Marion High School - Cactus Yearbook (Marion, IN)

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H L 7i rg giflff. xy s ,s--f 'T' 1 -'Z v I if f GI tudents roaming about, coming and going at will. Classrooms filled with empty desks. Very few administrators trying to maintain some sort of order. The students, realizing that school was an im- possibility that day, vacated the area. The scene took place at MHS where students came to school in the usual manner only to find that their teachers were nowhere to be found. The situation arose from heated disputes over teacher contracts. Robert Philbert, Marion Teachers Association president stated, Our position is to start with last year's contract and negotiate from there because we are unwilling to give up something we have already obtained in the past. In contrast, Dr. Robert Duncan, chief negotiator for the school board said, We want to start from nothing. The MTA and the school board began contract talks on March 15, 1977. Proposals by both parties were made and rejected several times. The school board proposed a scheduled base increase of 2.1 per cent. During the negotiations, the MTA asked for as much as a 25 per cent increase and as little as 6.8 per cent. They also asked for such things as binding arbitration, additional paid leaves and in- surance benefits equal to those of the ad- ministrators. The school board has given in little or none at all on nearly everything discussed, said Philbert. 4 stunning ' 5 There was talk of a stnke lying heavily upon the school. Students hoped for an unscheduled vaca- tion, while teachers were hoping for a settlement. Seven months after the onginal proposal by the teachers, a strike vote was set. The exact outcome was never publicized, but there was no strike at that time. Marion High School teachers used different tac- tics in their fight for higher wages. One method they used was a sick-in. Two were used. The second proved to be ineffective, however, for the ad- ministration was prepared with an abundant supply of substitutes. The teachers wore black one day as a symbol for the mourning they had suffered. A group of them also took a day off from school to at- tend a statewide convention for TWOC's lteachers without contractsl. Teachers used different tactics to show that they really think they deserve what they are asking for and the school board, standing fim1 and rejecting the teachers proposals, made for some very serious contract disputes that affected students and teachers alike as well as the community. UNPIANNED CONVOCATION- As a result of the first sick-in, the Junior Class had to report to the gym- nasium for attendance procedures. REQUESTING RAISED REVENUE- ln the first con- tract talks open to the public, administrators and teachers discuss contracts at the Coliseum. 51' 5

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7 r K 52 , i. Ni, If you are now prepared to walk around in a state of suspicious paranoia, relax There are other sound ways to weed out both the pros and the cons. Take the person, for instance, who uses you to gain something for his own benefit, probably your enemy. He comes to visit you in the hospital after you've had an accident to supposedly wish you well. But when he leaves, the truth comes out as he takes a flower from your vase and strolls out of your room to talk with a cute nurse. But now take a person who says what is his is yours, probably a friend. He hears about your acci- dent and offers you to drive his car occasionally when you recover. Now there's a real friend, right? So you think you understand now and are prepared to love thy neighbor and waste thy enemy. Just remember that when you are ready to give your love or administer the waste, that the joke or, more appropriately, the waste is not on you. DON'T FENCE ME IN - Even a bamer, such as this fence can't keep true friends apart, as shown by Kelly Proch and Tom Roseberry. .4 if 1. sf . X , W A X 4. . ., X ' i 'A' .lf f 6 f- f A-fx N ,glitz-t. Fi' ' '- -.. ,- . - if .7 Z.. ' ' W . - ' 'ff 'dxqvfg ,mg , SJ ,gtg ,J ,gjfffg 'T ' '23 33? ' .gnu , .ybysj '. lf? f X .- ' ,- .1 .' '1 4, ? X .l , .Wir . fngy , ' 1 I 1 ARM AND ARM - During a Singers rehearsal, Mark Scranton and Toula Smymiotis engage in a mixed grip of friendship and show biz. SONG LEADERS - During a Young Life meeting, Kelly Koons and Jim McClaren lead these party-goers in a vibrant song. Friends 1 7

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'-r ,TQ Tfwrul '51 50 --nqnvg I ti'- .--mai ly 1 r '- J i I .wx jg 'V , I iff ' . .f7 tw v i- ..- -- 4 ' J I I 1 ., o it it PRACTICING PICKETING- Walking the picket lines before school Mrs. Janet McKinney and Mrs. Mildred Whitlock protest the lack of contracts. WE WALK THE LINE- Carrying signs to show they're willing to negotiate, teachers John Jacobs, Herb Morgan and Brian Smith picket the contract talks. SIGNS OF THE TIMES- In the school parking lot, Dick Kumler and Steve Wooldridge paint the signs that were can'ied by teachers during picketing. Negotiations 1 9