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

Page 17 text:

IN MEMORIAM During the past year, the faculty and student body have been shocked and saddened by the sudden deaths of four teachers, Mr. Avner Mendelsohn, Mr. Jacob Milgram, Mr. George Wolfson, and Mr. Harold J. Fanning. Their loss leaves gaps in our traditional staff that we shall not easily fill, said Mr. Newfield. Mr. Mendelsohn taught mathematics at Madison, and served as Acting Chairman of the Department for a term. Deeply interested in his work, Mr. Mendelsohn helped many of his students achieve high honors through experience gained as a member of his Math Team. He had the ability demanded of all teachers, but achieved by few: the ability to understand each student's mind, and anticipate the problems he would meet, and would have to overcome .... lt has been said that a genuine simplicity of personality and a selfless devotion to the welfare of others are the marks of greatness. Avner Mendelsohn had these marks stamped upon him, said a student. Mr. Milgram died on January tenth. He was a member of the French department, also taught mathematics, and served as a grade advisor. Mr, Jacob Milgram was a devoted teacher whose interest in the problems of boys and girls made itself felt both in the classroom and in his activity as a grade advisor. Hundreds of students will long remember his devoted and sympathetic application to their cause and welfare, was Mr. Newfield's statement. Mr. George Wolfson, a member of the speech department, died suddenly on January 22. He was one of the original faculty at the opening of Madison in 1925, and served as acting head of the speech department. Mr, George Wolfson, a teacher of speech for forty years, made the improvement of the level of oral expression the goal of his professional career. Students in his classes were made to realize that the ideals of correctness and of fluency in speech were essential to the truly educated and successful young man or woman. He devoted himself to this cause with unflagging industry and earnestness, stated Mr. Newfield. The fourth member of the faculty to be taken from us suddenly, Mr. Harold J. Fanning, died on the eighth of February. He, too, came to Madison at the opening of the school, as a member of the social studies department. As a teacher, he was always interesting to his classes because he made his subiect matter come alive. He would dramatize famous historical personages in an unforget- table manner. lt simply cannot be the same 'J.M.H.S. without our good friend and colleague, Mr. Harold J. Fanning, He was a friend to all, students and faculty, as well as being iovial, fluent, patient, and popular. Madison will miss the devoti ' ' ' ' L a ': 'i'1 long and faithfully.

Page 16 text:

ff M r. Posner Grade Advisor Mrs. Mesler Dean of Grade Advisors ..,. , 4-:W f J . . if , E X Z5 K L' , . X X 9. Q1 4, ,W ffw., C2 Mrs. Nurnberg College Advisor L 'Q-qui Mrs. Freilicher College Advisor

Page 18 text:

be Freshman emf Trailing clouds of glory, we came from the elementary schools which were our homes. We soon found that the art of being a happy Freshman is a difficult one to learn. The fate of the newcomer is not entirely insupportable, we were not tormented, but rather ignored. However, we learned to ignore being ignored, and set out to make a mark for the Class of '59, As our first political leaders, we elected Marty Licht and lSee, the conquering hero comes! Sound the trumpets, beat the drums! Thomas Moore Sue Greenstein. Their successors were Alan Miller, Barry Nathanson, and Myron Kalin. This was the year of lasts. Gamerama, which wound up our Freshman year, thereafter disappeared from the Madison scene. Sororities and fraternities were soon to be banished. The intimacy of our small class would be destroyed in the Fall, when our numbers were to be reinforced by the new Sophomores from iunior high. MW'