Valparaiso High School - Valenian Yearbook (Valparaiso, IN)

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vus If VHS students are typical exam- ples, it would seem that the apathe- tic-intellectual-rebel has lost status with today ' s students, who have dis- covered that involvement isn’t so painful after all. Outside appearances and actions may have at times denied it, but statistics prove that in 1976 Valparaiso High School students did give a damn. Question One: “I’ve been here three years, and I’m ready to move on because high school is high school. But if I’d been in a lot of other schools, I’d have been ready to move on a long time ago,” said a senior to sum up his feel- ings about VHS. Everyone in the group said that they enjoyed being students at VHS. Their reasons? One boy said he liked VHS because “the facilities just can’t be compared to any other school ' s in the area.” A girl mentioned “the people,” and everyone enjoyed being out of the city but not in the sticks. Question Two: Only one girl in the group said she’d ever had a teacher that she just couldn’t take.” The remaining students said that they’d had only minor problems with teach- ers. One boy summed up the group ' s general opinion of teachers: “You can talk to most teachers — even if you don’t know them, you don’t feel like running into a corner or saluting when they walk by.” An ability to relate other things to the subject of study headed a list of qualities for an ideal teacher. Everyone agreed that most of their teachers at VHS had this skill. Ques- tion Three: A girl planning to take Business Lab and become a secretary felt that her background at VHS would help her a great deal. The group’s only senior disagreed, saying that in his case, “VHS has helped prepare me academically, but it hasn ' t done much to prepare me emotional- ly for the transition to college. Some- times I feel like I’m locked up and being watched.” Question Four: Most of the group felt that winning the state football championship had had a lasting effect on school spirit. In disagreeing, one boy pointed out the difference in fan support from foot- ball to basketball seasons. “The atmosphere at VHS,” said one girl, is much friendlier that most schools. Everybody has their own little group they hang around with, but there are no fights.” The group agreed that there are very few students who are totally uninvolved in the school. As one boy put it: “Usually kids won’t go out of their way unless they can get something out of it, but they will if you can convince them they ' ll benefit from it.

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Attitudes = = ★ Though their opinions coincided almost exactly with those in the pool, the students in this interview had some very interesting ideas to offer — some exciting, some unusual, and some reassuring. Whether you agree with them or not, you ' ve got to admit that their respones show a great deal of thought and concern. Question One: The group agreed that the government is doing a good job of running the country, although one student described the average politician as “a crook. An- other disagreed with this description, saying that Watergate had smarted the politicians up a little — they’re more for the people now. Referring again to Watergate, the students felt that the media had played an important role in bringing government corruption out into the open and that they should continue to do so. Question Two: Only two members of the group said that they drank, but everyone nodded in assent when asked if their friends did. The two who drank also said that they smoked pot occasionally. Both found drinking more enjoyable, and one went on to comment, When you’re drunk, you’re more out-going, but when you’re high you tend to withdraw. One Doy said he knew of a few students who had experimented with hard drugs, but no one was acquaint- ed with anyone that they felt had any kind of a serious drug problem. Question Three: One student felt that less complicated court procedures and stiffer penalties would do much to bring down the rising crime rate. In response to one student’s theory that part of the crime problem was in the police departments, another replied. “The problem is with the criminals themselves — most cops aren’t just out to burn you.” The death penalty,” said another member of the group, would be a good way to bring down crime. Another quickly countered with the idea that you could never be sure because you could never have ab- solute proof of a person ' s guilt.” Question Four: “With advances in medicine, I think we’ll be doing okay health-wise, but I don ' t know about the rest of the world,” said one boy as he speculated on the future for America. The group’s most radical opiniort was offered by a boy who said that “democracy has brought us a long way, but stricter government control would probably eliminate a lot of arguing.” Naming things they liked most about America, the students mention- ed freedom, modern technology, and simply the people.”

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Despite several inches of February snow, Valparaiso High School waits for its 1417 students to arrive for classes. (Photo by Gary Smith) 1. Brad Statts 2. Apryl Butt 3. Victory Parade 4. Fred Carpenter 5. Victory Parade 6. Joann Erceg It i » VHS Survey 1. On the whole, do you enjoy being a student at VHS? Yes 88% No 4% No comment 8% 2. Do you consider most of your stu- dent-faculty relationships adequate for obtaining an education? Yes 82% No 8% No comment 1 1 % 3. Has your background at VHS prepared you for what you plan to do after graduation? Yes 65% No 17% No comment 18% 4. As far as facilities, spirit, and general atmosphere are concerned, do you feel that VHS is an above-average school? Yes 91 % No 6% No comment 3%