Troy High School - Trojan Yearbook (Troy, KS)

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SO-Dawn Of A Decade The birth of the eighties brought diversity and excite- ment to the United States and forced the American people to meet new challenges and demands. Foreign relations were a dominant factor in the news from September, 1979, to May, 1980. During October of the school year, students heard a visiting pope preach a message of love to the United States. Ironically, a group of militant students seized the United States embassy in Tehran, Iran, only a few weeks later, taking fifty Americans hostage. At the close of the school term in May, the hostages were entering their sixth month of captivity, with rumors spreading that they may not be released until Novermber 1980. In April, President Jim- my Carter imposed numerous economic sanctions against Iran. On April 24, American helicopters landed in the middle of an Iranian desert en route to Tehran. Tragically, several helicopters crashed, killing eight Americans, and foiling any rescue plans. The Ayatollah Khomeini and President Bani-Sadr warned against military action. The Russian invasion of Afghanistan aroused much concern in the United States, among political leaders and sports enthusiasts alike. President Carter pressed for a boycott of the 1980 Summer Olympics as a means of showing American disappr oval of the invasion. In an April decision, the United States Olympic Committee voted to support the boycott. Below: Kansas Governor John Carlin and THS government instruc- tor Bruce Reynolds share a handshake in the governor’s office. The Troy Lions Club sponsored its annual trip to Topeka for the govern- ment classes in February. Above: Senior Susan Begesse was selected second runner-up in the Northeast Kansas Junior Miss Pageant in Hiawatha, October 6. Susan also won the Scholastic Achievement Award and was one of five contestants chosen as talent finalists. Presidential elections will be held in Novem- ber, 1980, and candidates were campaigning for their party’s nomination. President Carter was challenged for the Demo- cratic nomination by Massachusetts Senator Ted Kennedy. Although Kennedy had a strong family name, experts predicted that Carter would represent his party in the November election. California Governor Jerry Brown also sought the nomination but withdrew from the race. The Republican field was led by Ronald Rea- gan, with contenders George Bush and John Anderson considered long shots. If a THS poll is any indication, Reagan will occupy the White House in November. Fifty per cent of the Tro- jans polled supported Reagan. Carter garnered only sixteen per cent of the votes, and Kennedy came in third with nine per cent. A presidential primary was held in Kansas for the first time. In keeping with Kansas Republi- can tradition, Reagan won the contest. Kansas Senator Robert Dole was an early contender, but withdrew before he could enter his home- state primary.

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After all, hasn’t 1980, maybe more than any other year, been a time of hard work, of pulling together? Very few small schools have organi- zations and athletic teams as good as ours, or a faculty and administration as capable as the one at THS. What lies at the heart of our successful year? It has to be the friendship and caring attitude that surrounds us. This feeling has made us work harder and strive to meet our goals. TROJAN ’80 is a celebration of the accomplish- ments, struggles, tears, laughter, and friendship that made 1980 uniquely ours. As you read this collection of memories, know that it is for all of us, the people of THS — because we made it happen ... together. Susan Begesse, Copy Editor Lee Jordan, Layout Editor 'SO - We're Together If we could pick one word to tell you what this book is about, to really describe THS, it would have to be “together.”

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Brings Changes In Fun, Fads, Fashion President Carter gave the teens of America something serious to think about when tense foreign relations prompted him to begin lobbying for the resumption of a peace-time draft. The question of drafting women was also raised. Although no decisions were made, an informal survey of eighty THS students and teachers revealed that Trojans had some very definite ideas on the subject. Sixty- five per cent of those surveyed were opposed to reinstatement of the draft. Trojans were also against drafting women. One student said, “If men are drafted, women should also be, but only in case of emergency should they be put in combat.” Left: Kansas was selected as the site for artist Peter Toth’s Kansas monument to native American Indian tribes. A special dedication was held in October. The sculpture is shown in its final stages of production. % Above: Laura Herpich, Laura Staudenmaier, and Cheryl Begesse model clothes which were popular with 1980 Trojans: painter's pants and blue jeans. Left: Mrs. Rockey’s children’s theater class presented “The Wizard of Oz to Troy Grade School children in February. The youngsters were allowed to get into the act. Skyrocketing inflation sent the price of a Big Mac to $1.15 and the cost of a gallon of gasoline well over $1.20, but that didn’t stop the teens of 1980 from dating, cruising, and buying records. Although THS students called inflation the number one problem the country is facing today, they managed to finance their enter- tainment with part-time jobs. The publication’s survey revealed nearly half the students were employed during the school year. Trojan movie-goers rated “Kramer vs. Kramer” as one of their favorite movies. The critics agreed, giving it an Academy Award for best picture. Steve Martin’s “The Jerk” was another smash at THS. “The Dukes of Hazzard,” “Benny Hill,” “Real People,” and “The Muppet Show” were popular television shows with the THS crowd. Whether on a car radio or an expensive stereo, music strongly influenced 1980 teens. Groups such as Pink Floyd, Blondie, and Styx dominated the charts. Dan Fogelberg, Barry Manilow, Dionne Warwick, and Kenny Rogers were single stars who made 1980 news. Labeled more conservative than their 1970 counterparts, 1980 high school students nonetheless showed a zest for fun in their