William A Wirt High School - Sandscript Yearbook (Gary, IN)

Page 24 text:

 CONCERT CHOIR, first row, left to right: P. Owen, W. Pettit, C. Williams, N. Grimmer, J. Paul, J. Moore, L. Cupka, and V. Pet-rucci. Second row: K. Bowman, B. Murway, J. Kirby, M. Terus, R. Mattingly, W. Troxel, M. Smith, P. Seay, and J. Dolenar. Third row: G. Ripper, J. Van-Santen, C. Garris, R. Matysiak, K. Bryan, K. Paul, R. Larson, T. Boule, and Mr. R. Beckman. DRAMA CLUB, first row, left to right: Mrs. M. Jones, D. Nab-han, P. Thomas, T. Grady, C. Isaacson, G. Marlatt, B. Richardson, and I. Shapiro. Second row: J. Moore, G. Fox, and G. Cafeo. Oun t£e 02( ond As the curtains parted, the products of diligent practice showed themselves on stage as members of the 1962-63 Drama Club proudly presented the annual spring play. Action! was the watchword of Mrs. Margaret Labb Jones, sponsor and teacher, who gave her aid to the group in order to produce the best possible dramatic interpretation of the script which entertained the student body. Through daily rehearsals, held fifth hour in the auditorium, Wirt thespians were also able to receive rave notices for their traditional holiday play, which this year was entitled A Christmas Promise ' Speeches kept Drama Club members in practice for their roles, and amateur actors and actresses were able to smile over a well-done job as both the school year and the curtains slowly closed. The trying task of conforming the amateur voices of the Junior and Concert Choirs was met effectively with a detailed study of choral literature and routine practices under the guidance of new faculty member, Mr. Robert Beckman. An accomplishment of these highly trained groups was the Gary Public School Music Festival held at Memorial Auditorium. Under the direction of Mr. C. V. Hendrickson, supervisor of music education in the Gary Public Schools, Wirt students joined with those of other schools to demonstrate the self-expression that an intricate study of music symbols and styles can produce. Another high point on the year's choral scale was the traditional Christmas Concert which featured solos by Judy Moore and Rick Matysiak, bringing the warmth of the Christmas season to concert-goers. After the December concert, continual practices brought professional style to the group in its first year under new direction. The Spring Concert, a sundry musical program for Wirt students and their parents, proved the achievements of unity and persistence in the choral music vein.

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t6e t6e 'PCace, and t e Sound PEP BAND, first row, left to right: P. Christine, L. Zeid man, M. Weiss, T. Blanken ship, D. Hoover, R. Jump M. Russell, and T. Lewis Second row: T. Raupach, D Brown, C. Coffman, K. Hell man, R. Hedgren, D. Stepita J. Toda, R. Rudy, B. Cun ningham, and R. Nehrig. ORCHESTRA, first row, left to right: V. Dearth and J. Stump. Second row: H. Hell-man, B. Hirsch, C. Tsout-souris, J. Hebib, C. Shoub, and J. Sisko. Third row: T. Raupach, L. Sammy, M. Brown, K. Pester, A. Richardson, M. Summers, 5. Pester, P. Hirschmann, P. Christine, D. Stepita, K. Heilman, and C. Coffman. Fourth row: S. Anderson, C. Massey, J. Fox, T. Blankenship, D. Hoover, and R. Nehrig. With baton in hand Drum Major Gary Woods communicates the silent order for attention. The rhythm of a stirring march, a racing strain of ragtime, or string instruments resounding in vibrant tones drifted periodically up from the lower hall and indicated that some kind of instrumental music practice session was in progress. Our three musical organizations were dedicated to the ideal of bringing precision, inspiration, and education to the student body of Wirt School and to the Miller community. Precision, entwined with such familiar melodies as Exodus, let Me Call You Sweetheart, and I Ain't Down Yet, was exhibited by the fifty-five member Wirt marching band at the Annual Purdue Band Day, an honor shared by only one other Gary school. Led by Drum Major Gary Woods and high-stepping majorettes Joyce Fox, Cheryl Massey, Marjorie Rogers, Karen Pester, and Sherryl Leasure, the band executed its famous revolving T formation at halftime ceremonies and in parades, adding zest to such events. Participation in the regional and state music contests was an activity for which many were rewarded with gold and silver medals. Annual concerts brought enjoyment to the music enthusiasts of the community and the school. In marching, achieving, and performing, the Wirt Band was a wellloved part of our school's vitality. Inspiration was provided by the fifteen-member Pep Band, under the conductorship of Russ Nehrig, student director. The advanced musicians in this small but spirited group lent their assistance to stimulate the spirit of team boosters at football meets, basketball games, and pep sessions and served as a pleasing stimulant to school pep throughout the year. Education was a main objective of the Wirt Orchestra, which presented concerts for Nobel and Marquette Elementary Schools to spark interest in string music. Young minds of grade-schoolers were implanted with the seeds of knowledge about violins, string basses, and flutes by the section leaders of the Concert Orchestra. With careful practice, painstaking intonation, and precision bowing, amateurs became accomplished musicians. Prom practice sessions to the final performances. Concert Band, Pep Band, and Concert Orchestra set the musical pace. 19

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Effective communication is the ultimate goal of any speech course and the speech class of Mrs. Margaret Labb Jones, held third period in the auditorium, was no different. Here interested students learned not only how to prepare and present a meaningful public speech, but were made familiar with the basic elements of debate, discussion, and dramatization. Also stressed was the improvement of the students' conversation habits, diction, and pronunciation, all essentials of good speaking. Class members represented Wirt at various area speech contests, including those sponsored by the Rotary and Optimists Clubs, and left these meetings with the satisfaction of having accomplished their jobs competently and efficiently. They had learned what Mrs. Jones had taught and were now able to use their newly acquired speech skills for personal and business advantages. — Ti ictteti, ecui, cutcC Sutup SPEECH CLUB, first row, left to right: J. Forney, S. McChesney, L. Garcia, L. Hersch, P. Christine, D. Gross, L. Koplow, and R. Schwanke. Second row: R. Nelson, J. Bradley, W. Hubbard, D. Ballard, R. Nehrig, and Mrs. M. Jones. The smartly decorated showcase and bulletin boards with reading suggestions kept Wirt's small library warm and educationally attractive while students did research, studied, or browsed through the rows of numerous books. With Let's Go Frogging and the Place the Face contest, both library science projects, we found ourselves investigating all types of sources the library had to offer and stimulating our interest in its facilities so that we could accurately accomplish frogging or name the face of a well-known personality from society or history. Reward for winning the Place the Face ' contest was a dictionary, but the greatest rewards were what we experienced through our contact with the library. Under the guidance of Mrs. Mary Oppman, the library science class and the library assistants have worked together to serve the student body and faculty. The members of the library organization studied the operation of the reading-research room and assembled lists of reference books, and bibliographies that coincided with the subjects requested by teachers and students in homework assignments. With well-organized projects the library assistants focused attention on the students and sharpened the minds of inquisitive individuals. r LIBRARY ASSISTANTS, first row, left to right: Mrs. M. Oppman, A. Ponto, L. Cupka, W. Pettit, L. Humphries, K. Chicos, V. Jens, and J. Paul. Second row: C. Martin, W. Troxel, H. Beyer, and L. Cupka.