Carol Stovall, Class of 1969
In 1969, We did not have a yearbook for all of the reasons that
Pat has already mentioned (thanks, Pat!). But, the year book also fell
through the crack because 1969 was a turbulent year.
For most of the fall in 1968, the building was being renovated
to create space to bring in an educational experiment - modular
scheduling. We were one of the first schools in the United States to
have this type of educational system. After we got into the new
space, sometime right before the holidays, there was major confusion for
students and I think faculty and staff. This was a completely new system
and everything was quite overwhelming.
Add to this the fact that there was significant social changes
occurring, like white families moving from the school district,
Vietnam, the Black Panthers showing up at school and a principal who
came in and tried to impose a military like environment on the students.
We were lucky to just finish the school year!
In fact, the Spring of 1969, when we should have been working on the
year book, we were busy figuring out how to get RID of the principal.
Not only did he create arbitrary rules and problems around our having a
year book, but, In a school of around 1300, he had almost as many
suspensions. These suspensions were for silly reasons - refusing to
shave off facial hair or wearing a jacket around the waist (after not
being allowed to go home to change split pants) no less! We staged a big
protest where students DID NOT GO INTO THE BUILDING for 2 days!
The Board of Education met and changed out the principal. So, 1969
was an upside down year, where we experienced many of the same
issues as the rest of the country during a time of great societal
change.
Thank goodness we graduated!! But unfortunately, we did not get our
year book!!