Ruskin High School - Mirage Yearbook (Kansas City, MO)

Page 17 text:

Hear, speak, see no evil . . . Have no fun!! Darry Metcalfe’s and Melissa Capen’s ideas punched out. again!? “I WISH YOU EVERY SUCCESS!” Ms. Ellen Mooney Through the course of the year, the student body was often confronted with the phrases, “Do it”, Grin if you got one”, and A yearbook never forgets.” The 75-76 MIRAGE staff earnestly attempted to sell the book they labored year long over, and throughout that year faced many frustrations, traumas and castastrophes, each one uniting the staff as a family. In January, the staff found itself bidding farewell to an advisor who had bought integrity to the MIRAGE’S name. Ms. Ellen Mooney found it necessary to trek back home to her native land, Canada. Still, the Staff endured. Strive for perfection became the class motto as supreme efforts were made to reach that high goal. Though the fruits of the staff’s labor could not be appreciated until the coming August, a sense of pride could be seen upon the comple- tion of a darned near perfect” spread. Few could fully un- derstand the thought that goes into one caption or headline, or realize the importance of following the layout rules of Modified Mondrian. Just the same, it was the little paintaking headaches that benefited a big and beautiful MIRAGE. The final words from Ms. Ellen Mooney: “As a Cana- dian I began this book, but I think it is more than fitting that, in this bicentennial year, an American, Mrs. Poppe, should finish it! To the staff and my successor, I wish every success!” Mirage 13

Page 16 text:

THERE ARE 66 CANDLES ON MIRAGE’S CAKE Behind the Bicentennial yearbook stood thirty-one people intent on re-presenting the past through parchment paper, cherished reminiscences of yesterday, and concrete evidences that ‘‘all this” truly was once. A MIRAGE was more than a pic- ture book, for within it one could preserve the daily things that were taken for granted. But tomorrow many of our possible memories would be lost in the shuffle of time. How many know that Ruskin wasn’t always loyal to the Blue and Gold? Old Rose and Silver Grey were once the school colors, and the Alma Mater’s opening line went something like this; ‘‘We’ll go back and shout again, fill the hills, repeat the strain, Ruskin High School!” In fact, Ruskin also possessed a school flower, the Pink Tea Rose, and as for the class bird, it always was the Majestic Eagle. The cover of our Bicentennial MIRAGE has a history, too. Based on the 1921 MIRAGE, the design of the book was moderated with the gold bird perched upon a fifty year old emblem. We were also able to uncover a bit about the original MIRAGE Staff, which consisted of only twelve students. Creating a yearbook was more a non-credit club than a Jour- nalism class. Half the book contained local advertisements, for the nearby merchants were the only financial help the staff could muster. Not only were there money problems but every photograph had to be individually glued on each page! Once under the guidance of Mrs. Bess Skinner, the MIRAGE accumulated awards ranging from Superior and First Class to All American. Eventually, Ms. Ellen Mooney filled the slot as MIRAGE advisor, and the years 1971-76 brought Ruskin’s annual such honors as All-Missouri and Medalist. Throughout the years, the Eagle has graced the cover of the MIRAGE. 12 Mirage

Page 18 text:

HI-LIGHT HAS HUMBLE BEGINNING The Hi-Light’s humble beginnings can be traced back to a four page flyer often featuring a boy and girl of the month. The present day advisor. Mr. Archibald Wrisinger would term such atrocities and “chit chat” as “Pumkin’ Center News.” It was originally intended that each of the staff members be issued a press pass, each with the borrowed inscription . . . “forgive us our presspasses . Major emphasis was placed on “plain meat and potatoes writing”. Themes of the paper varied from such touchy subjects as vandalism ranging to a Bi-Centennial theme in which such areas as prominent ancestries of Ruskin students and red. white, and blue commercialism were covered. Today, under the editor Dick Neff, also high school sports writer in the community, the Hi-Light publication follows numerous awards, the most recent being the “All Missouri Rating . Proof of the paper’s superior standing can be seen in room 224. Alongside a 14 karat gold pla- que. twenty-eight awards are plastered on the walls. Dick Neff edits Steve Michalski's sports story. A little wit and humor amuse Mr Wrisinger and Jim Laughlin. A chance to celebrate is always taken advantage of with the Hi-Light Staff. 14 Hi-Light