Thomas Jefferson High School - Document Yearbook (Dallas, TX)

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llllal' I v 5 .,,- va. if The year began with a bang. The office was in an uproar with all the schedule changes. The teachers were roughg the classes were grueling, and I was a new student at Jefferson. What a combination! But I loved every crazy minute of that three ring circus. I was elected to student council by my homeroom. Quite an honor for a newcomer, I thought. We, the student council members, attended a workshop which aided in helping us run the school smoothly and prop- erly. Under the direction of Tim lVIitchell, the Stu- dent Body Presiclent, the constitution was rewritten, the clubs rechartered, and the election committee reorganized. As the year progressed, the daily announcements second period seemed to increase in length, much, might I add, to the consternation of my teachers. One boy who was a regular contributor stands out in my mind still-David Ritz, comic-promoter and editor of the REVEILLE, which was always packed with a complete coverage of all the activities from the front to the back of the six to ten pages. Clubs organized. There were so many interesting ones! The Spanish Club had to divide to take care of the increase in members. While I'm on the subject of languages, to my amazement I found that there are four-year courses in Latin, French, and Spanish and a three-year course in German. Both the enroll- ment of 900 students and the extensive curriculum makes thisdtthe largest language department in the Dallas School System. Other academic advancements include five years of math and a new chemistry course called the CHEMICAL BOND APPROACH which is taught by Mr. Snyder. Only twelve schools in the country are set up to teach this method. Football started and with it the NBOOSTER CLUB. This club was a group of boys who upheld and inspired the school football spirit through mass organization of dress and yells. This spirit surround- ed me and I was immediately caught up with it. T. J. pep assemblies, led by our outstanding cheerleaders, were a new and pleasant experience. The drill team I2 and the band--what would f o o t b a ll have' been without them? The girls were excellent representa- tives of the school. As for the band numbers, '4Peter Cunnl' was my favorite. Being as professionally pol- ished in their performances as they were, I found it hard to believe the student director and drum major, Bobby Houston, was only a junior. November rolled around, bringing with it home- coming activities-the game, the coronation, and the dance. Sheryl Myers reigned for the evening of the dance as the 1961 Homecoming Queen. All the fun and excitement of seeing the exes made me hope that someday, I too, might be able to return to T. J. and receive the hearty welcome they did. We had a good year in basketball. We began the season in glory byhtaking first honors in the Dr. Pepper Tournament, but were unable to secure the top district rating. Emily Pigman was chosen as basketball queen by the tealn, while they continued to play, fighting for each game harder than the previ- ous one. I was beginning to know everyone better now, I felt proud to be a part of the student body. Then track started, one of our most successful but least recognized sports. The cross-country meet was held, with our team winning first in the city and second in the state. Duncan Mason, the - lVlachine,,' won every mile event in which he entered and Gene Comroe, a valuable member of the team, also brought home honors to T. J. Our relay team, composed of Bob lVIcCregor, Bruce Teagarden, Steve Langham, and Jimmy Ellington, scored many points for us in our meets.

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MAIN ACTS

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The speech department proved to be a favorite among my fellow students. Thespians, a division of this department, excelled in the production of the Sen- ior Play. The play, THE NIGHT OF JANUARY l6TH, was a definite success due to outstanding per- formances by David Tanner, Fredyann Levit, Peg- gy Jessup, David Ritz, and the rest of the cast, and the experienced direction of lVIiss Agan. The speech department and the Concert Choir combined their efforts to produce that wonderful musical THE KING AND I. This was presented on four nightsiin April by two casts, led by David Tanner and Phil Friday. February, of course, brought Valentine's Day. The annual staff gave a uValentine in Valencial' dance for us. What I liked most, I have to admit, was that zany intermission with the mock bullfight and the Coronation of the queen, Sue Krider. The next sport was baseball. We had several minor mishaps as I recall. I felt so sorry for the boys who came to school the day after a hard practice minus their front teeth or with a broken jaw. Maryann Mc- Leod was chosen as Queen of Baseball. Another important facet of the school is the N.D.C:C. Performing many helpful tasks, it has be- come an integral part of our school. It has provided guards to keep the hall clear during lunch periods and in cooperation with the Student Council, th e N.D.C.C. directs the one-way traffic near the lunch- room to keep the halls from becoming congested. Also, during football games, the N.D.C.C. is always found ushering. This hard-working organization is a necessary fixture at Thomas Jefferson. Just about the most exciting time of the year for me was elections. It had its moments of sadness, but all in all, well-qualified and responsible people were' elected for all the offices. It was such fun help- ing to put up posters, passingout handbills, and just doing whatever I could to help my candidates win. The year is over now. Our three-ring circus has been frantic with activity and hard work, and like the spectator of a real circus whose head is swimming with the multiplicity of acts, I find the memories of my sophomore year crowding in. '-', I W l z 5 I gl. .,.. 'fi'