Weequahic High School - Legend Yearbook (Newark, NJ)

Page 10 text:

Administration and Staff The Board of Education: Weequahic High School Newark, New Jersey Principal: Dr. David E. Wcingast. Miss Constance Bowerman Vice Principal Morris Brcnman Chairman, Foreign Languages R. Joseph Brudcr Chairman, History Janet McKenzie Chairman, English Charles Schneider Chairman, Physical Education LIBRARY STAFF Mrs. Marion L. Buchner Mrs. Marilyn Harris Mrs. Read a Jellinck Morris Fuchs, President. Verner V. Henry, Vice President. William H. Bartley, Gerardo Del Tufo, Carl Fehrenbach, Sr., Richard J. Geary, Mrs. Howard G. Hageman, Casimir J. Harkcwicz, Dr. Jonas J. Lewis. Superintendent of Schools: Dr. Edward F. Kennedy Assistant Superintendents: Michael R. McGreal Franklyn Titus, Jr. Dr. Elizabeth M. Kelly Irving J. Goldberg Administrative Assistant Morris Brinn Chairman, Science Dr. Harry Jellinck Chairman. Business Morton Seltzer Chairman, Mathematics Lena Steinholtz Acting Head Counselor OFFICE STAFF Mrs. Naomi Barish Mrs. Lila Gollin Mrs. Florence Rostoff Mrs. Evelyn Tabankin Mrs. Bertha Weiss

Page 9 text:

Preface In June, I960, with the work just completed on that term's classbook, the writing of the Legend for our class began. Starting with an evaluation of the purposes of such a publication, a steering committee composed of several members of the present editorial board and literary staff drafted a set of goals and noted elements in former yearbooks which were not desirable. Our Legend, it was decided, should not be a book which those who had not participated in a large number of extra-curricular activities preferred to keep in an attic trunk or on the bottom of a stack of old periodicals; therefore, the previous system of listing clubs and activities under the graduates' pictures, often resulting in long lists for some and merely blank spaces for others would have to be eliminated and replaced by a brief account for each student of the more important of his preferences, ambitions, and avocations, along with a mentioning of clubs in which he participated for several terms, offices frequently held, and academic excellence. Another egregious omission in most other classbooks, it was thought, was the complete neglect of the school and its curriculum, in addition to clubs, which frequently were not described at all but were represented solely by a picture of the members. The Legend, after all, should evoke vivid memories not only next year but ten and twenty years hence, and it should also serve as evidence to our children of the times in which we went to high school. No one would hazard a guess as to what kind of educational system will be in effect in the days of our grandchildren, but it was taken into account that come what may, things probably will be different. Years from now we want to be able to have something to refresh our memories, that we may say to the new generation, When we went to school, this is what we studied. A decision was made to include sections on the general curriculum, the programs and courses of the individual departments, the operations of our student government and the opportunities afforded us by the clubs, publications, and organizations as we knew them in our high school years. To these would be added chronologies of the important events of 1957 through I960 to serve as background material on our formative years. Finally, we wanted our Legend to be different from all the others. Certainly, however, this distinctiveness was not to be gained by adapting forcibly the contents to fit a bizarre, exotic theme which might have absolutely no bearing on the school, the class, or the era. It was evident that the format would be the most difficult problem confronting the staff. After summer vacation, during which several general articles were written and many ideas for themes, all of which subsequently were rejected, were formulated, work began quickly. Information forms were compiled and distributed to every member of the class. From these we were able to obtain a fairly accurate image of each person. We eliminated meaningless couplets and cold statistical information. We all realized, however, that little in the wav of final writing could be done until we had found a suitable frame on which to build. At last that frame was located. It could not be said that any one person actually produced the idea of doing the legend in the form of a dictionary; the idea seemed to be generated spontaneously by several staff members while checking the spelling of a word, and it captured everyone's imagination immediately. This was a form which never had been utilized in Wee-quahic and possibly not by any other school for its class-book. It was distinctive above all else, discouraging duplication as a format by its very nature, standing out from the hackneyed album-type books; in short, it seemed like a clever idea It was not until we commenced compiling the Legend that we realized the advantages and problems connected with printing a dictionary. In making our decision for the theme. we reasoned that a dictionary is the one book which every high school student has used, that because the listing is alphabetical the entries would be easily located and problems involving sequence of sections would be eliminated, that the set pattern of such a work would simplify the writing, printing, and reading. Soon, though, inevitable questions were asked. Since students would have to be described according to dictionary definition form, could verbs, adjectives and adverbs be used for them? If so, if a boy on the track team were to be defined as to run, would it make sense to say. The dog Henry Jacksoncd down the street?” What sort of problems would be created by the complicated typography, dictionary phrasing, illustrations of students, clubs, and homerooms (which would have to be done in keeping with the style), descriptions of departments, cross-referencing, and countless other highly involved technical problems? Our fears were allayed to some degree on these counts by our confidence that the skill of our not-then-selected editorial staff and Mr. Tumin, the faculty adviser, would save the Legend from any great pitfalls; yet there was another stumbling block. Dictionaries are not, for the most part, extremely interesting to the average reader, and surely the classbook would have to be interesting. Most of us have become intrigued at one time or another by some word we have found while looking for the correct spelling, pronunciation, or meaning, but unless extremely interested in verbiage, the majority will quickly replace the book on its shelf until it is once again needed; and the legend staff did not want this to happen with its production. The solution to this problem came rather suddenly when a staff member recalled a cynical, sardonic worl by the late Ambrose Bierce entitled The Devil’s Dictionary. The suggestion then was that we do our own version, but, find-ing Bierce more clever than we, the decision was to make use of his definitions (along with some written by a staff member who prefers anonymity) to relieve the monotony that otherwise could result from pages composed only of senior sketches. Thus we were ready for production. In writing the legend for the class of January, 1961, every attempt was made to carry out the theme naturally, and to make the book informative, enjoyable, and of lasting value. We believe we have succeeded. For the staff of The Legend The Editors 5

Page 11 text:

A DICTIONARY FOR STUDENTS A A, a, n. (pi A's, a’s, As, as), 1. the first letter of the English alphabet: from the Greek a borrowing from the Phoenician; see alphabet, table. 2. a sound of A or a: in English, the low from vowel, IPA (jc), of hat: the low central or low back vowel, IPA (a) of father, barn: and the mid front vowel, IPA (e) of bake. 3. a type or impression for A or a. 4. a symbol for the first in a sequence or group, ad). 1. of A or a. 2. first in a sequence or group. ad). 1. of A or a. 2. first in a sequence or group; hence. 3. first-class; A 1: see A one. A, n. 1. an object shaped like A. 2. in chemistry, the symbol for argon. 3. in education, a grade first in quality: as, an A in history. 4. in music, a) the sixth tone or note in the scale of C major, or the first in the scale of A minor. b) a key, string, etc. producing this tone, r) the scale having A as the keynote, ad), shaped like A. Abram. Franee Bette, n. 1. one engaged in numerous school activities, as Legend staff, library staff. Future Teachers club. Contemporary club, etc. ad), l. intelligent, e. g., having been on Honor Roll many terms. 2. enjoying ice skating, Johnny Mathis, and coffee ice cream sodas. 3. wanting to become a teacher and later a child psychologist, preferably at a Massachusetts college. Art Department. Under the guidance of Mrs. Anderson. Mr. Lynch, Mrs. Saltman. and Mr. Cartledgc (Mrs. Schcchter is now on leave), the art department offers a sound basis in almost every field. Two years of commercial art are available. Art Survey covers the historical background of art. The minors in this department are numerous. General Art, a one-year course, emphasizes figure and three dimensional drawing; Art Club features a variety of problems, particularly oil painting; Art Foundations, which satisfies the requirement for a fine arts course, offers freshmen an orientation in the subject; Art Club, Ceramics, and Painting arc also offered. It is the desire of the department that students develop their art ability to the greatest possible extent, while maintaining their individual styles and mchods of work. An added and much appreciated feature of the department is the Art Service squad. The group provides signs used on the publicity campaigns of O.B.A. Dances, and other school events. Art Service Squad. The Art Service squad acts as an advertising group for all school functions and affairs. The squad is sponsored by the art department which furnishes all the necessary materials used in the squad's projects. This group gives its members the chance to express themselves in their work and achieve the satisfaction of knowing they have helped to make school affairs successful. Abramson. Gail. v. 1. to be a member of Red Cross club, French Affiliation club, and Booster club. 2. to gain, as through reading, esp. Exodus, ad). 1. describing one who eats french fried onions. 2. pertaining to a homeroom chairman, secretary of Journalism class, and secretary to Mr. Cascella. abrupt, ad), sudden, without ceremony, like the arrival of a cannon shot and the departure of the soldier whose interests are most affected by it. Adler, Albert, A.B., L.I.U.; M.A., Hunter College.— see Social Studies Dept. Administration and Staff, n.—see facing page. admonition, n. gentle reproof, as with a meat-axe. Anderson, Evelyn, A.B., Edinborough State Teachers College; M.A., Columbia.—see Fine Arts. Arons. Susan Sonja, v. I. to represent, exchange student in France for a year. 2. I to calculate fiscal problems of the class (by ! being class treasurer.) n. 1. member, one j who belongs to Honor Society, French Affiliation, French. Math, and Red Cross clubs. 2. a member of the coveted Top Ten scholars of Wccquahic. as to be an Assembly. The primary purpose of an assembly program is for the group education of the student body. An assembly is given during school time for two important reasons. First, it should broaden the interests and knowledge through contact with other ideas and other people. Secondly, it should provide for student participation before large groups. Finally, the school presents programs of entertainment where student participation results in the educational and cultural development of the student body as a whole. Mrs. Lappc is in charge of assembly programs. 7