Midlothian High School - Trojan Yearbook (Midlothian, VA)

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Ad (Ft Me SS See Senior Missy Majewski gazes longingly at the sunny world outside the class- rooms of Midlothian. A spring picnic provides a refreshing break for junior Catherine Greer and senior Chris OBrion. Rites of Spring The symptoms of “spring fe- ver’ varied widely from student to student. Overall, however, there seemed to be a subtle re- shuffling of values among the student body. With the first warm days of spring came the inevitable feeling that perhaps frisbee throwing was more im- portant than studying for that English quiz. Radios and tape players be- gan to appear in the halls and music could be heard blasting from cars, which, for the first time, left the student parking lot at 1:50 with their windows down. Another obvious symp- tom of spring fever was atten- tion to the all-important pre- summer tan. Students talked of “laying out” on the weekend, and many took advantage of the rays beating down at lunchtime on famed “‘Midlo Beach,” the grassy area near the student parking lot entrance. Whatever the characteristics of each student’s “spring fe- ver, one could be positive that it had actually set in by listen- ing to the exclamations that seemed to begin in the class- rooms and halls around April: “TI wish summer would get DeLeon To many athletes, such as Monica Pierce of the Girls’ Softball Team, spring means the fun and hard work of training for spring sports. Student Life Spring Fever 29

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Bobby Everton extends a flower to Joanne Gerow as a springtime greeting. Sunworshipper Maria Kounnas “catches a few rays” during lunch on “Midlo Beach.” ZN ae (ia Basking in the morning sun, David Lam- berton and Ann Hey! relax in the smok- ing area. 28 Student Life Spring Fever

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The differences in students’ popular tastes manifested themselves nowhere more clear- ly than in the area of music. Music,especially popular mu- sic, played an undeniable role in the lives of a large section of the student body. Musical tastes were inevitably as motley as the members of the student body. Although there were fans and enthusiasts of virtually any and every type of music, certain “distinctive” musical factions surfaced at Midlothian; one concerned largely with the past accomplishments of a group be- gun in the 1960's, and another looking to the future of the “new music” of groups of the present. The first was a group of en- thusiasts of the Grateful Dead, ranging from fanatic to rabidly obsessive. What is a true “Dead head”? “Someone who really likes and respects the music and the talent in the band,” said Todd Usry. “Someone not driv- en by the shirts, buttons, and other paraphernalia .. . actual- ly about 10 or 15% of the people who say they like the Dead.” Another visible group of musical enthusiasts at Midlo centered on the efforts of bands formed more recently. Such progressive artists as the Clash and Elvis Costello dominated the listening time of a large con- tingency of students. “Between us and the bands there is no ‘ad- miration, ‘deep respect,’ or ‘humble appreciation’ — only energy. All barriers are broken. Love of the energy, the flash, and the noise is the common bond. My friends and I,” said Eddie Dean, “prefer this noise called ‘true rock-n-roll’ to any other; and we prefer anarchy, if not in the state, in spirit.” 30 Student Life MusicWars aioasbi gg i tach egy Ret RE a ERA ion ee eg The Dead or the Clash? Music Wars 1982 (OL, ae | t $3 es | a Music enthusiast Eddie Dean explains the musical similarities between the Clash and Elvis Presley to Dead Head Todd Usry.