West Point High School - Cadet Yearbook (West Point, NE)

Page 18 text:

Beatles “All these places had their moments with lovers and friends. I still can recall. Some are dead and some are living. In my life, I’ve loved them all.” From “In My Life” by John Lennon, 1965. During the Big Blitz on October 9, 1940, Liverpool, England was in the middle of an air raid. German, bombers couldn’t stop such simple things as birth and they only speed up the process of death. It was during this wave of bombing, that Julia Lennon gave birth to her first child, a boy, named John Winston. All four Beatles came from very poor families, and all but George Harrison were products of broken homes. But these four raw lads rose from the depths of liverpool, out of the wilds of the red-light district of Hamburg, Germany, to a fame unimagined by anyone before them and unchallenged by anyone to come. They became the first British pop group to conquer America, they dazzled the press, they blew the minds of movie critics. They laughed in the faces of lords, governors, Billy Graham, and anyone else who had the nerve to refer to them as “a passing phase”. The Queen gave them each an MBE, an award previously given only ro British war heroes who spilled the blood of others to earn theirs. The Beatles began to preach peace. They made the world aware of the drugs in society and they began experimenting with new frontiers in music. Suddenly, the Pierre Cardin suits were replaced with psychedic silks and rose colored specs. Songs like “I Want to Hold Your Hand” became “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band,”, “She Loves You” became “All You Need is Love”, and the ever-popular “Can’t Buy Me Love” became “You Never Give Me Your Money.” The Beatles grew and changed as their fans and the times grew and changed. However, changes led to friction and soon separations appeared. John Lennon divorced his wife of seven years, Cynthia, to marry avant garde artist, Yoko Ono But maybe the most de-vasting split came between four very individual personalities. In 1970, John, Paul, George and Ringo split under tense conditions. Now own thing, whether it be recording, film-making, or as John and Yoko choose to do, protest for peace. Ah, yes, John and Yoko did do their share of odd, to say the least, demonstrations, but the great man grew tired. After the birth od his second son, Sean, John announced his total withdrawal from society, one which was to span 5 years until the release of his very successful album “Double Fantasy” in 1980. “Though I know I’ll never lose affection for people and things that went before I know I often stop and think about them. In my life, I’ll love you more.” John Lennon was gunned down on Dec. 8,1980. We’ll never lose affection for you, John, or your Beatles. 14

Page 17 text:

County Government: Day Stirs Political' Interest County Government Day is a state-wide activity sponsored by the American Legion to encourage student awareness of and involvement in the process of county government. Each year, schools within Cuming County hold fall elections to select the participants who attend the County Government Day program. WPHS conducts one of the more ambitious procedures to select its participants. The Social Studies Department has two first quarter County City Government classes which study political parties, nomination and election procedures, voting behavior, and citizen responsibilities. Toward the end of the course, each class becomes a political party and organizes primary and general campaigns and elections. Following State Law, exactly, the students become aware of registration and election procedures by duplicating legal requirements in registering voters, running elections, and county ballots. This year on December 16, 1981, nineteen WPHS students who survived the election appointment process attended the County Government Day activities at the county courthouse. Civics Teacher Mr. Carmody. Visit to county courthouse by Mr. Black’s county government class. 13 Social Studies Teacher Mr. Lang,

Page 19 text:

Current Events 1980-1981 Freedom for a Few The year 1981 meant freedom for 51 Americans ;' held captive for 444 days in Iran. Middle Eastern oil and •; economic crisis and a culturally and politically unpopular government jj supported by the U.S. contributed to the drastic “hostage holding” carried out by Iranian students under the leadership of the Ayatollah. Long, tedious J bargaining tactics I eventually resulted in their § return, seemingly unharmed. , Republicans Return p3s ?!so Action tightening social service repeating the theme of a former m°na d Rea9an, budget cuts, increased U.S. militarily supported but I ..ovie ariD ™ star’ armament cillowances and a politically and socially nniitirc 7° In flepublican cutback in foreign trade set unpopular government i i 1 t0PPled Democrat the tone for the 80’s, heightens with the advent r.ncJ .. Carter. Conflict in El Salvador, of the eighties. Conservationism, belt 15