Horace Mann Lincoln High School - Lincolnian Yearbook (New York, NY)

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SOCIAL COMMITTEE Co-Cluiirman .......... ....,.., . CHARLES Hum Co-Chairman .....,,... ,.......... A NTHONY POPE Secretary '....,,...v........,ww,w.4,,,,.,, ,,...,A,,,, P AT BowNEs Chairman, of S. N. C .........,.. .... ........ T E D CONRAD Asst. Chairnum of S. N. C ........ ........... E . V. HOLLIS BLUM ROGER K.AL'P'MAN DAVIS Moolc H. GREENW-KI,D NTULLINS HERMAN OSENKOI' HEss G. PER!-ZZ HILL RIMBAULT JA!-'I-'I-IE AVAKI,-KN. ex-ojicio K.-XLIK Kuans. cx-ofcin HE ersonification of energ and abilit . this P . Y Y year's Social Committee under the direction of Miss Mclntosh Jlanned and mresented a season of l I gay and successful dances. beginning with the Fall Dramatic Club presentation on Thanksgiving Eve. and climaxing the year with the Senior Prom. A special offshoot of the committee joined with a group from the Girls' School in arranging bi-weekly Saturday Night Group meetings for the second successive year. and while these affairs were not necessarily elaborate. they offered. nonetheless. well balanced evenings of sports and dancing. plus a great opportunity for making delightful social contacts. Two of these S. N. G. get-togethers were important enough to take positions of some promi- nence among the season's hightlights. and on the while, they began to play an increasingly influen- tial role in Horace Mann social activities. The season was unoflicially started on October 31 by the gargantuan opening of these S. N. G. groups. Over two hundred and fifty boys and girls. one of the largest crowds ever to assemble at a school dance. turned out for this Halloween affair at l20th Street. The swimming. dancing. special holiday games. and refreshments proved more than ample in making this an hilarious night. The real social premiere unfortunately proved to be the one sad blot on the year's calendar of hits. Because of a miserable attendance. the lfall Dramatic Club show and dance on November 25 turned out in a dismal fashion. The plays were good and while Don Kass's orchestra played with undisguised skill. there were too few present to even hope for a moderately enjoyable time. The fact that it took place on the hill instead of at the accustomed A. TV. A. club house without doubt kept many away. However. an out-and-out success came next in the shape of a Sixth Form dance on December ll in the school gym. A most representative group of fifty-odd couples braved a wretched night to attend. and their efforts were rewarded by an affair most congenial in its casual informality. With a hot

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Probably the most hindering influence to the organization in its so-so season was lack of sup- port from the school. This year. students evidently took the Dramatic Club for granted. turning out in a handful as they did for the Thanksgiving show. Under such conditions. there was naturally a loss of incentive for the club members. and the group consequently suffered. Then. there was an insulh- cient time allowance made for the club. and mem- bers found it dilhcult to coordinate their work at school with the organization. Mr. Clausen ex- pressed the hope that in the near future more oliicial recognition would be obtained for the club. a course instituted in dramatics. and a director en- gaged who could give his entire time to the players. ln addition to all these factors. the clulfs rehearsals sulliered to a considerable extent through the lack of a convenient stage and auditorium in which to work. This. ol' course. will be remedied by the recently completed annex. which houses an auditorium that ranks with those of the leading high and prep schools. The hall will seat four hundred and lility and the stage will be discernible to every spectator. for there are no obstructions to hinder the view. The stage itself. designed by hir. Milton C. Smith ol' Columbia. a former Horace Mann in- structor. will be extremely well equipped and mod- ern in every detail. The latest lighting and scene- shifiting devices will be employed and the double door at the stage rear can accommodate the re- moval and admittance of large sets. Sound equip- ment for amplification will probably be added while stairways will lead from both sides of the stage to dressing rooms and the scenery shop. Under the direction of Nr. lllake and Mr. Clausen. the Dramatic Club wrote and presented the Hnal episode of the Pageant. depicting one of the turning points in the history of American edu- cation. In this scene. Horace Mann. played by Viiilliam Kenneally of the Fifth Form. gives up the nomination for the Covernorship of hlassachusetts in favor of becoming President of Antioch College. Douglas Goldsmith. a newcomer to the H. M. stage. was unusually elliective in the role of liur- linghame. a scheming politician. Sharing top hon- ors with Goldsmith was Larry Weber. closing his successful career with the Dramatic Club by scoring a decided hit as the blunder-ing and slightly alco- holic lVlichael Miginty. For the parts of Mrs. Mann and Miss Alden. Horace lNlann's secretary. the Dramatic Club called on Betty Del Nlanzo and lietty lirown from the l2llth Street School. The young ladies were most effective. also adding considerable color and atmos- phere to the H153 setting. The boys' episode was repeated at the dedication of the new building on May ll. The scene had been written by George Compton. Henry liitter. Howard Todman. and James lilumgarten. with hlr. lilake helping them over the rough spots of the script. The lfiftieth Anniversary Pageant encompassed the progress ot' education in the eternal quest for truth and knowledge among the peoples of the ages. lieginning with the discoveries of Pythagoras. the pageant continued to portray the devotion of the Church. where knowledge remained unchanging: Galileo's astronomical experiments: R0tlFSE'L1lliS hu- manitarianism: and lastly. Horace Mannis elliorts for universal education. .-lltllouglz reilezl lu' 1'l'lI'l'f rllupex. flu' neu' sluge ix II Illllll' of l'HIlI't'lIi6'lIl'l'S for fulure ilrumulzir rlulf prexenluliunx. Sets. IIIIVA'-tll'lIllN. lllllllllltllll ligfzling llllll spots. prnfrzpling lrulronv. rlrexxirig. mrihe-up runl equipment rooms are all inrlznlfwl.

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swing band from the sepian steppes of Harlem. and a multiplicity of donated refreshments. the evening scored a definite hit in the minds of most everyone. The Social Committees of both schools joined forces next to prepare for the Winter Formal held on December 21 at the Columbia Mens, Faculty Club. Being somewhat an exception to the rule, this cooperative effort really clicked and came out financially ahead in the bargain. Jimmy McGill and his band. who had received acclaim the year before for their smooth rhythms, returned in even finer fettle. while unusual decorations and a crowd of perfect size placed the dance high in Winter Formal history. The Alumni basketball game and dance fol- lowed just a week later. Nearly three hundred grads and Seniors made their appearance. and when the old fellows got together. there was plenty of fun and fireworks. The game was unusually excit- ing. made all the more so by the exuberance of many men meeting after months and often years of separation. Dancing followed to the music of Bob Dayton and his Ambassadors. the best outfit of the year. Though many couples left early. it was not due to boredom or lack of food and drink. but only to pressing engagements elsewhere. f' Ilighliglit of rho social sea- son. was the Senior Prom, 110111 ul the Sky Garzlens of llzc Sf. Moritz. To ilu' tunes of Dennis l'll.l'llfS. eighty-oflzl r'ou.pIcs flurzvefl in the be-uulifullv rlvro- ralvrl luzflroonl. The first post-vacation dance was the annual Fourth Form party. put on and arranged by the Sopohomore social committee alone. The night of February 5 witnessed the initiation of this class into Horace lVlann's upper social strata. and for weeks before and after. said overwhelming colossal affair was the main topic of their discussion. Frank Celona played for the better dancers in one-half of the gym, while the other half was set aside for games and refreshments. Following precedent ex- actly. the entire Fourth Form thought their shindig far superior to any other of the year. March 6 saw the Saturday Night Croup's second outstanding evening. an authentic Horace Mann Amateur Contest. Plans were laid weeks ahead of time. and the event received great publicity. Parents as well as students packed the Girls' Auditorium. pleased in the end with the unusually fine local talent which performed. Vl'inners of theater ticket prizes were ,lean Maclnnis. a trio of George Avakian. Charles Miller. and Johnny Hurd. and the master of ceremonies. Larry Vlieber. After the con- test had put everyone in good humor. a pleasingly informal dance was held downstairs. and the re- freshments hit a new high. which still leaves room for some improvement. however. The Saturday Night Group season closed on