Longmeadow High School - Masacksic Yearbook (Longmeadow, MA)

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Athletics pp. 94-133 B

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Who would stop to look at a s ' ngle flower petal, plucked from its stem and lying on the ground? Who would collect a pile of single petals decorate his home? We all know the a ver, and we understand why it is so. Only when the petals are joint tgc her in a definite ttern, do they uecome a thing of beauty. The flower is a triumph of nature; it is pi? d, it grows, and finally it blossoms in a burst of color and symmetry. In its virgin simplicity, it has come t mbolize love, peace, and even beauty itself. Alexander Pope wrote that Worlds on worlds compose or. verse. Thus, the earth is hut a single petal in a larger scheme of things. Yet, within our own world there j smaller petals: the seas, the deserts, the mountains, the forests; all of ese combine to form the entire I our earthly environment. As we narrow the focus of our environment rom the r verse, to the planet Ea. to the town of Longmeadow, and finally to Longmeadow High School, we discovt. that °ven within this school there are smaller petals, sub-environments. The?e merge to form our familiar hip h srSol atmosphere, that unique entity known as LHS. There is the enviror nt of academics, ex, y all students in the high school. English, math, history, Latin, science; we e it, hate it, sleep thri it. It affects us. We affect it. Then there is the athletic environment, not reserved for jocks alone. M. ' us have thrilled to the sound of a cheering crowd; many of us have felt the sadness of defeat. The arts, wnether music, sculpture, painting, or technical and business skills, create another environr filled with pride, self-expression, and concentration. There is also a service environment which encomp? -.a all those in our school who make it their business to help others. Finally, there exists for everyone an environment of the self. This atmosphere prevails during lunchtime, between classes, after school, or at any time that escape from the other worlds is possible. After graduation, most seniors will c Jon begin to specialize in areas of their choice. The painter will surround himself with an artist environment; the math whiz will immerse himself in academics. They may later seek a more well-rounded life, but they will never find quite the same multi-faceted world that they left here. At Longmeadow High school the scholar as well as the athlete, the politician as well as the esthete may develop side by side betce moving on (O larger environments, worlds on worlds on worlds. Who would stop to look at a single flower petot, plucked from its stem and lying on the ground? Who would collect a pile of single petals to d orate his heme? We all know the answer, and we understand why it is so. Only when the petals are joineu tocher in a definite pattern, do they become a thing of beauty. The flower is a triumph of nature; it i c ited, it grows, and finally it blossoms in a burst of color and symmetry. In its virgin simplicity, it has .ne to symbolize love, peace, and even beauty itself. Alexander Pope wrote that Worlds on worlds compose one universe. Thus, the earth is but a single petal in a larger scheme of things. Yet, within our own jrld there are smaller petals: the seas, the deserts, the mountains, the forests; all of these combine to form the entirety of our earthly environment. As we narrow the focus of our environment from the Universe, t( .lie planet Earth, to the town of Longmeadow, and finally to Longmeadow High School, we di over that . en within this school there are smaller petals, sub-environments. These merge to form oc tami ,ar high school atmosphere, that unique entity known as LHS. There is the environment of academics, experienced by - n°nts in the hi?h school. English, math, history, Latin, science; we love it, hate it, sleep through it. It aftects us. We afff ct it. Tien th re is the athletic environment, ..it reserved for jocks alone. Many of us have thrilled to the sjund of a cheering crowd; many of us have felt the sadness of defeat. The arts, whether music, sculp u; p ii g, or technical and business r ' :l ls, create another environment filled with pride, se.. expre io J c c ntration. There is also a service environment which encompr es all those in our school who . it their business to help others. Finally, there exists for everyone an environment of the self. This atmo phere prevails during lunchtime between classes, ofter school, or at any time that escape from the other worl ; is possible. After graduation, most seniors will soon begin to .pet. ize in areas of the- choice. The painter will surround himself with an artistic environr ait; the math whiz will immerse ' in. elf in academics. They may ei seek a more v. ell-rounded l ; ' out they w ; ll no ver Tnd quite the same multi-f ' ted world that thp v Ht he j. At Longmeadow High .ool the si Mar as ell as the athlete the politician as well as ti .thete may Hevelop side by side before moving on to larger p i jrments, worlds on worlds on worlds. ' o would siod to look at a single flower petal, plucked from its stem and lying on the ground? Wh would jiiect a pile or single petals to decorate his home? We all know Copy: Diana Simon Photo: Robin Odentz

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I Despite the wide range of interests represented at Longmeadow High School, few people will disagree that the emphasis is always on academics. Math, foreign languages, science, English, and history are given top priority in the school, along with other more specialized academic courses. An academic environment fills the hallways and follows a student through the greater part of his school day. Just what creates the special environment of an academic classroom? Most evident is the teacher-students relationship. One man or woman teaches a group of fifteen to twenty-five teenagers, who are expected to listen and participate. Loudness and activity are suppressed for fifty-four minutes at a time, in the hope that knowledge and understanding will take their place. Boredom may deaden the atmosphere in one class, while the next one is fun and stimulating. Studies continue for the serious student in the library, at home, and even in the cafeteria and the courtyard. Testing creates a unique environment in itself. During a major test, hours of studying will either pay off, or be rendered futile. Everybody feels the tension in the air. Good grades, the goal of most college and career bound students, are largely dependent on test scores. The pressure to perform well is turned on and off with the ringing of the bell. x For academically inclined students, there are several clubs that are geared to their interests. In and out of school, an academic environment is always available to those who wish to pursue it.