Milford High School - Wepawaug Yearbook (Milford, CT)

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There is little similarity between the slightly built man who acts as principal of Milford High School and the stereotyped image of the hulking football hero, but for over twenty-three years HERBERT R. FRENCH has been for Milford students the symbol of school loyalty and good sports- manship both on and off the football field. As a student at Milford, he sparked his team to victory with his incredible speed and agility, and earned state wide recogni- tion which followed him during his four brilliant years at the University of Connec- ticut. Returning to Milford High as history teacher and football coach, he demonstrated his ability and loyalty by giving of himself unstintingly in the classroom and in almost every other extra-curricular activity. When the school's size began to increase with alarming suddenness in 1949, Herb French was the logical choice for Assistant Princi- pal, and upon the retirement of Mr. Fred- erick Gorham, French stepped into the po- sition of administrator of a brand new mil- lion dollar high school. To Mr. French, the position of principal of Milford High is a work of love, and he manages to give his personal attention to every aspect of the school administration. His feelings toward his alma mater are recognized and respected by the student body, whose relationship with him is un- usually warm and personal, due in a large part to his delightful sense of humor and his belief in treating the students as adults, discussing with them their duties and re- sponsibilities rather than issuing unex- plained edicts. Personally modest and un- assuming, Mr. French, upon being asked, is always forced to admit that there isn't a better high school in the United States than Milford High. As if his position as director of all pupil personnel services for the town of Milford weren't enough to overwhelm him with work, ROBERT P. HOPKINS is also a candidate for his doctorate at Columbia University, where he also received his B.A. and M.A. degrees. Vigorous and hard-work- ing, somehow Mr. Hopkins manages to present a calm unhurried exterior, and goes about his day quietly and efhciently, never giving anyone, either teacher or student, the impression that he cannot listen to a problem. Starting his career as a counseling HERBERT R. FRENCH, Principal, RICHARD HERMAN, MARY L. DUDA, Assistant Principalsg ROBERT HOPKINS, Guidance Director. French runs the daily double, Herman makes out the rate sheets, Duda checks the stalls, Hopkins puts in the fix. psychologist, he was employed as an indus- trial personnel worker. When the war came, he entered the Air Force as a personnel ofhcer, and upon finishing his tour of duty, settled down in Milford to assume his pres- ent position. His seven years at Milford have seen the increase and expansion of all the services offered to students in the town. 59 -'Y-if ..., 41 BOARD OF EDUCATION. Seated: Mrs. Laurence Falls, Mrs. Robert McKiernan, Mrs David Crosby, chairlady, Mrs. Charles Riepe. Standing: Mssrs. William Abbotts, III Howard Comstock, Robert Evasick, Arthur Simpson, Albert Waters, Edward Dana. They watch the watchers. Discipline ond Guidance Known facetiously to many students at Milford High School by such various titles as Tricky Dicky and Assistant Warden, Vice-principal RICHARD A. HERMAN, nevertheless, is a man whose solutions to problems of discipline have helped to create an unusually fine student-faculty relation- ship. He has done this both through his regular duties during school hours and by forming and sponsoring a local chapter to the Key Club International, a boys' service organization. Mr. Herman prepared at City College of New York where he received his Bachelor of Social Science and Yale Univer- sity where he received his Master of Arts. He began his career as a teacher of history and social studies at Milford High, advanc- ing to the vice-principalship five years ago. Looking as if she is not very long out of school herself, young and attractive MARY LOU DUDA goes about her duties as vice- principal of Milford High with determined efficiency and enthusiastic frankness. After graduating from Bates College, she went straight to Milford to teach social studies and history while studying for her M.A. at Fairneld University. She accepted the vice- principalship in january of last year and enrolled in the sixth year certificate grad- uate program at Fairfield. One glance at her record makes ir quite obvious to the observer that Miss Duda is one gal who is going places.

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EDUCATION Genicil Realist Elizabeth D. Smith, long time teacher of mathematics, and one-time mentor of the school annual, was selected this year by the senior class as the teacher whose contri- bution to the school merited the spotlight and gratitude of the entire student body. Miss Smith, a firm believer in strict disci- pline and good old fashioned hard work, has been imparting respect and admiration as well as a thorough knowledge of the subject of mathematics for over thirty years at Milford High School. Unshaken by the fads in education, she has kept herself abreast of the latest developments in her field, and without publicity, discovered and developed, on her own, mathematical genius in many of her students, long before sput- nikitis swept the pendulum of educational interest to the gifted child. Always maintaining a teacher-pupil re- lationship, Miss Smith has had a hand in the supervision of the extra curricular since the beginning of her career, both as a speci- fic sponsor of particular groups and as major class advisor for countless senior classes. Dances, assemblies, proms, student council, yearbook, ways and means are just a few of the activities which have consumed what would otherwise have been free hours for Miss Smith. In the classroom, her vision and imagina- tion inspire admiration for her personal skill and for the teaching profession in gen- eral. Thorough and exact herself, she ex- pects and receives the same from her stu- dents. A sense of humor capable of dis- tinguishing between wit and foolishness, and an intellect capable of an immediate, frank, and oral appraisal of both makes her popular with the intelligent students and anathema to the smart alec. 1- A SUPERINTENDENT JOSEPH A. FORAN He watches the birth-rate. When the assumption this year of the duties of head of the mathematics depart- ment limited the free time at her disposal, Miss Smith resigned sponsorship of the time consuming yearbook, Two months after school began, however, missing the contact with students and realizing the need to stimulate interest in mathematics, she or- ganized a local chapter in MAO, National Mathematics Honorary Society. For two generations, residents of the town of Milford have proudly informed their friends, I had Miss Smith for math, Here is a teacher - when comes such another? Other Interested Parties Twenty-one years ago, JOSEPH EORAN left Yale University with his B.A. degree tucked firmly under his arm and took the half hour ride to his home town of Milford, Connecticut, to begin a lifelong career in the field of education. From that time on, he has played an important part in the de- velopment of the school system in Milford, advancing from his beginning position of teacher in Central Grammar School to his present ofhce as superintendent of schools. In the interim, he taught at the high school and at Woodmont School where he also acted as principal while commuting to New Haven to earn his second degree from Yale. Known throughout educational circles as a fearless spokesman for better schools and new methods, Mr. Foran has guided the town of Milford through one crisis after another caused by unprecedented population growth and changes. To his friends he is known as a devoted family man with a magnificent sense of humor and a fantastic memory for figures. Graduating from Harvard with a B.A. degree, MR. ROBERT W'lNSLOW took to the classroom where as a teacher of mathe- matics and social studies he spent eight cold Maine winters. However, when the war be- gan and things looked warmer overseas, Mr, W'inslow took another look at the dy- ing embers in the schoolroom stove and joined the Navy, After serving for a period of six years, he again turned to the field of education, this time taking up the position of assistant principal of the high school in Winchester, Massachusetts. From this he next held the principalship of a high school in Brunswick, Maine while at the same time working towards his M.A. degree which he received from Boston University in 1949. Climbing another rung of the ladder, Mr. Winslow took over the duties as the super- intendent of schools in Limestone, Maine, where he remained for eight years before going to Milford in july of l956. He is now working on a unified curriculum guide for the Milford school system. ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT ROB- ERT WINSLOW. He watches the curricu- lum. After earning his C.E. from Columbia University, LOUIS LITCHENSTEIN turned from a promising career as a civil engineer and entered the held of education as a teacher of drafting in the State Trade School. He earned his BS. from Teachers College of Connecticut and in 1942 he transferred to Milford High School where he continued to teach drafting while work- ing towards his M.A. from New York University so that he could accept the posi- tion as Assistant Superintendent of schools in charge of business affairs. Wry-humored and frank, his blunt appraisals of every situation have made him equal to the count- less onslaughts of town ofhcials and citizens to whom he has had to submit increasingly larger budgets. When the problems of his highly tensioned office press too hard upon him. Mr. Lichtenstein, a talented celloist, finds comfort and relaxation in his music. X 5 1 A ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT LOUIS LITCHENSTEIN. He watches the dollars.

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K Ulilllll Q LE lah ,x , MRS, ELEANOR HEBERGER, secretary to MRS. ESTHER WRIGLEY, clerk-typist. MRS. DOROTHY BOREIKO, clerk-typist Mr. French. lnfomiutimz . . . Bur tickets . . . And exturer. i Rachael F. Freedman, Anne F. Lyston, head librarian. Keeper: of the bean. From all parts of New England hve people have gathered in Milford for the purpose of helping to form the charac- ters and determine the futures of the students of Milford High School. The head of this department, Dr. Reuben Swimmer, has watched those who are now seniors advance themselves in char- acter, as they advanced themselves through the grades for the last four years. Many graduating students have obtained positions largely through the efforts of Dr. Swimmers placement service. a system by which he co-oper- ates with the various emplovment ointes throughout the town in placing his stu- dents in iobs. a service which has been highly successful and largely utilized. One of the departments main iobs is the administering of aptitude and achievement tests, a task which the de- partment performs 'with the peak of efhciency. Not content to restrict them- selves to required duties. the department has gone farther to help the students along the cobbled road to success in giving straight from the shoulder ad- vice to all petitioners. A Growing Concern Carlyle said, The library is the heart of the university, but a modern high school is built upon the same principle. The Milford High School library is being carefully built up by Miss Anne F, Lyston, head librarian, and Miss Rachael F. Freedman, teacher turned li- brarian. Although only seven years old, through the careful planning and pur- chasing of Miss Lyston, a graduate of New Haven State Teachers College, the library is at present one of the best equipped in the state. The two librarians divide the day into overlapping sessions, with Miss Lyston opening up in the A.M., and Miss Freedman locking up at night. Miss Freedman's twelve years elementary teaching experience, for which she prepared at Willimantic Teachers College and the University of New Hampshire, has given her the pa- tience she needs in initiating the P.M. session freshmen into the mysteries of the library, and has freed a grateful Miss Lyston for more serious adminis- trative tasks. ff 2' IFA ill! Seated: Miss janet Yates, Mrs. Margaret Law, Miss .leannette Allard. Standing: Mt. Gerard Mohyde, Dr. Reuben Swimmer, department head. Directory of the mirid. . 1.