James Madison High School - Log Yearbook (Brooklyn, NY)

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.I 1 S g 1.636 J X. O , flaw o XZ E ' l,' ' r' .J LJ TH Q, FRESHMAN September 1947 will go down in the records of our century as marking the era of the New Look-and in the pages of Madison's history as the year of the New Freshmen-namely, us! On a sunny autumn morning we stormed up the steps of Madison, swept through the doors. and, still feeling our late importance as rulers of our public school roosts, loudly let the rest of the school know of our presence. Six hundred strong, huddled together for support, we were putting on a big show. a bravado, to cover the quaking knees and that oh-so-uncertain expression on all our faces. The upper classmen haughtily looked at us. Seen through their eyes we presented a comical picture. Awestruck. excited. com- pletely hidden by long, full skirts and lipstick so newly-discovered that we were still very conscious of it. we were trying very hard to look nonchalant and at ease. Those first few days were both exciting and hectic: the nightmare of filling out endless delaney cards, looking for rooms, our first experience with the original Thing -a program change, but. with the help of the newly published Madison Guide. we managed to get through. Strangest of all was the feeling of being on our own for the first time. That first taste of independence was a heady thing. Well, we made new friends galore, big events fell thick and fast. and we began to be a part of Madison. The first step was the S.G.O.'s orientation program. All the Big Wheels came around to our civics classes and explained all to us. Then came the excitement of our first school dance-the Sadie Hawkin's Day Affair in November with everyone decked out in dungarees. straw hats. plaid shirts, pigtails and corn cob pipes. The dance committee served as policemen for the affair, and anyone caught not dancing was put into jail. You were only bailed out when asked to dance again. If anyone just wanted to rest. there was a Free-Parking Area. All through the fall and winter, we were enthusiastic cheerers at all the games. We yelled ourselves hoarse when, in the iirst football game of the season. Madison beat Boys' High l3 to O, and followed it up the next week by beating Jefferson 6 to 2 and then went cn to demolish Midwood. january brought with it the War Memorial Concert to raise funds for the two murals planned for the auditorium. One panel is to depict The Sacrifice of Youth for the Liberation of Democracy and the other The Fuliillment of Youth under the Protection of Democracy. The orchestra, band anzl chorus all worked hard to give an inspiring performance. The Highway won iirst prize of the Columbia Scholastic Press Association: the Twirlers joined in a parade down Fifth Avenue on Columbus Day: and we all turned out for Madison's first Spring Carnival. A wonderful variety show was put on: Marty Martin and his band provided music for dancing. and a collection of booths proved a strong attraction. By this time, the awe-struck expression had disappeared from our faces, and when talk of the senior prom at the Hotel Roosevelt and of a coming graduation iioated down to us, we wercn't visibly impressed. After all we were well on our way to becoming high and mighty Sophs. More wonderful times along with new and interesting subjects of all sorts were just around the bend. MARCIA KEILSON ISABEL MILSTEIN