Redondo Union High School - Pilot Yearbook (Redondo Beach, CA)

Page 14 text:

1. LONG WAY HOME-The RTD bus lines took on new meaning for stu- dents. It was the only way to school for about 113 of the RUHS student body. Ready to board are Pam Morris and Eric Juliet. ON TO VICTORY-ln the athletic split between Mira Costa and RUHS, it was figured that Mira Costa got the better deal. So far, not so! For the first time in 23 years, RUHS won Pioneer League outright, and beat Mira Costa in the new crosstown rivalry game. Here, in another big win, Dino Marzulli gains yardage against Miraleste. CROWDS OF STUDENTS-The latest look on campus as the crowded eating areas where students flocked to get lunch. The AL Young Center, formerly a meeting place, now hosted kids at mealtimes. ALONE ON CAMPUS-Mahlon Fish, Aviation principal, stops at his favorite campus spot to recall watching Falcons socializing at lunch. Fish retired in December.

Page 13 text:

13.22, ci My X . s A K X r E. E gt. I .E 2 o :M X 9, If I - I .f fl' ittl 3 A year ago, two worlds apart Just a little more than a year ago, three separate high schools were fightin to promote their own identities in the cause ofg keeping their schools open. Each student body knew, however, that no demonstration would change minds of members of the South Bay Union High School District board of education, one school would be closed. Both Redondo and Aviation felt the pressure the most. It was Aviation's biggest year as far as spirit and committment were concerned. At Redondo, it came as a su rise to find how many people cared, how valued the traditions were, and how much its own students were willing to work to keep it open. And, after April 14, 1982, when Aviation was declared the school to be closed, a slow transition began for RUHS students towards becoming a brand new high school. It has been slow, it has been difficult, and it has been an awakening for students and teachers alike. Now, it's often easier to remember what WAS. One thinks of the quiet, large campus, the high element of disci line. Students were rarely out of class, off groundls or elsewhere, because the small student body could be easily controlled. Teachers' small characteristics were passed on and most stu- dents could be assured of having their names known by everyone. However, there was also the lack of class choices, lack of supplies, the scarcity of student activities, the abundance of off-campus coaches, and fund raisin from Monda through Friday just to keep clubs ifunctioning. There were teachers who didn't know the subject they were teaching, but were forced to take classes out of their subject areas be- cause of hiring freezes, and there were students who had to go to El Camino to take high school classes that RUHS couldn't offer. The goal in closing a high school was improvin education in the district. That goal was achievecf The rest of it, the fusion of groups, the enlargement of activities, and the blending of spirit, was up to the students as the year began. a year ago 9

Page 15 text:

Today: attempting a fusion We are Sea Hawks. Not all of us planned to be, some of us don't want to be, and there are those of us happy to be, but what we are beyond being Sea Hawks is a privileged group of young people. We got the best in the deal: we got a campus that is as spacious as we'd wish, we got to bring most of our favorite teachers with us, we met a new faculty whose administration counsels individual instruc- tion and care, and we got honesty in appraisal of what we are. We surprised everyone by launchin a new sports tradition which was superb, we started new clubs as diverse as Croquet and as challenging as Astron- omyg we jazzed up our pep groups and brought in an exciting drama program, we kept the High Tide weekly, and the yearbook staff worked to view both sides of the situation as clearly as ossible. We became as diverse as any high school in Southern California, tolerating and even occasional- ly talking to punkers, new wavers, preppies, surf- ers, stoners, rockabillies, jocks, rah-rahs and low- riders. We welcomed handicapped and Aphasic stu- dents on campus, we rebuilt many of our facilities and we learned to adjust. And, there were problems. The whole district was shocked by a drug bust in November, when 10 students from RUHS and 2.6 from Mira Costa were arrested as suspected drug sellers. There were dis- trusting arents, some of whom even came to school to be sure it was safe There were unhappy forced transfer students who had given false ad- dresses. Sooner or later, however, things began to change. Because teachers allowed classes to become forums of discussion when necessary, because the adminis- tration was willing to keep doors open and talk with anyone who wanted to say something, and because students worked extra hard to blend and accept, the whole school atomsphere slowly began to improve. By the end of the year, this fusion of elements had created a new outlook: one of promise and excite- ment for the years ahead. 'lf' .ll I i 4 I .A if aff 4+ -I I r' .. ' A 4 'Y' ,J 4 'I SN. , ,. .V Q Gig-il4'7f 'l ' - 3.5 ae, o 1, ' L' 'if',l,-.fnpeifljlfffizf '51 Y , eg: 'vs -fmt' Q , D . ' Q- ' 34 - - ..... .....l11 fusion 11