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

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DEAR GCD MARION ALLWEISS I iust thought I'd talk to you for a while before I go to bed. I'm not a bit sleepy, but Mom and Pop were so sad and miserable that I thought maybe You'd keep me company. You know, Father Iohnson says we should get to know You better. He says You watch us all day long and know everything we do. Well. I hope You were watching today when I helped old Mrs. Murphy across the street. I think she knew You were there, 'cause she patted me on the head and said, God Bless you, little man. She's a nice lady, and I really didn't mean it when I walked on her lawn last week. If You say that too, I hope You weren't too angry. The bed seems so empty. Dear God. I wish Ronny would hurry up and come to bed. Were You ever a twin? It's lots of fun, You know. I like to play with Ronny, and even when we iight we know we don't really mean it. Momma says You can see everything, Dear God. Can You see Ronny? I haven't seen him in the longest time, and I wish he'd hurry 'cause I'm getting sleepy. Momma started to cry when I asked her where he was. Daddy told me that he's gone away and that I should go to bed. Please send him home if You can see him, huh? Are You still there, Dear God? Y'know, I've been thinking. It's awful 18 dark and quiet in here and it seems as it Ronny will never come back. I iust had the most awful idea. Sup- pose he's dead! I wouldn't tell Momma and Poppa, of course, they might get all upset. But I know You're a good Man, and if he's living with You I know You'll take care of him. Come to think of it, he must be dead, 'cause he really did hurt himself when he fell off the stoop yesterday. They sent me to Aunt Eva's when the ambulance left, but I knew he hurt himself bad. But You must be a good doctor, Dear God, if so many very sick people go to You. Maybe it's better that Ronny is liv- ing with You: our teachers were al- ways getting us mixed up. Do they have nice schools in Heaven? Tell Ronny he should come ,down some night and tell me all about it. He doesn't have to take 'oil his wings eith- er, I'd like to see what an angel looks like. Boy, it must be nice to be able to ily all around. Maybe then I'd be able to ily off the garage roof without breaking my leg like I did last year. I hope You'll take good care of Ronny, and don't get too angry at him when he's naughty: he doesn't mean it. I don't think we should tell anyone about it yet, they wouldn't understand and it would make them cry. But, I understand and I know You'll be good to him. I think I'll go to sleep now, Dear God. I hope You have pleasant dreams, and wish Ronny good-night for me, please. P.S. I think You can tell Father Iohn- son. He would understand.

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LYNNE MARTENE rushed from the campus. She could feel the tears com- ing and she wanted to be home when it happened. How could she tell Mom and Pop? What were to become of all her plans? She could have broken down then and there and cried her eyes out. Shelly Iackson, a cute little blonde, tumed the corner and nearly ran her over. Gee kid, said Shelly looking into her friend's white face. what's the matter? Are you sick or something? Lynne couldn't hold herself back. Oh Shel, you don't know what hap- pened. and then the tears rushed out of her eyes. She didn't know how to stop them. She felt herself being led away by Shelly and somehow under all the confusion, managed to look up. She saw eyes staring at her from all directions and she realized vaguely that she must be creating a scene. She knew that she had to pull her- self together before she got to her girl- friend's house. Shel, she sniftled, got a hanky? She began wiping her tear-stained face. All of a sudden. Lynne felt herself being pushed. Mom's voice was say- ing, Darling, it's late. You'd better hun'y and get up. This is a very im- portant day, remember? Lynne sat up with a start and rub- bed her eyes. She peered around and noticed the familiar sights. She was in her bedroom. How could the scenes have changed so quickly? Only a mo- ment ago she was going to Shel's. I-ls she sat there thinking, the tick- tock of her alarm clock caught her attention. It was 8:00 a.m. and as al- ways she could smell the freshly made coffee. She lifted her feet out of bed slowly and was putting them on the floor when she felt something soft be- THE FINAL STEP CAROLE ASTRQW neath them. That's funny, Lynne mused to herself. how -did my pillow get there? Oh, she thought. it was that horrible dream. She dressed in a hurry. wearing a new rust colored blouse she had got- ten. It brought out the red in what looked like light brown hair. She was quite pale, so she added some rouge with an orange hue. In spite of the terrific night she had spent she didn't look bad at all. She ate a quick break- fast and left the house. Lynne was a little worried as she walked toward the school but the cool breeze on her face gave her some assurance. Rounding the comer, came Shelly looking excited and nervous. They walked the rest of the way together and when they parted Lynne told Shelly to meet her outside in a half hour. Lynne walked to the room and sat down with her classmates. A few minutes later Miss Evans, the Trig teacher walked in. She took a pack of cards and began reading, Allen, Arnold, Brandon. Collier. At last she reached Martene. Lynne got up and t-ook the card, then calmly walked from the room. She didn't look down once. She saw Shelly waiting at the specified place. Well, Shel asked eagerly looking quite gay, aren't you going to tell me? Lynne looked at her card. her eyes sparkled and she smiled. Oh Shel, she said, I made it. I passed. 17

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MUSIC IS one of the oldest arts known to man. It has come down through the ages, being made more beautiful and inspiring with each passing generation. Great masters have given it beauty, tone. harmony. pathos. fire and solemnity. Such a master was Richard Strauss whose life story, you shall now read. He never had any long hair and his clothes never looked as if they had been walked on. on the contrary, he was trim and neat. Richard Strauss' father, Franz Strauss. was a horn-player. He mar- ried a famous brewer's daughter, and on Iune 11. 1864. Richard was born. Franz Strauss had a strong dislike for all Wagnerian Music. It was so new and daring that Wagner became known as Richard the First. Rich- ard Strauss. though he inherited his father's hate for Wagner's music, lat- er changed and grew to love it. He did so much for Wagnerian Music. and followed so many of his'ideas that he was later nicknamed Richard the Second. I-ls Richard grew up, his whole en- vironment was music. He was taught by his mother to play piano. and at the age of five he had regular les- sons from a professional teacher. The next year he went to school and start- ed to play the violin. He began to compose at the early age of eleven and was taking lessons on the technique of composition. several years later. He flattered his father by writing a Hom Concerto which was so difficult that his father practiced it only at home. He also composed a Serenade, written in his early teens. which was so enthusiastically received by Biilon. that the conductor invited him to write Pit 'n Podium JOAN SCANLON a suite and to become his assistant conductor. He was also to lead the orchestra when he played his new works. It was from that time on that Rich- and Strauss soared to fame and glory. Before he was twenty. he had com- posed over one hundred works. While visiting in a summer resort. he met a singer named Pauline de Ahno. Strauss coached her and she sang in an opera under his direction. Several years later they were married. Strauss' music will never die. for such works as Der Rosenkavalier and Till Eulenspiege1 have been scratched on the stone of immortality. and will be remembered by music lov- ers throughout the world. gf! 2 ff e X I f ff I gyffx' ' 'YM 3246? xX'C lt, X. , Nlftx' I I W If Illustration by Alma Kelly 19