Royal Oak High School - Oak Yearbook (Royal Oak, MI)

Page 9 text:

A Look ut Dondero s Yenr MUSICAL HISTORY was made when the Dondero orchestra and concert band, entering the district contest against other AA music groups from the southeast Michigan area, were given superior rating for concert and sightreading efforts. This was the first year that a Royal Oak high school instrumental music group was awarded a First Division - in fact, it was the first time an RO orchestra even entered the contest. Here, Mr. Yenovk Kavafian, the orchestra's conductor, leads his strings at their hourlong rehearsal, which is a part of their regular school day. EMPTY CLASSROOMS and poor grades typified the effects the epidemic of Asian Flu had upon the student body at Dondero. During an especially hard-hit period, as many as 600 students were absent from classes lout of a possible 22001.

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OAK Editorial 1 l To you, the 1958 graduates, we present this message. Four years ago we entered Royal Oak High School for the first time. Our backgrounds were as varied as the iunior high schools from which we came, At that time we knew little of each other. Those of us who have finished the trek together are now friends. We have given, each in his own way, to the personality of our schools as they have contributed to each of us. We are among the last of the Royal Oak graduates. ln the future there is the prospect of Dondero and Kimball graduations. True, two schools will hold commencements for senior classes this year, but the classes have been united throughout most of their careers. ln two years the graduating seniors will come from two schools, never having known each other with the possible exception of casual acquaintances and athletic competition. Because the T958 classes entered one high school together and worked through most of their academic careers together, the full impact of the growing problem of two high schools is not felt by us. But the line for this problem has already been drawn, and it creates this question for the future: Will there be a graduation from the Royal Oak High Schools unified in spirit, or will it be a city of Dondero and Kimball graduates bred in distrust and ill feeling? lt is with the solution of this problem in mind that we address ourselves to the future graduates of Royal Oak. These are your schools. ln time they will be what you have helped to fashion. The problems of growth that caused the existence of two high schools are far beyond your powers, but the will to attack and solve this distur- bance is within your grasp. Through mutual understanding these problems may be resolved within the satisfying bonds of common interests and scholastic unity. There ure People we never forget A good counsellor is much more than an able ad- ministrator. True, he must know the proper pro- cedures and methods of counselling, but it is equally important that he be a friend to his stu- dents. The counsellor helps lay out the path of future life in the choosing of the subiects to be pursued during high school. To the adults of tomorrow, who choose their life's work while in high school, the advice of their counsellor is invaluable. While in his care, a student's grades depend largely on the counsellor, who must check that the student is always working to his capacities. Not only must he schedule the hundreds of students in- to the classes they desire to take, but he must listen to the complaints of the few who aren't satisfied. A counsellor really has his work cut out for him when his charges become seniors. He guides them through the yard-long college applications, the countless questions on scholarship blanks, and the tons of red tape connected with high school. With- out his reminders and gentle prodding, many sen- iors would have applied for college entrance too late for acceptance. Not only does he help college prep students. Many have received co-op training through the tireless efforts of their counsellor in helping squeeze the schedule to fit the individual, not vice-versa. We at Dondero feel especially fortunate and proud in having by our side through high school an extremely capable and likeable man. For help- ing us through numerous difficulties, for providing a shoulder to cry on, and for being a very wonder- ful person, we, the classes of January and June 1958, dedicate this yearbook to our counselor and friend, Mr. Terry Hood.