West Side High School - Lamp Yearbook (Newark, NJ)

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“Тһе 30’s were funny years, modern, determined and yet the depression gave the students a certain sensibility. Their main topic of conversation was the new Empire State Building and the Golden Gate Bridge. The students wore softer line d clothing and skirts were longer. Movies were at their peak and people were thrilled by the Cat and the Canary. Gone with the Wind the all time box-office prize was released. Walt Disney made his first cartoon, its fame spread all over the United States and the world. In fact, his cartoons were so good that they won the Academy awards for eight consecutive years, and they weren’t even in color. In the evening, after homework was finished the families gathered around the radio to enjoy Jack Benny and Amos 'n Andy. Although, Shirley Temple, was the darling of the public, I remember the West Side girls imitated the beautiful Ginger Rogers. The boys were influenced by the sophisticated Fred Astaire. Dances were varied from the romantic fox-trot to the Big-apple. In order to be “in” in those days you had to watch your trucking and Suzie-Q. Music was equally varied. The students hummed such favorites as You Are My Lucky Star and Sweet Little Alice Blue Gown. There were the usual crazy tunes with mixed-up words which confuse adults of all generations; Shrimpers and rise are very nice, indeed! The biggest news in the late 30's was the Worlds Fair. I look back now and remember the develop- ments and inventions of these projects are now household items. Everything would have been very pleasant but the early 4075 brought war. I suppose we all recover with time, but still I wonder? I enjoyed the students of the 40's most of all. I just coming of age and as you young people might say, things were really swinging. The jitter bugs were doing the Lindy to the music of the big bands, Glen Miller, the Dorsey Brothers and Duke Ellington. “Zoot suits with a reet-pleat” were uniform for the boys. The girls came to class in pleated skirts with “Sloppy-Joe” sweaters; saddle shoes and anklets completed the outfit.” We looked at Alma Mater as though she were speaking Greek. She looked up and gave us a motherly smile. “I almost forgot you aren’t hip enough to dig my meaning. Zoot suits were jackets with wide lapels, shoulder pads and a long cit.” Band Can you imagine the kind of mu- sic this band played? Maybe mu- sic for the Red Cross? Faculty Wow! What a faculty with all their mink coats and pin striped suits

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West Side High School 1928-1968 Life Begins at 40 It is not often that a woman reaches her fortieth birthday without 1 some physical change. The extra puffiness, a few gray hairs, a slightly wo down feeling all herald the beginning of middle age. To compensate for the changes we often find a patina of wisdom, a patience with life and a full respe for daily living. How much can we learn from a person who has lived aı mastered life! With this in mind the yearbook staff set out to visit our Aln Mater to see what we could learn about our West Side family. West Side High School is celebrating the fortieth birthday of her fi graduating class. To our surprise, she showed few physical changes. True t years have added to her birth but her carriage and form are as spry and fit when she was one year old. She greeted us with warmth and put us quick at ease. We wanted to know about the fads and achievements of yesteryear a1 Alma Mater told us a very interesting and enlightening story. “T remember it very well. My first class! Of course, I was nervous. I hi never had children of my own and suddenly I was given charge of so man You feel particulary close to the first, and my first class was composed darlings. They were bright and determined to be successful. I have a pictur here for you to see. This was the faculty. They’ve gone now to other assignments for that gia classroom in the sky. How the class loved them! Their humor and dedicati made them very close to the student body. I can recall the first graduation class as though it were yesterday. Y« young folk of today think you have the corner on wild things. The mini-ski are nothing compared to the flapper dresses of the twenties. Your dances evi are only reproductions of the Charleston era. I get a sentimental pang for t) boys of ’28 everytime I see one of your classmates in bell bottoms. In twenties radios and talkies were the word. Lunch time would find the studen “go-go” over Rudy Vallee and latest film made by Rudolph Valentino. ТІ children worked hard in school and clubs were very active. After a busy scho day they'd rush home to do homework, and when that was finished they'd “т the carpet and dance to tunes played on the gramaphone. There were also fa ranging from live goldfish eating to crossword puzzles. Sports were popular aı the football team played gam es with Glen Ridge, Bloomfield and Seton Ha They had their heroes and idolized them. They came, they saw, they conquer: my heart. I was very proud as I saw the first graduating class leave my hon and go on to success. There was a pause as Alma Mater dwelled on the happy days of her yout Suddenly she regained her composure and resumed her talk.

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We gave a smile of understanding she continued. “The forties saw our students changing their school clothes for uniforms. School work was one part of a busy student day. The girls and the younger boys worked after school in the war effort, either as Red-Cross aids or relieving an office worker for defense purposes. Many a letter was written in the cafeteria or wedged in between classes. Music was either patriotic as “Тһе White Cliffs of Dover” or side stepped the seriousness of the war “Marezie-Dotes” or “Laura”. Even with the man shortage school teams were going strong. As ever, films were the mainstay of entertainment; many of you still see on television. Alice Faye, Betty Grable, John Payne, and Carmen Miranda were grinding out musical-comedies which usually had patriotic leanings. How many films ended with the Andrew Sisters carrying our flag on a battleship, while a cast of hundreds in various patriotic costumes waved and sang “When the Lights Go On Again?” Our students accepted the privations and disappointments of war. Despite the long bus lines, they arrived on time. When prom dates were in service, they bravely sat at home. When called to do more than what is usually expected of a student; they gladly responded. “Alma Mater stopped and mused perhaps remembering her sons who died for their country. She brightened up a bit and continued, “V-E and V-J Day in the United States were days of complete chaos. People were happy and thankful that their loveones were safe. After the war a period of prosperity came to America. Soldiers returned to face such problems as job readjustment and a housing shortage. West Siders continued to lead a full school life. Frank Sintra and Bing Crosby were the leading pop singers. I guess you know these two as older men now, but in the forties the police had to hold back throngs of bobby-sox- ers” who crowded around these personalities. I can remember the student dances with songs as “Prisoner of Love,” “Heartaches” and “Linda.” The students dress changed. With the end of rationing they could have many pairs of shoes. Suede loafers with composition soles gave way to real leather shoes. The “New-look” arrived from Paris. Girls began to wear dresses with hem-lines an inch or two above the ankle. The men began a trend toward color in clothes, perhaps a reaction to the drab-colored military uniforms, and bold checked jackets with wide color splashed ties were in vogue. It was a much different world in 1949 than that of 1940. Swimming Coach Dispenzier led these wa- ter mermen on to victory My! What skinny legs you have Better to swim with my dear.