Richland High School - Portal Yearbook (Johnstown, PA)

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iunior and senior high school. Mr. Glenn Hess, our new supervising principal, was on hand to greet us. We were soon to know that we were now upperclassmen with grave responsibilities. We had to earn enough money to entertain the Senior Class at a prom and banquet, we had to choose our hats, pennants, emblems, rings, class colors, class flower, motto, and the like. In addition to this we had to plan our curriculum, and for some reason, the teachers expected us to keep up in our studies. Of course we couldn't operate without class officers, so we selected Alyce Vitzenty as president, Richard Miatey as vice-president, Violet Baumgardner as secretary, and Lester Reitz as treasurer. We then entered into a frenzy of activities, which included holding dances, collecting dues, staging a play, selling Christmas cards, doing any- thing that would help raise money. We were a large class and were separated into three groups, with Mr. Seymour, Mr. John Hess, and Mr. Samuel as homeroom teachers. Mrs. Ethel Risbon served as class adviser until she resigned at the end of the first semester. Mr. Samuel then became our faculty guardian. The Echo came forth in a new form complete with pictures, but was too expensive to continue long. However, it soon returned in more hum-ble attire as a mimeographed sheet. The Pep Club held a novelty dance in the winter known as a Sock Hop. lt was a quiet affair because everyone danced in his stocking feet. The Junior Play that year was entitled Everybody's Crazy Now, and before the play was over we thought they were, but when the financial report was completed we knew they weren't. The play ran two nights, December i3 and 14. In the spring all who saw us knew we were iuniors. We turned out in our green and white hats and emblems, and many of us wore them for as long as two weeks. The Junior Prom was held at the Oakhurst Tearoom west of Somerset on May 3. Again it was interesting to see who went with whom. Every- one looked so different and so nice in long gowns and new suits. The picnic at Idlewild Park was held two days before the close of school, and though we had rain in the morning, the weather cleared and the afternoon was beautiful picnic weather. The tra- dition that the weather is nice at least a part of each day at Idlewild remained unbroken. The activities of Senior week came off on schedule. Class Night, Baccalaureate, Commence- ment, and the Class of i947 made its exit through the portals of Richland. Alyce Vitzenty accepted the Senior Key, and at last we were the Seniors. Our last summer vacation as high school students! How we wanted it to last! we had so many things to do, but for some reason time seemed to be speeding up. The summer wasn't such a long drag as when we were waiting to enter as fresh- men. We were back in school the latter part of August, and did we like to strut before the under- classmen. We were now advanced to the front seats in the auditorium, and were given the first seats in the gym. Imagine our chagrin when we learned that there were to be no afternoon games. However, we were too busy with other things to sit and pine over such a twist of events. We received our rings, selected our name cards and invitations, had our pictures taken. These things really made us feel like Seniors, but l guess none of us fully realized the importance of our lofty state until the day we were measured for caps and gowns. We knew now that our accomplishments were realized and plans for ,our graduation were being carried forward. The officers of our Senior year were: Richard Matey, president, Violet Baumgardner, vice-presi- dent, Lelah Gearhart, secretary, and Philip Corle, treasurer. During our iunior year serious work was begun on the formation of a student council. A constitu- tion was drawn up and adopted, but it was not activated that year. The council began to function during the first part of our senior year, and Lelah Gearhart and Wilbert King represented our class in that body, with King serving as its first president. When our iunior year ended we thought our financial troubles were all in the past, but we decided to take a trip to Harrisburg and Hershey, and the merry-go-round began again. Dances, skating parties, Christmas cards, and a senior play all brought our goal closer to realization. Mr. Samuel directed both our plays, while Miss Dodd assisted in make-up. Miss Dodd and Mr. Samuel were also our homeroom teachers during our important senior year. Mr. Samuel was named our Faculty Adviser. The girls' homeroom was crowded, and most of us could carry more in our pocketbooks than we could store in our desk drawers. Our high school career is coming to a close, but we still have time to comment on the unusually nice prom the iuniors gave in our honor at the Jacktown Hotel out on the Lincoln Highway toward Pittsburgh. If only there were time to remember all the funny things that happened that night, and also how there was never a dull moment. And that Harrisburg-Hershey trip . . . The things we learned! The things we did! But we'll not talk about that. When we returned, things really began to happen. Class night, Baccalaureate, Commence- ment! They're all so different this time. Before there were just people on the stage, but this time we're up here. Boy! But say! Where'd the evening go? The valedictorian is nearly through, l hear words-someone is saying, . . . and you are now FAClNG THE WORLD. Oh. gee! Am I? Twenty-fivo

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land Township from Adams, Jean McGregor from St. Patrick's in Johnstown, and Gail Wagner from Oakland. That year found us busy with English l, civics, Pennsylvania history, general science, algebra, or agriculture, depending on the course we selected. Our class officers were Gail Wagner as presi- dent, Philip Corle as vice president, Violet Baum- gardner as secretary, and Richard Matey as treas- UI'6I'. Remember how easily the seats in the boys' home room could be moved, and how simple it was to crawl out of the windows. Remember, boys, how Brownie Donato used to entertain you at noon in your home room. He must have been a very accomplished dancer. Do you recall how the girls would plaster their faces with powder, give an eerie sigh, and gracefully faint in general science class? Remember how Mr. Miller, by taking his post in Mr. Van Dyke's study hall, averted a strike threatened by students who were not per- mitted to attend a certain baskeball game? We had a party at Christmas time, but some- how we never did get around to decorating the tree. However, we stood it in the corner and it did serve a noble purpose. A freshman didn't look so green when standing beside it. The floor was extremely slippery that night, and more than one person fell during the relay games. ln the spring we had a picnic at Liberty Park. Joanne Miller furnished our transportation by using her father's truck. The water was so cold that swimming was limited to getting your bathing suit wet and then making a dash for the dressing room. During the summer months we enjoyed our- selves, got a sun tan or worked, as the case might be. In the fall we came back to school as veterans. We were sophomores and felt good about it. That is, we felt good until that awful day when one of our teachers broke down and told us the meaning of sophomore. Why do teachers do such things? At the beginning of the school year in i945 we found that we had lost a few of our classmates and were honored by the addition of a few new members. That year we were known as sophies and received less attention than any other of our four years. We were not considered as green as the freshmen, nor were we as yet upperclassmen. Miss Dodd kept the boys under her protecting wing, while the girls again reported' to Mr. Wissler. We learned that thinking was prescribed in most of our classes. We found ourselves taking English ll, Modern and Medieval history, commonly known as M 81 M, biology, algebra, Latin, French, or vocational agriculture. We moved into the middle seats in the back of the auditorium, and gazed down, just a wee bit, on the Freshmen. Not too- much, though, for we could still remember our freshman year. Our class officers were: Wayne Allison, presi- dent, a newcomer from Walnut Grove, Philip Corle, Twenty-four vice president, John Nagrant, secretary, and Richard Matey, treasurer. A Hallowe'en party was held in a barn in Cornelia Park. While it was strictly a costume affair, Joanne Miller was the only one who came in proper attire. A treasure hunt was instigated, and many took it so seriously that they got lost, at least they didn't show up again at the party, Refreshments were served as everyone expected they would be, but the highlight of the evening came when Miss Dodd gave her personal interpretation of the irish llg' Going back a bit, do you remember the Bed- ford game that year, or rather the night of the Bedford game? What a night! What a moon! What a bus! The one the team rode in shot a bearing on the Pleasantville Mountain. From there to Geistown the band bus did double duty. Remember how some of the girls did their bit for the war effort-seeing the boys oft to the service with a high spirit and some red paint? That year we sold hot dogs and pop at our home football and basketball games, and thus made a beginning in our class treasury. How nice the band members looked in their new blue and red uniforms! That year we had quite a few outdoor classes, especially in English and M. 81 M. Quite instruc- tional they were, too. We learned a lot about mushball. There were slight disturbances when the boys wouldn't let the girls play with them, and some not-so-slight disturbances when they did. The war shortages were felt at Richland, too, we only need recall the drawerless desks in Room lO7. Books to the right of us, books to the left of us . . . but try to find your own. Do you recall the white lines that were painted on the hall floors? A system was devised whereby it took from tive to ten minutes to cross from one side of the hall to the other. This system soon gave way to an easier and more practical order. That was the year our athletic teams were first known as the Rams, as well as the year the PORTAL came into being. Recall how we sat in the auditorium all day waiting for the various groups to be called out to have pictures token? In the spring the whole high school had an all-day picnic at Idlewild Park, the first one held since before the war, and consequently the first one many of us knew anything about. School busses were used for transportation to and from the park. lt was certainly fun to see who went together, and still more interesting to see who returned to- gether. After watching the class of I946 being gradu- ated, the school year ended, and the time of vaca- tion arrived with all its accompanying pleasures. The summer between our sophomore and iunior years simply faded away, and in the fall we returned to find many changes at Richland, The first six grades were removed from the Geistown building, and it was given over entirely to the

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The Junior Class officers have worked together well to make the junior year the success it must be. They have demonstrated the true meaning of the ward cooperation, and are all active in doings about school. lvadene Horner, president, is a member of the Pep Club, while vice-president Paul Hi- borilc and treasurer Robert Seaman belong to the Varsity RC Lois Corle who succeeded Kenneth Krause as secretary is also a member oi the Pep Club. The Junior' Class with Mr. Wlssler in the adviser'5 seat had Q busy year, This class decided to carry on the tradition ot entertaining the Seniors in a Htting manner, so much ot its concern was tinance. This matter was taken care ot through a number of class-sponsored activities. The sole ot candy was one of its most lucrative undertakings, but this was later taken over by the Varsity R , A Thanksgiving Dance, the Heart Hop, a skating party, and a very successful iunior play all helped till the till. The Junior-Senior banquet and dance which culminated the year's activities was held at the Jack- town Hotel on the Lincoln Highway. lt was a gala event, and one to be remembered. The class also found time to order rings, hats, pennants, and emblems. Its colors are black and gold, its motto, Live and learn, and its flower, the yellow tea rose. Twenty-six