Port Huron High School - Student Yearbook (Port Huron, MI)

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FALLEN FEATHERS The Big Red headdress has been plucked. The triple failure of the school tax millage (in June, July, and September) meant a lot of clipping at Port Huron High School this fall. Noses were out of joint about the whole situation. Had it passed, the millage would have allowed the school curriculum to remain un- changed. As it was, several programs were cut, as was the optional sixth class for many students. Some teachers and administrators lost their jobs or were shifted around the school like a badly shuffled deck of cards. Students were forced to give up classes they wanted in order to get the ones that they needed. The P.H. morale came through it all looking rather tattered, and attempts to fill the gaps by rearranging the plumage were not entirely successful. Among the missing plumes were Cadet Band, Advanced P.O.D., Wood Shop and Metal Shop, half the Fine Arts program, most of the second-year Foreign language classes, one of the two AP Physic courses (ditto for AP English), and several Business classes, including Typing and Shorthand. Teacher casualties included Mr. Dickenson (Social Studies and Class of 1990 Sponsor), Mrs. Wiley (English), Mr. Watt (school store), and Mr. Hoover (So- cial Studies, Odyssey of the Mind, and Science Olympiad). Miss Smith was trans- ferred to Woodrow Wilson Elementary, and Mrs. Harrington and Mrs. Stein’s positions were also eliminated; as a result, there was no clerical help in the school library, and the CRC (Career Resource Center) was closed. Only 30% of the students (520) were able to take a sixth class this year, as opposed to 64% (1200 students) last year. The result: study halls were so packed that many Juniors and Seniors were given all three lunch hours to relieve the crowding. Sophomore Shellee Coburn said, “I was affected by the millage failure be- cause I couldn’t take a sixth class. I wanted to, so I could have extra experience for col- lege, but they wouldn’t let me.” Even the teachers and administrators who remained at P.H. did not all escape the wrath of the Port Huron area taxpayers. Mr. Langolf was bumped out of his position as Department Chairman and into Drafting and Reading; Mr. Arnold was switched from Wood Shop to Drafting. The millage failure also put a cramp in Ms. Zauner’s style; many potential Yearbook staffers were unable to join because they could not take the sixth class they would have needed. Instructional supplies were also affect- ed. The textbook budget, for instance, was cut by 75%. This meant that classes which should have had new books were forced to get by on worn-out, out-of-date texts. In attempt to make the bus system more efficient and economical, school opened 15 minutes earlier each day than it had in the past, starting at 7:55 rather than 8:10 a.m., which made it that much more difficult for habitual latecomers to get to first hour on time. It sometimes resulted in less attentive and sometimes crankier students. But in spite of all the problems caused by the failure of the millage, the Big Red spirit remained unbowed. Staff and stu- dents worked their way around the missing pieces, filling the empty spaces as best they could, determined that a few fallen feathers were not going to ruin their 1988-89 year. This book is dedi- cated to their unruffled spirit, pyjoclute A screen stares blankly out at the empty CRC (Career Re- source Center), which was closed when Mrs. Harrington was laid off. Victims of the millage: these worn-out Rhetoric books were forced into another year’s service for Mrs. Johnson’s Advanced Comp classes. LAYOUT DESIGN BY TINA CARROLL OPENING 3

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Here’s what the Big Reds were up to during their spare time. A student poll revealed that the single most popular pastime this year was sports. Fifty-nine percent of students polled were involved in a sport: either a traditional, team- oriented sport like football or a more individual, less competitive sport like roller skating. More men than women played sports, making up 59% of sports participants. Men were also more inclined to be involved in team sports (particularly football and basketball) than women, who seemed to prefer more individual sports (skating was often noted). Less popular than sports but even more widespread was exer- cise. Eighty-one percent of stu- dents engage in some form of exer- cise. Reasons for doing so vary: 71% of men and 56% of women listed staying in shape; enjoyment was noted by 25% of men and 36% of women; and 7% thought it For co-op credit, Karrie Jones works with the bookkeeper counting the deposits submitted by school groups after their fund raisers. Student life includes sports fans crowding the stands at Memorial Stadium for weekend football games or the PHHS gym for other events. was a good way to meet people. Out-of-town shopping was also a favorite, with 45% traveling outside of Port Huron regularly to bargain-hunt. Forty-three percent enjoyed a movie at least once a month; 28% were in some kind of extracurricular club or organiza- tion. Attending parties also ranked high on many lists, with 27% expressing their approval for this particular form of entertainment. ALF, Alexis and Dr. Huxtable held their own, with 20% listing television as a favorite recreation. Role-playing games also had quite a following: 15% said they play such a game often. In fact, role- playing beat out cruising (which had 4%), video games and skateboarding (with 6% each). We got a few rather unique re- sponses. One person listed karate as his favorite activity. Another was into remote-controlled cars. And one individual reportedly got his kicks from . . . cutting the grass! Doesn’t that just tickle your fancy! copy by jo clute As one pastime, some Big Reds, like senior Kevin Sanderson, took to their wheels for cruisin ’ town on the weekends. Mail had to be sorted and Wanda Rucker spent part of her time on the job getting magazines ready for the teachers. LAYOUT DESIGN BY TINA CARROLL STUDENT LIFE DIVISION 5