Widney High School Valley Branch - Valiant Yearbook (North Hollywood, CA)

Page 61 text:

PHYSICALLY HANDICAPPED STUDENT M MBER OF IWWA Thomas J. Cum ins is a graduate of Widney High School. Tom has been writing for the International Wrestling Writers Association. In one of his articles in the magazine, Wrestling As You Like It, he was supposed to cover a certain match. He covered part of the match and then explained why he saw only part of this particular wrestling match. nThe reason I saw only part of this match was that I was attending a graduation ceremony. This was a very special graduation, and if you'll excuse a diversion from wrestling on my part, I'd like to tell you why it was special. The graduates were the Class of Winter, '5h, Dr. Joseph Pomeroy Widney High School, in Los Angeles. What made it unusual, is that every one of the graduates had a physical disability of some sort. This is natural, since Widney High School is especially for students with physical handicaps, who are unable to attend one of the regular high schools in the city. I believe it is the only public high school of its kind in the United States, operated as a part of a city school system. A Special Courage HMost of you see courage of one kind or another almost every night in a wrestling ring, but the special kind of courage required of these boys and girls must be seen to be believed. Thirteen were in attend- ance for the graduationg of these, three were able to walk only with aid of crutches, three were confined to wheelchairs, the rest were able to walk only with difficulty. Two were afflicted with the dreaded spastic paralysis, which made every move a major project. Yet these three girls and ten boys pursued their educations to the fullest extent, overcoming disadvantages sufficient to crush the average person, doing so with honors. HNone of the graduates of the Class of '5h at Widney High will ever be able to wrestleg most of them will consider it a monumental triumph if they can eventually lead nearly normal lives and earn their way in the world. Yet they did not seek charity or beg public sym- pathyg they wanted only the chance to make themselves worth while cit- izens. This graduation was the culmination of their struggle to do that, and to see that was worth missing any wrestling match. For these kids have won the greatest wrestling match there isg the contest against their handicaps. nwhat was my particular interest in the graduates of Widney High? Well, you see, I was one of the thirteen who were on the platform to receive their diplomas on Wednesday night, and I will always be proud of the achievements of my classmates of the Class of Winter, '5k.n CPermission to print part of this article was granted by Thomas J. Cummins, and Dick Axman, editor of Wrestling As You Like It., 59

Page 60 text:

I LET SPRING IN I opened the door to let spring in And breathe the soft, warm air, I saw a blue bird on the wing And green things everywhere. The air was filled with fragrance sweet Of flowers and fresh-turned sodg I opened the door to let spring in And opened my heart to God. Cameron Faircloth fThis poem was awarded second prize in a poetry contest spon sored by the Los Angeles United Cerebral Palsy Assoclatlon in April, 1951+-7 RR

Page 62 text:

FRIENDS OF VALLEY BRANCH STUDENTS From the days when Valley Branch was a gleam in the eyes of our parents, they have been first on the list of our friends. Then came Mr. John G. Fox, Principal, and School. They have never missed assistance and courtesies to us Gifts which have made good the Personnel of North Hollywood High an opportunity to extend continuous all. times and better educational opportun- ities have come from various Parent-Teacher groups in the Valley. Our radio, which blares at noong our splendid three-speed record player which enlivens our music classesg our semi-annual birthday partiesg our extra apparatus for physical or occupational therapy---these are on the long list from the following P.T.A. groups: Carpenter Avenue and John T. Monlux, North Hollywood High School and E1 Camino Councilg the central office of Thirty-first District, California Congress of Parents and Teachers, through Mrs. Harold Swanson, who heads the Com- mittee on Exceptional Children. 60