Mineola High School - Signet Yearbook (Mineola, NY)

Page 13 text:

We won't forget the heated debates in social studies, conducted to the accompani- ment of much hand-waving and finger snap- ping. We have studied world geography, history, and economy during our courses with the ultimate aim of tracing from their origins American institutions and culture. The problems of the present-day have been analyzed through the medium of weekly newspapers, supervised trips to the United Nations, and class discussion in order to give us the understanding necessary for competent citizenship. Some of us will reminisce, with a mix- ture of loathing and satisfaction, about our struggles with irregular verbs or pronunci- ation. In our language classes we gained an insight into the natures of those countries which have come to be our neighbors. Latin has maintained a position of great import- ance in scientific, technical, and legal fields; Spanish, German, and French have commer- cial value as well. El Circulo Espanol gives students an opportunity to visit Spanish quarters in New York City. Each year Latin students of exceptional ability are entered in the contest sponsored by New York University. Some of us established, perhaps in prepa- ration for college, a background of science, chemistry, physics, and biology. We remem- ber, some of us happily, some with distaste, our efforts to balance chemical equations, to solve an especially fiendish problem in phy- sics, or to complete one of the seemingly endless diagrams in biology or science. The biology and chemistry clubs gave interested students additional opportunities to under- take private projects and to make practical application of the theories learned in class. SOCIAL STUDIES Seated: Cornelia Doedeyns, Beatrice Engclmann; Standing: Howard Forsyth, Emily Becken. Mary Maher, Elizabeth Pulver. FOREIGN LANGUAGES Seated: Ruth Smith, Laura VC oolIey; Standing: Anna Eiskant, Dorothea Comfort. SCIENCE AND HEALTH Seated: Josephine Harrington (nurse), Ralph Wilhelm, Sarah Namian (dental hygienist); Standing: Harry Duff, Rita Richcl, Jeanette Hitchman, Martha Osborn (attendance officer), Kenneth Cady.

Page 12 text:

nm u auu «■■■! LI. i IIU.L.r We have attempted, in our English classes, to develop a mature and varied vocabulary and to acquire some degree of proficiency in reading, writing and speak- ing. Our first introduction to fine writing and our growing ability to understand and enjoy it will be long remembered. A special treat this year was the use of records by Orson Welles and Judith Anderson in Mac- beth. The study of English has been of primary importance to us as high school students since we have had to put our ac- quired knowledge to immediate and constant use. In our study of mathematics few of us will forget our dark grapplings with the unknown quantity; the disgust or delight with which we made the complex acquaint- ance of Euclid; the unlimited patience of our math teachers, whose repeated assur- ances that the whole thing is deceptively simple only rarely were convincing. Some of us will recollect the joy with which we tackled a particularly difficult problem; some others will re-live the old pencil-chewing reluctance. Preparing for future positions in the business world, we chose one of two pos- sible majors in the commercial department: vocational bookkeeping or vocational sten- ography. In either case we studied such subjects as business arithmetic, typewriting, bookkeeping, business law, and shorthand. Although we may have complained bitterly about the unfair complexiteis of shorthand and suffered the effects of broken tempers and fingernails in typing, we have gained a background of business understanding which, with or without supplementation, will make us capable employees. ENGLISH Seated: Crystal Littaucr, Gertrude Gagliano, Mari Redding; Standing: Lovina Mullen, Ralph Smith, Bernard Hausman, Marjorie Johnson (librarian). MATHEMATICS Alma Clendenny, John Berrian, Barbara Hobbs, Margaret Fields. BUSINESS Seated: Beatrice Hubbard, Violet Lynde (secre- tary), Elizabeth Miller, Rosemary Ball, Helen Oprandy; Standing: Gretchen Bubie, Harriet Proaper, Bette Bertschinger (secretary), Anne Hastings (secretary).

Page 14 text:

HIS HHUI! fl! ill ill lillf The numerous activities of the music department gave many of us an opportunity to develop our vocal and instrumental tal- ents. The mischief-makers among us also displayed their talents in washing black- boards and polishing sousaphones, two of the punishments meted out by the music council. This newly formed group, com- posed of the officers of the boys’ and girls' glee clubs, choristers, orchestra, and the band, tried those unfortunates who were tardy or disorderly. They distributed de- merits and other more distasteful penalties with a generous hand. Exclamations of delight from some of our teachers might indicate that the boys in the vocational department had finished over- hauling their instructors’ balky cars. This flourishing, although unlucrative, business was carried on by pupils learning automo- bile and aircraft engine mechanics. Students planning careers in industry were prepared also in industrial arts, electronics, mechan- ical drawing and blueprint reading. Some of our best memories concern con- ferences with our guidance advisors. They helped us recognize our aptitudes and abili- ties and to plan our high school courses in accordance with them. With their assistance we chose the colleges and careers best suited to us. Through the placement service main- tained by the guidance office many of us secured after-school and full-time positions. Besides the required physical education classes, most of us participated in inter- school and intra-mural sports. We gained, in addition to pleasant memories of spir- ited wranglings over disputed points and noisy commentary from the sidelines, an understanding of sportsmanship and a spirit of teamwork which will never leave us. MUSIC E. Castagna, E. Schwan, K. Appleton, J. Sheckard. VOCATIONAL Seated: Esther Wright (sewing), Edwin Richard- son, Isabel Burgujian (sewing and cooking); Standing: Walter Meurer, D. Nelson Finch, Paul Wilcox, John Kelsey. GUIDANCE Sally Phillips, W. Bergen Simonson. ATHLETICS Seated: Edith Freund, Anne Gregory, Mary Parker; Standing: Kenneth Hafncr, Peter Kuchinsky, Jr., Anthony De Phillips, Daniel Wright. NOT PICTURED Marion Palmer, English; Herm Arnopol, shop; Jane Austen, dramatics; Elizabeth Howard, cook- ing; Doris Neilinger, art.