John Adams High School - Clipper Yearbook (Ozone Park, NY)

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ITH due respect to my father, whose monetary affairs are seldom if ever untangled, I sometimes think that parents have no conception of the needs of an ado- lescent. This was my opinion before entering the living room where my father sat complacently smoking. I determined not to evade the issue and to ask for an increase in allowance outright, no shilly-shallying. If any- thing, I would show my father I was a man. I was not shocked when he, with the same resolve, bluntly re- fused. He explained that a boy of my age had no business taking girls out and that he considered my weekly allotment sufficient, provided I spent it on myself. We argued, lining up pros and cons and finally, I was forced to retreat, with the same opin- ion-that parents have no conception of the needs of an adolescent. A few days after this memorable encounter, a girl who at that time was the inspiration that kept me from utter despondency, was honored by my presence as her partner for the evening. After listening to the broad- cast of a new swing band, we de- cided to have sodas. Long being a devotee of frothsome vanilla, I was somewhat familiar with the soda em- poria in the neighborhood and We set our course for one in particular where the boys usually indulged at ten cents per glass at the foznmzin. Witlm swelling bosom I escorted the damsel to the table: fwhat pos- sessed me, I still don't knowj and we ordered two delicious, creamy sodas. My spirits were high as to- gether in sweet bliss we drew bubbly nectar from out of the ends of straws. Fafher Was Right! ALBERT LEVENSON My bliss was abaited suddenly when the waiter placed a pink slip of paper with bold blue type on its surface, on the table. And then it struck, like a bolt from the blue, so sudden was the impact. Weak-kneed and goggle- eyed I gaped at the bold numerals which seemed to leer at me like some hideous ogre, eyes iridescent in the blackness of the night. I had but twenty-seven cents and the check read thirty! I doubt whether my power of rea- soning would have survived had I not been fortified with the double ball of strawberry ice cream. Nonchalantly, I hope, I murmured something about having to phone, and blindly groped my way to the booth. There are six other members of the family who might have answered the phone, but by some quirk of fate my father's voice reached my ear. Not wanting to waste time, I explained my predica- ment immediately. I was reassured, but before placing the receiver down I heard an odd sound and to this day I think it was the nearest to a smoth- ered guffaw which ever has affronted my ears. And then . . . the Boy Scout move- ment is a very noted and honored work, at least I've thought so from that night. A khaki uniform which soon took on the appearance of my smaller brother was the reason. In his hand was clasped a life preserver in the form of a new shiny quarter. The moral of this story is that if Pop refuses an increase in allowance, he probably is old-fashioned and is trying to keep you from having a good time. 27 - '- aw ' nasa l. A as . r ig id. f' 5 , it . -V ,mi , by ' 4-gif, f A ,Ig -R if - vi . .ff my wi. 'f X1 'jf S- 1? ii I 7 7 ,W ,f X f 1 ff , X

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26 team. Duzminski as you probably remember, was a member of our great team of not so long ago: the team which won the Queens basket- ball championship in 1956. Featured on the Temple team was Mike Bloom, rangy center, who was picked as all-American last year. Besides these thrilling games, there were many drastic rule changes last year. One of these changes was the elimination of the center tap which gave the small man an even chance against a taller adver- sary from a distinctive play from center. Then there is a ten second ruling which enables a team only that amount of time to where a rangy play is needed. This rule also makes the game cleaner as there are fewer body contacts around the center slot. In former days, a clever ball handler used to draw all his fouls from this position because an inexperienced team would muddle themselves around center and foul the players coming through. Before we end our article we wish to submit a team which we believe ranks as the greatest collegiate team of the last three years. Guard: Willy Rubenstein, N. Y. U. Guard: Hank Lussetti, Stanford. Center: Mike Bloom, Temple. Forward: Bob Kessler, Purdue. Forward: Marius Rus- fs.--iii: '..,'5'f. l X . f . V rv? il i bring the ball across the center mark. The l reason for this ruling --- is to try to eliminate the freezing of the ball. Freezing was very com- mon in former days because when a proficient dribbling and passing team had a one point advantage, they would freeze the ball to protect this margin. This was very unfavorable to the pub- lic as it lowered the scoring of games and the thrills which a high scoring aggregation produces. It is said that a well-known basketball star once froze the ball for five solid minutes and his team won by the low scoring margin of 15-12. The three second rule in the circle also speeded up the game as a station- ary pivot man in this circle is prohibit- ed. This is a distinct advantage for the small man, as a set shot is stressed more than a cut from a pivot play so, Long Island Uni- y versity. The players to watch this year are: Guard: Bob Lewis, N. Y. U. Guard: Bob Hassmiller, Fordham. Center: Duke Duzminski, Villanova. Forward: Ralph 'Dolgoff St. johns. Greatest Team of All Time: Guard: Nat Holman, C. C. N. Y. Guard: Hank Luisetti, Stanford. Center: Mac Kinsbrunner, St. johns. Forward: Howard Cann, N. Y. U. Forward: Mac Posnack, St. Johns Basketball should increase in pop- ularity as the years progress because it is being stressed as a major activity in all schools which in former years used to maintain football as their main sporting activity. Another evi- dence of its ever-growing popularity is that basketball outdrew every sporting activity for 1938.

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-:- The Senior 'Owl -:- Cn,fl1mle,r, rll1f.i'ii'. and Svwlery by Frank Sgrmlbafi and 5411111161 Mintz SENIORS BID FOND ADIEU The Senior Class of Jan- uary I939 will say fare- well lo John Adams soon and wilh lhis parling will go fond memories of Sen- ior Day, The Prom, Senior Dances. Class Nighl, Com- mencemenl, and lhe olher feslivilies in which lhe graduales parlicipaled. The class will also lake leave of lhe person who look care of and who carried lhe burden of all lhe senior affairs, Miss Marie L. Keller. ll was possible. as has been lhe cuslom in pre- vious lerms al Adams, lhal lhe senior affairs could have been held only lhrough lhe efiorls of Miss Keller who seemed al- ways lo accomplish lhe impossible. The whole senior group gives ils sincere lhanks lo you, Miss Keller, for all lhal you've done. and we leave wilh you a senior class lhal wil mainlain lhe lradilions of pasl gradualing classes. ,Ol MR. PATTERSON The Senior Class of '39, wilh all ils misgivings. make a change lo lhe beller and leave lo Mr. William A. Pallerson, as- sislanl adminislralor of lhis greal inslilulion, a group of incoming fresh- men who will read lheir handbooks and remember where lhe lunchroom is: know how lo leave lhe building during a fire drill: and will be able lo poinl oul an up slair- way lhal goes down. ll is lo Mr. Pallerson, lhal lhe graduales give lhanks for diracling lheir school during lhe shorl slay of four long years. JUST ECO-ING To lhose lhree demon pedagogues of our Eco- nomics Deparlmenl, Mr. Harold Yourman, Mr. Fred A. Kuhle and Mr. Richard Clemens. lhe seniors leave a brand new sel of iokes. No more will lhree Mo- guls of Monopolies, lhese Cerlilied Cilizens of Cur- rency. lhese Bombshells of Banking, and lhese Busl- ers of lhe Business Cycle resorl lo lheir own spur- of-lhe-momenl willicisms. Mr. Yourman especially would enioy lhis innovalion as he confesses lhal he's slipping in lhe arl of iesling. Mr. Kuhle would prob- ably also like a lesser amounl of slares by lhe senior co-eds al his ver- salile wardrobe. Mr. Clemens wou'd also appreciale a foolresl for his wandering feel, as lhis would do away with slep- ping on seals and desks. To lhe resl ol lhe de- parlmenl lhe Seniors bid e farewell lhal will long eclhlo lhroughoul lhe halls of Adams. SKIPPER VIEIVS CREW' AS OLD HANDS LEAVE .i...l.-li EDIT-OR Because Mr. George W. Sullivan, Jr., was in lhe lhroes of mak- ing a phonographic re- cording, lhe lille of which is Copy, lhe desired inlerview was nol oblained: bul ev- erybody already knows lhis eminenl Daddy of lhe Campus and Clipper slaliis. We leave Mr. Sull- ivan a firsl period Eng- g'ish room near enough lo lhe publicalions of- fice lo gel him lhere on lime, e winler wilh- oul a cold, a pubs office mail-box wilh mail in il, a slaff diligenlly m e e l i n g deadlines and disliking prelzels lso he can eal lhem himselll. and an expression olher lhan, you're breaking my hearl. NOT A DIZ One would suppose lhal e slern, hard, unrelenlin dean wou'd be a perso whom a sludenl always feared. A senior has only lo look back and recall lhe lime when he was called inlo lhe dean's of- fice. He hadn'l done any- lhing wrong. He didn'l cul a c'ass, wasn'l reporl- ed for misbehavior in lhe lunchroom and he wasn'l caughl wilhoul a pass while roaming lhrough lhe halls of lhe buildinq. His fears mounled as he ap- proached lhe dean and Mr. Confoy or Mr. Byrne would address lhe sludenl, Are you John Smilh? Well here's your service cerlificale. Imagine lhe 9 n l l i r i l ZY DEAN sludenl's surprise as he lhoughl lhe deans were prelly good fellows, af- ler alll The senior class leaves a loken of gralilude lo Mr. Harry Confoy, Mr. Brendan Byrne, Mr. George Lenl, and Mr. Andrew Brennan. The gradualing class exlends ils besl wishes and gives ils lhanks for lhe invalu- able aid rendered lhem by lhe deans. To Mr. Confoy is be- quealhed a sludenl mem- bership of I00 per cenl in lhe G. O.. more success- ful G. O. dances. and many more G. O. eleclions and revoles wilh hair- breadlh finishes. Hoisling anchor in lhe porl of John Adams soon and ready lo sel sail for dislanl harbors, lhis lerm's graduales acling as lhe crew of lhe Adams Clip- per leave lo Mr. William A. Clarke, a school wilh sludenls ready and eager lo do lheir bil in keeping John Adams up among lhe leading high schools in lhe counlry. Our skipper walches lhe progress of a school lhal has. in ils ralher shorl exislence, already made line high school hislory, as il were. He sees a new crew sailing lhe Clip- per, bul he can'l help bul remember and agree lhal, allhough lhere are new faces and new personal- ilies, lhe Adams spiril is slill lhe same. For lhe freshmen com- ing in lo add lo lhe lrue, sleadfasl cilizenry of John Adams we leave an abun- dance of lradilions, lhal will be lheir duly lo main- lain. Nexl lerm will see a hosl of seniors, perform- ing lheir dulies as seniors and carrying on lheir va- rious aclivilies in a com- mendable manner. To lhese seniors we leave a sel of Regenls papers wilh all lhe answers. Zo- To DR. CUSACK A piece of chalk, my kingdom for a piece ol chalk! Wilh lhese words Dr. Cusack slarls anolher rehearsal for her annual play by marking off lines designaling enlrances and exils for lhe cesl ln order lo make her iob a bil easier we leave her a group of aclors who are capable of carrying lhese lines in lheir heads also.