The Classic newspaper Volume 4 Issue no. 6

w!teQtlassic Wowniltll~ ]Harris lHig~ ~(I,oor at Volume 4 No. 6

(q)ueells Qlollrge

75-40 Parsons Blvd.,Flusbing NY 11366

June, 1988

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Graduating seniors Michael McDermott, Brad Mayer and Dionne Papino stand to recite the Ephebic Oath during the first commencement exercises of the new Townsend Harris.

NEW HARRIS GRADS REVIVE OLD TRADITION First Commencement Ceremony In 46 Years

By David Herszenhom One hundred and ninety-nine members of the Class of 1988ended their high school careers, on June 23, at the first Commencement Exercises of Townsend Harris High School in 46 years.

A packed Colden Auditorium, including Queens Borough Preside n t C laire Shu lman, Assemblywoman Nettie Mayersohn , Queens High School superintendent Samuel Kostman, keynote speaker Eugene Lang (Class of '34) and many members of the 50th Anniversary Class of '38 looked on as the former seniors became the first Townsend Harris graduates since 1942.

Master of Ceremonies, Assistant Pr incipal Malcolm Rossman, welcomed everyone and after explaining about the closing of the original Townsend Harris in 1942, announced emphatically, "Townsend Ha rris is back and we're here to stay."

Queens Borough President Claire Shulman said, "Graduations are always very, very special.

This ceremony has a dded significance because it is the first 'Townsend Harris graduation in 46 years. Good things are worth waiting for."

- In a surprise announcement, Shulman stated that a site for the new Townsend Harris building next to the new Science Building has been finalized. Money for the project was placed in the budget for fiscal year 1991 and completion is expected in early 1993.

Jennifer Antoszewski, in a moving salutatory address on being a class of firsts, noted sadly, "This is the last first ,this class will share together."

Greetings and congratulations were offered by a number of honored guests. Queens College President Shirley Strum Kenny said, ','I want to congratulate all of you. This is a most important event for us' at Queens College because it is the first graduation of our high school. You are Townsend Harris High School at Queens College and we celebrate that connection."

Former Queens College President Saul Cohen, who was instrumental in the creation of the new Townsend Harris, told the graduates, "You have proven that Latin and Ancient Greek and the Westinghouse Science Ta lent ' Competition are two sides of the same coin."

Others providing greetings and warm wishes were Mr. Kostman, Assemblywoman Mayersohn, and a representative from City Coun cilmember Julia Harrison's office.

Three separate musical interludes took place. First, the Townsend Harris Concert Band conducted by Music teacher Walter Davis perfo rmed highlights from "The King and I. " During the second interlude, Senior pianist Tana Stotland played Tocata G Flat Minor.

Finally; the Townsend Harris Ladies Chorus, directed by Mr .

David Briskin, sang "Fair is Rose" from "Ruddigore," and " In Stiller Nacht." The Concert Band also performed the Processional "Pomp and Circumstance," the Recessional, "Fete Triumphal," "The Star Spangled Banner" and the Alma Mater .

Principal Malcolm Largmann in his Address to the Graduates, said, "Four years ago, I promised you an adventure and you had the spunk to take up the challenge.

You met each challenge and helped create a school. Our journey has not always been an easy one. - Your effort and

perseverance have brought you to this point. Many paths lie ahead and each will be different. Be afraid of the unknown but do not fear it. Make a difference not only for yourselves but for others.

Robert Frost wrote, and I hope you read it in English 5, 'Two roads diverged in a yellow wood and I, I took the one less traveled by, the one less traveled by and that has made all the difference .' I urge you to maintain the courage and curiosity that got us through our journey. Thank you for your company."

Dr. Largmann's address was followed by a humorous and enthusiastic Keynote speech by Philanthropist Eugene Lang of the Class of '34,who ended by saying, "Not failure but rathe r low aim is sin."

Foreign language teacher Joyce Provenzale presented the first graduation awards to Robyn Machada and Shanita Lawrence, who each received $4,000 scholarships from the United Federation of Teachers.

PTA co-president Clementine Butt s presented .Marc Malkin , Veronica Hernandez and Tanya Odom with awards from the Parent-Teacher Association.

Jennifer Antoszewski, Julie Chan, Suman Gupta, Dana Levine, Joanne Muntzner, Sumati Nagpal , Heathe r Nash, Monica Pintado and Karl Wang won awards given by the Townsend Harris Alumni Association. The alumni awards were presented by Henry Shereff.

During a special presentation, Morton Lisser of the Class of 1938 passed a plaque, inscribed with the words of the Ephebic Oath, to Senior .Class President Tanya Odom, who in turn passed it to Paul Gibson , President of the Class of 1989.

The passing of the Ephebic Oath was followed by the Reaffirmation of the Oath, administered

by Dana Levine. The Ephebic Oath was first recited by the Class of 1988, as freshmen on Founders Day in 1984.

Gu idance Counselor Sheila O rner then presented t h e graduates, who, once on stage, received , diplomas from Dr. Largmann, and Assistant Principals Bernice Horowitz and Harry Rattien. Suman Gupta's in- . spiring Valedictory address was followed by the singing of the Alma Mater, written by Ervin Drake (Class of '35) and the recessional.

June 1988

Academic Dishonesty Hinders Honest Efforts

In'quiring Photograph~r "How serious do you feel the problem of academic dishonesty is in this school?"

Townsend Harris students are chosen on the basis of their academic record. With this, however, comes competition , a quality which often fosters the temptation toward academic dishonesty.

All students are responsib le for their own actions, and cheating and plagiarism are dishonorable acts. It is the rare academician, however, that has never been tempted to cheat in the pursuit of approbation of his studies. We are all potential cheaters, and those of us who do not report incidents of academ ic dishonesty are equally to blame for the prob lem. We should view such incidents as a moral corruption of the student body as a whole. Even if only a few of us are involved in incidents of dishonesty, we must all be watchful of the temptations within ourselves.

"I don't think it is so bad, at least It is important for teachers to be vigilant. If cheat ing is among the freshmen . One should made difficu lt, the temptation is lessened. This role, expect a little cheating among the however, must not be turned into that of a guard in a ranks."

Lisa Spardel 906 police state. We are merely students. Our transgressions are often unintended and, on the whole, unpremeditated, rather hasty acts carried through on a tide of desperation .

Teachers shou ld not condemn students who transgress, because such acts are thoughtless rather than malicious. Dr . Largmann, Teacher understanding may, indeed, prevent a student After listening closely to your from compromising the integrity of the exam and the speech over our scho~l1's public student-teacher relationship. address system, I reahzed It was . . necessary for me to present to you Although respect plays a large role ' in the Issue of my opinion about what you said. academic dishonesty, such attitudes are forced to battle the I'd like to start off by addresstemptation against acts which promise a concrete grade . ing the issue of anonymous letters.

High school students anxious for success should not be Throughout my high school career asked to fight such a battle alone. Teachers shou ld reassure at Townsend Hams, I have been . .. . . . ' . encouraged by several teachers to students of their abilities while takmg preventative write anonymous letters. They measures against the temptation all students feel, and provide teachers with the opporguidance, through such measures as a "peer rap" group, tunit y of knowing what's going on shou ld address the issue of academic dishonesty so that insid: a stude,nt's mind. ' . . .

This can include a student's students may pledge their honesty and mtegnty to , likes and dislikes abou t the way themselves and their colleagues. the class is run and the manner in

"No tests, no problems. " Edward O'Campo 105

" I feel that cheating is a very serious problem, because it not only keeps others from achieving their goals, but it also hinders those who do the cheating. After all, they're not really learning anything ."

Jeff Smith 116

Principal's Message Generates Response

My, How We've Grown!

Four years in a lifetime is not a very long period of time . Yet for all those involved with To wnsend Harris, more could not ~ave happened in such a short span. In those four years, Townsend Harns evolved from a wisp of the alumni 's dream, to a very tangib le piece of reality. It grew from a school which had only a freshman class who sat on the floors while working from photostated copies of the textbooks, to a sophisticated institution of learning. Moreover , in those years the members of the Townsend Harris community learned the importance of thinking ana lytically, serving our society, and were given !he opportunity to further develop themselves and to grow. As the first graduating class prepares to leave Townsend Harris for the last time this June, The Classic prou dly looks back .on the growth of the school , and looks onward to the growth that will continue tomorrow.

It is said that growth canno t be measured by achievements, but achievements are a good indication of the school's accomplishments.

Although we lacked the necessary lab materials and science textbooks four years ago, Townsend Harris had a Westinghouse finalist and three semi-finalists in the Science Challenge competit ion this year. The original issue of The Classic was also no more than a mimeographed newsletter, but it is now an award winning newspaper, receiving first place awards from both the Columbia Scholastic Press Association and the Newsday School Journalism competition. And, whereas the reopening of the school was originally met with much opposi tion and was predicted to be a failure, 42 percent of the senior class received New York State Regents Scholarsh ips. ' Townsend Harris not only fostered an academic growth , but encouraged an intellectual and emotional growth as well. The seniors' interaction and affiliation with Queens College gave them the freedom to f.urther pursue topics of ~nterest ~hile giving them a sample of college hfe. The Humani ties seminar. which was team-taught by a Queens College professo r and a Townsend Harris curriculum in itself, also develop~d the intellectual capabilities of its stu~ents by of~ering the~ challenging courses and programs, such as Latin and ennchment , m which the students learned to think and learned to apply their talents .

All in all, Townsend Harris encouraged the open atmosphere necessary for the intellectual and personal growth of both its students and its teachers. " When the seniors finally graduate this June, they will leave knowing that they witnessed the birth and growth of a truly unique institut ion, and that they themselves are leaving for better and greater than when they first entered.the doors of Townsend Harris only four years ago.

which the lesson is taught. In these cases, if the teacher is by some chance offended by the content of the letter, it cannot affect the student's relationship with him/her or the grade given to the student. ' Getting to the issue at hand, a teacher has every right to know if someone has received knowledge abou t an exam in any manner other than studying. It can also be seen as a student's right to inform a teacher about anyone who has 'gotten answers to a test. This student is trying to do the teacher a service not a disservice.

In more direct terms, your speech came out against those who wrote the letter. You made it sound as if that letter was a violation' of the Ephebic Oath, rathe r than the actions it was fighting against.

That letter was not written with malice. It was not written with the intent to spread rumors. It was however, written as a means for obtaining justice for ' those who worked hard studying for that exam. The students who wrote the letter had every right to do so. It was an action that, as I said befo re, had been encouraged, It was t he 'Muckra kers " perogative not to come forward when asked to. It was not their fault that rumo rs had already spread throug hout the school community. Had no one come forward then that would have been the end of it. But the fact is tha t you cannot say t h e "Muckrakers" spread rumors, when it has come to pass that the letter cont ained tru th, if not whole truth. It did lead to the discovery of the truth .

In a school like ours nothing is sacred and our communication system is lacking. There is often great confusion weekly as to whether we are having a rapid dismissal or not. Perhaps the student body was behaving like a lynching mob, and admittedly, we were wrong for that. But rumors do not stop as a result of a P .A . announcement. The only way to combat rumors is by confronting them with facts. Truth is the solution, a slap on the hand isn't.

When dealing with truth, the rights of the accused have to be considered. They have rights which cannot be b latantly disregarded . Truth may hurt their

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characters, but in the end, truth would prove to be less harmful than the continuance of vicious rumors.

In conclusion, I'd like to state that those accused cannot be en.tirely to blame. In my eyes, they are victims rathe r than offende rs.

Their actions came partly as a result of the quality of life and environment we are faced with day to day at Townsend Harris. At the end of four years in an environ ment like ours, I think it would be difficult for anyone of us to live up to the ideals laid out for us in the Ephebic .Oath.

Jenn ifer Weinberg

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75-40 Parsons Blvd •• Flus bin g NY 11366

, Senior Editor-In-Chief Editor-In -Chief.

Managing Editor

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'. . . . . . . . . . .. Heather Nash Renata Kobetts David Herszenhorn

News Editor Eileen Gunn Feat ure Edit ors Camille Gear, Hayley Thomas Sports Editor Lena Jones Business Editor Nanette Kung Senior Editors ex officio: Dawn Cabage, Russell ' DeCastro , Michelle Gnyp, Karen Greenbe rger, Holly Hatcher, Brad Mayer, Cheryl Schustac k P hotographer: Scott Karp

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Artists: Keiko Cabanos , Check Moy, Anny Wohn , David Nelson.

Staff: Corey Ackerman, Jackie Berler, Jonathan Boltax, Jane Cirigliano, David Fischer , Marissa Gluck, Sama ntha Gobler, Lorraine Holland, Melody Keilbach, Julia Kou, Ericka Landsmann , Jodi Lasoff, Ruth Lerman, Mary MeCarthy, John Newman , Nikila Pai, Rimma Perelmuter, Tracey Revellino, Kristi Rodenbeck, Alicia Salmoni, Esther Soffer, Danielle Steinmann, Steve Sussman, Tally Weiner , Jessica Wohl.

Advisor .. ; Principal

Mrs. Sheryl Rubin Dr. Malcolm Largman n

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Bearing Ups and Downs of Staircase Rules Dear Editor: In my opinion, Townsend Harris has many necessary rules, but having an up staircase and a down staircase is unfortunately not one of them . Since Townsend Harris is small compared to most high schools, students should be ab le to reach their classes in any way possible without having to worry about whether they are going up the right staircase.

To have members of the school administration stand by staircases to make sure that students are not going the wrong way is utterly .ridiculous and a waste of valuable time. I think that they should concentrate on the more important things within the school. Of course students should obey

school rules regardless of the situation, but th is is really unnecessary .

Sometimes having labe led staircases can interfere with a student getting to each class. If their class isnext to the up staircase and they are going down, they must go all the way down the hall to reach the appropriate staircase. Th is definitely does not help, but instead it just creates problems for the student.

The entire idea of having two staircases creates disasters instead of helping the student. I am sure that it was not thought to create confusion, but that is what it actually does. If this problem continues to be ignored, matters will . only get worse!

Keicha Bolden

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College Office Coaches Juniors With Success To The Editor: I would like to commend the College Office for tak ing so much time out for the Junior class to discuss not only prospective colleges, but the various summer programs offered at the universities as well. The college decision is a very long and difficult process, and I feel that with the help we will be recieving, it will make it all much more simple.

It is very easy to get caught up in the whirlwind of the college decision. What some don't realize, however, is that there are many factors involved in selecting the right college for you. Some examp les are academic standards, courses of study, location, social activities, etc ... Without the aid of

adv isors who specialize in this field, the average student might windup going to a university very unsuited to their needs.

The advisors have already begun to help us by sending around weekly notices of universities which have summer programs. These flyers have also included the expense of the course, the length, and the deadline for registration. They have also lined up certain colleges to come to Townsend Harris and talk about their university. This is extremely helpful to us, for we get to talk to someone in person about their school instead of reading a pamphlet which can only talk about so many aspects of the school.

Tracy Dennis

Singing the Lunch Line Blues: More Organization Needed Dear Editor: Lunch hours here in Townsend Harr is can be a real drag sometimes. The lunch line is stretched all around to the opposite wall. People wait on line for most of the lunch band to get thei r food. Asking what is for lunch takes up a lot of time for students and teachers. Just to get milk can take up to 15 minutes. I am surprised to find sometimes only one person working as the cashier and lunch preparers at the same time.

Occasional cuts to .the front by teachers, service monitors, and snack buyers delay the line even further back. ' What we need in our school

during lunch hours is a more organized and convenient way to enjoy lunch without wasting time on line. What I suggest is to get more people to help give out lunch to the students. There should also be a sign put up daily to list the choices of lunch. Finally, a separate line should be made for snacks and drinks that is away from the lunch line to prevent crowding.

With these improvements, lunch time would be spent more pleasantly doing whatever we want to do without wasting all the time on line.

Susan Chew

Sports Board Still Stands Unp osted To the Editor: I wou ld like to suggest that the schoo l set aside a bulletin board for sports. This board would post future games , and the result of past games. Since this kind of board is not presently available, many Townsend Harris students are unable to show their school

spirit by attending these games.

I believe that having such a board would increase the number of our victories . I say this because as a member of a team, I see the difference in the team's morale when we have loyal fans to cheer for us.

Liz Cardines

Student Demands Breath Of Fresh Air To The Editor: I .would like to ' air out ' a few facts about the condition of our school. Everyone knows our bu ilding is not in the best of shape. Everybody also knows the TUsh of terror when going near a classroom window, the fear of it falling out of the frame and mutilating your Latin book, and various bodily appendages. I tallied exactly how many open in the school. The results are quite

astonishing.

Approximately 15 percent of the windows in the schoo l open correctly. All of the others are either locked or loose in the frame (in other words, I was afraid to open them). One out of every two classrooms have no windows that open. Another piece of interesting data is that the only rooms which have many windows that open are faculty offices, the faculty lounge, and the library. I feel that the

students have a right to fresh air.

How many accidents must we have? How many people have to get sick from breathing the stagnant air'? Why did we get new window shades if the windows do not open? I am aware that in a few years we will have a new building.

In the meantime, I think that something should be done before the student union starts selling oxygen tanks instead of candy!

Natalie LaDuca

Colleges/Universities That Have Accepted The Townsend Harris High School Class Of 1988 PRIVATE . Johnson C. Smith University Tulane University Adelphi University Johnson & Waies College Union College The American University Lehigh University Utica College University of Arizona Le Moyne College University of Virginia Arizona State University Lincoln University Wellesley College Bard College University of Louisville Wesleyan University Barnard College Luther College Western Kentucky Brandeis University Macalastar College Williams College University of Bridgeport Marist College William Smith Colleg~ Brown University University of Maryland University of Wisconsm Bryn Mawr College University of Massachussetts Wright State University Carleton College Michigan State University Yale College Cazenovia College University of Michigan University of Chicago Muhlenberg College SUNY/CUNY Clarkson University New York University Albany Baruch Clark University Northeastern University Binghamton Northwestern University Colgate University .

Brooklyn Columbia University Northwood Institute Coiorado State University Oral Roberts University Brockport Connecticut College Pace University Buffalo Cooper Union Pennsylvania State University Canton Cornell University University of Pennsylvania City Dartmouth College Polytechnic University Cobleskill University of Denver Pamona.College Crtland Duke University C.W. Post College Delhi Drexel University Purdue University Environmental Sci. & Forestry College of Tech. at Farmingdale Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Emory-Riddle University Emerson College University of Rochester Fashion Institute of Technology Rochester Institute of Technology , Fredonia Emory University Endicott College Rutgers University Geneseo Hostos F lsk University St. Bonaventure University Fordham University St. John's University Hunter Franklin & Marshall College Sarah Lawrence College Jefferson Franklin Pierce College University of Scranton John Jay George Washington University Siena College Manhattan Hamilton College Skidmore University Maritime Hampton University Smith College New Paltz Old Westbury University of Hartford University of South Carolina Harvard/ Radcliffe Colleges Spelman College Oneonta Oswego Hobart College Stanford University Hofstra University Swarthmore College Purchase University of Illinois Syracuse University Queens Queensborough lona College Towson State University Indiana Institute of Technology Trinity College Stonybrook Ithaca College Tufts College ~ork

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Pinar Kodoma, Ivan Bilaniuk, and Jeff Cohen were gold medalist winners in the National Latin Exam, which was administered on March 9.

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Faria Parei ra was one of two students from Queens totravel to Knoxville for the International Science and Engineering fair where both the ISEF and the American Association of Micro biology awarded her second place awa rds.

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The Senior class received a cumulative amount of over $1,500, 000 in college scholarships and funds .

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COSA Myron Moskowitz has collected over $1,700 in pledges from the March of Dimes Walk-a-thon.

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Alejandra Garcia won a first place award in the level four National Spanish Exam. Adriane Valencia came in third place and Kate Cadett e received an honorable mention .

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, Members of Y.E.S., Youth for an Educated Society, have petitioned S local representatives in hope of gaining their support on the minimum ; wage legislation .

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Academic Olympians Irim Nacir, Richard Cheung, Kevin Kim, Sujal Barucho and Vadim Rubinstein concen- Esther Soffer, Carla Sommers and Rich Mednick placed first second and third in an essay contest on affirmative action . trate on their opponents' response.

Brain Team Continues Champ Tradition

by David Herszenhorn The match against Stuyvesant, For the second year in a row, played at the Board of Education .the Townsend Harris Academic in Brooklyn, proved to be the Olympics team has won the year 's most exciting event.

Queens Borough championship. Sophomore, Pinar Kodaman , The Academic Olymians defeated said, "They were so sure they Bayside, Francis Lewis and John would win. During the intermisAdams High Schools in a sudden sion they were partying and we death round robin tournament to . came back to win it." Ivan recallwin the borough and earn a ed, "It came down to the last chance at the city title. question, during the omnibus round, it was a sports question, we answered it and just squeaked by. " The final score in that match Flawless Season was 73-72.

The three playoff victories followed a flawless regular season in which the team finished with six wins and no losses. In the tournament for the city championship, Harris was elimianted with three losses but not before defeating defending champion, Stuyvesant High School.

Coach Richard Russo stated, "We did as well as we did last year. We're the borough champs!

We make no apologies to anybody." Team member, Ivan Bilaniuk explained, "I think we did really well and hopefully we can continue our success."

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The mock trial team won five consecutive matches this season to become one of the top four teams in the city.

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Scott Karp, David Herzenhorn and Mrs. SherylRubin attended a dinner on June 15 honoring the recipients of this year's Long Island Scholastic Continued Problem Press Association awards. The Classic received two first place awards for feature writing and photography , a second place award in news writing, and a third place award in lay-out at a ceremony at C.W. Post The team's only problem has on May 18. been in the Math/Science round.

"Except for Math and Science, we Freshman Karen Lemmey's sculpture of St. Franc is of Assissi will be have very good team chemistry," part of the Fountain of Peace that the parish of St. John the Divine is joked Freshman Nuri Kodaman. building in front of its cathedral in Manhattan.

••••• Coach Russo said, "We have continued problems in Math and Freshman Susan Chiu received the haney medal that the School Art Science . " Ivan expla ined, League gives annually to the "Most Artistic Freshman.'''

••••• "Hopefully now the Math and Science players have gained ex- WFAN radio interviewed freshman Rena Moss about her borough-wide prience. It's a big problem. If we winning essay, "I Want to be the First Woman Yankee" which she could just tie in the Math/Science wrote in a contest that the Yankees and Rigoletto sponsored.

Disappointment ••••• round, that would be amazing."

Regardless of any problems, the Jean-Jacque Newman was a finalist in the National French Exam, which The encouraging victory over, borough champs enjoy what they was given on March 12.

Stuyvesant was followed by three do and are excited about doing it disappointing defeats . In the again next year. 'It was a lot of Amnesty International is planning marches for the protection of Bronx, Truman High School fun, it's like Jeopardy, just like a children's rights at various embassies next term that may each include as handed Harris its first loss of the game show, sometimes it's nerve- many as 5,000 students from all over the city. year, ' 64-62. The second defeat wracking," explained Pinar. "We followed one week later, this time did well, but we can still do bet- Uglicio, "The Ugly One" finished first in the first annual Quantam Cat it was Tottenvill~ winning by 14 ter. I look forward to next year. roach-a-thon. All roaches completed the 20 inch track with Slo-rno points at Queens College. Finally. Maybe we can win the whole- finishing last.

Harris was elimianted by a thing," enthused Nuri. Coach devastating 20 point loss, 80-60, at Russo is also excited, "We have a Townsend Harris won the Thomas Edison School Humanitarian award the hands of Midwood High good team in place for the Fall on May 24, for the extent of community service that its students per. formed. and we'll work hard."

School in Brook lyn.

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Rebutting To The Top: •

Debate Team Gains National Recognition

By Melody Keilbach The Harris debate team, supervised by Mrs. Rhoda Weinstein, has come a long way since its inception four years ago, ending its season with senior Suman Gupta competing in the National Debate Tournament in New Orleans.

National Debates As a result of coming in first place in a Brooklyn/Queens Catholic Forensic Division League debate on "If mandatory AIDS testing is more important than personal privacy rights," Suman qualified for the Nationals, which was on the value of the original framers of the Constitution. ~

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Although she did not place in this competition, which was also sponsored by the Catholic Forensic League, she' won two out of her four debates.

State Competition Earlier in the season, both junior Michelle Carino and senior Linda Cheung qualified to compete in the State competition in Albany. Michelle Carino placed second in the Intermediate Division.

Suman Gupta, Sean Gralton, Hyun-Su Yi arid the alternate Linda Cheung were Quarterfinalists in the citywide Lincoln-Douglas tournament. The team won $400 debating the topic, "Is mandatory drug testing justified in order to '.

protect society."

When debating, senior Teresa Lazar finds that "the hardest part are the cross -examinations because you really don't know what to expect and you have to both think fast, and effectively make your point in a short period of time."

Coin Toss In actual competition, a coin is tossed to decide which view each team takes. Everyone competing must be ready to argue either point of view.

According to Suman Gupta, it is even better to have to argue for

something you don't believe in because, "You look at the topic and feel that you can't debate for that and then you do the research and find out the real facts.

Sometimes my own opinion is changed. It also makes you a better debater if you can argue something you don't believe in."

Debates such as the ones held by the Catholic Forensic Division League take place from about 9:00 in the morning to 4:00 or 6:00 in the evening. This, says senior Linda Cheung, requires ' a lot of 'stamina because every time you debate the same topic six to seven times consecutively."

This year, in order to accomodate the senior debate team members, Mrs. Weinstein formed a debate class at the college.

However; they weren't able to meet with the underclassmen who practice at the "school during enrichment.

Debate Benefits Being a part of the debate team has helped its members in many ways. Linda Cheung sums up the feelings of these seniors by saying: "We gained a lot more knowledge on current, controversial issues, to think on our feet, that there are two sides to every issue and to look at both of them before forming an opinion, improved our oral skills, and had a lot of fun!"

Jane 1988

The Classic

Consultative Council

Channels Ideas

By Jane Cirigliano the proce ss of passing rules within and Alicia Salmoni the school. " A Consultative Council is reSophomore J. David Rosza enquired in all New York City joys taking part in decisions that schools to serve as a catalyst in the directly affect him. He relates, "I channeling of ideas among feel a certain amount of prestige students, administration, teachers because I am able to have a say in and community. Holding monthly matters involving both the school meetings, the Council encourages and myself." students to voice their op inions on Faculty members also believe matters concerning them. that the meetings play an imporEach school is allowed to tant role in the school. Librarian choose the manner in which the Valerie Billy says that the Council Council is conducted. According is a "forum for students to come to COSA Myron Moskowitz, a and discuss their concerns." She faculty member of the Council, feels that these meetings increase the format in which it is run is cooperation among the members "unique to every school." of the school population .

Dr . Largmann believes that the Guidance Counselor Sheila purpose of the Council is to " ad- , Orner describes the atmosphere at vise the principal on certain meetings as being "comfortable issues." As an advisory body , it and open" with the students verhas been very successful in in- balizing their views inteligently. troducing many school activities.

Altho ugh it has accomplis hed The rescheduling of midterms, much durin g its four years of exand the planning of the Junior istence, the Counsu ltative Council eProm are only a few of its many does have its flaws. One of the::! achievements . most pressing problems, Dr . ,~ At recent meetings, discussions Largmann believes, is th e need for til were held , concern ing a school " cont inuit y of core members."

Incoming Freshmen mingle at the 1988 Townsend Harris freshmen orientation, May 31. mascot, the March of Dimes The Cou ncil would like parent s Walk-A -Thon and the Black and senior s to have a mo re active World Rodeo. participation in the meetings and Stud ents , faculty- and parents ac t ivit ies . D r . La r g m a n n are expec ted to attend the , elabor ates on th is by saying that meetings. A chairman presides " the Council should represent a over the meetings, introducing larger const ituency of the school matters on the agenda . The posi- and student participation should

By Alicia Salmoni Mr. Roseeman advocates the on such technique s as critical tion of chairman is a rota ting one, be expanded."

Last year. Townsend Harris im- thinking, art iculation of thoughts, use of the interview since in an inwhere the members of th e Council One of the Counc il's goals now plemented a new admissions ability to question facts and ideas, terview "we could find which take turns in executing the duty. is to spread the knowledge of its policy for incoming freshmen, in and creativity." Mrs. Horowitz students were truly committed to The student members of the existence throughout the school. which faculty members choose also notes that " Townsend Harris the type of program Townsend Council feel that being involved is Mr. Moskowitz hopes that " more students only by research of past teachers had to revise their ap- Harris had to offer." an enriching experience. Junior of a cro ss-section of the school achievement, extra courses, and proach to teach ing the students Mrs . Horowitz feels that the Nicole Elias, a third -year member , will be involved in the futu re. This attendance, instead of the essay these important skills that they new policy put both the school comments that her extensive par - way, the Council can be more and interv iew process. and the poten tial students to a hadn't used before. " ticipation is "educating me about representative of the student. body Mr. Arthur Boulanger believes disadvantage. " The schoo l lost The policy was first mandated stude nts who might have had a that this process has been , beneficial in that it allows for a in order to prevent discrimination special quality to add to our ~~ FLlJSIUNG FA ST PRINT,INC. greater "uniformity within the among candidates for admission. schoo l. The students also lust out 147-37 Union Turn pike e R ushing grade," but he adds, " We desire Ho wever, many seem to feel that since those whom might have FULL SERVICE COpy CENTER more of a diversity" in the types this new policy creates a diffe rent taken because of their special of students chosen for the school. type of discrimination. Mr. qualities were not. " • Pho to Copl" • Stet. & Velo.e.

Whether or not Townsend Har Boulanger feels that it might have • Plat" & Nege tlv" • 8 1 _ Ce rda • Ty etdng Do... On Pr.m.... • Invltetlon.

Assistant Principal Bernice been discrimina tory against those ris will have to continue with this • S ocial & Comm.rclel • Film Developing Horowitz thinks tha t while the who may have "shinedin an inter- policy remains to be seen. Mr. P rinting • K.... Cut students are still extremely bright, view and showed great potential.' Boulanger elucidates that "We are 10 % Discou nt With $10.00 Purchase or More they are lacking certin skills re- Students who did not have a 90 asking that the policy be revoked .

Excluding Film Develo ping and Keys with th lo ad quired of a Townsend Harris stu- average but had a unique However, for the ' foreseeable Ope nMon.·FrI. I A.M.· IP.M. (718) 380.1800 Saturd.y 10 A.M.• 3 P.M. dent. The students' previous character' were admitted through future we will have to exist under school had not put an "emphasis the old system. these circumstances."

For Better Or For Worse: New Policy Molds Student Body

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Discussing Precautions:

Issues of Academic Dishonesty Disturb Harris 'Community ..

By Renata Kobetts Recent incidents of a cademic dishonesty have caused discussion among Townsend Harris High School administrators , facu lty members, and students over the precau tions which shou ld be taken in a selective school ' where students are highly motivated and grade-conscious.

Dr. L a r gm a nn addressed ' several of the issues at hand in a schoo l-wide speech over the public address system on May 2. "There are those who give only token respect to th e Ephebic Oath, " he said. "Although such students are th e exception among our student bod y, all of us are respo nsible for ' what goes on in our school."

The principal, while explaining that those who knowingly allow academic dishonesty to tak e place are just as guilty as those who actively engage in such acts, expressed concern regarding "rumor mongers," tho se who promote " blanket accusations without witnesses" and those who write anonymous notes. "When you accuse, you had better have the facts, not the rumo r, " he explained. Dr. Largmann again stressed the respo nsibility all studen ts must take. "In a democracy, it is you upon whom we rely to maintain high standards ." In closing, he urged students to " be honest and kind to one another."

Dr . Leonard Gappelberg, who

was recently involved in an incident of academic dishonesty, stated, " I never felt the kind of tensions I feel here in regard to students. They feed on their grades-like , man needs oxygen.

Their identities ... their sense of person are tied into grades .. ."

"smack too much of the McCarthy era ." She advocates a student speaking to a teacher and requesting th at his or her name be withheld. Dr. Largmann firmly states , "Everyone has the right to be faced by his accuser." " It's every teache r's responsibility to be vigilant, " he said, " An anonymous note might be used to tip a teache r off to watch more closely but I would not act on it ."

the competi tive natur e of Townsend Harris might lead to increased in c id en c e o f academ ic dishonesty , while Mrs. Horowitz is unsu re.

The issue of academic dishones ty was ad dressed in a cabinet meeting, as well as at a faculty meeting recently. Mrs. Horowitz A lthough sti ll r esp ect in g cited the careful plans for the June stu dents , Dr. Gappelberg now 1988 Regents Examinations, innumbe rs and counts test papers. cluding the seating of stude nts in Mrs. Bernice Horowitz, Assistant alternate rows of the same room Principal Humanities, feels that Both Mrs. Horowitz and Dr. for the biology and history tests. such "preventat ive medicine" is important so that stu dents are not Gap pelberg mentioned the impor- , Dr . Gappelberg has suggested a tance of the role of guidan ce in guidance-sponsored "Peer Rap" "tempted."

Mrs. Horowitz expressed th e -h elping stude nts to cope with in which students can confront th e need for " student leadership" and temptations which might lead to moral and ethical conflict s involvbelieves that anonymous notes dishones ty. Dr. Gappelberg feels ed in academic dishonesty .

June 1988,

T he Classic

Black Panther Strikes Against 'War Prejudices . By Eileen Gu nn General George Patton sent the Black Panthers into Wor ld War II with a reminder that the eyes o f their nation and their people were going to be on them . " Don't let them down, " he told them, "and damn it , don 't let me dow n. " What he neglected to tell th is '" all-blac k tan k battalion , th e first g one in the U.S. Army, was th at their life expectancy as a unit was eight to 12 day s, there would be Amnesty Internat ional mem bers listen to other activists at t he H uman Rights rally on Ma y 12. no replacements, and he didn't expect any of them to return home alive .

This was one anecdote relat ed

By Jes sica Woh l about the terrible conditions and because it made just ordinary by George McConnell when he Cr ies of " Human Rights No w" violations of human rights the things so difficult." J anna Siegel spoke at H arr is about the preand the words to "Blowin' in the people of South Africa and all also shared her experiences while judices Ame rica subjected him Wind" by Bob Dylan were heard over the world" suffer. He feels wearing the chains. "It was so and his comrades to while they in front of Townsend H arr is H igh many people can learn from his painful. In some remote way I felt fought for her in World Wa r II. School on May 12, as part o f an experiences. "It helps people who like I cou ld almost relate to how The name Black Panthers was Amnesty Intern ational rally for -haveri't been through what we've the prisoners feel. I feel very originally meant to be pejorative been through to understand what changed. " he explained, but the 761st bathuman rights .

T he rally was led by Amnesty goes on everyday ," he explained .

Many people did not unders- talion rose above this and much .

Intern ational in an effort to in- " It is especially important for the tand why such an event was run by else to put forth some of the mos t form the community o f the young people because they are the Townsend Harris since it is such a outstanding soldiers in the war .

In 1978, President Jimm y human rights violations that occur ones who are going to change small student body. A .I. chapter on a dai ly basis around the world . things . " president Jennifer Appell explain- Carter awarded them the Besides receiving attention from ed, "You need to get every aspect Presidential Unit Citation fo r T he rall y' was part of the " Human Rights Now" campaign, the press , Mr. Mark Monson, a of society involved no matter how "extraordinary heroism in battle " the largest campaign organized by representative from Congressman small or young . Everyone makes a that Congress had denied them six , Amnesty Intern atio nal. It is a Gary Ackerman's office attended . difference." Principal Malcolm times previously . worldwide effort to make known "It takes help from everyone," he Largmann added to that, "That's Denial of this honor was only a the principles of the Universal stated, " and we are very glad to what our school is all about. The small part of the injustices MeDeclaration of Human Rights add a couple of hundred voices to fact that it came out of their own Connell faced from the moment adopted by the U.N. in 1948. The the campaign." init iati ve shows that we have he enlisted.

To help publicize the rally, students who are on the road to organization hopes to establish a global family, that would grant several A.I. members went becoming humanists." human rights to everyone through school the day before " I feel very good," stated regardless of race, sex or religion. wearing chains. Chain bearer faculty advisor Odile Garcia.

Former prisoner of conscience Johanna Lasker related, "It made "This is something we should all from South Africa, Sonny me feel a little more in touch with do . Human rights are ignored all Venketrathnan spoke at the rally what the prisoners went through too often. " Training took place below what he calls, " the Cotton Curtain," in Tennessee. Not even the army uniform -was impermeable to the anti-black sentiment of the south.

Jackie Robinson, a fellow Panther, was court-martialled when he refused to sit in the back o f a bus and a high ranking officer had to remove him from his chosen seat. He was given an honorable discharge on account of a "bad leg. " .!ii "Anyone who's seen Jackie <r, Robinson steal bases knows that g he had no bad leg," McConnell i:' chuckled.

Amnesty Activists Rally For Rights

Racial Injustices

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Despite blood and victory, prej ud ices st ill shadowed th em throughout Eur ope. The normal fight ing conditions were three 'weeks in the field with one weekend o ff. At one point the y went 183 straight days without reprieve; no rest, no showers, nothing , bu t guns and German s.

T hey ha d a casualty rate o f 50 percent . Their tan ks dwin dled fro m 75 to seven before Patton acknowledged their ab ilities and 'sent in replacements to be trained on the field.

Historic Battle They were on their way to meet Russian troops in what people predicted would be a battle fo r the history books . They ran out of gas and headquarters , perhaps wanting to let a white tank battalion. take credit fo r the victory , denied thei r request for more . A few bu ddies stole 30,000 gallons for they and they were ab le to proceed into a "glorious" battle in Austria. " The Russians weren't like us.

They were a ragtag army," he narrated, describing how some wore American and even German uniforms , or a combination of all different ones. They were a rough group, "but we drank with them , got to know them ." They befriended people in the German towns they liberated also , often receiving a warmer reception than they would back home .

The people had never seen black skin before . When they first climbed out of the tanks the people scattered into their houses, a fraid.

T he children were the first to venture out, then the adults MeConnell tells them with a reminiscent smile , "they turned our hands over and loo ked; black on one side, white on the other. They didn't know what to make of it. " Friendships were made . Panthers that visited Germany long after the war was over, ran into German farmers who remembered them fondly.

' New Student Gov ernment officials. L. to r. Jessica Harris Senior Treasurer; Rodea l annou Senior Liasion, Their. expected 1.2-dayb attle Jin Pak , Recording Secretary, Kelly Apostolidis, Senior Secretary, Duncan Fahert y, Vice President, He idi turned m~o a campaign through Moon, Senior Vice President, Abby Miller , Treasurer, Paul Gibson , Senior President, Alec Pollak, Senior SIX co~ntn~s . T~ey broke through Liasio n Laura J oseph P resident the Siegfried Ime allowing the fourth armored divis ion to pass through France and liberate Ger , many.

By Dan ielle Steinmann every other Thursday in room 221 Core because I missed taking part "Things were different over One of the students in room 221 before school. "We work in con - in school activities," says one there , we became friends (with the at 7:30 a .m . on a T hursday may junction with the leadership class member , Abby Miller. " I think white soldiers) ... I have a lot of Not even victory could convince be president one day. Another and the student senate," says everything that has to do with the admiration for the white infan- people back "home" to put aside might be senato r, or governor. Duncan . school is fun and I love to be in- trymen that marched beside us." their bigotries. Blacks couldn't The y are all members of Leader 's At meetings, the future leaders valv ed . Now there's more you can Their fortitude in battle won bury their dead in military Core , the newest Student Union help to plan activities and discus s do with this group. The leadership them the mutual respect of the gravesites in the South and many organization for tomorrow' s student concerns. " The election class can concentrate on leader- white 'sold iers around them and of them still lay in unadorned batmovers and sha kers . committees for mas cot s were ship while we can make the school they helped each other out , tlefield graves in Europe . . " Leader's Core is an organiza - started in Leader's Core," says more worthwhile, " she adds. although he admits with a grin "Their blood was red, but the non of s.tudents who have had the Duncan. Students also sold ticket s , . that they helped the northern color of their skin affected them leadership class before , or who ar e , to the dances .

Leade~ sCore , IS yet another whites out more readily than the all their lives," summed up interested in leadership, and wish , "There was a need to keep kids way for interested students to get southern ones . history teacher Dr. Leonard Gapto continue serving our school , " who were in the leadership class involved in Townsend Harris. pelburg. describes C.O.S.A . M y r o n informed and active in the school Any alumnus of the leadership At the beginning, all the 01'Moskowitz. ," We .-~et people to because they wanted to be," says class can join . The only require- ficers were white. As they advancThrough it' all and after , Mcstay in touch ," adds Duncan Mr. Moskowitz . ment is a genuine interest in ed through the war , the Panthers Connell was able to maintain a Faherty, the current chairman of leadership. Getting involved in slow ly moved up th ro ugh the positive perspective, "We have "Once I left Student Leader- high school can often lead to ranks, with Colonel Ivan "Court- our problems, but we can resolve Leader's Core.

Leader's Core, 'a mixture of ship, it seemed like I wasn't in- higher things, perhaps even the Martial Slim" Harrison reaching our. problems . .. our America ... is - .~ fII -" ....._ •• ' -.,au"'. grades-; .... •'(••• , _. 'fl _'- ~• •- •. ,. • • -. ~ ..J 4. ... ' ~lf" ' · - .. .. . • . ,. •-~ . . -, - • . .,. ~ •• fan" ~ ' I: .. • • • "L. ' #·4o·····d· st=nl s • rmm meet s- . ~. votv'eu'anymore-.

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June 1988

Page 7

The Classic

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June 1988,

The CllISSic

Pleasurable Or Potentially Dangerous?

Amusement Parks Spark Student Concern

By Jane Cirigliano Summer vacation is a time for long days at the beach, camping out, traveling to exotic places, and just plain relaxing . Another favorite pasttime is waiting on seemingly endless lines - to buy amusement park tickets, that is.

Eager to revel in diversion, parkgoers slap down their money in exchange for a few hours of pleasure , but will the unwelcomed doo r prize be death?

Recently, amusement . parks ' have been proving themselves to be potentially dangerous , rather than pleasurable. According to the U.S . Comsuner Safety Cornmission, 71 people were killed by amusement rides in the U.S. between 1973 and 1985. Twenty of these deaths were caused by roller coaster accidents . Injuries linked to fun parks are on the rise in the U.S. From 1980 to 1985, the injury count rose by 4,220 - from 3,550 to 7,770, reports the ,como, mission. Despite the ghastly death of eight teenagers in a haunted house fire at New Jersey's Six Flags Corp. 's Great Adventure, and the more recent 1987fata l accident there in which a 15-year-old girl lost her life, amusement park owners think that their parks are much safer than they ever were.

When the roller coaster rides

were first invented, passengers" ribs and collarbones were broken frequently, and some were even knocked unconscious. Today, the proponents of amusement park safety believe that the highly' technological roller coasters and other types of rides make it very unlikely that anyone will be harmed. Still, thre are the sporadic stories of negligent park operators, weak or broken safety devices, faulty machinery, and a death "waiting in the wings."

Milton Berger, manager of public relations at Astroland Amusement Park in Brooklyn, asserted that his amusement park has an " impeccable safety record," explaining that rides are inspected daily, and all cars are carefully emptied and locked from the . outside . Safety devices are buih into all rides, and are maintained for the passenger's protection. Mr. Milton also added that Astroland's operators are very award and extremely safety -conscious."

Teenagers make up a large percentage of the amusement park goers. They express conflicting beliefs about amusement park safety . Freshman Michael Detwailer declared that "the safety -at amusement parks is up to the passenger. There is no real danger

if the passenger is careful. " Freshman Tracy Westcarr believes that "today's amusement parks are more dangerous, so passengers must take the necessary precau tions ." Sophomore Shari Gruber, skeptical about the safety at amusement parks said that "between the lack of supervision, the huge crowds, and the dangerous environment, there is a great potential for accidents."

Junior Nella Teplitsky believes that "amusement parks would be

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Teens Exp lore Dance Club Excitement

By Tracey Revellino A favorite teen activity is dancing. Almost everyone enjoys moving his or her body to some sort of crazy beat, whether it ' s disco, new wave, heavy metal, or punk rock.

A new trend for teens these days is going to night-elubs such as Paled's on Queens Boulevard, and Avanti on Bell Boulevard in Bayside. Not only do people get to dance the night away at these clubs, but they also get to meet dif- ' ferent types of people and have a great time.

Usually, clubs only let in people who are "18-and-over," but now some feature "teen nights," where they allow teenagers to go in and party. Paled's, for example, admits " 15 and over" on its teen nights, while Avanti admits teens" 18-lind-under. " Avanti only serves soda on these nights, but Paled's has a special bar in the back for those 21 andover.

Teen Clubs Moststudents in this school go to club teen nights and have a great time. Sophomore Ping Lee praised, "It's fun and exciting. I get rid of a lot of stress and pressure by dancing. In this school, because of the amount of schoolwork we receive, it's nice to go to clubs to relax and enjoy yourselLIt helps me to get ready to ' go 'bac k to schoo l on Monday."

Elisha Sorensen also shares the .opinion-that clubs can be a place

of great excitement. She added another reason to go to clubs "It's a good place to meet a lot of good-looking guys."

The Tunnel Recently, several teens explored The Tunnel , which is a club in Manhattan. A few Townsend Harris students attended and had a fantastic time. "It was amazing, the best time I ever had at a club .

The bathrooms were unisex and I met a lot of guys there . There were a lot of different types of people, which is really great," enthused Diana Ortiz.

Not everybody, however, is as fond of teen nights as Ping, Elisha and Diana are. The biggest complaint was the overcrowding. As Faith Garbow itz put it, "I usually have a good time, except when the place is too crowded . Then it's too hot and that makes it really hard to dance ." Jennifer Steinberg agreed with Faith that she does not really enjoy herself when it is crowded because she "enjoys going crazy on the dance floor and you can't do that when you' re surrounded by a mob of people."

Susan Chew, on the other hand, doesn 't like teen nights at all, even if they are not crowded. "I don't think that it's wort h going [to] at this age," Susan commented.

"Everyone there is usually older and I don't think the guys there are the greatest boys to be with ."

Some studen ts here at Townsend Harris i짜n~re teen,nights ~nd

go to regular club nights'. They claim that the people are more mature and that they have a better time. there . Sophomore Lori Goldstein believes that "discos are a lot of fun, but I don't like teen nights. It's a kiddie convention and I can't deal with it. Theonly trouble is that you need a fake 10 to get in and the bouncers are starting to really crack down on fake IDs." "Avanti is really cool," commented Nisha Chau han, "except for when it's teen night. All the guys there are too immature."

Teen Clubs Since it is the end of the school year and summer is on the way, clubs will be holding more and more teen nights. Paled's hosted one on May 29th and will cont inue having them each week during the summer. The admission price is only $12 without an invitation and $10 with, for an exciting night of great music and fun. Melissa Neuner likes Paled's because "It's not that much to get in and everybody dances. "It's really crowded and they get a lot of good groups to perform there." Avanti, on the other hand, has not set a definite date for its next teen night , but admitted that it will be having one soon . Whether it is teen night or not, clubs are definitely a favorite place for teenagers of today to spend weekend nights. to

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safe if the regulations were enforced." She related an incident in which she was on a ride called " The Buckaneer" at a travelling amusement park in Flus hing Meadow Park. Nella rode in a car whose safety belt was broken and was capable of causing her inju ry. ' Fortunately, she was unharmed.

A similar scenario was experienced by sophomore Claudia Bob. She said, " I have seen faulty equipment including broken head protectors and seat belts , and the

operators still allow people to us' these rides." Claudia claims tha she has seen these safety violation, at such amusement parks as Grea Adventure and The Enchanter Forest in upstate New York .

Despite the dangers at fur parks, people are drawn to these pleasure palaces. Perhaps it is the huge crowds that enable par] owners to afford to cut corners for as long as there is summer these parks will' be jammed witt paying customers .

Tapes Terminate Summer Doldrums

By Corey Ackerman Over the past 10 years, VCRs (videocassette recorders) have become increasingly po pular .

Now, millions of people take part in the weekly ceremony of going to their local video-rental store, picking out there favorite new release, and heading home for an evening of prime entertainment.

All too often however, videoviewers must ' settle for their second , third, and fourth-choice tape, because the film they really , wanted has already been rented.

An alternative to this frustrating rental process is to purchase videotapes, at prices ranging from $24.95 to $79.95.

Unless you plan to watch the film more than once or twice, this is quite an inconvenience. However certain films can be watched again and again without becoming bor ing. These films, with good sustaining power, are worth their high cost.

Recently, 100 Townsend Harris students were surveyed on their video habits. They were asked if they would ever consider buying videos, and if so, which ones.

Many students feel that movies ' are worth owning on tape . According to Erika Colby, "Renting movies is a pain. If you like a film, you should definitely buy it." , Eddie Murphy movies surfaced frequently in the survey, as did the teenage fairy tales of John Hughes and the adventure films of Steven Spielberg. One surprise in the results was the popularity of classic musicals. "My Fair Lady ," "The Sound of Music," "Mary Poppins" -and .~ ' J;he Wizard of

Oz" were all mentioned more than once .

There are also those people who .think that buying films serves no purpose. These studen ts feel thltt the inconvenience 'found in the video-rental world is mild compared to the high price of cassettes. Rajiv Saxena summed it up by saying, "I just don't understand why someone would buy a video for $80 when they can see thi same one for two ." \0 Although it is not a pressing controversy, there is still some question as to whether or not videos are worth purchasing: Some are content with renting.

Most, however, feel that there are f certain films which never lose theirwatchability, By being selective, one can come up with a wor J thwhile personal video library. It seems that there is finally.a cure for the video-rental blues.

The 10 Most ~yable Videos (based on a .survey of 100 Townsend Harris students) 1. Dirty Dancing ''2. T he Breakfas t Club ' 3..Top Gun ,4. Stand By Me " 5. Ferris Beuller's Day Of f 6. The Outsiders 7. Raiders of the Lost Ark 8. Sixteen Candles 9. Beyerly Hills Cop 10. Grease '

--AND no body men tione d hooki ng up two VCRs and tap ing copies of rented 'movies from .video .stores. Hehaeh ,

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â&#x20AC;˘ June 1988

Page 9

The Classic

Fresh Foods Fascinate Dieters

By Marissa Gluck For months before summer, millions again begin their annual attempt to challenge nature, defy gravity, and shed unsightly and unwanted pounds. Through the long winter months -and bright spring days the battle rages. But in the summer, many hold a temporary cease-fire, 'and enjoy the foods of summer.

Most people, when thinking of summer food, conjure up a picture of watermelon. However, the extent of favorite summer foods reach far beyond this mouthwatering fruit. For many, summertime picnics and barbecues are a weekly ritual. . "Every week we have a barbecue or my family goes to one;" says freshman Tracy Westcarr. "We also have lots of picnics at Sunken Meadow Park."

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Exotic Barbeques Despite popular belief, barbecues are not just subject to hamburgers and hotdogs. Shish ' kabobs are becoming increasingly common with barbecued fish such as halibut and shrimp being prepared more often.

In the intense summer heat, though, working is an extremely unpleasant prospect. Many prefer foods like fruit, ice cream, sherbet, jello and even cold soup.

Explains Happi Li, "In the summer, I enjoy eating anything that cools me off." Harriet Vam-

vouris, also a freshman, prefers to watercress and leeks. Many salads "drink a lot of water in the sum- include chicken, crabmeat, shrimp mertime." In the summer, when ' and cheese. . the temperature is generally high, Although relatively unheard of, a greater water loss is endured. cold soups are receiving praise and When this occurs, it is vital to preference. Though not easy to replenish the body with liquids. prepare, the result is often worth , Dehydration is a frequent summer the work. Most cold soups such as malady but a proper diet and li- vichysoisse (potato soup) and quids are essential in relieving the gaspacho (tomato soup) contain problem. many vegetables, usually pureed and served with cream.

Most associate the word Frozen Fruit "salad" with vegetables despite the fact that tropical fruits make Many foods that are normally delicious salads too. Here is a eaten all-year-roundare frozen in , recipe for one: the summer. People freeze fruit, juice and chocolate in their own freezer and nibble on them as a cool snack.

Other favorites are pasta salad and vegetable salads. They are 1 papaya light, easy to prepare and 2 kiwi fruit nutritious. Pasta primavera has 1 banana recently become a popular dish 16 strawberries due in part to its simplicity and Sauce: nutritional value. Pasta is rich in V2 ripe banana carbohydrates and provides extra 8 strawberries, hulled energy.

1 tablespoon, honey Vegetable salads are also an 1 tablespoon, lemon juice ideal meal in the summer.

Cut papaya in half. Scoop out Although there are several varia- seeds; peel. Cut papaya in half tions of it, a tossed green salad is lengthwise into thick slices. Peel quintessential. However, there are banana and cut into thick slices. many other delicious salads that Hull and slice strawberries. Arare quick and easy to prepare such range fruit in four banana split as Caesar Salad, Hong Kong dishes. Place all ingredients for Garden Salad and Guacamole. sauce in blender. Blend until There are also many exotic smooth. Pour some sauce over vegetables to be used in different each papaya salad; pass around salads such as dandelion greens, extra sauce. Serves four.

Tropical Papaya Salad

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Cool Delights Create Spice

By Niki Pai Summer is coming and, along with summer comes beaches, suntans and ice cream. Almost everyone feels like Angie Lam Tu, who said, "I love all ice creams ."

Unfortunately, not only is ice cream a delectable treat, it is a fattening one.

What if one is on a diet, and must say no to their favorite treat?

No need to say no any longer. One alternative to ice cream is Light & Lively ice milk; it has half the calories of regular ice cream and can be found in most super- mar kets in many different flavors.

Favorite fruits now come frozen as well. FrozFruit is the latest lowcalorie rage and comes in almost all fruit flavors. It can be found in most health food stores and in some supermarkets. Sorry, no chocolate, but don't worry. Artin Asadourian feels "FrozFruit tastes good!"

Some people in this world do not care for milk or are allergic to it, and have had to say no to ice cream. Not any longer; tofutti, the newest dairy substitute, comes in all common flavors like vanilla and chocolate and can be found in most health food stores, some supermarkets and delis.

If ice milk, frozfruit or tofutti aren't appealing to one's palate, Baskin Robbins and most supermarkets offer sherbert; a 'cross between frozfruit and slush, it is soft and usually comes in many fruit flavors.

All those dieters out there, don't despair, summer will be fun again with all the new summer ice cream substitutes. Dieters should have fun experimenting this summer. After all, as Kia Thompson believes, "lee cream revitalizes the soul, it cleanses the mind and gives one a new outlook on life."

Sunbathers Beware: Sun Sparks Summer Ailments

By Anny Wohn covered with sunbathers?"

The first things to go are the Skin cancer is caused by alterapants' and the shorts, at least for tions and abnormalities in skin those people who are eagerly cells due to overexposure to the awaiting summer. Summer means sun's ultraviolet rays, even though bare legs and uncovered arms, the ozone layer filters some of the sandy beaches, sparkling pools, sun's rays, protection 'is provided relaxing vacations ... and summer by lotions, creams and ointments, ailments. ,easily accessible in nearby stores .

"I love to lie in the sun, basical- Or course, the best solution is not ly to tan," exclaims Diana Ortiz . to be exposed to the sun at all, but 'Medical studies show that ex- this is highly unlikely. posure to the sun can be damagSome people like Caryn ing. Summer ailments include skin Dunleavy "burn easily with even a cancer, sunburn, and eye damage. little exposure." Sunburn is an inWhy then are beaches and parks flammation of the skin caused by

exposure to the sun's rays. It is Eye damage can occur as in- very cautious. Abby Miller likes to possible'to get a sunburn even on tense light enters the eye. Con- tan but "doesn't have the patience cloudy days since the sun's rays trary to popular belief, dark to lie on the sand for more than filter through the clouds. This can glasses do not protect eyes. The five minutes."

With summer comes the tan, be prevented by gradual exposure darkness causes "the pupils to to the sun and it is treated as any ' d ila t e , allowing even more the beaches, and the danger. Each other burn. ultraviolet rays to enter. person must be responsible for ' Sunstroke is the name for the Sunglasses, specifically recom- his/her own health. "Skin cancer conditions resulting from mended for UV protection, will runs in my family," states Caryn Dunleavy, who takes precautions overheating the body. It results lessen the damage ..

Even with all the known while tanning. Diana Ortiz claims from the breakdown of.the body's heat regulation mechanisms. High medical facts, there are still those that one advantage exists in tannbody temperatures, the result of a who love to tan. Diana Ortiz ing. "You don't have to ' wear sunstroke, may cause brain . "doesn't care because if [I] don't makeup when you tan!" Perhaps damage. Sometimes, it can lead to die of skin cancer," she'll die of it is all a' matter of one's personal a coma or even death. some other cancer. Others are .priorities.

Fun Under The Sun: Summer Calendar '88

By Scott Karp When ' summer comes along, students who have worked hard all year find themselves with so much free time they don't know what to do. The - following is a calendar of events to look forward to this summer.

Dance New York City Ballet: AllBalanchine program, June 25, 8 p.m. All-Robbins program, June 26, 7 p.m. State Theater (212) 870-5570.

Pina Bausch/Tanztheater Wuppertal: American premieres of two early Bausch ballets, "Viktor," June 27, 7 p .m. and .

"Carnations," July 5, 8 p.m.

Opera House, Brooklyn Academy of Music (718) 636-4100.

Dance Theater of Harlem: World premiere of Arthur Mit-

chell's "John Henry." June 28, small South American 'communi7:30 p.m. City Center (212) . ty, based on the novel by Gabriel Garcia Marquez. With Rupert 246-8989.

Royal Spanish National Ballet: Everett, Anthony Delon, and The company's Flamenco wing Ornella Muti, "Married to the Mob." The will perform "Medea." July 11, 8 p.m., Metropolitan Opera House widow of a mafiahitman falls for an FBI agent in Jonathan (212) 362-6000.

Nation Ballet of Canada: New Demme's comedy. With Matthew York premiere of Robert Modine, Michelle Pfeiffer, Joan Desrosier's "Blue Snake." July Cusack and Dean Stockwell.

"Moment of Truth." Ben 18, 8 p.m., Metropolitan Opera Kingsley, Helen Mirren and House (212) 362-6000.

Charles Dance are thrown together on an Aegean island durMovies ing the decline of the Ottoman July "Arthur on the Rocks." Bud Empire.

Yorkin's sequel to "Arthur" reunites Dudley Moore, Liza Theater Minelli and Sir John Gielgud.

"Brothers and Sisters."

"Chronicle 0 f a Deat I) American premiere of Leningrad Foretold." A mystery that ex- Maly Dramatic Theater's sevenplores the - social structure of a hour adaptation of a Fyodor

Abramov trilogy, ' in Russian, Directed by Lev Dodin. June 16, Belasco (239-6200).

"The Monkey King Goes Under ' The Sea." Performed by Yinchuan Beijing Opera Troupe.

June 16. Triplex, Manhattan Community College (723-2482).

"Juno and the Paycock .' Sean O'Casey's playas performed by Dublin's Gate Theater. With Donal McCann. June 17 (307-2707).

"Much Ado About Nothing."

Free Shakespeare in the Park begins. With Kevin Kline and Blythe Danner . June 24, Delacorte (861-7277).

"Road." British playwright Jim Cartwright examines the lives of impoverished Lancashire residents. Late June, Mitzi E. Newhouse (239-6200):

Music

Tanglewood: Tite annual festival in Lenox, Mass. opens June 30. The season includes a four-day gala for Leonard Bernstein's 70th birthday. 307-7171.

"Rigoletto.' A new production of Verdi's opera, with Faith Esham as Gilda. July 9,8 p.m. City Opera, State Theater. 870-5570.

Placido in the Park: Placido Domingo, with full orchestra, in a program of 2Oth-century songs.

July 11,8 p.m., Great Lawn, Central Park. 472-1490.

Mostly Mozart Festival: This annual festival, now in its 22nd year, will feature performances by Frederica van Stade, James Galway, Vladimir Feltsman and others. Opens July 12, Avery Fisher Hall. 874-2424.

Page 10

June 1988 .

The Classic

Hot Season Sports Hot Looks

By Danielle Steinmann School is over and the sun is blazing. Summer has begun, and with it the summe r fashio n season. What styles is the warm weather bringing? Th is summe r's fashion·forecast is diverse and colorful, with many old favorites returning.

Sporty Looks This will be the summer of the sport s motif. " In this summer will be the 'biker' look, " said sophomore Jill Grathwohl. This includes long, tight, black shorts and bright neon tank tops with bicycle-style designs on them .

Another sport that will be honored this summer is golf.

Esprit is a popular brand for jun iors. Their summer collection shows golf and country club sportswear. The May issue of "Seventeen" magazine dedicated four pages to this club style . "It's not whether you win or lose - it's how you look when you play the game ." The right look for guys and girls is long shorts and polo shirts. Girls can also dress up in short "tennis" skirts paired with over-the-knee socks in white.

Dave Sung plans to seek this new look when he shops for his summer clothes. "I might buy

Shieman sees what people are bu ying. ·" 1 would say plaid shorts , large pastel, black or white t-shirts, any snea kers witho ut socks, and light cotton buttondown shirts are going to be popular," he commented.

Girls like this casual style as well. " I like to wear plaid jams and a t-shirt , Something comfortable," says Jennifer Steinberg.

• Howeve r, don 't go digging out those old jams from last year.

"Really colorful trop ical colo rs will be out," warns Erica Hay. Jin Pak ad ds, " Ja ms [will be in again] but not with all the colors . Solid ones ."

Another look that will be popular is the "nautical" or " sailor " look. Esprit also shows many outfits in this style. The look pairs navy and white, and accents with red. Sailor tops with loose pants and shorts, or miniskir ts will be seen on and off .. yachts this season.

-'.. iE The logical look for the hot '~ i@J season, if you agree with Sera Ot%l Cong i is, "Not much." "People are going to be wearing less of Short skirts continue to be seen in the hot summer months. everything," says Student Union Bermuda (long, baggy) shorts, a This seems to be the choice look president Alec Pollack. More skin will definitely be seen under croppolo shirt [and] those really big for guys this summer. baggy t-shir ts, " he says. But what Working at The Gap, a clothing ped tops and tanks, and the old about the feet? "Topsiders, chain known for its popular .favor ite, the miniskirt. "More sometimes with socks," he says. styles, sophomore Michael miniskirts will be seen. It started

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Another old favor ite that will be seen ar e cu t o ff jeans .

Freshma n Ilyssa Goldfarb and Dalia Lacks described the new way to wear these class ics .

"Rolled-up about knee length .. . with patches.. . [along] with cropped t-shirts," they described .

Although the fa shion magazines and designers prescribe what to wear, the overriding thought for the 80's is to wear what feels comfortable. It is important not to con form if one doesn't like the style. " I' m sorry to say , but I'm afraid that the fluo rescent ugly green is coming back , especially in bathing suit s.

Also floral patterns. I personally will not wear them," stated a confident Abby Miller .

It is also important to open the mind to new ideas. "Well, I've been making skirts out of my boxer shorts, but I don't know what anyone else is doing," added junior Janna Siegal.

.An Open Mind So, when shopping this sum mer, have the new looks in mind, keep some old favorites, but most importantly, dress in a way that reflects personal style.

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Section Editors: Camille Gear and Hayley Thomas Staff: Corey Ackerman, Jane Cirigliano, Marissa Gluck, Scott Karp , Mikile Pai, Danielle Steinmann, Jessica Wohl, Annie Wohn.

Hats Top Summer Style .

By Jessica Wohl For years fashionable teens carefully put together their outfits, mak ing sure each accessory was perfect. After all their work they hoped a .good haircut would com plete the look. This is no longer true. This is the year of the hat.

Throughout history, hats were always considered very important. .

A proper man or woman never left the house without a hat. Then in the 1960's, hats lost favor.

Many hat lovers don't understand this trend. "Why don't men wear hats as often as they used to?" asked histoiry teacher Barth J(eller.

The New Trend \.

The 1980's started to change the trend and once again put hats in the limelight. "Hats are coming back!" said David Sung , "and all my friends are wearing them." .1

Now that the hat trend has started rolling there seems to be no way to stop it. So why not join the crowd. Listen to Aziza Fishman, "Yo! Sport the Hat!"

,Reasons For Hats .

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THE CLASSIC WISHES ALL A HEALTHY SUMMER .

People's reasons for wearing hats are as varied as the hats themselves . 'The best thing is when your hat matches your out. . fit," explained Michelle Schiano .

Natalie LaDuca remembers the For many people the more exwords of her grandm?the.r, "Ha~~ otic t~e hat the better. "I ado~c • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • are really what make an outfit. hats WIth feathers and roses," said • .

• Many people had more practical Alex Whitten, "hats can change a • • reasons. "I think hats are great if person." Jodi Shapiro also admit . .

WINDSOR SUMMER SCHOOL • you forget to was~ your hair," ted, "I like any hat that is out of Grades 6-.12 stated James Rubm. Jon Isler the ordinary, because lam out of. for ADVANCING or REPEATING or ENRICHMENT • agrees, "hats hide a messy the ordinary."

(Regents Examinations Available) • hairstyle."

Although many different styles • English .

Mathematics Science Not everyone is hooked on hats . of hat now exist. many people still. Spanish Social Studies French • "I hate hats," commented Lucia prefer the traditional baseball cap . . Reading SAT Math & Verbal Typing • Grillo, "they give you hat hair." Jill Grathwohl explained wh . " I . E.S,L. Computers Phys. Ed. • Other people find hats discomfor- :can wear them backwards o{ forPreparation for Admission to Specialized High Schools ting. "When you wear a hat, it wards and they still look alright. " . .

DRIVER EDUCATION • feels like you are balancing Mik..e Schieman gave a different WINDSOR SCHOOL . something on your head," said reason, "they hide the right parts.

136-23 Sanford Ave., at Mam St. • .

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June 1988

Page 11

The Classic

.By Mary Mcart hy Good laughs , fin e choreography; and superb acting characterize d the fourth annual SING ! presentation. The , afternoon of May 25 and the evening of May 26 gave the students of Townsend Harris the opportunity to demonstrate their various artistic, literary, acting , and singing talents for both their peers and their parents. The entire performance was writte n, directed, designe d, and acted by the students. "It was all very professional," applauded Ailin Chen . : "I really enjoyed everything they had to offer."

Profess ional Production The SING ! presentation began with the Gold team, led by Kristin Iglesias. Six actors and actresses, playing six very different individuals had one important goal: to write a SING! Their various ideas came out in five hilarious skits.

"It was extremely funny! ," said Justine Eisenstein.

In the Cinderella scene, Denise, played by Beth Rosenberg, couldn't go to . the party because of her heavy Townsend Harris workload. In a dream sequence Madame Def'arge, Medusa, Napo lean, and Julius Caesar all appeared to Denise and helped her to remember their importance and place in history. When Denise

awoke all her work was done and off to the party she went ! Every Townsend Harris student should be so lucky.

Super People The amusing Super Peopl e scene appeared to be the crowd favori te . The super people, Largman, Blackman, Goo dma n, Eyeman, Baldman , and Roseman, described each of the ir personalities with a word. Ambition , domination, confusion, and flirtation, respectively, were the exacting adjections . " I think SING ! is a good chance for students to get revenge on teachers. I really enjoyed it," said Aisha Jameel .

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Horro r Scene ' The Gold performance ended with the "Horror Scene," where Jennifer Williams, a devoted witch, had met with a fate worse than death. She had become a JAP! Her two witch sisters, Kristin Iglesias and Anna Tarnopolski, in an effort to free their sister from Japness, mistakingly turned her into a punk, played by Chevanniese Smith. Feeling left out the two witches tore off their hats, becoming punks themselves!

M:ich-;n~' Heller, Beth Rosenberg and Anita Zieba have "the time of 4th Annual Townsend Harris SING. After a short interm ission the Ms. Silver (Lisa Feintuch ); Mr. Crimson team appeared , led by Baldwin (Elliot Roman), was Florie Watson . They had a very deeply in love with her. Mr. Jadifferent idea for thei r sing questo (August Haberstock) and presentation. Entitled "Mystery Miss Hatfield (Aimee Majoros) on the High Seas" their theme was are being blackmailed. Detectives murder and mystery aboard a lux- Pitter and Patter, played by Cory ury liner. Curiously enough many Gingold and Erika Colby , were of the passengers strongly also aboard to add to the exciteresembled our own Townsend ment.

The performance ended with Harris teachers .

The passengers included Mr. the supposed murder of Mr. Bossman (Eugene Harding), a Bossman by a Stuyvesant stalwart detested individual loved only by trying to destroy Townsend Harris

il

their lives" while performing in the and its wonderful reputation. But, miraculously, the indestructable Mr . Bossman returned to tell his attempted murderess, "Maybe your son will get into Townsend Harris next year."

This year 's SING! was wonderfully funny and impressed the entire audience.

"SING! was very creative and imaginative," said Elizabeth Ng. "There was great effort contributed by all the students. It was a wonderful presentation!"

Audience Doesn't Need .R ambo III

By Corey Ackerman Sylvester Stallone recently took part in a 55 million dollar business deal with Tri-Star Pictures. It is called RAMBO III, and is the second sequel to his mildly successful FIRST BLOOD. Of course, this title is a misnomer, since it should ' really be called FIRST BLOOD III. It seems old Sly didn 't want anyone to miss the connection between this film and its blockbuster prequel, RAMBO. , This third installment, directed by Peter Macdonald, is sure to fulfill its seemingly only purpose. That of providing a major source of income for its investors.

The film opens with Jon Rambo , (Stallone) residing at a monastery in Thailand. Here, he earns his

keep by performing various services to benefit the community.

However, it is just a matter of minutes before our hero is back to his old self. This time, Rambo loads up his stock of heavy artillary, oils up his biceps, and heads to the deserts of Afghanistan. He must rescue his old friend Colonel Troutman (Richard Crenna), and the entire popu lation of Afghanistan, from the clutches of the big bad Russians.

RAMBO III has hardly any redeeming qualities at all. Like many sequels the story is unoriginal, with contrived dialogue like "I'm your worst nightmare' 'taking the place of RAMBO's "I'm coming to get

you." Many of the film's situations are ridiculous as well. At one point, Rambo uses gunpowder and a match to cauterize a gun wound through his own stomach.

Of course, the pain from this is not great enough to stop him from completing his one man battle.

With luck like this, the concept of suspense never enters into this picture. .Everyone knows right from the start, exactly how the film will turn out.

Poor Entertainment It is obvious that RAMBO III was not made to win any Oscar Awards . Rather, it was meant to provide a low form of entertainment for people who wish to root

for a hero. Thus, it is understandable that RAMBO III is enjoyed by much of its audience. It is understandable, but sad.

The ideas of RAMBO III present some disturbing insight into our society. The film is based entirely on violence, with each scene depending solely on the presence of either gunfire or blood . The sad part is, that this is precisely why the RAMBO series has enjoyed so much success. The public has been bombarded with so much violence on television and elsewhere, that now they need even more to feel that they have been entertained and gotten their money's worth.

There must be some hidden desire for aggression in each person that attracts them to these films. Now,

as a result, this aggression is growing. Hopefully it will be kept under control.

There is still one question left as to the political morals of RAMBO III. By presenting the Communists as heartless and cruel, has Stallone finally made public the brutal holocaust which has been going on in Europe for years? Or , more realistically, has he created more propaganda, to nourish America's already slanted view of Russia? Either way, he was too ' late. At least a week before this film's release date, Gorbachev had ' already agreed to leave the Afghanistan for good.

Well Sly, it seems Afghanistan needed your Rambo, even less than the audience did .

Spring Concert Provides Fine Performance

By Mary McCarthy Good tunes, magical voices, and excellent conducting marked the second annual Spring Concert at Townsend Harris. The evening of May 19 was a fine one for the artists of the school to exhibit their various talents in the areas of music and dance. . "We all put in a lot of hard work and it really paid off," said Frances Luke, of the intermediate band .

After only 10 months together, the intermediate band made an exceptional appearance at their first' concert performance at Townsend Harris. They put on a good show for the audience with music from both Mozart and Beethoven and a hand-clapping "When The Saints

Go Marching in." and energetic moves, while Salvo They were followed by the of Shells, Townsend Harris' Townsend Harris High School talented rock group, played and Women's Chorus, directed by Mr. sang "(Sittin' On The) Dock of David Briskin. Their"A Night At the Bay." Both groups entertainthe Opera" theme came off well ed the audience to the point of a with excerpts from various operas .standing ovation. and operettas . Their voices "I thought the entire evening painted vivid scenes of fairies and was great ," said Grace Chan, rosebuds, andthe soloists were ex- chorus member and one of the cellent. night's soloists.

The concert band, a conducted

by Mr. Walter Davis, impressed the audience with classical and Wonderful Treat traditional tunes followed by "a ....;. _ spot of rock ," A wonderful treat for the evenCynthia Wong, a stage band ing were two independently- flutist remarked, "It was a small organized student performances. room, but it worked out great.

The D.D. Dancers performed to There is no word that describes "Do You Love M'e," with spirited the concert. Since the musicians of

"Memory," from Cats. After an enthusiastic response to "I Heard It Through the Grapevine," by the concert band, the- crowd grew silent for the performance by Kathleen O'Leary and Brian Sulkow. " T he concert was wellcoordinated. And everyone put in so much effort," applauded Cynthia Correa. "They all showed a great deal of talent," added Frances Luke.

The evening ended with a spectacular 'performance by the stage band , playing "Walk Like An Remarkable Act Egyptian" and "Hey Jude." .

"My mother loved it, l, said Cynthia. " And my father really One remarkable a<;,t was the .enjoyed himself. It was a flute and guitar duo of memorable night. "

the intermediate band just started, I was amazed at how well they played ."

It is true that space was a problem and certain acts were hard to see from the back of the auditorium, but as one of the members of the audience was heard to say, "Everyone was so polite. No one got up to see better and blocked your view or pushed through the crowded areas, causing'problems."

"'11

June 1988

TheCiassie

Xavier Experiences Equadorian Adventure ...

\_.:-

by Cheryl Schustack "Be's stuck there!" Did you hear? He' s getting drafted!"

"He'll never be able to get out 'again ." "He's a general in the army by now." "No, he's just play'g. ing a longgame of tennis." " m"m~<o.,,"._ ....~ ~ These are only some of the . . [more interesting rumors that ; could be overheard between any :,-;, two Harris students in the past ~ four months. What was all the ~ talk about? Townsend Harris -e senio r Xavier 路 Mendoza had nothing more in mind that a 20 English Coordinator and Classic Advisor Sheryl Rubin. day vacation to Equador, his homelan d; over Christmas vacation. He left on December 15, 1987, with his parents and his sister . Xavier returned to the Just as it served as a step ping- United States of America four

By Heather Nash is the newspaper, and it 's not The end of the schoo l-year will even my accomplishment, it's the stone for developing connections months later on April 28, 1988.

"I couldn't be released from nark the start of a new beginning accomplishment of the newspaper and valuable personal relationfor English Coordinator and staff of starting from nothing," ships, Townsend Harris aided Equ ador because the law ther e demand s th at you register for Classic advisor Sheryl Rubin, who commented Mrs. Rubin. " The Mrs. Rubin in gro wing as well.

"I think that as the student citizenship in October of your will take over as chairman of the most difficult part in leaving, is English department at Oceanside leaving the newspaper staff." body grew, all the teache rs grew, 18th year. Since I was just visiting, H.S. next Septembe r.

The decision to leave the school and I grew intellectually and I didn't register. Also, I' m not a Mrs. Rubin, who originally afte r becom ing so involved with creatively," reflected Mrs. Rubin. citizen of the United States, but came to Townsend Harris from the newspaper and being an "I learn ed so many things from have a Green Card to live, work Lafayett e H.S. four years ago as original faculty member, was not D r. Largmann and Mrs . and study there. Without the Horowitz, and I learned many citizenship papers in Equador, one of the founding members of easy. the faculty, will leave her position " I love the students and I things from working with the though, the authorities wouldn't as English Coordinator in order to helped to found the school. It 's wonderful members ofthe English let me leave the country." Panic, distress and desperation devoured supervise the English department very hard leaving something that department. " Both the faculty and student Xavier when he heard the news, at Oceanside, a larger school you helped to create," she said. which offers a wider variety of "I'll also miss the friends that I've body gained a great deal from right?

"I wasn't very upset at all. I was made, the students, especially ' their interactions with Mrs. Rubin programs.

As coordinator at Townsend those with whom I've worked as well, and although she will not to ld the ' government wou ld Harris, . Mrs . Rubin observed most closely with on the be physically present at Townsend straighten everything out soon classes with Assistant Principal, newspaper staff, and the connec- Harris next 'year, a trace of her and I'd be going home within two will remain with the students and weeks. My parents and sister went Supervision Bernice Horowitz, tion with the college." back to the United States and then in the classrooms.

The Classic, the student and Dr. Largmann, in addition to I had to admit, the thought of a taking charge of conferences, con- newspaper founded by Mrs. few extra days of vacation wasn't Role Model tests, book distribution, and at- Rubin and the first graduating exactly the worst thing in the tending meetings concerning the class, was one of the new "She is a very strong role model world." challenges that she overcame sucEnglish department .

"The very idea of sharing ideas cessfully. Despite the fact that she for both students and teachers.

Recreation was very important. We were not did not have any previous ex- She will definitely be remembered So Xavier played tennis, swam afraid to disagree nor were we perience with high schoo l for her creativity and her ability to afraid to agree," commented Mrs. newspapers, Mrs . Rubin took on inspire students," remarked Mrs. and enjoyed the beautiful beaches Horowitz on working closely with the responsibility of being an ad- Horowitz. "She has a distinct per- of Manta, the small town in which Mrs. Rubin. "There was a great viser and produced an award win- sona which is very colorful and he was staying with his grandfull of pizazz." mother. Meanwhile, back at deal of mutual respect and ning publication.

So this June, when the members government headquarters, it was "She is one of those people who understanding between us."

"As Coordinator,' she grew in very seldom says no to a project. .of the first graduating class of decided that Xavier Mendoza her skills of supervision and in her Although she never did .a Townsend Harris reflect on the would not be granted a release. ability to quickly identify ways to newspaper before, she learned all teachers who inspired them, their Finally, Xavier decided the apsuggest improvements," remark- about it and produced a paper of growth, and their friendships as propriate moment to panic had ared Principal Malcolm Largmann. quality," said Dr. Largmann. they embark on a new journey fill- rived.

"I went crazy! I hated the feel"She's also grown in her ability to "The quality of the newspaper is ed with challenges and changes, create courses of study and in her the legacy that she can be proud they will not be alone . In fact they ing of being helpless so I went to ability to try new methods when of. She created the standard for will be joined by one of the in- different military posts to see the students of future years- to dividuals who helped pave their what I could possibly do. My first introduced to them." road only four short years ago . thought: was that I couldn't "My proudest accomplishment follow."

Bon Voyage: Rubin Joins Oceanside Crew

possibly finish school in Equador.

Their system is designed so th at in 10th grade, you choose your voca- tion and follow that th rough the 12th grade. The university system is different, too. In the United States, there 's a college for just about every student. In Equador , there's a special test you' have to pass and then there's preparatory school you have to attend. I was also really upset at the thought of not being able to share my senior year with my friends." Xavier did an internship for the first term and thu s was not taking regular classes.

While Xavier was waiting thin gs out in Equador, people , back home hadn't fprgott enabout him.

This really raised his spirit. "I heard from my parents every two days. They weren 't that worried about me, so I felt as if 1 didn't have to worry as much. '1 also wrot e to Ms. Blechman frequently and arra nged my enro llment at Queens College in the case that I'd be back home soon."

Finally, Xavier's grandmother, a former teacher with military and political connections, was able to arrange for he r grandson's release. When Xavier found out he was leaving Equador, he "was excited, but sad ' to leave at the same time. I couldn't wait to see everyone again . It was kind of ironic that here I was finally going to what 1 considered 'home, ' yet I was actually leaving the country that is my natural 'home.'''

Xavier's rust school experience upon getting back was seeing everyone boarding the buses to leave on their senior. trip. " I felt really left out, but soon I became comfortable with everyone again.

I plan to keep in touch with my friends from Equador though, and visit again soon."

After returning from sabbatical Xavier had to take a total of six Townsend Harris courses, including two gyms, to make up for lost time. He has not had the opportunity yet this year to take advantage of the Queens College program. He can't be absent for the rest of the term. Was the four month vacation worth it, Xavier'[ .

"I'll answer that during my eight o'clock in the morning gym class the day after prom," Xavier retorted.

C

Leaving For Sabbatical:

Schwartz Bids SADD Farewell

By Ericka Landsmann Leaning forward with dancing, familiar brown eyes, the health teacher flashes her customary smile. The soft pink of her sweater compliments rosy cheeks and flowery pearls; the warmth that is Ellen Schwartz radiates as she speaks. . "I enjoy the challenge here because my students are so bright and well-informed and I am able to expand the curiculum to inc1ude lessons that involve deeper, critical thinking. I enjoy the intellectual challenge that students provide for one another and for myself to make the class stimulating ." ... . . . ..

Mrs. Schwartz will have to interrupt this enjoyment, as next year she will be on sabbatical.

Having taught at two other schools, Lafayette High School and Clara Barton High School, both in Brooklyn, she has relished teaching health and family living for two years at Townsend Harris.

The time off wiiI not be all fun and games for the active tennis and bowling coach who must admit, "I will miss my teams." She plans to attend a SUNY school in the fall term. Among other courses she will be taking first aid, nutrition, tennis and family living.

Advising S.A.D.D. and Harris teams will be sorely missed, but '

Mrs. Schwartz hopes to take back some of the material she learns to the classroom upon her return.

"I hope to take what I've learned to add some electives to the curiculum, like first aid and nutrition. " Mrs. Schwartz has interrupted her career once before for eight years, while raising her children.

One of the advantages of the sabbatical will be a chance to go "college hunting" with her daughter, Rebecca, who will graduate in '89.

Mrs. Schwartz will, of course, attend-the Townsend Harris graduation of the same year. " I shall probably actually miss the aft er-school activities .I'm in-

volved in more than anything else." As a coach, she admits witnesses the gradual improvement of players has become a thrilling reward for her efforts.

Those students who contribute to th is, she will especially miss.

As enrichment weavers busily cast their spells upon their threads, Mrs. Schwartz glances thoughtfully about the room . Her brown eyes seem a little sad . One of her final concerns, solving the problem of finding new advisor for S.A.D.D. meetings next year, is typical of the health teacher's thoughts. The natural glow of her fire shall be missed while it is dimmed, but it will never be put out.

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June 1918

TheOassic

Pagel3

Mixed Relationshtps: . When Racial Barriers Breakdown

by Camille Gear " I have a dream that one day all children black and white will hold hand s." Martin Luther King Jf.'S timeless dream has come to pass.

Here at Townsend Harris High the walls of racism seem to have crumbled. Now with the walls destroyed students have the freedom to reach across the boundaries of race, and hold hands.

With this interaction, comes a new sort of affection. Now hands are not only held in friendship but young love as well.

"It was bound to happen," Barry Timmons explained. "A lot of blacks were becoming good friends with whites and orientals.

Emotions started coming out. It all evolved."

This process of evolution came unexpectedly for many students.

Caught up in their affections they looked past their racial differences and sought a common bond. Once cohesion was established, race. became a trivial factor: "Interracial r elat ionships shouldn't be an issue," David Klein decided. "The racialquestion shouldn 't be there at all."

Emile Zaslow agreed, "It's stupid to limit yourself to one race or religion, when the nicest person might be standing there and be of a different [group] ."

Most students concurred with these findings. Martine Guerrie, a veteran interracial dater said , "If two people really like each other's company, race should not matter.

It's not important what you look "You get alienated if you don't like, it's what you are inside that go out with someone your own counts." color. Parents influence kids when Inner beauty seemed of para- they stare at interracial couples, as mount concern to most young though something were wrong lovers. However , some sensed that with it. If society didn 't put so innate charm was not th e primary much pressure on people, interfactor motivating these special racial relationships would be more bonds. "If two people are not just common," said Elliot. together because of their difSome inter racial couples are ference in color, then the relation- shielded from these negative inship is fine." Kasandra Robin son fluences. Barry , a Negro teenager, complied. claims he never encountered any However, .' Barry Timmon s -societal hostilities duri ng his relaascribed to a code of a differ ent ¡ tionship with an Oriental girl. "I value. "I like being in interracial didn't feel any social pressure. relation ships, because they make People talk and tease about it, but me stand out," he smiled.

I don 't think they really care ."

High visibility is an unavoidable One student , "Pia ," who factor in interracial relationships. didn 't wish to be identifi ed, claimOuts ide Harri s' liberal at - ed that people care far more than mosphere these relationships are they let on . " What really hurt me regarded as more of a novelty. the most was how people reacted Elliot Roman , a stude nt of in school, it was the remarks and Spanish descent , expanded on his the looks," she muttered. "Some frustrat ion with society's attitude people even accused me of doing it toward s his relations hip with his [having an interracial relations hip] white girlfriend. for fashionable reasons. People

"who never cared about anything I . did were suddenly interested in my social life. They didn't even know me. They had no right to judge."

Out of the underl ying current of passive resistance to interracial .couples, only one soul would agree to talk. "There are certain things blacks and whites shouldn't do," "Anna" persisted. "You can be friends and care about each other deeply but you shouldn't get romantically involved." Anna also admitted the truth of -P ia's claims. "A lot of people will talk behind your back. Now, here, everyone is used to it. But in the backs ' of their minds I'm sure everyone knows there's something wrong with it."

These seeds of disquiet Anna claims are in t he bac k of everyone 's mind stem from the home environment . Pia claims her home is a liberal one, therefore she is "open-minded ." Ka Ming . Lau was in discord. "My parents would kill me!" she giggled.

Still other students feel their parents would pose no significant opp osition. " I don 't think my parents would have any problems if I dated interracially," Jason Denine added.

Keisha Robinson shrugged.

"My family thinks I'm a liberal anyway. They wouldn't be surprised if I dated interracially."

Parental pressure aside , students can be swayed by .their peers. "Sometimes I felt I wasn't being accepted because I was with someone of a different race," Barry remembered. "It's a person 's choice to do what they want," Stella insisted, "pressure should not be a factor."

Broad based concerns of parental pressure, peer pressure, and societal discontent trouble many teens as they search for their soul mate . For many, the rewards of interracial dating balance out the cons.

For others the search is limited to their own racial sect. Some speculate at the pro spect of interracial involvement. Others reach out and grab their chance to sample beyond the "norm. " The freedom is present. Former student body Pr esident Michael' McDermott characterized King's dream in final words, "Everyone is par t of the human race. We all share that bond. If I feel that special bond with a girl the only restrictions I place is [that] she have the gift of life and the gift of inner beauty." '.

Out With The New, In. With The Old: Young Sparks Date Older Flames

By Hayley Thomas It 's nothing new. Everyone's heard the story . There's the teenage Romeo who' s in love with his best friend's mother or older sister. Or the budding Lolita who thinks that her girlfriend's fa ther or older brother is " hot. " But attraction to older people is.normal for teenagers as long as it 's just the stuff of fantasies. The controversy begins when the older person and the teenager actually start dating and pursue a relation ship.

There is something abou t a non" familial relationship between an adult and a teenager tha t makes people uncomfo rtable. Parents worry whether the adult will take advantage of the teenager, sexually or otherwise. School friends wonder what the couple could p o ssibly have in common .

Everyone doubts that it can last long.

Sixteen-year-old Kristin Iglesias and her boyfriend Juan Pineda , 21, have been together for more than a year. .

"My parents trust Juan. They love him because he takes really good care of me," she confided .

In her case parental oppos ition is not a problem.

Florie Watson, 16, doesn't encounter a lot of trouble from her parents when it comes to her boyfrien d, Timmy Armst rong, 20.

But she admitted, "Every once in a while, my Mom will drop a comment abou t our age difference."

On the other side of the coin is how the parents of the adult react.

"My parents make a lot of 'don't ' rules," explained Timmy. " Theyjelljne to be aware that

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Florie has to cont inue her education . I have to be aware of curfews and things like that. But it 's wort h , it. "

Older A ge Brackets Even if one's parents don't object to the . relationship, why would a teenager want to get involved ' with someone who is older? Who not date someone in the same age bracket?

Judy Mac, 16, dated a 24-yearold guy because "he was mature and experienced. He knew how to act."

Many teenagers date older people for the same reasons. Maturity and experience seem to be what today's teenager wants. ~ 'I got tired of guys my own age," explained Gael Hobson, 16. " They were still little .boys." Few teenaged girls want to date 'Ii boys.' but ' Kristin ~I'm mature for my age and he [Juan] is immature. Just kidding. But we do meet halfway ."

The saying does go that girls mat ure faster than boys, but is it really true? Do teenaged guys look for mature women? " I act differently from most guys when it comes to matu rity," said Eugene Harding, 16. Eugene dated a 22-year-old because she was "attractice, n ice and mature."

David Park, 17, noted that "older women are more mature, more roman tic. Girls my own age give guys too much of a hard time." David's former 2O-yearold girlfriend was someone he enjoyed being with because of her romantic nature.

Though David and Eugene looked for maturity in the people they date, most of the guys admitted off the record that it was not necessarily a facto r they looked for. Judy thought that "because girls mature and develop more quickly than guys, most guys don't go out with older girls."

Maturity

"Just because a guy is older Juan added , " I date Kristin doesn't mean he is more mature," because of her emotional age, not warned Gael. " In fact , it's vice versa sometimes. That 's when he her physical age. " The .teenaged female may view says, 'yo u wouldn't unders tand. maturity as a facto r in deciding You haven't experienced what I whom to date, but does the 'have' ."

Sometimes a teenager wants teenage male? Only two were willing to be interviewed for this art i- from a relatio nship what is lacking cle. The others indicated that like maturi ty in an adul t. But either they hadn't dated an older maturi ty is not the only thing the woman or they didn't want to teenager/ adult gains from their time together. discuss it in print. .

Nella said, " Vlad and I don't share the same day when we talk .

That's an advantage in our relationship. " , " Well I don 't have rt o worry abo ut the girl's parents and she does have a car ," pointed out David.

Timmy described his relationship with Florie as one of "an old marr ied couple. It's cool."

"We go everywhere together.

When one of us is not there everyone asks where the other half is," smiled Florie.

Adrienne Mitchell, 16, info rmâ&#x20AC;˘ ed, "older guys do not play games. I can handle them ."

"I have noticed that older guys are interested in you for who you are," mentioned Kristin. "They don't compare you to ot her girls as much. I guess it comes from experience."

Despite the positive aspects of dating an older person, problems . can arise. " We had different interests," said Judy. "Most of the time we compromised. But I wanted to have fun and he was starting to get serious." ' Nella agreed, " Vlad wants to concentrate on his career . I want us to be close and have fun together. But we have dated four months and most of the time, I am happy." " I think it's more difficult for Juan to fit in with my friends ," sighed Kristin. "In the beginning, I felt uncomfortable that he was so much older when we were with my friends. Now he's extremely accepted . My friends probably like him more than they like me,"

Juan said, " My friends don' t f eel . uncomfo rt able a r o u n d Kristin. They are considerate of her. They accept her."

Peop le interviewed surprising ly never mentioned sex as either a prob lem or an advantage in their relationships. Esthe r Soffer, 17, said "sex is an issue with all ages.

You have no more sexual demands from an older guy than you do from one your own age."

Juan believes that "sex should not be a motivating factor in any relatio nship."

Those people interviewed in the article don't view it as one. It 's just one less aspect to deal with in their relationships.

While both parties involved in an adult/teenager relationship view what they have as special, they don't discount dat ing people their own age altogether.

"Age makes no difference to me," explained Anita Zieba , 17. " But with a guy your own age, the relatio nship is easier, more comfortab le. There is 1,10need to sneak around ."

Mystery The teenager/adult relationship may be mysterious and fantasylike to those involved, to workit has to be based on reality. Many Townsend Harris students are partners in this kind of relationship and they make it work despite all of its faults and treasures. They believe .that they have made their dreams come true . ,' , ..

June 1988

The Classic

Track Runners Race To Success

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Steve Kim sets

by Scott Karp "We have the potential to become one of the three top teams in New York City next year," encouraged Joseph Horn, the coach of the Townsend Harris Girls' Track team. They have certainly proved their ability by winning 24 . trophies in their last four developmental meets alone.

Since track is an individual sport and not a team sport, it is easily one of the most difficult.

Yet the Girls Track Team has still show itheir ability to come out ahead in the midst of strong comf(' petition. ~ The two stars of the Girls' i:= Track Team, Abi Jones and .a Angela Harris have both excelled in the 100 and 200 meter sprints. the volleyball for a spike during a game vs. Flushing.

They have won trophies in those events and Abi holds the school record for the 100 meter sprint at 13.2 seconds with Angela right After the eighth game, the team left their mark." behind her with 13.4 seconds. Abi was plagued by the absence of Even though their absences has qualified for the city chamthree team members. were felt, the team managed to pionship and also has a chance to "The absence of Steve Kim, win one of the two matches played become one of the best long Hector Quintero, and Ivan without them. "Even though we jumpers in Queens.

[Bilaniuk] affected us had an absence of the three team psychologically during the game members," stated Coach Demp(against L.I.c., the last game of ster, "the remaining team the season)," states team member members pulled together morally Thomas Oh. as well as skill wise. They never gave up."

Nevertheless, the remaining Falling team members and the coach are Behind enthusiastic about the 1989 season.

"With five or six players returnHarris won the first game 16-14 but lost the last two 11-15 and ing, we have the foundation of a 9-15. good team next year, " Coach "When we fell behind, it was Dempster commented.

McIntosh added, "I have great very hard for us to come back," commented Oh, ,. Although we expectation for next year. We will won the first game, their absences dominate even more so.!"

BOys' Volleyball Fulfills Coach's Prediction

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by Lena Jones "Wait until next year!," ex- ' claimed an enthusiastic Oliver McIntosh after the last Boys' volleyball game.

The team finished third in their division with a record of 6-4. The team's only regular season losses were to Flushing, Aviation and Long Island City.

Coach Elizabeth Dempster, at the beginning of the season, stated she was "pleased with the way defense came together" and added that the offense "wasn't bad either."

She also predicted that once the members "got into a pattern," they would become a "very formidable team." The team fulfilled her prediction, improving on last year's .500 record.

Many other members of the team are also showing great potential. Freshman Alicia Hughes holds the school record for the 400 meter sprint. In an individual 400 meter race her time was in 64.3 seconds and in a 4 x 400 relay her time was 62.8 seconds. "Alicia could become one of the top 400 meter sprinters in New York City," said Mr. Horn. He added that Abby Miller and Allison Hollander do well in the 400 meter hurdles, Abby Shafran runs a good 400 to 800 meter sprint and Candi Mchan has "shown potential" in distance running.

"The Girls' Track Team has a true drive to win and they seem to have what it takes to succeed," injected Mr. Horn. "It's a lot of hard work but when we win it makes it all worth it," said Allison Hollander. In addition to the indoor and outdoor track season, the Girls' Track team also hopes to make a strong showing in cross country track next year.

,Girls' Tennis Team Aces Year

By Lorraine Holland The Girls' Varsity Tennis team completed another season, finishing second place in their division with an 8-2 record. They lost once to Van Buren and once to Cardozo.

The team won the first round of the playoffs, beating Sheepshead Bay High School in Brooklyn, 5-0. They then lost in the second round to Bronx Science, 2-3.

There were many individual achievements this year. First

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doubles partner, Randi Tannenbaum and Donna Sodano were undefeated during the regular season. Freshman Yanique Fletcher, who was first substitute, had a "very successful season" and was of "significant importance to the team" as stated by their Coach Ellen Schwartz. Some other teammates 'Who had winning seasons were Lorna Chan, Nicole Elias and Kathy Cadette.

The Girls' Tennis team was selected out of eight teams in the

entire N. Y.C. public school system to participate in a tournament 'called the Mayor's Cup All - Scholastic Tennis Championships at the National Tennis Center on June 8. Certain players also went on to the P .S.A.L. Girls Interscholastic Individual Tennis Championships on May 23 at Queens College. Coach Schwartz commented, "The team is stronger and better than ever before. I predcit a 10-0 season next year."

'Girls' Softball Finishes Even Season

by Julia Kou The Girls' Varsity Softball team finished their season with a record of seven wins and seven losses.

Their achievement is no .small feat. since their opponents included formidable teams such as Flushing, Forest Hills and Bryant.

The team lost two of their games to Bryant. Dina Cox -explains that they were just too overconfident and didn't play together. On the other hand, Harris defeated Queens Vocational in all the games between them. "We played together as a team and we made all the individual plays," said Leah Mauro.

Last year, the Varsity Softball team lost all of their matches.

Many of the players who were on the old team hoped for a better season this year. Their wishes were granted due to individual hard work and corporate cooperation.

However, the girls' success cannot be discussed without recognizing the important role that their coach, Lawrence Ceraulo, has played. Mr. Ceraulo drilled the players in their weaker skills and helped them to become wellrounded athletes. When asked what made the most difference this year, Captain Leah Maruo said enthusiastically, "We're performing better because we've got a better coach. He made us prac-

tice early and consistently, and he kept us together."

Yvane Halpin, a veteran member, played first base and "always seemed to come through for the team," as stated by Jill Grathwall. Dina Cox, outfielder and catcher, is known for her exceptional fielding ability. Linda Faccinelli, another veteran member, guarded third base and Leah Mauro, the shortstop of the team, was an excellent batter. The starting line-up also included Jill Grathwall (centerfield), Yvette Wallace (outfield and catcher), Justin Stern (second base), and a platoon between Angelica Romo and Laura Joseph in the outfield.

.... .

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Cory Ackerman warms up for a match

Boys' Tennis Serves All At Division Playoffs

by John Boltax "We played our best," exclaimed Scott Kossove. This came after a devastating 3-2 loss in the first round of the Queens Division A Tennis playoffs.

In the playoff matches, Steve Sussman, the number one singles player, won 6-2, 7-6 over his Bayside opponent. Teammate David Klienman then lost, evening the score to 1-1. .

Doubles Comeback Kevin Kim lost the first set but made a comeback to win 4-6, 6-2, 6-0. However, both first and second doubles lost, ending Harris' chance to advance in the playoff series.

"It was a devastating loss," said David Kleinman. Coach Michael Anzel added that the team "had a couple of tough breaks." The seniors on the team

were especially hurt by the loss because, as Kossove stated, "they wanted to win it all this year so they could leave 'in style. '" During the regular season, the team went undefeated. They shut out the opposing team 5-0 in six ofi their 10 matches, including the one against last year's camps, Van Buren.

Some team members think their; regular season record and playoff. loss was due to lack of competition. "The division was very weak," states Klienman. "In the playoffs, we faced a team like we , never faced before."

Because their quest for the city championship this season is over; the team looks to the future for consolation. "Our team has the chemistry to win it all next year," comments Steve Sussman. "Next year, we should be more seasoned and we should compensate for thh year's devastating loss." Rajii Saxena later vowed to "get therr (Bayside) back" next season.

Kossove summed the season UJ by saying, "It was a great seasor and a great experience ."

June 1988

,

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By Lena Jones Picture this - On a hazy day in June, two team members chase a loyal spectator around the field, spraying him with a water bottle .

Meanwhile, the others joke and laugh with the fans. The goalie, after a rough game, smiles and says as she walks towards them, "I want to go home. I'm hungry!"

Believeit or not; this scene took place after the Queens Champion Girls' Soccer Team was eliminated from the City Championship Playoff Series.

"I am just very proud [of the team]," commented their Coach, Wanda Nix. "To be a second-year . team and make it to the playoffs is remarkable ."

The team finished the regular season with a record of 6-2-1.

The first extra season game, for the division championship, was to be played against Richmond Hill during a torrential downpour. The players splashed around on the muddy, slippery field until the officials called the game because of thunder and lightning.

Harris fmally became division champs when Richmond Hill forfeited the rematch because of a lack of players. . "When I say Harris, You say win! Harris .. ."

"Win I" "Harris!"

"Win!" "Harris, Harris..."

"Win, Win!" After Kasandra Robinson led the team in belting their battle chant, they defeated Hillcrest for the Queens title.

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Harris was behind, 2-0.

"Why the long faces? You are playing just the 'way you lookl You can't give up now. It's 2-0 and we have it whole half to play...We missed eight kicks and we are playing a team that takes advantage of every mistake take strong kicks. and penetrate You must mark players - don't just stand around..."

Harris immediately brought the ball to the New Dorp side but failed to make a goal.

Afterwards, New Dorp moved the ball back to the Harris side, } where Ramos made seven more ~ saves. &.

Esther Soffer made a drive to ~ the goal, but was robbed. TeamW mate Rachel Rojas also made a ~ drive towards the goal, but her kick missed th~ goal by inches.

Kazan had a big breakaway near Martine Guerrier kicks a shot during warm-up before a game. the end of the second half, but let Doom and gloom swept the b8U We've got to really pl;y of New Dorp, their opponents. out a frustrated "ahhhhhh!" after through the team van with the together You guys ' are reaDy .Nevertheless, the bulk of the she also missed by inches. knowledge that goalie Christina playing weD," team sat on the astroturf field, "This is the best time we've had Ramos might not make it to the The second half wasn't as easy laughing and engrossed in conver- in a long time Phil," commented game. Then, to everyone's sur- for Ramos, who made five saves, sation .

Soffer to the manager. prise, she appeared like a savior, using her unique style of smother"That's because we lost!" he As the game time approached, as the team trekked toward the ing the ball. Flu and all, she the team practiced, trying to get answered. field.

New Dorp eventually won the helped the team shut out Hillcrest, accustomed to the speed and feel "Concentrate •••play your 1-0. Aimee Kazan scored the only of the turf. game 2-0, but unlike the other game...1f you go down, don't goal of the game. .

"Fullbacks must call the loss, their spirits were high afterworry about it. If you go up, still Team manager, Phil Hague, baU...don't jog - RUNI Whenever wards. play just as hard," "We had a great season," who according to Coach Nix, a shot opportunity comes up, take Harris enthusiastically raced "comes to practice even when the 'shotl" stated Stella Ruzan as she removonto the field after that pep talk they don't," was excited about his The game started out on a ed her shin guards. from their Coach.

"I don't mind having lost today team capturing the Queens title. dismal note for Harris. The tough Ramos, who was ill, didn't have "I'm glad we made it," he corn- New Dorp offense kept the ball on because they beat us fair and to work much in the first half. mented. They are a 'well-rounded Harris territory and scored on a square," revealed Guerrier. "This Harris kept the ball on Hillcrest's team and they don't play for penalty shot. gives us something to go on for side, despite a rash of penalties themselves."

After four saves 'by Ramos, next year. Next year, we'll beat called against them. The game was "I'm kind of nervous," admit- New Dorp scored again. The team them too!" scoreless at half-time. ted Martine Guerrier as she and received another blow when GuerWhoever said winning was "You've got to keep going for her teammates awaited the arrival rier was injured. At halftime, everything? '

i

Sports Awards - Fall 1987 - Spring 1988

Girls' Basketball Girls' JV Basketball Boys' Bowlin Girls' Bowling Boys' Cross Country Girls' Cross Country Boys' Soccer Girls' Indoor Track Girls' Volleyball Girls' ~V Volleyball Girls' Soccer Girls' Softball Girls' JV Softball Girls'Swim Boys' Tennis Girls'Tennis Boys' Outdoor Track Girls' Outdoor Track Boys' Volleyball Boys' Indoor Track

Most Outstanding

Most Dedicated (Coach's Award)

Most Improved

Keisha Robinson Kathleen Gunn Darrin Fallick Ada Osburn Steve Kim Candace McCann Cory Gingold Yanique Fletcher Christina Woo Gina Greer Aimee Kazan Leah Maruo Jessica Piesman Stephanie Cherry Steve Sussman Tami Hared Dan Shrage Abi Jones Drrin Fallick Hector Quintero

Terry Gordon Lisa Tovin Scott Roth Leah Mauro Hector Quintero Abby Shafran Frank Pagliuca Angela Hall Elizabeth Kim Jessica Wohl Rachel Rojas Dina Cox Stephanie Epstein Andrea Beyer Vadim Rubinstein Donna Sodano Sui Kwan Lo Allison Hollander Greg Warnke Mike Daloisio

Doris Jean Eliz Loewy Elliot Roman Christine Del.eo Sui Kwanlo Nanette Kung Mike McDermott , Abby Shafran Lucy Kim Vicky Cardenas Chris Ramos Justine Stern Cynthia Wong Caroline Wong David Kleinman Randi Tannen Peter Trautman Abby Miller Matt Dominiani Dan Shrage

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Swimmer Karen Ceminey dives into the pool.

Girls' Team Swims To Victory

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by Steve Sussman The Girls' Varsity Swim team capped off a winning season with a semifinal finish in the PSAL City Championships. After compiling a 9-3 record, the team' lost to Stuyvesant, finishing in fifth place.

Since the season is over, many team members are ready to refine their swimming and ,diving skills over the summer.

However, the loss of several seniors is disheartening to the team. Emile Zaslow said, "It's going to be tough without the seniors like Captain Heathe r Wacht and Joanne Muntzner. But with our sophomore backstroker Sera Con-

'gi, Sophomore breaststroker and diver Caroline Wong and Freshman Karen- Ceminey, .our team has amazing potential."

Although the team had a winning season, it was by no means a c akewalk into the playoffs.

After an early loss to Van Buren, the girls sought revenge. In the second meet, -the girls won handily and advanced to the semifinals.

The team gives credit to their coach for guiding them on the road to the playoffs. Zaslow summed up the season by saying, "We wouldn't be where we are now if we didn't have Mr. [James] Jordan as our coach!"

Page 16

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June 1988

The Classic

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