Westville High School - Janus Yearbook (Westville, IL)

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These events are those that reflected our concern about what was happening in our community, our country, our world. All of these are a reflection of our times, times only we can change. Terrorism Reigns President and Pope shot Violence was a reoccurring and ugly theme of this past year. Both President Reagan (March 30) and Pope John Paul II (May 13) narrowly escaped assassin’s bullets. Provedentially both fully recovered with seemingly as much vigor if not more than they had before the attempts on their life. These attempts underscore the spread of terrorism throughout the world. Recent discoveries reveal these incidents of violence, formerly believed to be isolated events, may in fact be the work of a terrorist ring whose world-wide work is to undermine law and order of established nations throughout the free world. This summer these attacks were evidenced in the street riots and bombings throughout England’s cities. Even the wedding of Prince Charles to Lady Diane did not deter the violence in the streets of England’s cities. Hostages Return Area welcomes Paul home Finally the 444 days of patient, but persistent, waiting ended. January 20, 1981 was the day the fifty-two American hostages were released from Iran. The bargaining time of the Carter administration ran out. Some believe Reagan’s unwillingness to state exactly what he would do expidited their release. Whatever the deciding fact may have been, the hostages’ final flight home from Weisbaden, West Germany was much celebrated throughout the country and none more than the local return of Paul Lewis to Homer, Illinois. 12 News

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 Do students today have problems? Yes!!! It seems money or lack of it is at the top of the list. Money for cars, gas, music, clothes, dates, school, snacks and well, just about everything costs something. Most students’ solution (besides hitting up parents or friends for loans) was a job. But that can be a problem too. Finding a job you like that pays enough isn’t easy and finding enough time for work and school means that school often has the least priority - uh, oh grades. Relationships was the next most bemoaned problem. It’s tough getting along with parents, girlfriends, boyfriends, the love of your life, teachers, brothers, sisters, even the dog can bite you! The solution was to listen more, put yourself in the other’s place to try and understand, don’t clam up and don’t give up. Relationships 11

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Presidential Race This year’s election was hot and heavy. Local election’s received much attention and voting again took place in the high school. The big attention getter was the presidential election. Televised debates took place sponsored by the League of Women Voters between President Carter and former California Governor Ronald Reagan. Senator John Anderson of Illinois was not included in the national telecast. Relief from taxes and government intervention were the main issues that won Reagan the Presidency of the United States with a substantial vote margin. Congress got the message and, despite opposition from Speaker Tip O’Neil, the legislators passed approval of record budget cuts and a history making bill designed to relieve taxes for middle income America. This shows Reagan is definitely being taken seriously at home and abroad as evidenced by the increase in the soundness of our dollar overseas. Even the hostages were returned on the date of his inauguration. So far Reagan, the 40th President, has kept his word to the voters. Teacher’s Picket An event that effected many in our own high school this spring was the teachers’ picket. This year the teachers felt that there had to be a change and soon! The dispute started in March when the school board refused to even discuss negotiation. Teachers felt that attention needed to be focused on a variety of issues that included a standard policy on discipline; they felt they needed to know what classes they would be teaching when they returned in the fall; and what they could expect to be paid. The main issue seemed to be setting up lines of communication about common concerns. To call attention to their issues, the teachers picketted before board meetings, passed out flyers, called board members, talked to parents, and answered questions by news media personnel. They seemed determined, though they hoped that they would not have to go on strike. But if there is no other course, a strike may become the only alternative. They hoped a conclusion could be arrived at before school starts next fall. When the news of the teachers picket became known at the high school many students didn’t believe they would actually picket. Many thought it was a gag, while othere were totally for it. For the teachers the picket was progress and motivation. For the students it was confusion and waiting. Space Shuttle After the manned space launches of the six-teis we’ve not heard as much about the space race. Some began to think that the glamour and excitement of “the new frontier” had worn off or at least, worn thin. This year’s shuttle launch rekindled the awe, the wonder, the basic - we’re all agog - reac- tion, all over again. Our technological advances had begun to be taken for granted, but the sight of such power, the blackness of space, even Voyager II’s close-up pictures of Saturn have re-established our appreciation. We were made aware of the advantages and comfort that has been an added demension of our everyday lives for as long as many of us have been alive. Newt 13