn C.winn, Janet Osborn. Dona Young, and Marcelle Gillespie for participation in at least one league debate. The debate class was rather large wasn’t it? Seven people could be seen first semester in Room 205 mudly rummaging through their Irrecious debate boxes, studying references and gener- ally keeping in condition” for their debates. Their efforts were greatly rewarded for they had a very good season and along with the work were plenty of laughs to make their work seem lighter.

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AND THE BAND PLAYED ON Left to right: J. Cook, J. Ja nci, A. Meinert, R. Silvernail, M. Allcrding, J. Kelly, R. Olhman, L. Hcffle bower. K. Laubaugh, E. Sander . J. Whitworth, D. McLaughlin. J. Bcnnrt, H. Lconhardt. M. J. Andru . M. Reynold . J. Burroughs, H. Walton. C. Cate. C. Compton, D. Johnson. M. L. Davi», G. Lydy. H. McMillon. L. Compton, R. Granger. S. Harrington. A. Dean. E. Jarman. P. Wilke . D. Myers. M. Patten. I. Fowler, S. Snyder. M. Plank. M. Cortright, H. Lahcrtcaux. E. Bu»h, R. Burkey, C. Wcstpintcr. C. Bump. W. Norris. P. Peter . L. Manning. D. Bump, M. Woods, L. Hine. Director, T. Hoffman, L. Lowell. L. Maurer. The band was decreased in membership this year from 64 to 53 members. They traveled to Western to play for Band Day and were scheduled to perform at the Belding football game. How- ever. their trip was postponed because of cold weather. The Olivet Festival took its usual weeks of practice but the band displayed very fine talent as a reward for their hard work. The majorettes were a newr feature of the band this year. Jane Miller, Beverly Johnson, and Betty Tolies were chosen as the girls to lead the band down the field. They were elected at tryouts held in the fall. Their snappy uniforms were presented to them by the Junior Chamber of Commerce. A pep band was formed to help create more and better school spirit at the basketball games. It also took part in the pep meetings and leading two snake-dances to Johnson Field. Eight contestants performed at Muskegon Heights. They were Arkie Meinert, Jim Durham, Mary Andrus, Marilyn Cortright, Larry Manning, Ann Dean. Lenore Compton and Dick Myers. They were all rated very highly. The Hastings High School Band held its third annual Barry County Band Festival in Central Auditorium in the early spring and gained high praise and worthy remarks from all music-goers. They held their annual fall and spring con- certs, in connection with the vocal groups, and the majorettes performed at the Spotlight. Practices with the Seniors drew another year close to an end. As classnight moved out and graduation commencement exercises began, the last strains of “March of the Brave” could be heard throughout the halls of H.H.S. Where is that march music coming from? Where else, hut from the hand room where they are practicing the graduation march which will end their year's activities. This very enthusi- astic group has furnished added touches to numerous school activities throughout the year. At pep meetings, games and concerts their snappy music and new uniforms pepped up the spirit of all.

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THE SPIRITS OF 49 Although the Spotlight was postponed because of the rebuilding of Central Auditorium, it only served to encourage students to put forth more effort than ever to make it a success. Luke the Spook and Hector the Spector were heard but not seen, giving comments about the fine talent between acts. To the debate class who put this over, and to those who participated, we give a well earned slap on the back. Il was really a spirited audience that left Cen- tral Auditorium after the Spotlight presented by the debate class on November 5, for besides the usual mortals that attended the annual presen- tation, this year entitled “Spirits of ‘49,” there were two ghosts. Hector the Spectre, and Luke the Spook, aptly portrayed by David Brown and Evelyn Gwinn. Working without curtains, a stage crew, com posed of debaters, together with the “heard-but- not-seen” spirits, managed to cleverly link the acts together. This year, the Spotlight featured more individ- ual acts including Harris Everet with his har- monica, Blanche Belsito on the accordian, Elaine Becker, vocalist Marcelle Gillespie at the piano, and tenor. Dick Waite. Included on the program, also, were the drum majorettes. Jack Wingerden’s orchestra, and the Girls’ Sextette. The class acts ranged from a distorted version of the downfall of Caesar, by the Latin class, to the faculty presentation of what a high school principal has to go through in a day’s work. Miss Julia Smith was faculty advisor for the presentation, with Marcelle Gillespie as general chairman. Committees, composed of debaters, were Dona Young, acts; Janet Osborn, publicity; David Brown, tickets and programs; Jacqueline Severence, music; Bill Cortright, staging. These people together with good talent, worked together to make “Spirits of ‘49” what was des- cribed by many as “the best ever.” Top Photo; left to right: M. Gillespie, D. Brown. E. Gwinn. J. Osborn. B. Cortright. D. Young. Bottom Photo; Foreground: A. Dean. M. Andrus. L. Compton. Background: H. Leonhardt, L. Hawthorne. J. Winger- den. 1). Young. J. Osborn.