Martin Van Buren High School - Futura Yearbook (Queens Village, NY)

Page 137 text:

GIRLS' LEAGUE One of the oldest service organizations in the school, Girls' League was founded the first year that Martin Van Buren came into being. Since its humble beginnings, the League has grown and advanced to become one of the most respected service organizations in the school and one of the largest. How does one become a member of Girls' League? First a girl trains for one period a week for eight weeks, during which time the girls' training group thinks of a proiect and makes it. Then all the training groups give an assembly to show off their completed projects. Since the League is so large it is almost impossible to know the trainees individually. Therefore each trainee goes through an interview, where we try to find out about each girl individually. After all this the girls are inducted into the League. But Girls' League is not all work, service, work. There are many social events conducted within the League. Every spring the League has a play day with its rival organization Leaders. There is also a Senior Party in the spring, a trip to a show or baseball game once a term, and of course the induction. Highlighting all these events in the annual Mother-Daugh- ter dinner held every spring. This is the largest social event in the League and one of the most enioyable. One of the most coveted awards a girl can hope to win is the Girls' League key at graduation. This key represents the fact that this girl has worked the hardest during her acquaintance with Girls' League. As you can see, the girl who is a member of Girls' Service League will find it a truly rewarding and exciting experience.

Page 136 text:

BOYS LEAGUE l2l.7't ' This year saw the League, under the leadership of Ted Rosen undertake its own great leap forward. Indications of the radical change in policy came early in the year, when the organization in addition to expanding its services to the school, sought to emphasize its own social aspects. The year's activities began with the conducting ofa highly successful Service Placement Bureau, through which many capable students were placed in service positions with teachers. Tuesdays throughout the year, saw the League exhibiting its new face, as the traditional uniform of red sweater, white shirt, dark tie and pants were altered, with the elimination of the red sweater. During the Christmas vacation, the League members displayed their athletic abilities in a thrill- packed football game, in which the old members edged the newcomers 21-20. The league, with Dr. Feder, serving in his second year as faculty advisor, rendered service to the school at home basketball games, graduation exercises, Open School Night, the Senior Show, Game Night, and the Spring Concert. In addition, members of the League extended the scope of their services to the school with the creation of the Eraser Squad, and the formation of the League Line, a newspaper designed to keep students better informed of extra-curricular activities open to them. lnternally, the League set into practice for the first time a point system, under which all members were required to satisfy certain basic service requirements. As part of their proiect, League members visited Turkey Mountain Camp and reformed several tasks there. At the end of the Spring term, as a reward for a year of dedicated and superior service to Van Buren, the League went to a baseball game. All in all, Boys' League's activities, both internal and external for the year i962-L963, may be aptly described by the organization's motto, 'lit serves you right. I cm

Page 138 text:

ARISTA SCIENCE HONOR SOCIETY The History Honor Society is comparatively new, but its activitiies make it as well known and appreciated as any of the older organizations. It is under the co-sponsor- ship of Mrs. Ida Balser and Mr. Stanley Feld. David Jacobson is the president of this group, which consists of approximately one hundred avid history students, who have maintained a ninety-one percent or better average for four terms of History in Martin Van Buren High School. This society was instrumental in presenting thought-provoking assembly programs on the Constitution, and on the United Nations. The students have conducted debates on topics of current importance and are engaged in a series of lectures. Many day trips to such sites as Hyde Park and the United Nations, plus a three day sojourn to Washington, D. C. highlight the calendar of events of the organization. This new honor society has added much to the intellectual life of Van Buren, and it promises much more for the future. -. 'SP-