The Park School - Spark Yearbook (Buffalo, NY)

Page 31 text:

Nineteen Forly-one Page Twen fy-seven On floor-Dave Guillaume, Doug Walter, Howard Fernow, Haines Danforth. Sz'ufm'- Pete Klaussen, Ed Strickland, Mr. Petcrkin, Pete Kranz, Curt Dell, Seymour Urban. Sfanding--Ed Kelly, Towney Wilson, Art Meyer. Abseuf-Bill Mowat. fDiscussion Club I-IE great success of having visiting speakers last year encouraged this year's Discussion Club to plan more meetings with guest lecturers. Many fine speakers were in- vited and the discussions became more inter- esting and lively. At one meeting, Mr. Cheek spoke on the European situationg at another, Dr. Pratt of The University of Buffalo discussed the Philippine Islands and the part they play in the affairs of today. Mrs. Cheek also spoke on current events outside the local interest circle, while other speakers ventured into fields of city planning and league athletics. Mr. Boehm's talk on Fairhaven Village aroused an active discussion on other city improvements and slum clearing measures. In line with their interest in city affairs, the Club invited District Attorney Hagerty, who spoke on county government and the duties of a District Attorney. A talk on scientific crime detection was given by Dr. Brown of the University of Buffalo. One of the liveliest meetings of the year featured a discussion of swing music with jazz records for illustration. After the meet- ing there was to be an orchestra audition for the Spark dance, so the members of the Spark Board were invited to attend the dis- cussion. Stimulated by the sweet swingi' and hot jazzv of the records and later of the orchestra, the students enjoyed one of the most successful social events of the year. Later in the year, the Club was led in a bull sessionv on athletics by Jim Wells, local sports announcer. At another meet- ing, our own Mr. Smith, by popular de- mand, was again invited to conduct a dis- cussion of religion.

Page 30 text:

Page Twrn fy-six The Spark On floor-Ruth Setel, Jo Truscott, Sally Pitcher, ,Jean Kimball. Sl,dffL1iHOW8fd Fer- now, Bobby Hoyt, Margaret Raymond, Cynthia Bissell, Sylvia Lyman, Mr. VanArsdale. Sicmdiug-Dave Guillaume, Art Meyer. Absenf-Jane Stryker, Eva Landsbergcr. Tenpushers, inc. HIS year, the Penpushers inaugurated the practice of initiations, a rather harrow- ing experience, as the new members found. It is surprising that such an effective form of mental cruelty was never before used by this club. The meetings, held at the homes of the various members, are always memorable oc- casions. With the arrival of the last mem- ber things get under way. Madame Presi- dent, commonly known as Margie Ray- mond, yodels for order and in the midst of a sudden lull, announces to all interested that the meeting will start. Each member then reads his paper after suitable remarks such as, I just dashed this off this after- noon on the bus, while everyone knows that he has slaved for hours on it. Gleeps often has an interesting short story, while Ruth Setel usually pops up with a very good article on refugees. Jean Kimball startles the club with her quick changes from the sublime to the ridiculous, and Jane Stryker produces a sensation with her love lingo. Another person to be relied on for some contribution is Bobby Hoyt, who always comes through with a stirring rendition of of the minutes. After the readings there are discussions of the compositions, and then comes the real reason for eVeryone's attendance-the food. The various members attack the vict- uals according to their individual tastes, and a lively discussion goes on for a while longer before the meeting finally breaks up and the members wend their weary ways to home and homework.

Page 32 text:

Page Twefify-riglzf The Spark On floor--Art Meyer, Mary Lea Scheu, Sally Pitcher, Haines Danforth, Jo Truscott, Ruth Setel, Jackie Sharp. Scared-Nancy Posmantur, Bobby Hoyt, Jean Kimball, Sue Wilson, Alsy O'Brian, Betty Vandebilt. SfH11t1fl1,Q-MY. VanArsdale, Anne Backus, Warren Miller, Curt Dell, Dave Leopold, Ran Chadwick, Alan Benjamin, Fred Hubbard, Bill Rice, Cynthia Bissell. Alzsenf-Jane Stryker. Shakespeare Glula it O be or not to be, that is the ques- tion. And what a question, for the mem- bers of the Shakespeare Club are trying to decide from what play the quotation comes! One thing they are sure of: it was written by Shakespeare. They cannot decide, how- ever, whether Romeo, King Henry H, or Caesar said it. Finally, with the help of their faculty advisor, they come to the startling conclusion that it was uttered by Hamlet in the play of the same name. This episode, although not entirely false, must not be taken as typical of the best ac- tivity of the Shakespeare Club. In reality they do a very fine job. For each meeting they read a Shakespeare play and then at the meeting read important lines and dis- cuss the play in general. At times they rise to great heights and even act out parts of the play to the immense delight of the play- ers and spectators. This group was organized last Fall by a few students who wished to supplement their classroom study of a few Shakespear- ean plays by intensive reading and discus- sion of all of them outside of school. Mem- bership was to be open to any and all in the Middle and Upper Schools who were in- terested. An announcement of the first meeting was made at lunch, and about six or seven were expected to attend. When all were accounted for, twenty-five had answered the call, and the same number has been present at the subsequent meetings. With such marked popularity, the club promises to become one of the most active at Park.