Richfield High School - Aurean Yearbook (Richfield, MN)

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Local Affairs A Shrinking School RHS at one time was distinguished as being the largest high school in the state, with graduating classes that exceeded 900 students. Now that number has decreased to slightly over 700 students in the class of '77. The reasons for the declining enrollment are obvious. Birth control has played a major part in the decrease. Legalized abortions and new trends in parents' lifestyles have had direct impact on Richfield's population. Secondly, the fact that the community is becoming an older one leads to a lowering in enrollment at the high school and even more prominently in the grade school level. Students consequently noticed certain changes in the school system. Elementary schools were closed and many teachers were let go. The wide selection of courses was not cut back this year but no doubt will be in the future. Teachers were released on a seniority basis. This policy has room for improvement, for the administration fears that good teachers could be lost. Several students were also critical of this policy because they were sorry to see younger teachers leaving. Mr. Olive forsees the freshman from East and West Junior High Schools joining the sophomores, juniors, and seniors in the high school building someday. Other steps in consolidation will have to be made to fully utilize the staff and facilities. 26 Local Affairs

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Work Program Provides Experience On the Work Experience Program, students had the opportunity to work at various types of jobs while they attended classes four hours a day. Some of the different jobs were cook, printer, janitor, and assistant manager. Participants in the program had a chance to discuss their jobs and personal experiences, job interviews, and other related subjects each day with their co-workers. To be in the program, students had to be accepted by a committee of four. The committee examined all of the applications and then decided who would be accepted. Twenty-eight students were selected this year. Mr. Gilbert, the program director, likes the program because, It gives students an opportunity to work and complete schooling at the same time. The students like getting credit for working and going to school for only-half a day. Mr. Gilbert recommends the program to students who don't like school or haven't been very successful in it. Work Expcrience 25

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Ruts And Potholes Are Ironed Out Coming to its completion in the fall of 1976 was a 3 year street improvement project instigated by the Richfield City Council. Beginning in the north-east part of Richfield, construction crews riped up the old tar and gravel streets, put in concrete curbs, gutters, and driveway aprons, applied 2 layers of permanant asphalt surfaces, and replaced the sod. In addition, new street lights were placed at midblock intervals as a safety precaution and convenience for residents. Soundproofing The City During the winter of 1976, cement and wooden noise barriers was erected along Interstate 35W. This barrier, similar to the one put up several years ago farther north in a residential Minneapolis area, cost over one million dollars. Even though the Highway Department thought it was doing the residents who lived along the freeway a favor, the department found many objected to the barrier for various reasons. Some resented the confining, boxed in feeling it gave them. Others considered its green and brown wooden planks unattractive, while some even admitted to missing the noise. Citizens' opinions were split about 50-50 over the structures' effectiveness in controlling the noise. Hub Area Has A Face Lift On November 30th the Richfield City Council authorized preparation of the final plans for the improvements in the Lyndale-Hub-Nicollet redevelopement area which were finally completed in March. The Council gave the city rights to more than $600,000 worth of private property for the project Even though some homes were moved from the neighborhood, the Council kept the number of them to a minimum. There is a possibility Nelson's Restaurant may be moved in 1977. The goal of this endeavor was to upgrade the business district to attract more consumers into the Local Affairs 27 area.