Longmeadow High School - Masacksic Yearbook (Longmeadow, MA)

Page 22 text:

£% 4 ■ 1 - [ 1 J JH — 1. J. Goodwin W L 2. R. Morissette 3. J. Hooper 4. H. North % % tH( 5. R. Suzor 6. R. Merritt ( T 7. D. Slate 8. C. Manheim 9. E. Pratt •■s — II fl ' 10. M. Ferrier «W« 3 11. W. Blanchard 12. G. Griffin ■ Ml 13. P. Miller 14. L. Sarno MHB BV H M I 18 ■

Page 21 text:

Mr. Vangsness, a former student of Longmeadow High School, ha s been teaching history here for three years. He has noticed a great deal of change in the high school environment over the past ten years. A dress code was strictly enforced until 1970. Boys wore shirts and ties every day, and girls had to wear dresses. No jeans, denim trousers, miniskirts, or sandals were allowed, and boys ' hair could not touch the top of the ear or the collar. Detention was given for any infraction of a school rule and had priority over sports and activities. Mr. Vangsness states, School has become somewhat less strict. The administration has decided to face up to problems. This is why the idea of using the courtyard as a place to smoke was initiated. School in the sixties placed more emphasis on preparing students for college. A higher percentage of people went to college, as it was considered the right thing to do. Now more students are going directly into vocational trades, because a college degree is not always an assurance of success. Mr. Vangsness is enthusiastic about working with some of his former teachers, and he has gotten to know them well on a personal basis. He feels that the faculty at Longmeadow is fantastic , and because he can now better understand the teachers, he holds a deeper sense of admiration and respect for them. 17

Page 23 text:

What could be more memorable than a science lab period enlivened by teacher demonstrations? Thanks to our ingenious and courageous science department, these experiments are frequent. Mr. Suzor (better known as Rocket Ray ) is famous for set- ting off chemical explosions in front of his attentive classes. No lab block is without surprises in Rocket Ray ' s class. A room darkened for some shadowy experiments is a sure target for unexpected fireworks, and any discussion on hydrogen offers a perfect opportunity for the Rocket Man to demon- strate his hydrogen-heat reactions. There are times when Mr. Suzor ' s class gets al- most as excited as he does! In physics, there is nothing to compare with Mr. Hooper ' s no-fault car-down-hill demonstration. After a fascinating lecture on force vectors and gravity, Mr. Hooper attempted to show the applica- tion of the theory. He brought in a Tonka Toy truck and spent the block trying to roll it down a slope. Unknown to Mr. Hooper, however, the front wheels were jammed, and the truck re- mained at the top of the hill, dis- proving his entire explanation. Hoop calls of frustration filled the classroom, and in a fit of rage the disillusioned teacher vio- lently threw down the truck and stamped on it, demonstrating still another principle: the superior force of Mr. Hooper over a Tonka Toy truck. These episodes clearly illustrate the madness in the science depart- ment. Teacher demonstrations are a lot of fun and a refreshing break from routine material on photosyn- thesis, mitosis, or acceleration. Per- haps with time and practice, these presentations may even become educational learning experiences. - 19