Mepham High School - Treasure Chest Yearbook (Bellmore, NY)

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September. IQ3l! Bedford Avenue. Bell-more. New orb. A small, wooden, six-room building with an old-fashioned school hell— this was the setting into which the first students of the Wellington C. Mepham I ligh School were introduced lour years ago. At that time there were 130 of us and only six teachers. We still have all ol our lirst faculty with us today—Miss Agnes Berwind, Miss belice ( »un-ther. Mi ss I )oris Moyle, Mr. William Jaatinen. Mr. John Carr, and Mr. I lerman I ennant. I he only subjects that were taught that first year were English, Latin, elementary algebra, general science, civics, and economic citizenship. Prior to the year 1035 there had been no Mepham I ligh School. Students ol the four districts (Bellmore. North Bellmore, Merrick. North Merrick) commuted to neighboring high schools. It was through the constant and tireless efforts of our honored namesake, Mr. Wellington C. Mepham; our supervising principal. Mr. Sanford H. Calhoun; and our Board of Education that our high school was born, and has grown into what it is today. Each student who once attended the old annex has some different memory. Let us recall a few. Remember the fun that we had during the passing ol classes? We always met our friends—that was inevitable, because the two halls were so small. Do you remember how the boys would put their logs under the desks, and shake the whole room and rattle the windows? Also the lun we derived from the good natured rivalry between old sections D and C! it

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II HIDE TO BUILD

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We ate lunch in the Bellmore ( irammar School cafeteria or on ti h grounds ol our tiny campus. Assemblies also were held in the adjacent school. However, we did have entertainments. which were impromptu selections by the less shy students. Our many activities, athletics. and clubs of today were unheard ol: then students went home to study — and study we did! It was in our freshman year that we attained the highest percentage ol students who passed—95.135 per cent lor the entire school. Spring was one of the I est times of the year, and that period when studies suffered the most. Directly outside the classroom windows were several huge cherry trees which imparted their ethereal aromas to Mepham’s struggling students. W ho could work under such conditions Don t think, however, that our social lile was neglected. e gave several dances which were held in the elementary schools ol our district. Our great dramatic attempt was a one-act play named I'Jmer. If must have been a success, lor we had to put on two performances. So much lor our early lile in our small, wooden schoolhouse. olumes could be written about our work and antics, but space does not permit it. Never shall we lorget, however, those joyful days in the old school. And then September 1957! Camp Avenue, North Bellmore. New ork. A modern, red brick building on a twenty-one acre campus— this is Mepham I ligh School grown up. With an increas ed facu Ity, student body, and janitorial stall, three classes ol students, entered the new structure in the year of 57. What a change lor the entire group! An almost unbelievable metamorphosis had taken place, and an entire school had to readjust itself. I he process was, however, quick and easy. New subjects were offered, new teachers were added, new students were enrolled, new departments came into existence and new facilities were employed. By far the most interesting new thing was the school itself, and we are still showing it off. 13