Waterford High School - Excalibur Yearbook (Waterford, CT)

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accustomed to American ways as well as contributing much of his countryls culture to our community. As part of the program, Elaine Starks spent this past summer in Mendoza, Argentina, with the Carlos Albino family. Having taken Spanish for three years, she did not find the language a barrier. l think the AFS program is wonderfulll' declares Elaine. It brings closer relations with people more than anything elsefl Lucille Usison, whose home is in lvisan, Philippines, spent this school year with the family of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Horan on Beach Road and attended classes as Waterford's second foreign exchange student. ln her appli- cation to the AFS she wrote, I would like to have the opportunity to study in the American school which l know would be more complete in equipment and facilities, taught by competent and learned instructorsf, Arriving here, she also found that language was not a barrier, having taken 10 years of English before coming here. Waterford hopes to have another student go abroad again this summer. Miss Caroline Kinney, now directing the AFS program at WHS, proclaims, 4'We are looking for people who can best carry out the aims of the AFS.7' Appli- cations for the summer study program have been filed by Michael Connolly, Mary Winthrop, Robert O'Sullivan, Kay Williams, and Elaine Shimkas. Karen Benker has applied for the schoolyear study program. Notification as to whether Waterford will have a student abroad is made in May or June of the year of application. Library facilities were one of the things that Lucille looked forward to in an American high school The library is now open one evening a week and on Saturday mornings High School Takes on New Dimensions

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Lucille Usison The world of Waterford High is centered around the building at 20 Rope Ferry Road. The The American Field Service promotes understanding between 51 countries of the world through the exchange of students. Last year 1,170 students came to the United States from Europe, the Near and Far East, and South and Central America to spend a senior year in American schools while 1,109 students from the United States traveled abroad under the exchange program. Interest in the AFS program for Waterford High School started in 1958 when two students, Gretchen Wilbur '60 and John Thompson '60, attended a student council conference at Yale University and learned about the AFS. With Mrs. Nancy Roberts' co-operation, former principal John E. Palmer, the community, and the student body were informed of this program which is of such benefit to both the student who travels and the school and community which sponsors him. In May 1959, an all-school assembly was held to give the students a chance to decide whether they wished to par- ticipate in the program. Mrs. Nancy Roberts, a Spanish teacher here then and a former exchange student to Ger- many, spoke of her experiences in the AFS program. Five students from the Robert F.. Fitch Senior High school of Groton also spoke about the program. Waterford students decided unanimously to support the program with interest and funds. The following September Alan Velut, a 16-year-old student from Nancy, France, enrolled for classes as Water- ford's first foreign exchange student. As a house guest of Mr. and Mrs. Charles White of Lamphere Road, he became World of Waterfor d

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AFTER A BUSY DAY students leave to board one of the 14 buses which await to take them home. Students who live within a mile radius of school walk while many other students drive. Other students remain at school for extra help, activities, and sports Mondays through Thursdays. Five late buses return at 4 p.m. to take them home. Growing School in a Growing Communit Plans for an addition are examined by Walter Benson who has served on the building committees for WHS since the need of a high school in Waterford became pronounced in 1955. 6 On what was once a 47-acre rolling field have emerged the beautiful buildings which form the semi-campus layout of Waterford High School. Since the first 24 rooms, cafe- teria, shops, and gymnasium were completed in 1956, ten rooms and a large library have been added. These were ready for use in 1959. Even with this space it has become evident that more room is needed to fit Waterford High School's growing population. To fulfill this need, 13 classrooms, two mechan- ical drawing rooms, two additional shops, a music room, and other facilities are expected to be ready for occupancy by September, 1962. The need for such expansion becomes evident when one notes the growth of the student body that has already taken place in the school's brief five-year history. The school opened in the fall of 1956 with 615 students on double sessions at the Clark Lane school, the following year saw the number increase to 624, then to 644 in 1958. Expanding into a full four-year high school in 1959, the number increased to 830. This number was raised this year to 875. With this increase in the student body, facilities have also been increased. A student can now choose from 96 subjects. Equipment had been kept up-to-date, too. In contrast to Argentine schools, explains Elaine Starks, Ev- erything here is so modern. From what 1 saw of the school buildings in Argentina, they were very old with no heating. Such equipment as maps, blackboards, and desks were only adequate. Between classes students enjoy chatter and a bit of fresh air as they go between wings