West Mecklenburg High School - Tomahawk Yearbook (Charlotte, NC)

Page 12 text:

Clubs, organizations start year slowly, support fund As a result of the new court-ordered assignment plan and since no officers could be elected to clubs and organizations in the spring, activities were almost nil at the beginning of the year. Although cheerleaders, flag girls, Indianettes, and majorettes were chosen in September, the clubs were slow to organize; and Stu- dent Council elections were not conducted until Oc- tober 13. Not until late in the second quarter did stu- dents truly begin to be involved and to have a sense of belonging. Everyone gained experience and satis- faction while working on mutual causes of service, enjoyment, and learning. Just as adults have their civic clubs, students had their service clubs — some sponsored by those same groups. Some clubs attempted to help the members decide what to do after high school. One common goal of a number of groups was the Charles W. Pearson Memorial Scholarship Fund. Clubs and organizations held car washes, attic sales, and paper drives to support this cause. ABOVE RIGHT: Joyce Ledbetter and Barbara Price blend their voices at the Festival in the Park. ABOVE: Phyllis Faust and Cathy McKeen wait patiently for Indianette try-outs to be completed. RIGHT: Holding up a sign, Janet Seagle advertises the car wash spon- sored by the COO club. Siac entitle nate = 1s icinisectian nd tamale aaa em — Ham

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Indians saturate season in sweat, tears, triumphs Spring sports proved most successful for the Indians. Bright spots were numerous as the season got under way. Following hard fought games, the varsity baseball team finished in a tie for third place in the state 4-A playoffs. The Jayvee baseball team won its second con- secutive city championship, posting the best record in the history of the school. Completing their season with four first place wins, the cross country team had three runners — Ronald Caton, John Day, and Randy Prunty — who made the all conference squad. Randy later competed in the state finals. With the arrival of fall came a complete change. Triumphs turned into defeats, jubilation became sor- row, and laughs reverted to tears as the varsity football team suffered through its worst season in nine years. Players showed their dedication through grueling hours of practice but fell short of their goal to win, posting a disappointing 1-8-1 record. Inexperienced in high school football, the Jayvees also had a frustrating season. In basketball the transfer of former Ram stando ut Donnie Lanier to West and three returning varsity players, had Coach Morgan Walker looking forward to his best season in several years. ABOVE LEFT: Julie Easterling prepares to throw shot- put as members of the track team look on. ABOVE: With two strikes and a full count, Denny Cashion shows disbelief at the call of a strike.

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Faculty guides students, promotes learning, values LEFT: Biology teachers and lab assis- tants show the rocket equipment used in Dimensions Week. BELOW: Mark Samuel cuts a wedge of cheese in his French class as Jerry Gilson watches. Seeking to instruct students in scholastic areas, faculty members worked to impart knowledge gather- ed from their area of specialization. They attempted to create an atmosphere where those in their class could make the most of school. Helping in student-teacher relationships, the faculty assisted in the students’ de- velopment, thereby increasing mutual respect. In addition to their daily contributions, both the ad- ministration and the staff promoted extra-curricular activities. Faculty members sponsored clubs and organ- izations, performed duties at ball games, and super- vised at social events. Their willingness to help with the extra-curricular events made students recall more than the courses taught by them: they can remember with gratitude a teacher who provided a sense of values and a sense of humor, values that endure through life. One change in the curriculum appreciated by most seniors was the dropping of British literature as an English requirement. Interest courses were added in music and vocational areas.