West Essex High School - Milestone Yearbook (North Caldwell, NJ)

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HOOTENANNY: No purple ruffled shirts, no tight red leather pants, no rhinestones or electric guitars - instead Wessex students sang, played, and listened to folk musicl At a student talent show in 1964, several folk music bands, complete with washboard and rug, performed their music. Q NO PUSHING PLEASE: Students were required in 1961-62 to sign-up forthe late bus in the moming. Because there was only one late bus, the procedure was 'first come, ROMEO OH ROMEO: Students OCT 'rs Serve' out Shakespeares Romeo and Juliet in 1960-61, members sell an assortment of chocolate candy bars. oThe first year the Key Club, which is a subsidary of the Rot- ary Club, was composed only of boys. Today girls as well as boys are involved in the Key Club's fund-raising activities. 0The first year girl's gym classes learned the Mexican Hat dance and how to build pyramids, while the boys' gym classes played basketball and soccer. Today, gym classes are co-educational and boys and girls play volleyball, softball, soccer, etc., together. o The first year there was one late bus senficing all four towns. Today there are 6 late buses. 0The first year all students were required to wear uniform gymsuits. Today gym classes sport an array of multi-colored sweatshirts, T-shirts, and shorts. o The first year the Milestone was 96 pages, all in black and white. Today, the Milestone is 300 pages with 112 pages in color. 0The first year the Bible was read during homeroom every- day along with the morning announcements. Today, as a result ofthe 1963 Supreme Court ruling, the Bible is no longer read during homeroom. oThe first year in the new building, 1961-62, students had to eat a brown-paper bag lunch in their classroom with their teacher. Today students are able to puchase a hot lunch in either the pink or blue cafeteria. oThe first year in the new building, 1961-62, a teacher stood in the hall and blew a whistle for the change of classes. Today there are auto- matic bells. 11

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TIIVIES o The first year, 1960-61, There were 539 students, 293 girls and 246 boys. Today, 1984-85, there are 1097 students, 533 girls and 564 boys. oThe first year there were 17 buses to transport the students to and from the four towns. Today there are 40 buses. 0 The first year there were 32 faculty members. Today there are 154 faculty members. 0The first year 60 boys tried out for the football team. This year 95 boys tried out for the football team. o The first year 161, of the high school student body made the honor roll. Today 25.52, of Wes- sex students make the honor roll. oThe first year there were no fines for overdue library books. Today there is a 2C fine for books and a 250 fine for reference books. 0 The first year the school day was from 8:15 a.m. to 3:31 p.m. with seven 53-minute classes and one of three 27-minute lunch periods. Today the school day is from 8:00 a.m. to 2:22 p.m. with seven 44-minute periods and one of three 28- minute lunch periods. :The first year there were 5,000 books in the school library. Today there are 13,000 books. oThe first year Scholastic Aptitude Tests lSATJ cost 34.00 to take, and the Achievement tests cost 36.00 to take. Today the SAT's cost S11.00, and the Achievement tests cost S18.00. 0 The first year the junior prom cost S7.50. Today, junior prom bids cost S75.00. o The first year the Milestone cost 34.00. Today the Mile- stone sells for approximately 335.00 0 The first year admission to a school dance was 250. Today admission is usually 83.00 stag and 35.00 per couple. oThe first year AFS sold ap- ples to raise money. Today AFS 10 Cl-IAIDIGE BROWN BAGG-ING lTl In 1961 62 students had to bring their own lunch to school and eat in the classrooms with their teachers because the D cafeteria was not yet com- .gf pleted. ,... in s IN TRAINING: Students in a 1960-61 physical education class model their ymsuits while exercising outside. One student described them by saying, The gymsuits seem to be lumpy in all Rte wrong places! STUDENTS IN STYLE? Wessex girls sport the newest fashion styles of 1960. Knee-high socks with skirts fremember - the girls had to cover their kneesll were the hot- test craze.

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0On April 17, 1961, Miss Corielle Vogel's Spanish 3 class took a field trip to New York City where they visited the Hispanic Society Museum, had lunch at a typical Spanish resturant and saw the movie, Don Quixote. Today Miss VogeI's classes keep the tradi- tion by reading Don Quixote in class. 0 in May, 1961, the Student Voice sponsored a Hawaiian dance. On January 18, 1985, the senior class sponsored a Hawaiian dance. o West Essex's Model United Nations Club represented the Burmese delegation in a con- ference held in April, 1961. This yearthe Model United Nations . HOWEVER SOIVIE THINGS ALWAYS STAY THE SAIVIE represented the Indian, Cana- dian, Bolivian, Grenadian, PLO, and Yugoslavian del- egations. 0 In 1960-61, French students were asked to record their voices on a tape recorder several times a year, and in June, the tapes were played back to see the improvement. This year, Miss Mariann Stagen asked her French classes to do the same exercise in order to improve their verbal skills. oln the January 20, 1961, issue of the Wire, a reporter noted 'that for one split sec- ond there is complete silence in the cafeteria when some- one drops a tray. PRACTICING POLITICS: Wessex stu- dents held their first presidential de- bate ir? 1964. Since t at first debate, every our years, senior history stu- U Y t r dents have hosted a debate. n the mock voting which has followed, a majority of he students, throughout , the ears, have tended to vote Re- pub11can. ROAD WARRIORS: Even in 1960-61, juniors participated in a driver's edu- cation course taught by a physical education teacher. 12 Y . performed a series of one-act plays, one of which was When Shakespeare's Ladies Meet . On November 15, 16, and 17, 1984, the Masquers also performed a series of one- act plays, one of which was When Shakespeare's Ladies Meet. 0 ln 1962, West Essex began the practice of selecting the graduation speaker by allow- ing the seniors to nominate five outstanding students and then vote on the speaker. This method is still used today. o Under the guidance of Mr. Malcolm Simpson, the Nation- al 'Honor Society began tutor- ing students in 1963. Today, the 1 strong as ever. 0 On October 23, 1964, the US History classes hosted a mock-presidential debate be- tween Lyndon Johnson and Bany Goldwater. On October 30, 1984, Mr. Robert Caruso's US History AP classes hosted a mock presidential debate be- tween Ronald Reagan and Walter Mondale. Every year the students have had a chance to vote. o ln April, 1965, Miss Rosean- ne Bowles began teaching her classes to type to music. To- day, this method is still used to teach beginner typists. x . 4 T- , ,,,, 1.1 ,,5,,4,:, new 'f Q 1 t Gln March, 1961, students NHS tutoring program is as f if an ' 3 X - f 2 fi 5 I gi 5 ' W 'Q Q, ,-gf g gjtri ft gg- 5 ft f if -,,. . ---...-,sq f 1 Q ' H t f rs T 1 ya. 5 ' A is 2 T 3 1 434' , tr Z ' if V ..., , -- g , I wr t .ss gggf 'T sf- 1--,f.,. 2 gg---Q, f V i 'M L r . A 1 r ! ,Q 0 . 1 5 , .,.,, , f , 9 4155 A 5 s. ES ESS. ttit'tlzmir:sf-2 -. Vlllil