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

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Hail Columbia A clear April morning set the scenario for the beginning of a new era. The space shuttle Columbia pushed the United States some ten years ahead of the Soviet Union, and set the country on fire with en- thusiasm and confidence. John Young, commander for the flight, and pilot Robert Crippen lifted off from Cape Canaveral, Florida to begin their 54 hour, 36 or- bit voyage. Despite earlier complica- tions with the computer and heat resistant tiles, everything functioned flawlessly and most of the critics of our space program were silenced. After a perfect desert landing before thousands of spectators, Col- umbia began preparations for a September flight. — U.S. World News Refugees Flood U.S. In April of 1980, Fidel Castro open- ed up all the prisons and asylums in Cuba, releasing thousands of Cubans and literally kicked them out of the country. But the United States open- ed its arms and welcomed the Cubans into our country. Boats began bringing the refugees from Cuba to Florida. Special camps were built so the processing of the Cubans could be done. Within a cou- ple of weeks, many of these people were on their way to other cities to begin a new life. Quake Hits Italy It registered 6.8 on the open-ended Richter scale. The devastating earth- quake that hit several Italian pro- vinces from Naples to the Apennines on November 23, 1980 was a human tragedy of vast proportions. It will take many months to restore the sur- vivors to normal life. The earthquake was the deadliest to hit Europe in 65 years. Before the quake had ended, 234,000 Italians were left homeless. The tragedy was compounded by the ineptitude of the Italian government. When the relief operation began, the attempt was bumbling and disorganized. However, countries around the world began campaigns to help the earthquake victims. Pope John Paul II and the President of Ita- ly toured the country, offering moral support for those who wanted it. Photo Credits: World Wide Photos Saturn Explored Question: What weighs 1,820 pounds, is driven by nuclear generators, and visited a destination 815 times the size of the Earth? The answer, of course, is the Voyager I Spacecraft. On November 12, 1980, Voyager I came within a few thousand miles of Saturn, the famous ringed planet. This event was a nonpareil technological achievement that gathered more infor- mation about Saturn in a week than was collected in all of history. New facts were also discovered about Saturn’s at- mosphere as well as the number of rings surrounding it. 26 Standing Outside U.S. and World News Unrest in Poland The recent labor unrest in Poland poses the gravest threat to the Soviet Union since it formed the Eastern Bloc after World War II. Solidarity, the workers’ union under the leader- ship of Lech Walesa, has been formed to make known the widespread dissatisfaction with the deteriorating economic conditions. A five-day work week and access to the media are two recent issues won by Solidarity. Solidarity has grown in number and power to become the third major power in Poland, behind the ruling Communist party and the Roman Catholic Church. This has made the Soviet Union anxious, and the presence of 55 Soviet divisions within striking distance of Poland is a real threat to the existence of Solidarity. Renewed disputes and labor strikes, and the inability of the government and unions to cooperate, could give the Soviet Union the ex- cuse it needs to interfere. We Count 1980 was also the year for the 10 year Census. Eighty-eight million forms were sent out and about 91% of those were returned. One of the major outcomes of the Census was that the Northeastern states’ populations decreased as those in the Southwest increased. As a result, states such as New York, Massachusetts, and Pennsylvania, lost representative seats in the House of Representatives while those states in the “Sun Belt,” such as Arizona, gained the lost seats.

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U.S. News Reagan Accepts New Role The low-keyed, lopsided campaign gave no hint that Ronald Reagan would win the presidency. However, he stumped the country while Carter “stayed in the Rose Garden.” Before winning the nomination, Ronald Reagan, the favorite Republican can- didate, had to contend with six other can- didates. As a result of financial troubles, four of the six candidates dropped out of the race. George Bush remained, and put up a fight. He had won the first primary. Another candidate who remained was John Anderson. However, Anderson form- ed his own independent line, and his sup- porters pushed to get his name on the ballot, eventually succeeding. On the Democrat’s side, President Carter was the choice. Carter had refused to campaign until the hostages’ release, so the First Lady and Vice President Mondale took the job. Carter’s one challenger was Senator Edward Kennedy. However, pro- blems in Kennedy’s personal life decreased his popularity. The National Conventions took place in July and August. It would be President Carter against Reagan and his running mate, George Bush, and independent can- didate, John Anderson. Election night proved to be interesting. Everyone assumed it would be a very late hour when a winner would be declared. But, even before the polls closed in New York in the early evening, a winner was predicted — Ronald Reagan, by a landside. Volcano Erupts Following 123 years of inactivity, Mount St. Helen’s made the news as it erupted furiously in May of 1980. The eruption, which surprised the entire world, was 500 times greater in force than the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima. The volcano shot hot ash into the atmosphere, along with many after shocks which shook the mountain’s base and surrounding countryside. With over 60,000 acres of flattened forests and dust-encrusted land, it is estimated that it will be at least 300 years until the surrounding area of the volcano can support normal vega- tion growth again. With at least 61 people reported dead or missing, and the mountain still moving within, how long and how many more eruptions will there be, before the mountain becomes dor- mant once again? Inauguration Day A bright, sunny January 20 marked Inauguration Day for Ronald Reagan and George Bush. Overlooking the historic Washington Monument, the former Govenor of California ended his 12 year quest for the White House as he took the oath of office from Chief Justice Warren Berger on the west steps of the Capitol. The new President’s Inaugural Ad- dress was unusually short and simplistic. He promised to relieve Americans of their economic miseries and to help restore our military strength overseas. In the past, the limelight of Inaugural Day belonged exclusively to the new Head of State, but not this one. Reagan shared it with the newly released hostages. Many times during televised broadcasts, stations broke away from inaugural ceremonies to show footage of the final moments of their captivity. Later in the day came the inaugural parade. The Reagans and the Bushs proudly waved to the audience as their limousines slowly drove along the parade route. This year the parade was much shorter than it had ever been before in recent history. President Reagan had requested it. President Reagan and Vice President Bush and their wives visited the various inaugural balls in Washington. At the same time in many cities, mock in- augural balls were held to celebrate the swearing in of a new administration, one the American people hope will bring better times. Close Call On March 30, 1981, America almost lost a president. President Reagan, Press Secretary James Brady, a Secret Service Agent, and a local policeman were shot in an attempted assassination by John W. Hinckley Jr. Reagan had just emerged from the Washington Hilton after delivering a speech to AFL-CIO delegates. Shots rang out hitting Brady, the policeman, and an agent. Another agent shoved President Reagan into his limousine, but not before a bullet entered his left lung. After three hours of surgery and ten days in the hospital, Reagan returned to his White House duties. Brady, who received a serious brain injury, was ex- pected to make almost a full recovery. MGM Fire On November 28, 1980, a fire engulfed the MGM Grand Hotel, the largest hotel in Las Vegas. Billowing smoke was responsible for most of the 83 deaths and 334 injuries. It was the second worst blaze in U.S. history. An inquiry into the blaze deter- mined that many of the lives could have been saved if more adequate alarm systems had been installed. Sprinklers were installed only on the first and top floors, meeting re- quirements at the time of installa- tion. Smoke detectors were not in- stalled in any of the rooms. Photo Credits: World Wide Photos Standing Outside U.S. News 25

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Local News Sports New Hue During October and November of 1980, streets throughout the areas under the jurisdiction of the Town of Oyster Bay began to glow with a new hue — orange. The Town had bought the contract for the many streetlights that line our blocks and major roadways from LILCO, the previous operator of the facilities. A worker installing the lights ex- plained that the new lights were more economical. They cost less to operate, saved energy and would actually be brighter than the previous streetlights. The two teams finally met each other and Oakland’s confident spirit led them to victory. Mistake-prone Philadelphia wasn’t able to keep up with the Raiders, and the underdog came out victorious. Doctor Shot Tragedy occurred on December 7, 1980, when Dr. Hugh Ashford of Melville Road, Farmingdale was shot and killed as he was putting up Christmas lights in front of his home. The man who was accused of the shooting was a former patient of Dr. Ashford who was apparently displeased with the doctor’s diagnosis. He drove up to Dr. Ashford’s home, pulled a gun, fired six shots and drove off. He was later arrested and identified as Robert Cohen. Gregory Carman, former Town Councilman and resident of Farm- ingdale, was elected to the United States House of Representatives on November 4, 1980. Carman beat the incumbent Jerome Ambro in a sur- prising race. Former FHS student, Douglas Hynes, was appointed as the new Town Councilman, filling the vacan- cy left by Greg Carman. Local Politicians Phillies Are 1 The Philadelphia Phillies defeated the Houston Astros and won its first National League Pennant in 30 years. The Kansas City Royals beat the New York Yankees to clinch the American League Pennant. But that was only the beginning. These two teams were to become adversaries in a grueling six game competition to decide who would become the 1980 World Champion team. In the action-packed first game of the World Series, the Phillies defeated the Royals by the score of 7 to 6. This was quite an achievement considering that the Royals were leading 4 to 0 in the third inning. The second game was also won by the Phillies by a margin of 6 to 4. The third game was tense and thrilling. Isles Win Cup The Islanders, for a while made Long Island the spotlight for nation- wide attention last year as they won the coveted Stanley Cup by defeating the Bullies of Broad Street — the Philadelphia Flyers. The team had a hard time in the series. Again and again the score was tied and the game went into over- time. But everytime this happened, they won! Long Island went wild for its retur- ning heroes. Crowds turned out wherever any of the team members went, especially Ken Morrow. In ad- dition to being an Islander, Morrow was also a member of the triumphant United States’ Olympic Hockey Team. The Islanders are on their way to doing a repeat performance this season. Mike Bossy had 50 goals in 50 games, equaling Maurice Richards’ unofficial record. The score was tied at 3 at the end of the ninth and the game was forced in- to extra innings. In the tenth the Phillies scored and won the battle. However, the fourth game was won by the Royals, as they tried to tie up the series. The Phillies, filled with determina- tion, charged ahead and won the next two games. They had won the series. They were the champs! This was the first time since 1915 that Philadelphia had won the series. The traditional award of Most Valuable Player was presented to Mike Schmidt for his excellent per- formance on the field. Raiders Come Out Tops The noise level increased, chants began, and the crowd stirred. The two teams were about to take the field in the jampacked New Orleans’ Superdome. The starting offense was introduced to the crowd. The coin flip took place, and the whistle blew to start the action. Six months of hard work all came down to one game. The outcome of the Superbowl would be the final achievement of an outstanding season for one of the participants. For the other it would be a disappointing conclusion to a great season. The Oakland Raiders had just gone through a great season with a record of 12-4. Picked for last place, they were the underdog team of the year. They competed against powerhouses such as Houston, Cleveland and San Diego and came out on top. Philadelphia had been building for years, gradually showing im- provements. This year they proved they could beat the top teams. 'fhe two teams finally met each other and Oakland’s confident spirit led them to victory. Mistake-prone Philadelphia wasn’t able to keep up with the Raiders, and the underdog came out victorious. Photo Credits: Islanders — World Wide Photos Standing Outside Local News and Sports 27