Midwood High School - Epilog Yearbook (Brooklyn, NY)

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. 2,0 7 L. 7 1, 3 6 s fg an 3 Vt . ' N 6 Q - 5, ' r 4 'ji N-if Ya Z QfZ C 4? To add to the Yuletide spirit, Mr. Cabot suggested that there be special language tables in the cafeteria. And, of course, there was the Variety Show with Buddy Block, Larry Appel, Jack Abrams, and Sandy Metlis fthe Gunty of '43j. Santa Claus Raskin and his little helpers sent Christmas kits to our boys in service. It was Jan. 1944 and the school was still frigid. In London, Mr. Murtha, then of the Navy, bumped into Mr. Zack, formerly of the English Dept. The spring term elections were high- lighted by the debate between Les Ritter and the Student Court. The Court decided that Alumnus Ritter couldn't handle Shelly Fein's campaign. On Tuesday, March ninth, the cafeteria served hot roast beef sandwiches. Bill Kolin's editorial, We Have the Right defended Argus policy in the March issue. Murray Chayt kept running for things. The rats in the bio lab were reported to have vitamin deficiencies. Midwood's second Carnival was held in May, complete with games, Variety Show, and carnival queen Riva Weintraub. Most popular booth was Ring the teacher's neck . We spent the summer of '44 at camp, sea- shore, or summer school, depending on the individual. In September, Dr. Gramet returned to Midwood. A second development was the formation of the first non-party election sys- tem. A terriiic hurricane almost, but not quite, closed the schools. Mr. Gabel, back from the war, threatened to pitch a pup-tent on the campus if someone didn't find him an apart- ment. And the lunchroom was so segregated! Gordon Clarke took over the mayor's desk. The band just missed marching in the Colum- bus Day Parade. Another Merry Christmas , with another Variety Show. Sandy Metlis M.C.'d with Gunty sneaking in for a few impersonations.

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We try to skip lightly over them, but somehow we can't forget a couple of unpleasant moments We freshmen faced. We recall that look of the frosh that somehow enveloped us, with the exception of a few lucky boys who were over six feet tall. We innocently searched for fifth floors, swimming pools, and terraces Cwhere seniors would be waiting with palm leaf fansj, especially when the Art Squad carefully painted signs with directions on them to help us along. We argued with Mr. O'Brien over purchased elevator passes which he refused to honor, and tearfully demanded our money back when our seats in the cafeteria were not as close to the ice-cream stand as the nice junior had promised. Running breathlessly from the gym to Room 402, we invariably found ourselves among the 467's. The low numbers were always on the other side! But, despite minor catastrophes, we passed Cmost of us, that isj into second termg still P.M.'ers, but at least knowing our way around. It was during the early part of the term that Jerry Lench asked if the plural of Argus was Argil', and in the same issue, Midmooder Bert Davis called the English Department the Chamber of Com- mas . Whether we thought they were funny or not, We laughed, mainly to keep warm, because it was in Feb. '43 that our oil ration was cut and we froze. True it was patriotic, but it was cold, too. The Block Captain System started. John Arents was the first visitor to the Museum of Science and Industry on its opening day, and around the same time a lost, three- year-old was found wandering about our cafeteria. In March, Lester Ritter became mayor, with the Blue Party on its fourth straight win. Hubba hadn't come into vogue yet, so the girls just drooled silently at Mayor Ritter. Pete Nelson was elected second term vice president, the start of a phenomenal career. Dr. Gramet started the Inter-Faith Club in April, and Bert Davis again came into the limelight with his interview of Uncle Don . A mild plague of German measles in May did not prevent the success of the Spring Concert in June. We came back in September, rested, peeling, and lower sophs. Mr. Dobren took on his job as faculty advisor of B71, and Barbara Negus took over the mayor's job. Former teacher Doctuh Bern- hard, a private stationed in Mississippi, wrote us a letter saying in part, God help Hitler and Tojo when our outfit gets started . A jeep drive headlined November, as well as a new lunchroom plan where the students themselves were to be guards. Agathon was organized, just as we were about to become A.M.'ers. The Argus's Question of the Month was the enlightening Would you subscribe to a Blind Date Bureau in Midwood, if one were organ- ized? Mr. Purcell's chess team began to enter competitive matches. 5

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For the third time, plans were made for a football team. We signed pledges and prayed., We topped our S100,000 quota for the Sixth War Loan drive. In Jan of 1945, Barbara Negus graduated as Class Everything, the Community Center opened, a new Service League was started, and Midwoodites became very excited at the thought of a snow plow leveling the immortal lot across the street . Making the V.C, a branch of the City of Midwood highlighted February. Not many of us will ever forget April 1945, when, on the twelfth, F.D.R. died. We were rather dazed. Our president was gone. The Dramatic Society successfully presented its first play, The Trysting Place on May 18. Lenny Singer, former basketball star, was killed in Germany. The term ended with a record graduation class of 535. Mayor LaGuardia made the music department happy by phoning congratu- lations after their performance over station W.N.Y.C. A September came, and we were lower seniors. Plans for the F.D.R. memorial award were announced. We returned to the old split sessions. The Baedeker,' was published. Several hundred stu- dents chanted No Sports, No Schoolu, as the city's kids protested the resignation of team coaches. The Harvest Moon Ball graced October, and the swimming team sank. With the seniors supervising, boys and girls met once more in the cafeteria. Helen DeBiasi reigned supreme in B71. Henry Gunty Aldrich in What A Life was presented in December by Mr. Hirsch and his play-production class. Midwood celebrated its Hfth birthday. It was February. We were seniors, with all the involved ex- penses and importance. We elected Everett Dulit senior president, and Dave Werman vice president. We voted as citizens of Midwood for the last time. julian Ginguld became mayor. We whizzed through the Football Varieties, the awarding of the first F.D.R. memorial to Frank Sinatra, school and senior outings, the last issues of the Argus. We proudly wore senior hats and jewelry, and especially enjoyed our special class day and night. As we struggled with college applications, we kept thinking of the wonderful time we had had at the prom. And before we knew it, this day arrived. We lean back in our seats and fleetingly recall our high school days. We take a long breath, swallow hard, and remember. Then suddenly, we sit forward and listen hard. Midwood days are finished, but we'll never forget them, the future is ahead--our future. We rise and sing our Alma Mater as we've never sung it before. qThe words are strong and clearg their meaning is imprinted in our memories forever. BOBBEE WEINBACH