Midwood High School - Epilog Yearbook (Brooklyn, NY)

Page 13 text:

Then the next term Handsome Les Ritter beat Harvey Auer- bach and Dick Groberg. How we used to look in sweat at the faces of the candidates in office. They were big shots, sixth or seventh termers. They towered over us and looked old enough to be our fathers, or at least our big brothers. Third term-This was our last term as downtrodden P.M.'ers. Barbara Negus, Midwood's first girl mayor, beat Shep Ginandes and Jack Abrams. Jack promised us the Brooklyn College swimming pool. Next term most of us will probably get it, after waiting three years. Then, we became A.M.'ers. The election that term was the most exciting but also the most dangerous of our high school career. Lenny Lehman beat Jack Armin and Lenny Leff. That was the term that somebody started a rumor that religious issues were de- ciding the election. The rumor spread as only rumors can, and party lines were forgotten. However, we were all ashamed of the way we had acted and vowed it would not happen again. The course we took out of our difficulties, right or wrong, was to abolish the party system. Fifth term saw our first non-party elec- tion, in which Gordon Clarke defeated Dick Mattuck. In this election, one of the first in which we were promised a skyscraper in the lot across the street, the antagonisms of the past election were forgotten. Then sixth term-For the first time, We saw the candidates not as beings on a higher scale, nor as big-shots, but as members of our own group. Bert Rothkopf ran and beat Neil Underberg. The can- didates had changed from the mighty giants to whom we were afraid to talk in the first term to fellow-students with whom we had worked for three years. And then last term there were Helen DeBiasi, Mac Russell, Johnny Rosenberg. Again our term was the controlling interest in the school. We were the big-shots now. Those freshies bowed low when they saw us and our candidates. This term's election assemblies . . . our last term in Midwood. Who are the candidates? Ginguld, Lieberman, Moscowitz. Why those candidates are just kids. From Harvey Honig to julian Ginguld, Were the candidates growing smaller? No. We were growing up. Growing up with our own experiment in democracy, the City of Midwood. Growing up under the guidance of Mr. Dobren and Mrs. Emil. In three or four years we will be voting for City, State, and National officers. What better preparation than four? years voting and fighting for our school candidates? BEA GAMRIN BOB LEVINE 9 7,,,,

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PULL FACTS Graduation Day! The guest speakers rise and address the grad- uates. Perhaps his theme is You-The citizens of tomorrow. 'AThe future of our democracy rests in your hands might well be his final words. Are you prepared? Have our years in the City of Midwood helped you to understand the machinery of government? It is said we learn by doing. Well, we Midwoodites in our final term have taken part in elections for four years. We mixed the excitement and fanfare of electioneering for our pals with the seri- ous talks and solemn campaign promises. We'1l all remember how the dream of a football team evolved from the campaign pledge of generations of candidates for mayor, to finally become a reality. Perhaps, before our kid brothers and sisters graduate, construction will have begun in the lot across the street.', And maybe, in the atomic future we'll even have soap and towels in our washrooms. But let's try to recall the exciting moments of the past elec- tions, during our Midwood years. Remember when We were just ignorant freshies, coming into school for the first time? The old party system was still in effect, and one of our first homeroom ac- tivities was to sign up for the Blue or the New Deal Party. That was the term that Harvey I-lonig beat Will Boughton for mayor. And Mickey Smith Cremember himj beat Jerry Ambro and Neil Underberg for President of our freshman year. It's funny how We recall old candidates, who since have dropped out of Midwood. 8

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We the Seniors, being of sound mind and ' loyal disposition, on this twenty-sixth day of June, in the year of nineteen hundred and forty- six, do hereby bequeath to our esteemed teachers our grateful thanks and to: Mr. P. S. Shapiro: An empty college Mr. Hirsch: Hamlet on rye Dr. Gramet: An automatic pass producer Mr. O'Brien: A Yiddish dictionary Mr Becker: A copy of the Emancipation Proclamation Mrs. A. S. Cohn: Two-hour periods Mr. Padow: A professorship at Vassar Mr. Dobren: A sofa for B71 Mr. Manheimer: More people with larger lung capacity Mr. Humbert: A debut at the Met Mr. Murtha: A11 the luck in the world for his new team Mr. I. J. Levine: A chance to play opposite Lauren Bacall Mr. Freedland: A case of laryngitis Mrs. Rosman: Two delaney books and a dozen pens Mr. Rogal: Satisfied students Miss Mullins: An atomic bomb Mr. Weinberger: A balanced ledger Miss Javer: A movie contract Mr. Robinson: A-typewriter of his own Mr. Raskin: Larger quarters for dumb-bells Mr. Cabat: A bigger and better book of Spanish jokes Mr. Eisenstadt: A summer at Forest Hills Argus Oiiice: An interior decorator Miss Bradshaw: A class of ninety-eight per centers Dr. Bernhardt: Eight free periods To the Senior Class: Many thanks for everlasting friendships and memories: and, in the days to come, all the luck and happiness in the world. JOAN BLUM, MARJORIE KOBRE, BARBARA LEIBERMAN 10