Memorial High School - Reata Yearbook (Houston, TX)

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L'chaim! Driving relentlessly to meet demands and deadlines without sacrificing friendships or quality, Reata staffers attempted journalistic feats of unusual dimension and absurd hilarity to produce a Bicentennial book they had been planning for many months. Having trained with the professionals the previous summer at the Southern Methodist University journalism Workshop, the Reata staff was prepared to meet the coming year's demands. The six days and five nights were a continuous work session with a few impromtu parties thrown in. At the close of a hectic week their efforts were rewarded when Claire Webber and her staff received the Yearbook of Excellence award and Lisa Lancaster captured the Individual Excellence Award for her sports spread design. The tired staff left SMU with something to be proud of and the trip gave them the stimulus needed to start the year with eager enthusiasm. The compatible staff worked strenuously to meet the first deadline, pass out the 'I975 yearbooks and sell the 1976 yearbooks. With the incomparable yearbook assembly and the slide show, sales were a decided success and the money rolled in. Added impetus was provided when the 1975 book won the state championship in Denton. A year long barrier existed between busy photographers and persistent editors which caused just enough friction to make ' everything exciting. Yearbook Advisor ludy Gossett said, l'm very pleased with the staff. They're not only the best staff I've ever had, but also the most qualified to put together a special Bicentennial book ' The Reata staff planned to produce a 'I976 yearbook which would reflect the way the student body chose to celebrate the occasion. Therefore, the staff realized much more reporting and interpreting was needed than ever before. They displayed a sense of leadership and responsibility when tension broke out. You've never really suffered so much until you've had to stay up all night writing for a deadline, said Editor Marilyn Altschuler. Even though lack and loss of production in the photography department increased pressure, and nerves reached the breaking point, countless crises passed when a photographer cracked a joke or locked everyone in the darkroom. Although staffers never seemed to do anything but work and scream, time was always found to celebrate birthdays, holidays or any occasion that seemed to call for doughnuts and goodies. The june deadline finally arrived and with it unbelievable relief and excitement. The hard work was over for awhile and everyone looked forward to seeing the final product in August. 212 - REATA i si i i 5 T .tl s .i I Taylor Representative Dennis Clark, mans the slide projector for the Drawing quadpack Reata sales program. Pictures don't always fit for Nancy Young. i l Academics editors Karey Orh and Cindy Charles ge encouragement from each other. s i t i i I Emily Getz hurriedly types for a deadline.

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2- news stories, junior Sandy Southern and Sophomores Cindy Perot and Kristin Andersen discuss possi- Lt 5, ai? its far? fs get 5? 25 it R at S2 as tt si ist 52? git gillum was Managing Editor of fi. ei? 555 i si if Sa Q t sw. ati Y s is gt si it We Qi? ta Period one students celebrate judy Gossett's birthday. at ei ank Freeman, Mike lax, David Reitman and David Pyndus prepare copy for their April it7Anvii. E S3 fi tt. sa is'3?mH?ffE5QHm'1EFQ1?'2IS5si35?t?W Learning the ropes Through great speakers, writing assignments, lecture and first hand experience, the journalism I classes acquired the basic tricks of the trade. Students were given a background on the press before launching into writing and layouts. Lectures from teacher judy Cossett provided the beginning journalists with a historic look at freedom of the press and the role of a reporter. The Watergate epic All the Presidents Men showed how freedom of the press applied to real life. Wading through pages and pages of the ensnarled plot, the classes diligently went about untying the diplomatic wiretap and whitewash mess right along with Woodward and Bernstein. The first day of journalism I walked in this class and thought this was going to be the easiest class. But to no avail, l was struck down the next day and told to read a 242 page best-seller, said Ted Ossenfort. Once they had digested the ideals of the press and how to use it the eager reporters started writing. The first assignments were in new stories, using the five W's and the H as a guide. Skills were sharpened by rewriting old stories and reporting events, both staged and real. During this period the students grasped the idea of starting with an eye-catching lead. Onward to interviews. KILT News Directorjohn Downey was the first victim. Though subjected to a really professional press conference lcomplete with introduction and closingj he held up admirably. His open way of speaking led to many juicy quotes. Students encountered the problem of quoting correctly, arranging the quotes and giving a realistic picture ofthe man. Of course all of the above depended on how fast one could write and whether he had a tape recorder. Later in the year the students gained more practice and knowledge by interviewing post reporter Tom Kennedy and past journalism teacher Mrs. Elaine Pritchett. With interviews under their belts, the students tackled sports stories, editorials and eventually features and in depth, the biggies. All these assignments were filed away when lal classes would put out an Anvil themselves. In preparation, they polished their writing techniques and made T6-page dummies. Finally positions were announced. john Bradley and jackie Celb jperiod onej and Kristen Anderson and Mike jax jperiod twoj were chosen as co-editors. Then the actual work began - editors meetings, assignments given, layouts and ads planned. Despite hassles and frustration, two j-I Anvils were produced and the students felt they had really been initiated into the real world of journalism, On the days that stories were due, everyone would crowd around Miss Gossett, but not to turn in assignments, to ask if they could bring them tomorrow, joked David Rietman. Their fearless leader often attempted to ignite enthusiasm in her students with her own bubbly personality. Her cries of delight were almost as common as her criticisms, But by the end of the year her teaching efforts were rewarded when the little kids were accepted on The Anvil or Reata staffs and their positions announced at the annual journalism Banquet at Brennan's, May 7. JOURNALISM I 2

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N Wm K ww'QQ'NNa'iNkQs 9i Mi?S8'tiSE1iSiQQNSQE3HSEHEmE17SgW E EGHEEXWWNm5WN 5E5ki:WA,wwKLw3T Trying to decide on layouts for the activities section are jane Peyton, Sandy Fromberg and Donna Baker During the busy deadline day, Co-editors Claire Webber and Marilyn Altschuler find amusement at Adviser Judy Gos- 1 K Left: The Reata Staff, Top row: K. Pruitt, B. lnglehart, D. Yee, H. Chang, M. Oliver, B. Horn. Third row: T. Rogen, D. Baker, M. Till, L. Lancaster, 5. Grimes, D. Holmes, B. Wilson, E. Smith. Second row: M. Alt- Schuler, 1. Gossett, C. Webber, I. Peyton, S. Fromberg, K. Orth, R. Burch, 1. Vine, First row: N. Young, S. Rae, D. Oppenheimer, C. Charles, E. Getz. Above: Laughing at new pictures, Academics Editors Lisa Lancaster and Barbee Wilson try to decide which to use. Vs?5531552633123E514533552WQWQWMMliliwliibl2?Sl393M15iiEES23QQSGN5 HWki3t?HWi55ESEWwGME3T wiMBQ?i MHM EEEGS5MiEhWE RENEW