Jamaica High School - Folio Yearbook (Jamaica, NY)

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Si. 31f..,,,.... ... According to the dictionary the word flapper'i means a worldly-wise and frivolous girl. The whole idea of the flapper era was pleasure and good times. Everything moved at a fast and furious pace. People seemed intent on crowding as much living in twenty-four hours as the day could hold. People expressed their emotions in wild and furious dances, like the 'Charles- ton, the 'iShimmy, and the nBlack Bottom. The younger generation ran wild and many parents got gray hairs before their time. The word uflappern itself was applied to a young lady with an I've-just-come- from-under-a-steamrollern figure. She made goo-goo eyes at young men from under a hat resembling a Roman helmet. Her main occupation in life was to see how many parties she could attend and how many pairs of shoes she could wear out. The areal fast boys wore racoon coats and Chicken Inspector badges and you were a real 'ihepl' kid if you knew where a Speakeasy was. In those days, it was a common sight on week-ends to see Erskines filled to the windshield with old Ngrads' dressed in racoon coats like their sons, heading up to the old alma mater for the big football game. Big executives and beardless freshmen would be screaming at the top of their lungs for their favorite U. to score the win- ning touchdown. Everyone who could manage it, saw Rudolph Valentino as The Sheik. He was acknowledged to be one of the greatest matinee idols in Hollywood history. When he glided across the Hoof in a tango while Huttering those eyelashes, women of America were enraptured. Dixieland blues was the only kind of music most people listened to. There was a kind of hypnotic magic about its wild rhythm. With its blaring horns and pound- ing drums, Dixieland was guaranteed to 'fsend you. In sports this was America's ugolden eraf' She produced some of her greatest athletes during the uroaring twentiesf' Red Grange and The Four Horsemen were the rage in football. Jack Dempsey, according to the older generation, could have beaten Joe Louis. Babe Ruth's sixty homers in one season has withstood rabbit balls and Gil Hodges. Everything was building up at a fast and furious rate. 'LThe Flapper Era couldn't last forever. Things came to a sudden and abrupt end with the big crash in 1929. Herbert Hoover, then President, was blamed for the depression. He be- came as popular as rent week. The gay times were no more. It was some time before we recovered from the financial crash, but in a sense we haven't recovered from the c'Flapper Eraf, People still dance the Charleston,, at parties and Dixieland is still enjoyed by the public. Soine of the old movie stars are returning, thanks to TV and the movies, If this keeps up, I might have to go out and buy Ll rzieoon coat and uCliic'ken IIlSlJl'l'tOI',I button. MARC OLDEN Eight

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.xdvluidor is arewe Dear Seniors, The Class of January 1952 is one of the smallest classes to graduate in recent years, having a reg- ister of less than three hundred. This is caused by the new annual promotion scheme in elementary school, and by the loss of nearly one hundred members who graduated in three and one half years. After graduation the members of the class will scatter to various paths of endeavor-many to higher education, many to the business world, and some to the Armed Forces. One of the rewards of teaching, intangible fer ,pf W- -f sw. -. '.-L.v'J4-gsm-..,gm,3f', 'ti 5- - 11 though it may be, is association with so many fine young people who are growing up to take their W' places in the world. It has been a pleasure work- - i ,f fx ,I th o er the four years and it is m wish jfjwg ingui you v. l 1 I. 5 that you all will continue as good citizens and become successful in your life work. YVILLIANI HOLLIS Dear Seniors, , Congratulations! It has been ' in- -kg VX j....,,,..,X deed to work with so cooperative and courteous a , group. This class is a product of a liberaltlcgiwtipnfbs As a result we believe that your sens f right, duty, and honor has been sharpened, that intan- gible known as personality has been agected favor- ably: and that you are better able to assess and pass judgment on the events of the day. My parting thought to you is to continue in the path we have channeled for you. Carry on with the habits of industry we have tried to inculcate. I'm confident, to paraphrase the words of Franklin, your invest- ment in knowledge will always pay the best in- tffrest. DAVID WOLFF A Dear Seniors, Congratulations on the successfiql completion of your high school career. lt is customary to give the graduate advice. Don't blindly follow the voice that shouts the loudest. Be yourselves, keep your individuality and maintain ai diseriininating and critical mind. In that way you will serve yourself and America well. My best wishes for ai full, and happy life. FERDINAND GELLER Ten .4 be