Notre Dame Bishop Gibbons High School - Knight Yearbook (Schenectady, NY)

Page 32 text:

Band Several years ago someone began to take the band seriously: clarinets stopped squeaking, tin became brass, and back row snare drum improvisa- tions ceased. The band had clearly entered a new phase—certainly not the Era of Swing, but it had acquired a respectable sound. Yawns at assem- blies were replaced by polite attentiveness, and al- though many students and faculty stood on their tiptoes to help the clarinets reach the high notes, the change was real. At the first assembly this year, the band passed all the tests; it had arrived. Practice sessions with Mr. Beck and Mr. Frederick, a room of its own, a lot of cooperation, and a rise in self-respect combined to startle the students with a National Anthem that dfd more than just sound like the National Anthem. Assembled jaws then dropped as Brother Hart led the band members through some of the most am- bitious and downright perilous numbers ever at- tempted. The band had been taught to move for“ fully and to move together. Q ■

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Debate And Oratory In 1969-70, Gibbons enjoyed the most successful and profitable year ever in Debate. Under the guidance of Moderator Br. John Barwin, these orators dominated the Upper New York State area completely with wins over all Diocesan schools in tournaments at Bethlehem Central, West Winfield, Johnstown and Vincentian. The teams also journeyed to Cornell University, the State University at Cortland, Convent High School in Syracuse and Hendrick Hudson in Poughkeepsie, seeking a better class of opponents. In speech contests that Gibbons entered, they also had amaz- ing success. Led by Dennis Wade, Paul D’Ammasso, and Frank Sa- sinowski in Extemporae speaking, Gary Collings and Bob Kennedy in Original Oratory and Ed Meskutovecz, Jim York and Bob Wake- man in Interpretation, the team placed well in tournaments at Marylrose and Hudson. One of the purposes of Debate is to get students involved in informed discussion on current issues. This year the debaters studied the effects of an American prohibition of all military inter- vention in the affairs of other countries. ‘But Jim, you know I'm right!1 Meskutovecz, Collings, Wakeman and York discuss the effects of a Vietnam with- drawal. 27

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 l C' r (2 yC 6 ylx sf ryw The Choral Club of 1969-70 was back in full swing after a one-year lapse. Starting off the year with about fifteen consistent members, the Club quickly swelled to thirty-five after a lightning recruiting drive. Mr. Richard Fragomeni, from Mater Christi Seminary, instructed the Club three times a week, in addition to giving individual voice instruc- tion to several interested students. The Club performed at a joint Christmas Concert with Notre Dame and did several numbers in conjunction with the Bishop Gibbons Band at the Spring Concert in May. 29