Weldon E Howitt High School - Hi Life Yearbook (Farmingdale, NY)

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H MlMHIlHHll Illillllllll December is a month of incessant ac- tivity. Clubs and groups are at their busiest. Enthusiasm runs high, The debating club, sponsored by Mr. Spahr, and under the capable direction of Anne Glass, president, has been offering a series of forums open to the entire stu- dent body in order to discuss current topics. On December 5th they sponsor a forum which promises to be one of the most interesting ever held, on a subject which is a vital one, Must the United States Fight Japan. There are inspiring thoughts from the main speakers and when the question is opened to the gathering of about three hundred enthusiastic students, spirited comments arise. But little do we real- ize the full significance of our argu- ments. On the following Sunday the Japs raid Pearl Harbor, and war is de- clared! Page fourteen The Debating' Club all ready to conduct a forum. Unidentified aircraft sighted within about an hour's flying time from our village! Dismiss the classes! At first the fac- ulty regards these re- ports as erroneous rum- ors but the students' anxious expressions and restless attitudes are anything but calm. All too soon these rumors are confirmed! Confused, excited, students swarm through halls while teachers appeal for calmness and control. Some of us dash out to waiting buses, some leave on foot, or on bikes, while others are transported by the faculty. It is only a false alarm, but we return alert, with an awareness that it can happen here. Air raid drills are car- ried out. Wardens are appointed to take charge of the younger children and to assist the faculty. Radio listening posts are established, and the boys The school is alert-Raymond Theobalil listening for air raid signals. -:fm4mw

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Various members of the football squad will give encouraging reports on what they plan to do for the rest of the season. There will be a big time in the old town town tonight!!! As eagerly as the boys look forward to the football season, the girls look for- ward to hockey season when the famil- iar cry, ground sticks, ground sticks, ground sticks is on the tongue of each bright-eyed youngster. llockey is one of the most popular activities in the fall gym work for girls. Its popularity is proved by the response of the girls, Each season over 100 en- thusiastic high school girls answer the call. The hockey group representing our school is made up of four class teams and is under the guidance of Miss Dietz and Miss Frech. The Dalerettes prove their skill in competition with other schools. All of our competitive games are held at home because of our excellent fields and available facilities. A jolly time is had at all our hockey The football team at practice. playdays. Following the games, the team members return to the gym where refreshments are served and cheers giv- en for the coaches and opposite teams. A program is arranged and members of both teams sing, dance, and tell stories. It is the finish of a perfect day. John Ray carries the ball. Mx - . '-BEF' -Y' Pai 'N' f Yh ? l:

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Hr-Q5 God Bless America . maintain watch all day to pick up air raid warnings. We are somewhat confused, but de- termined. High school students, we know, must play a vital part in winning this war-just show us the way. At the next assembly we are told of the types of war work that we will be able to do. Morale is high, but little Gregory Carmen of the kindergarten outdoes us all with his unforget- table God Bless Amer- ica. First aid classes are organized for girls under the direction of Mrs. Baker of Amityville, and for boys with our own Dr. Forst. The students are both earnest and apt. We can expect efficient first-aiders from these groups. Arrangements a r e made for the sale of de- fense stamps, and the number of purchasers rises with each week. .ffl Mrs. Baker demonstrates a bandage to the girls' first aid class. The Red Cross sponsors a drive for the general war fund. There is friendly competition between tht Angels of Mercy fthe girlsj and the stretcher Bearers fthe boysj to raise the most money. Miss Roberts and Mrs. Ketch- am organize, in connection with the Red Cross, a work room where baby blank- ets are made from scrap material, and knitting is taught. The boys of the Manual Arts depart- ment are busy making miniature air- plane models. These models must be pre- cise to the nth degree or they will not be accepted. They are painted black, dis- playing no insignia, and at a certain dis- tance they will appear like combat craft in actual flight. A number of our seniors enter a course sponsored by Republic Aviation, to prepare them for positions in defense plants, The fellows are putting in a lot of time every night after school with Mr. Charles Peschik, who instructs the class. Page fifteen