Newcastle High School - Blue Racer Yearbook (Newcastle, OK)

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Possibly the very freakiest of all happenings in this freaky year was the story of Spiro Agnew, once folk-hero to millions of Middle Americans whom he championed. With Pres- ident Nixon's popularity slipping and the possibility of impeachment being openly discussed, it seemed likely that Agnew might well become Presi- dent. Early in the fall that situation changed drasti- cally. News leaked out of grand jury investigations of Agnew's activities as Governor of Maryland, an office he held immediately before becoming Vice- President. Accusations that he had extorted funds from contractors in return for political favors while he was Governor and even after he became Vice- President finally formed. Agnew angrily, self- righteously denied all charges, declaring he would fight this through to the end. A stunning re- versal resulted when he pleaded no contest to reduced charges, paid a fine, and resigned the Vice-Presidency. The 761st U .S . Air Force Band came all the way from Sheppard AFB, Texas, to wow the student body with their big-brass sound. ‘Yesterday at 2:00 My Spiro Annually the FHA initi- ates the freshmen mem- bers of their club with all sorts of unusual rituals. One inventive method to harass the girls was dem- onstrated by Mars hah O'Donley to Terri Dobbs. The girls were forced to chew licorice without swallowing, grossing out many of those participat- ing, not to mention those watching. 4 OPENI NG

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Making news most of the year was the gasoline shortage. Driving students felt the pinch along with everyone else in the U.S.A. One way to save was to drive at slower speeds, 50 or 55 m.p.h. A 55- m.p.h. speed limit was legislated in early 1974 to coincide with nationwide attempts to alleviate the crisis. Fortunately, an espe- cially harsh winter didn't hit, or heating fuel short- ages could have been dis- astrous. But, an especially hard tornado season pre- ceded it. They zoomed all around Newcastle, leveling n e i ghboring communities Union City and Blanchard. Thom Wood packages can- ned goods co I I e c t e d by Newcastle students for Blanchard tornado victims. With the POW's home, at- tention turned to the thousands of MIAsstill unaccounted for. Senior Jacci Titsworth w o r e a bracelet with the name of Spec. 6 Jerry Bridges, he not being one of the returnees or those accounted for. And the highly controversial issue of amnesty for the thousands of draft dodgers in Sweden and Can- ada was raised. Horror stories of torture in the prison camps of Vietnam leaked out slowly. The energy crisis most ur- ■■■! gently made its presence felt. I The skyrocketing price of gas and I other petroleum-related products, when they could be found, were further blows to money already stretched by the highest inflation since the Korean War. OPEIMING 3

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The Economic Stabilization Program meant regulated gas prices much of 1973: to some it meant only regulated gas price increases. Charges flew that the gas shortage was really only an oil industry plot to boost profits, leading to a highly publicized but incon- clusive Congressional investigation. Profits were up, some 50%, all over the industry. Oil company spokes- men tried to off-set the claims, saying in- creased profits were being spent to explore for more oil to satisfy an energy-hungry, energy-short country. The Arab oil em- bargo was one factor accounting for oil shortages. The out- break of another Arab- Israeli conflict strengthened the Arabs' position, and they boldly imposed the embargo on oil shipments to most Western countries who had supported Israel. The events stunned the nation, including the stu- dent body of Newcastle. Although most of it de- veloped during part of a school day, news leaked into a thoroughly surprised student body, word spread- ing quickly throughout the school. The whole affair became the talk of the school by the time the stu- dents boarded the buses for home, and spilled into the next morning. Many felt Agnew got just what he deserved, while some felt he had been handled too lightly, that he should have served some kind of prison sentence. Those who had believed his statements of innocence, and admired his courage in facing his problems, were most bitterly disillusioned. Table of Contents Album: 52-103 Scrapbook: 6-51 Ads: 106-114