Vol. 5 No.1 November 1988
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Townsend Harris High School at Queens College. 75-40 Parsons Blvd., 11366
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Nix chosen teacher of the year
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By David Herszenhorn Townsend Harris Dean and Ph ysical Education instructor , Wanda Nix, is Queen s Teacher of the Year for 1987-88. The announcement came in the form of a banner congratulating Ms. Nix on her achievement which was placed above the door of the general office, November 3. Ms. Nix said, "I'm honored and surprised. I can think of any number of people whom this award could have gone to." Townsend Harris Principal Malcolm Largmann said, " I think it is a very appropriate choice. I nominated her." The decision to name Ms. Nix Teacher of the Year was made by a committee at the Superintendent's Office, which chooses two 0'< winners. p Ms. Nix was chosen to represent STownsend Harris by her coa ;;; workers . "We asked the faculty rwho we should choose," said Dr. "N Largmann, "Then I wrote a letter REQUIRED UNIFORMS are part of daily life in Holy Family school. Mayor Koch's new pilot project will have public school students wear nominating her." required dress. Pictured , students in the Holy Family school. Athletic Director, Donald Altman said, " I've been teaching for 33 years and I've never met a gym teacher as dedicated as Ms. Nbc. She deserves it." Dr. Largmann said, " In all the 400 Harlem students to wear required dress vears that I've been involved with education, Ms. Nix has stood By David Herszenhorn the Chancellor to immediately select a school of 400 students . Dr. Green head and shoulders above Uniforms will be the required dress of New York City public school chose P.S. 175 in Harlem from a number of small schools, including everyone else. She extends herself students involved in a pilot project started by Mayor Edward I. Koch possibly Townsend Ha rris. way beyond the classroom." and made possible by the donation of an unnamed clothing manufacTownsend Harris students , for the most part, were not in favor of A founding faculty member of turer. wearing required public school uniforms, which , Mayor Koch decided, Townsend Harris, Ms. Nix is known Elementary school students in Public School 175 in Harlem will be would consist of two jackets, two pairs of slacks and one pair of jeans for her responsibilities as dean forced to wear the uniforms. If successful, the project may be spread for the boys and two jackets, two skirts and one jean skirt for the girls. and her rigorous physical educa- throughout the entire New York City public school system. Student Union President Laura Joseph said, "1 think it's ridiculous if tion courses. She said , " Being The main goal of the pilot project is to improve discipline. A they make us wear uniforms. I feel that to have a uniform dress code dean is not a job that I like; it's spokesman for New York City Schools .Chancellor , Richard R. Green would be an infringement on our rights as individuals." Kiddingly she just one I have. I like the 'teaching said, "In other parts of the country, the use of uniforms has been one of added, "If they make us wear uniforms, I'm leaving ." and coaching, when there's in- the variety of models that seem to work in improving attendance and Freshman Michelle Good said, "I think it's dumb because wearing discipline." clothing expresses who you are, your creativity and personality." teraction with students." Mayor Koch said, "It might help in the learning process to have that As coach 0 f the Girls' Junior Pinar Kodaman likes the thought of wearing uniforms. She Volleyball team, Ms. Nix led kind of discipline." said , "It's a great idea . Everyone should be dressed appropriately for a Townsend Harris Dean Wanda Nix disagreed .' She said , " I don't schol astic atmosph ere." Townsend Harris to a city cham pionship in the B division last think that discipline has anything to do with uniforms , especially on the English teacher Steven Merm elstein said , "Uniform dress was year. This year the Volleyball ' high school level. Uniforms might 'be good for other things but abolished years ago an d it was the best thing that ever happened. It team is undefeated in the A divi- discipline is way off." stifles stude nts ' individu al crea tivity. It would be the worst thing for a sion and has clinched a bert h in Board of Educat ion President Robert F. Wagner was also skep- school like ours." the division playoffs. tical. He said , " The re sho uld be att enti on given to dress, but I've never ' Mat h Assistan t Principal Harry Ratti en agreed . He said , "I thin k "I'd like to than k everyone I been very up on unifor ms." that uniforms are inappropriate in public high schools. I think that inknow in Townsend Harris for thi s ' Townsend Harris Principal Malcolm Lar gmann said, "I think tha t dividuality has to take precedence over conformity ." award. It's actually a shared there are a lot bigger problems to deal with ; uniforms might have been Dr. Largmann said, "I feel that young peop le should have rights to award ," said Ms. Nix. the answe r years ago. The issues in this city are so tremendous that express themselves in what they wear. There shou ld be rules , but (uniforms) must certainly be a lower priority." (uniforms) are an intrusion on wonderful individuality. " At first, Mayor Koch cou ld not get a manufacturer to donate the Hea d Security Guard, Sallie Levine, said, " To be an individual is a uniforms. He explained, " I wrote to two of the most prominent wonderful thing. The government should not control lives that much. " designers, who are not mult imillionaires, but they make $100 million a . Required uniforms have already become a major part of public school year and I said, 'Would you ma ke this contribution?' and they both said education in Washington D.C ., where 39 elemen tary schools and two no. junior high schools, approximate ly one third of the system, require "Then I went to a little manufacturer who reminds me of my fath er uniforms. on Seventh Aven ue . He's also a millionaire-my fat her was not- and he said yes." Ho wever, Mayor Koch did not name the manu facture r. At one school in Washi ngton D.C. , the repor ted cost of unif orms is In a memo to Dr. Green, Mayo r Koch wrote , " Good News ! We now $107 for each girl and $121 for each boy . It was no t decided who would have an agreement, in principle, with a manufact urer ." He also asked pay fo r the uniforms if the project were to be extended citywide.
Mayor proposes public school uniform plan
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TEACHER OF THE YEA R, Townsend Harris De an and physical education instructor Wanda Nix:
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The Classic
November 1988
Strip uniforms from public schools If Mayor Ed Koch has his way, public school students will be forced to wear unifo rms. In conjunction with Schools Chancellor Richard R. Green and the generous donation of a clothing manufacturer, the Mayor has developed a pilot project in which 400 Harlem students in Pub lic School 175 will wear required uniforms. If successful, the project may be instituted throughout the entire New York City school system. By requiring students to wear uniforms, the Mayor , the Chancello r and the Board of Education will limit students ' freedo m of expression and stifle the growth of their individuality. The clothes which a person chooses to wear each day are representative of his or her own unique personality. A man datory dress code is an infringement on a student's constitutional right to freedo m of expression. The Mayor and the Chancellor are supporting the project in hopes that it will improve discipline. In a school system which must deal with studen ts who often carry deadly weapons to schoo l and high rates of student dropout, uniform s are hardly the answer. What good would it be to supply uniforms to students who don 't both er to come to school? And why, in schoo ls like Town .send Harris where there are rarely any disciplinary problems, should students not have the right to dress as they please? Before concentrat ing on the clothes students are wearing, deal with the problem of keeping students in school, in a safe learning environment. Ano ther aspect of the project that the Mayor has publicized is - the fact tha t needy families are supplied with school clothes for their children. Why not , then, concentrate city effo rts on establishing, programs which will provide clothes for needy children instead of forcing uniforms on students who don't want or need them? New York City officials are clearly direct ing their enthus iastic good inten tions towards the wrong target. With so many other pro blems in the school system to worry about, the Mayor and the Chancellor shou ld not waste their time with a project that simply stifles stude nts ' freedom of expression . The Supreme Court has already limited the First Amendment rights of students. How many more rights will the government ta ke away from them?
Principal shuffle deals schools bad hand The most effective worker is one who loves his job. This causes a feeling of responsibility and foster s success. A plan proposed recently by High School Division Head Victor Herbert" however, will possibly force "good" principals in "good schools" to transfer into schools which need impr ovement. The success of an administration lies in its ability to make school a warmer, more intimate environment. This personalization cannot take place, however, if the principal is in a school not by choice, but because he was placed there after being sue- . cessful in his previous school. Clearly, if the principal feels no loyalty to or bond with a school and its faculty and students , he will not be a successful admini strator . Rather, he may become "burnt out ," disenchanted, and render himself useless or even destruc tive to the institution of education . One possible alternative is to establish workshops for principals to attend, which would give them fresh ideas and a new outloo k. Problems and possible solutions could be shared among principals . An improved principal would improve a school with out the use of forced transfers . Placing or developing a strong leader at the helm is an impo rtant step towards turning a troubled school into an academically stro ng and socially supportive institution . A principal alone, however, cannot completely change a school. Other steps, such as the molding of the faculty into a more caring staff, the restructuring of the guidance department to cater to specific student needs and the reduct ion of pupil-staff rat ios, must be taken. The Classic believes that the forced shuffling of principals would prove unproductive and dehumanizing. Present principals should rather be transformed into inspiring educational leaders with a.strong staff to support them. This is the path to improvement. I
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Graffiti diminishes school pride To the Editor: was at first disappo inted, then When Dr. Largmann made the angry. Then Dr. Largmann spoke of announcement about graffiti found on one of the walls at punishment - the student was Townsend Harris and said that the suspended. I would add to this culprit had been caught , I was "sen tence" in two ways: I - having the offender clean shocked. How could one of our students deface his own "home," away the graffiti the place we are all so proud of? I 2 - requiring the student t ~ per-
form a given number of hours of extra service to the school for which service credit would not be awarded This hopefully will be a sufficient deterrent to others who might have such "pranks" in mind. ' Stephanie Wolf
School spirit soars high Mentors guide freshmen
To the Edit or : I am a freshman at this school and I would like to let you and everybody else attending this school know that I am very proud to be here. I am sitting in a special seat, and I, for one, know that.
showed me that this school is truly one of the finest schools in the United States . I would just like to say " thank you " to the mentors and let them know that I really appreciated their help a lot. Tawana Armstrong
When I first came to this school, I wished I had nev~r even . heard of Townsend Hams , but _ the mentors have made my stay To the Editor: here so much easier. They helped I think it is really great that this me meet a lot of people I never school lets you dress up for Halloknew before. I now feel very com- ween. Not only do they allow you fort able in this school. to dress up but they encourage it. The mentors helped me, along It is also great that the teachers wit h many other inc oming have just as much spirit as the students, to see how much spirit students. the school does have and how you As many people predicted, the can have fun and learn at the same newcomers to the schoo l didn' t time. The mentors showed me the take dressing up for Halloween best qualities of this school - not seriously. Therefore not many that it has any bad qua lities. They freshman or incoming sophomores
Spirit day praise
were dressed, I was one of these people who didn 't get dressed up for the occasion. However, I did bring a costume: I was just embarrassed to wear it. Once I got to school, I realized it was stupid for me to feel embarr assed since there were a lot of people dressed up. When I saw everyone in their costumes, I felt even more embarrassed for not wearing one. I assume many others felt the same way. As the day went on, I got enough courage to put part of my costume on, excluding the make.up. This made me feel like I was part of the school, and that I had the school spirit. Even though putting on a Halloween costume is not the only way to show your spirit towards the school, it is one of the best . ways. Allison Liescheidt
j ~:~i:i: : ;: j: : : : :i: : : : : j:Ii :i: :j:j: : i :i~i i:i:i:j:ji i i:i : :i i i:i : : :j: :i:i i~i: : : : ~ : : : : :I:~: :j: I:ii~: : : : :i: :i: :i: : â‚Źlass i C:i: :iI::: :~:jI:i:i :i: : :jI: : :j: i:i: : :j: j: i i:;: : ji i : : : :i:i:i : i:jiI~: : : : : iI:i:i:i:i:~ i:~:i: :i:~: :i:i:i:i:il::: : :~ Townsend Harris High School al Queens College , 75-40 Parsons Blvd. Flushing, New York 11366 Renata Kobetts Business Manage~: Jacqueline Berler David Herszenhorn . Jane CirigUano ManagingEditor Senior Editor-in-Chief Editor-in-Chief Business Staff: Stephanie Wolf, Janice Scott Karp Yee, Anjali Bhandarkar, Neil DrummAlIcia Salmonl Hayley Thomas Danlelle Steinmann ing, Jama Gosalie, David Park, TrianJessica Wohl Senior Managing Editor Feature Editors tofillos Fillos, Laney Biffer, Hye Won News Editors Ahn, Ailin Chen, Faizad Hossein, Senior Contrib uting Editors: Camille ' Melody Kellbach Lena Jones YuLinda Chow, Taniedra McFadden, Gear, Eileen Gunn Editorial Page Editor Sports Editor Binoti Parekh, Carol Arana, Christina Zhu, Tara Nattes, Sabrina Falconi, Photographers: Ailin Chen; Elizabeth Katie Bishop, Jacqueline Salazan. Staff: Lisa Antinore, Sash a AnLoewy, Alexandra Lutz toszowski, Alexandra Beller, Jonathan Founding Editor: Heather Nash Boltax, David Chan, Jordan Dressler, Artist: Stephanie Helmeyer David Fischer, Ani Fleisig, Brett Freese, Readers are invited to submit letters . Lorraine Holland, Jonathan Isler, Nuri to the editor. Letters should be placed in Kodaman, Jodie Lassoff, David Mayer, Exchange Editor: Samantha Gobler Mrs. Cowen's mailbox in the general ofMary McCarthy, Megan O'Neal, fice. The Classic reserves the right to Jonathan Perry, Lisa Sanders, Adam Adviser: Mrs. lisa Cowen edit all letters. Letters must include Schpall, Craig Slutzkin, Tzachy Zaidname and official class. Names will be man . Principal: Dr. Malcolm Largmann withheld upon request.
. n e w s·.-iii3 November 1988
Taking new actions:
Transfer plan threatens tenure By Alicia Salmoni and Jessica Wohl In an effort to improve the city's troubled schools, acting Executive Director of High Schools Victor Herbert has developed a plan by which certain high school principals may be transferred to other schools. High schools that have high dropout rates and that graduate students who cannot pass entry level job tests are considered to be the troubled schools. In an interview with the Daily News, Mr. Herbert said, "They (the principals) are heading high schools that are functioning but have the potential for a loss of control." Principals whose schools are failing to meet standards will" be replaced with :a "seasoned principal who has a school running well, who is chosen because of his or her (previous) record," Mr. Herbert indicated. Opposition has been directed toward his plan, mainly because it is challenging tenure, a law which gives a . principal lifetime longevity at his [ob. Earlier in the year, Board of Education officials attempted to repeal the law, but because of the opposition, no change was made. Mr. Herbert affirmed that "the tenure law has never been tested and Board of Education officials believe they have the authority to order such transfers."
represents a rite of passage. Principals, once they have received tenure, feel a sense of achievement and they feel that the work they are doing makes the school a better place. The effect of the challenging of the tenure law on the principals will be negative and counterproductive. " Strong resistance to his plan has come from the principals' and teachers' unions. Joyce Proven-
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'Unions will go all the way. '
zale, Townsend Harris' representative to the United Federation of Teachers, said that the Union opposes the plan and doubts that it . will be implemented. Principal Dr. Malcolm Largmann em" phasized that "the unions will go all the way" to stop the plan from going through. He added, "Although the unions will go all the way, the question is not really one of tenure but .of transfer." The plan states that voluntary transfers to the new assignments will be offered first. However, if the - principals at the troubled schools refuse to move, Mr. Ted Elsberg, president of the Herbert said he is "prepared to Council of Supervisors and Ad- order them to move ... then try to ministrators, said in an article in entice better administrators to the Daily News that "the union head those schools." Using such would without question take legal strategies as financing new pro. action against any attempt to grams, and giving principals funviolate people's tenure rights." ding flexibility, the Daily News Assistant Principal Bernice reported, Herbert hopes to get the Horowitz believes that opposition better administrators to come to to his plan will be strong because the troubled schools. Dr. Largmann believes that as of this challenging of the tenure law. She asserts, "Tenure long as the transfers are volun-
tary, there are no disadvantages to the plan. He added, however, "If forced transfers are implemented, then unhappiness may occur and the plan may not work out." He also said that if "the better administrators are forced out, their leaving might destroy the schools because those schools will be deprived of the proper leadership. " Mr. Herbert assumes that the performance of the school is directly linked to the leadership of the principal. Dr. Largmann sees. the role of the principal as being an "instructional and ad.ministrative leader. The principal knows.all facets of the school and is the guiding hand. He or she suggests the direction that the school should go in." Mrs. Horowitz agrees that the principal acts as a leader, and said that "in certain schools, the principal has turned things around." Dr. Largmann also stressed, however, ·that the "principal can't succeed all by himself; it is necessary to get' help from others. The people in the school have to work together. " Dr. Largmann believes that a major benefit of the plan is that it "would ensure that experienced people would be leading the school." However, he also noted that the troubled schools "need more than a new person at the helm." For the plan to work, he continued, "the Board has to support the principal. The Board has to give incentives, especially internal incentives such as allowing the principals to pick their own staff." He suggested that the problem is that "one school will work at the expense of another." Although Dr. Largmann doesn't know whether or not the plan will work, he acknowledged the need for something to be done. He said, "You can't just stop in despair."
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ADDING COLOR to Halloween, Juniors Abby Shafran and Allison Hollander dressed as Crayola Crayons for the fifth annual Spirit Day.
Twenty-seven Townsend Harrisites participated in the cleanup of the soccer field at Kissena Park on October 21. The event was sponsored by Students for the Preservation of the Earth.
*** Senior Ericka Landsmann won a National Council of Teachers of English award in writing. In order to compete, she had to submit both a sample of her writing and an impromptu essay. The Council will now recommend her for college scholarships at U.S. two-and four-year col. leges and universities.
*** The math team participated in a city-wide NYC Junior Competition on October 26. They were asked six word problems and were given five minutes to solve each one. The participants received a score of 23 out of 30. The math team also scored 27 out of 30 in a state-wide competition given on November 1.
*** Founders' Day will be held at Queens College on November 30. City Councilwoman Ruth Messinger will be the keynote speaker at the ceremony and will deliver a lecture on the importance of humanrights.
*** Supplies donated by Townsend Harris students for the Jamaican Relief Fund were delivered to the Jewish Center of Kew Gardens Hills on November I.
*** The Science Research class heard lectures on biology at the"Science Research Symposium at Queens College on October 20.
*** A pre-Halloween Hop was held at Townsend Harris on October 28.
*** There will be a dance held in the Student Union building at Queens College on November 18.
*** Harris students displayed their school spirit by dressing in costume during the fifth annual Halloween Spirit Day on October 31.
*** The Science Research class and the Student Leadership class are working together on a project to name the next space shuttle.
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November 9 was the 50th anniversary of Kristallnacht, the Night of Broken Glass. Special discussions were held on November 9 and 10con,cerning the meaning of this day. ..•: ;.
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PAINTING THE TOWN,Juniors Donna Manion and Robin Bacigalupo helped clean up Kissena Park on October 21.
*** Parent-teacher conferences were held on the evening of Monday, November 14 and the afternoon of Tuesday, November 15.
r The Classic
November 1988
Mock debate illuminates election issues
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DEBATING THE ISSUES, Juniors Ivan Bilaniuk and John Newman speak for the candidates during the mock presidential debate on November 3.
Students display election doubts Quayle, did PO~IY in his debate with Bentsen. " I think if anyone stuck to the issues at all, it was Bentsen, but he avoided them as much as possible also I think Quayle was very hyper and could have been more diplomatic, but this will not-do much for the election," commented a junior who asked not to be identified. Freshman Gay le Zuckerman plainly said that, "Bentsen made more sense to me than Quayle did." Another junior', J. D. Rosza, proclaimed, "I want to Many students also felt that the know what Quayle would do if he Vice-Presidential candidates was elected vice-president.' , No matter how students felt in played an important role in the election. Students felt that the 1988, it will be at least four years A general consensus among leader was clear-Democrat Lloyd befo re current Harrisites actually Townsend Harris students was Bentsen. Students believed that ; express a presidential preference that there was no clear leader in his opponent, Senator Dan at the polls.
By Craig Siutzkin Our 41st 路 President, the man who will lead us into the 1990s, has been chosen. This is what Townsend Harris students felt about the election before George Bush's triumph on November 8. "Undecided." Two months ago, that was the almost unanimous response to the question: "Who would you support for the 1988 Presidential Election?" Only a few students at Townsend Harris High ,School had made their choice, some for George Bush, some for Michael S. Dukaki s. Some felt that neither candidate was qualified.
the race for the White House. Some people, like freshman Alwin Eversley, suppo rted Bush. " I emphatically hope that George Bush is elected. Do we want another liberal governor like we had in 1976?" asked Alwin. On the other hand, one person, who wished to remain anonymous, believedthat, " Bush was not an effective vicepresident, and he won't be a good president." Grace Chu , a sophomore, told us that, "neither candidate is qualified."
By Sasha Antoszewski November 3rd, students from the Junior Debate team, Student Leadership and' American History classes participated in a Mock Presidential Debate . The debate was held during Enrichment and followed a detailed format. Particular students were chosen to represent the opinions of either Bush or Dukakis. Others acting as panelists were required to ask one of the representative candidates a question. The candidate was given two minutes to answer the question. The opposing candidate was then given time for a rebuttal. As in a real deba te, the candidates had no prior knowledge of the questions they were asked ., They were questioned on such topics as abortion, the current AIDS dilemma, defense" and foreign relation s. On the issue of defense, Monica Bialokur, .a representative of Bush, stated, "In order for the country to be strong, defense must be strong. Not only should we provide homes for the homeless' and better education possibilities, but we also have to be able to defend ourselves at any moment." Students get involved in election When Ivan Bilaniuk , a Dukakis representative, was asked about crime and the death penalty, he responded, "We 'are faced with a problem in the fact that crime has increased. The death penalty is not only costly but I believe it is also mora lly wrong , We should not have the right to take a person's life. " The purpose of the Mock Debate was not to determ ine a winner or a loser, but rath er to make students more aware of the issues involved in the actual election . Accordin g to Dr. Manson,
the coordinator of the debate, " The process of moderating or participating as a debater in this type of Presidential debat e will make students more aware of the issues confronting "th e nation and where each of the political parties stand on these issues." Forming clearer views on issues Junior Debate Club member Rodney Lopez, who represented Democratic Presidential candidate Michael Dukakis , said, "I know little about politics. I' m doing this for the thrill of public speaking . It is a learnin g experience. I will be learnin g more about politics and also sharpening my speaking skills. " Dr. Manson hopes that along with improving their public speaking and forming clearer views on specific issues, the students learned about debate procedures. The moderator , of the debate was E speranza Weng. The students who represented Bush were Moriah Eskow, Lisa Ying, Alvin Eversley, Devon Williams, Monica Bialokur, Alina Ratner, and John Newman. Dukakis representatives were Rodney Lopez, Ivan Bilaniuk, Alexandra Beller, J. David Rozsa, Ruth Lerman, Shari Gruber, and Mark Schwartz . The panelists included Jessica Wohl, Allison Hollander, Claudia Bob, Chri stina Pan, Yulinda Chow, Ayanna Barrow, Catisha Mar sh, Celena Green, Hope Hanner, Steven Manela, and Allison Garay. Along with the debate, Townsend Harris participated in a mock election . The elections were not only held in Townsend Ha rris but in other city high schools as well. The results of each school will be sent to the Central Board of the Board of Education for an overall ,city result.
New library -
Amnesty cluster spreads awareness By Jane Cirigliano Created in 1986, the High School Cluster program is a unique subdivision of Amnesty Internatio nal. It is an assembly of dedicated students from thirty eight high schools in the Greater New York City area . Meet ing weekly on Fri day nights at the National Office of Amnesty International in Manhattan, members discuss human rights and correlate ideas for Amnesty events in their high schools. These events pub licize and raise money for the Amnesty International movement. Jamnesty night at the Limelight In the past, the Cluster has sponsored two write-a-thons , a candlelight vigil for the "missing" in Chile, and a five-hour Jamnesty concert at the Limelight. , Junior Johanna Lasker is actively involved in the Cluster program. She is currently a secretary at its meetings and is also a
member of the Steering Committee whose job is to run the Cluster. She says, "I gain satisfaction from having a positive effect on the quality of people 's lives and I want to involve myself with people who are willing to donate their time to overcome the hardships of humani ty. " Junior Donna Manion feels that her participa tion in the Cluster program is very' important. She believes in the' 'effec tiveness of an organization that is based on writing a letter to free a person." Senior Jennife r Appell organized the Amnesty International branch at Townsend Harris, mid plays a vital role in the Cluster. She said that it is important for a Humanities school to have a group that works specifically for , the release of nonviolent POCs (Prisoners of Conscience), fair and prompt trials for all political prisoners , and an end to torture and executions in all cases.
She asserts that the goal of the Cluster is "to eventually expand to include all high schools in New York State, and spread the awareness of basic human rights. " Although many ' Amnesty high school groups are unified through the Cluster coalition, each school is free to promote their own drives and events. Last year, Townsend Harris' Amnesty chapter sponsored many activities. It. held a week-long stamp drive which raised over fifty dollars, and a bake sale which pro duced $100 for supplies and yearly dues. Members ran a " chain day" on which they used chains to represent the many POCs who need assistance, and a Human Rights Now! rally which produced almost 500 signatures. They also arranged for a former Iranian hostage to speak about the many human rights violations.
GOVERNOR MARIO M. CUOMO, Boroug h President Claire Shulma n, Congressman Gary Ackerman, State Assemblyman Allan Hevesi, and State Assemblyman Saul Weprin attended the dedication ceremony for the new Benjamin A. Rosenthal library on September 15.
The Classic
Graffltl artists-demand attention
November 1988
Principal responds to school incident
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By Scott Karp and Danielle Steinman It 's on the side of a building, on .. the subway, in a bathroom, on a car, on the highway, on a bridge, on street signs, even on the building where you live. To the average person, it looks like unintelligible writing, but it's part of the scenery. It's everywhere you go. Yet someone is out there writing it for a reason. Graffiti. ts , it vandalism, an art form , pointless scribbling, or some other . form of expression? Artists' tag commands respect Most of the graffiti seen out there is someone' s tag. It's a nicknam e, initials, or some other symbol which identifies the "artist." He owns it. Whenever a certain tag appears, one particular person is responsible for it. A graffiti artist can give others permission to use his tag but they would have to give the owner of the tag credit. This is usually done by putting a number next to it. Some examples of tags are: Kaz, Rent, Duel, Sin, and Shy. "I like to see my tag up. It gets attenti~rt. Other people talk about it. I try to get it in as many places as possible," said one graffiti artist. That is the goal of most graffiti artists, to have their tags up in more places than anyone else. They will go to any lengths to achieve their goal. There have ~ been tags placed on bridges, cliffs, ~ and other difficult to reach places. ~ Graffi ti is a form of instant fame . E "Other people talk about me THE MARKS OF because I am up a lot," emphasized one artist. "If your writing travel together and look out for is good, your friends and other each other. An artist might be kids will notice it, " related known for the quality of his writing or the crew ' to which he another writer. "These 'kids are dying for belongs. There have been many recognition. There is no greater rumors that graffiti crews were excitement than seeing a truck responsible for various incidents pass by with their tag on it," ex- including one involving a teenager plained noted psychologist Ar- chased onto Utopia Parkway, hit mand DiMele, who runs a clinic by a car, and killed. on 57 St. near the Hard Rock Graffiti crews: large and Cafe. Dr. DiMele works with widespread "These rumors are only prograffiti artists on a regular basis. "It is not an act against anybody. paganda. People have to blame They feel a real need to do their someone so they blame 'us," own thing," .he added. responded a former member of Next to a tag one might see a several crews including TMR, series of initials such as TMR aRT, and FPV. One of the largest (The Master Race), OTM (On The and most well known crews is Mission), or FPV (Federal Public TMR. Its membe rship is Vandals). These are crews, which widespread and they are very proare unions of graffiti artists who minent in several Queens high
GRAFFITISTS litter neighborhoods all over the city. schools. "Graffiti is an art form when it is done in a tasteful manner, but when common street urchins like TMR start using it to spread their negative message, it becomes a nuisance and should be eliminated," stated junior Jodi Shapiro . An illegal activity Most people fail to see a positive side to graffiti. "It's ugly to look at. It takes away from a clean environment . It's distasteful. There 's no point to it," argued Carol Arana . "I think it's terrible that someone would take the liberty of defacing something that doesn't belong to him," said Ms. Wanda Nix. Art form or vandalism, graffiti is still a crime. According to sec-
tion 435-13.2 of the New York City Adminsitration Code, the punishment "for a person who shall write, paint, or draw any inscription, figure, or mark of any type on any .•.property... ," or "for any person to carry an aerosol can of paint, " is six months in jail and/or a $500 fine. According to the Townsend Harris code of behavior, "The willful damage to, or destruction of...propertY,"ispunishablebya principal or superintendent's suspension. Student suspended Graffiti writing was recently discovered in the boys' bathroom of Townsend Harris. The student responsible was caught and was punished with a five-day suspension. Pr incipal Dr. Malcolm G.
Largmann explained his feelings abo ut the incident. " I want the .students to understand that people who act this way will-be dealt with quickly and severely.. ..It was , a blatant disregard for everything that we teach in this school. ... 1 thought it was a freshman, but I was depressed when I discovered that it was a junior .. .Graffiti is a form of violence, just as cursing is a form ,of verbal violence, and fighting is physical violence," stated Dr. Largmann. A world surrounded by graffiti "I think he deserved what he got. In a school like ours there should be no graffiti. I am surpri sed," commented junior Abby Miller. "I think they made a really big deal out of an ordinary event.. .. It is not an uncomm on thing and graffiti surrounds us, so to be so severe in punishing a single person is a bit unfair, " disagreed junior Michelle Shiano. "Suspension is too harsh a punishment," said Jin Pak. Another student added, "It's an art form and it should not be discouraged." Unfortunately , much of the appeal lies within the fact that graffiti is considered vandalism and that it is against the law. An acknowledgement of the fact that graffiti is vandalism even appears in one crew's name: FPV (Federal Public Vandals). "It's the thrill of doing something wrong ," explained a member of TMR. Another artist added , " It 's fun if you like to get in trouble." "Graffiti ar,tists like to walk the edge," commented Dr. DiMele. "In a community, there is always someone who tries out the rules," added Dr. Largmann. Some graffiti artists acknowledge the fact that breaking the law has its drawbacks. "I stopped because it was too much trouble and I was always getting chased," said a former member of TMR and FPV. "Cops are known to beat up kids and then let them go. They just say, 'Don 't do it again,'" related one student. "I don't think we should be arrested," he added. One graffiti artist concluded , "There are so many strict laws governing our lives. When I write graffiti, I feel like I have won, like I've somehow beaten the system."
Harris cliques close ranks. By Alexandra Beller ' Six girls walk down their high school hallway, dressed in the same clothes, wearing the same make-up, and laughing at a common joke. " Clique!" people mutier with disdain as the group sails through the hall, oblivious to the action around them . They are indeed a clique, and although many cringe at the world , cliques are a part of reality and friendship . What is a clique? "People who have things in common," said junior Elisha Sorenson. Alex Whitten agreed. "A clique is a group of people who relate to each
other and are able to find identity in that group. " This positive view of cliques is by no means unan imous. Junior Jane Gorayeb said emphatically , " I can't stand cliques because they make peop le feel insecure." " I hate it when they (cliques) get snobby and make life difficult for other people," added sophomore Jackie Loeb . Clique can be painful It is agreed by most that being alienated from a clique is painful, but what is it like to be included in one? There are many facets to the question . Some people agree with Michelle Shiano, who believes, "There is no such thing as a
clique; there are only groups of friends whose interests are so similar that there is no reason to hang out with anyone else." However, David Rozsa repudiated that opinion, stating, " Being a clique limits one 's outloo k on life." Freshman Liang Lee shares this sentiment. "One should form friendships with people in a variety of groups , not limiting yourself," explained Liang. There are yet other people who, like Lana Zinger, believe that a clique is "a group of friends whom you belong with and feel safe with." Perhaps being in a clique gives a person the security he needs to
develop his own unique identity, and perhaps it inhibits, him from straying from the popular interests of the group; it depends on the group and the individual. , Ha rris bonded by interests Townsend Harris students admit tha t there are an aston ishingly small number of cliques at this school in comparison with others . Shamir Khan, a freshman here, speculated that this is because "Townsend Harris is such a small school, and everybody is united by a common bond of interests and talents ." The fact that our studies focus so intently on the Humanities and the understan-
ding of other people may also be a large factor in the relatively small numbe r of cliques here. While ' Townsend Ha rris as we know it may have very few of these groups , Ericka Landsmann explained the cliquestory that is going on at the college. " We all stick together as a grade and it's fabulous!" said the senior enthusiastically. -
Depending on your viewpoint, those six girls sailing down the hallway may be a threat , an insecure group who find identity in numbe r, or five of your best friends.
The Classic
November 1988
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Teachers scout for fall fashions
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By Lisa Antinore With the onset of the school year, many students flock to clothing stores, eager to add to ;.'",their wardrobe those special items that best reflect their individual style. However, students are not the only ones preparing for the :< ..... fall fashion scene. Teachers are '''an adorable Mickey Mouse tie" ,.{, . ..~ .) also faced with the prospect of purchased by his wife. Math \ ' .. i _.-" filling . their closets with the teacher Natalie Franklin voiced a It season's fashionable items . dislike for "the sporty look," and c" ' :; Perhaps you've never considered expressed her preference for it, but where do teachers shop? "classic clothes," which she buys What kinds of clothes do they at Loehmann's, Macy's, or the ~: : ' . ',~::::-.~. . -.!" like? How do they feel about Gap. · / ... ···~/ -. " fashion? Paul Stessel, History teacher is also a patron ,of the Gap. ' However, he admitted that if last Comfortable clothing ..."..>.1 year's clothes don't look "too / 1I "Clothing should be 'comfor- raggy," he tries to "get away with table. I think that jeans are ap- wearing them," adding that "the propriate for almost anything, prices of clothing are and if I could do it all over again, astronomical. " I'd have a blue jeans wedding," Richard Russo, Latin and , asserted Myron Moskowitz, Greek teacher, bought the Classics ./ , I " J History teacher. Donald Altman, T-shirt collection at the Italian ... 4" . Physical Education instructor, clothing store, Benetton. The 1/' agreed with Mr. Moskowitz's opi- shirts were "on sale, of course," '-',~. ,..-=;~ nions about comfortable clothing. he mentioned. Arthur Boulanger, Usually he can be found in sweat English teacher, recently went to tl ~ .il /~) suits, but on special occasions Barney's, but he didn't have as such as weddings, Bar Mitzvahs, much luck as Mr. Russo. When he and, of course, the Athletic Din- realized Barney's didn't have a ner, he "dresses sharp." sale, he "headed for Syms." Assistant Principal Malcolm Latin teacher Margaret Landry Rossman declared his dislike for favors dresses because "they're By Brett Freese Roland meets an odd menagerie "drab, frumpy clothes" and hap- easier and do not involve of characters during his journey, pily revealed his newest accessory, matching. " Guidance councelor "The man in black fled across the partaking in several adventures desert, and the gunslingerfollow- which are recounted, each in a ed." separate chapter. The gunslinger meets up with Alice, a sex-starved, -The Gunslinger By Jodi Shapiro lascivious female. Jake, the boy The Gunslinger, (Plume/ killed in a car accident on earth , $10.95), is the first book ina pro- wakes up to find himselkf in "In a locust wind comes a rattle jected series by Stephen King en- Roland's bleak, desolate desert and hum ... " I .' I . titled "The Dark Tower." Writ- world. Is the boy dead, or a -U2 ! ten eighteen years ago ' by this ghost? . The most creepy of master of the macabre and passages occurs when Roland and The album starts out with the published in a very limited prin- his new sidekick, Jake, have an words, "This song Charles Manting, The Gunslinger hardly con- unexpected encounter with son stole from the BeatIes ... we're \' tains the usual King fanfare of primordial slimies called "the stealing it back!" It is, of course, \ New England vampires and rabid Slow Mutants." U2's now-famous rendition ' of dogs. It's less horrific than his If the book lacks a cohesive, "Helter Skelter." The album is other 'stories, but ultimately more lucid plot, it does succeed in none other than U2-Rattle And / mysterious . creating a menacing, morbid aura Hum. It is an album that has it all What is The Gunslinger really that permeates every page. It -tributes, songs about love, and Side two is entirely live. The about? I truthfully don't know. follows the tradition of sweeping some great live cuts. This double energy bursts from "Silver And We meet Roland, the last of the westerns. comic book storylines, album includes some of the best Gold," a song about an oppressed gunslinger line, who lives in an and cliffhanger endings. One material U2 has recorded to date. South African man. The Edge has apocalyptic world reminiscent of thing is for sure: Stephen King The first side has a song written a great solo at the end of this one. earth (or perhaps it is earth) where never cheats us out of and performed by guitarist The The version of "Pride" is a little AMOCO has "become the totem characterizations. We can see this Edge called "Van Dieman's short of what it could be, but it of a thundergod," and a piano in the flesh-and-blood hero, Land." The liner notes read, does an adequate job of closing player pounds out the all-too- Roland, who's weighed down by "Dedicated to poet John Boyle side two. familiar tune of "Hey Jude" in a guilt and betrayal, but like a hawk O'Reilly, a .. . poet deported from The third side opens with a saloon. Roland is on a quest to that "pays no coinage to morals." Ireland to Australia because of his tribute to jazz great Billie Holiday find' the "man in black" who The book is a promising start to poetry ... '" Other highlights in- calIed "Angel of Harlem" with a holds the key to the secret of the one of King's finer, if more clude their first single, "Desire," bold horn section and a great Dark Tower. What does the Dark enigmatic creations, enhanced by and "Hawkmoon 269." "Desire" drum line by Larry MulIen Jr. Tower signify? Hopefully, this Hugo-Award-Winner Michael is an example of U2's ability to Another highlight is "When Love question and many more will be Whelan's sparse, yet effective, il- play raw rock and roll, and Comes To Town," a duet between answered' in future volumes of lustrations. The Gunslinger is "Hawkmoon 269" features Bob Bono and veteran rhythm and King's work. blues man B.B. King, who also weird, but good stuff. Dylan on keyboards.
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choices are better. " She emphasized that she would not shop in a store where "a blouse is on one floor and a belt is on another." Her favorite clothes stores? "The Narragansett Shop in Manhasset." . Principal Dr. Malcolm Largmann shops at Paul Stewards, and he believes that . people should wear clothing that "best represents the image that, they are interested in projecting." Math teacher Shelly Goldfarb keeps an open mind. "I don't have favorites. I shop wherever I am - Manhattan, SoHo, the Hamptons. I buy what I like. Fashion doesn't dictate my preferences. " Spanning the glebe And then there are some individuals who search throughout the world for those perfect articles of clothing. English teacher Steven Mermelstein is one such person. After a moment's hesitation, he shared . some well-kept secrets. "I buy my suits in Italy, my handmade shoes in a small shop on the Turl in Oxford, my Egyptian cotton custom shirts in, of course, Egypt, and my sweaters in Bailey-Ferriter on the Dengel Peninsula in Ireland. My mom still makes my socks." . To each their own.
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plays guitar on this cut. Side four's first track is "God Part II," a song that snubs Albert Goldman's controversial book about John Lennon. Bono sings with anger, "I don't believe in Goldman/His type like a curse/INstant karma's gonna get him/If I don't get him first," and Adam has a beautifulIy intricate bassline. The tribute gives way to Jimi Hendrix's "Star Spangled Banner" and then to a powerful rendition of "Bullet The Blue Sky." The album gets its name from the lyrics of this cut. It is highlighted by Bono's fevered adlibbing of the end verses, the elegantly controlIed wailing of Edge's guitar, Adam's unfaltering bassline, and the pounding of Larry's drums. It is, undoubtedly, the best live cut on the album, recorded at their farewelI concert in Tempe, Arizona. U2 ended their 18 month Joshua Tree tdur last December, but the memory lingers on. For those unlucky souls who missed them when they were in New York, Rattle And Hum should placate them until the next tour.
Punch Line hits the spot By David Fischer previous films including Big and When the directors of Punch Bachelor Party, plays Steve, an Line began work on the movie, ex-medical student whose superior they had one thing on their comedic skills are yet unable to get minds-to make people laugh. him far in the business. Although With the help of such stand-out he is very funny, one has to feel personalities as Tom Hanks and sorry for him. Emotionally Sally Field playing the lead roles unstable and homeless, he is alone the dirctors' aim was fulfilled. with nowhere to go. SalIy Field Hanks, well-known for his plays Lila, a New Jersey
housewife who knows she can make people laugh and just wants a chance to prove it; however, she feels she may be neglecting her husband and kids in the process. Steve senses her talent and coaches Lila in the art of night club comedy. Besides the jokes, some funny, others vulgar, Punch Line focuses
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on the relationship between Steve therefore a welcome relief. It and Lila. They both want to suc- ' touches the fulI range of emotions ceed, and they encourage each . from joy and laughter to sadness other to do so, indicatingthe true and dismay. For all except those who may be bond of friendship that exists between them . Take away one semi- offended by jo kes in poor taste, passionate kiss in a taxi, and this is Punch Line is worth the price of not your typical "man meets admission. .Two hours of watch woman and they fall hopelessly in ing this will leave you laughing for love" romance. The . movie is days.
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The Classic
, November 1988
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The Classic
November 1988
Volleyball team clinches division playoffs
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MAKING THE KILL, Senior Lani Miller goes up for a spike flanked by Seniors Sally Lee and Lucy Kim.
By Julia Kou " Harris #l!! " This chant is fast becoming a reality for the girls' volleyball team, since the team has compiled a season record of seven wins and zero loses and has clinched a spot in the division playoffs. All of the opponents were defeated in straight sets except Cardozo, who refused to lose without a struggle. In the end, Harris still won the game in three sets. What makes this team so invincible? Esther Soffer offered an answer: " We really try to work together and we're really supportive of one ano ther," she said, "That's an important factor in any team's success." Since the team won the B-division championship title last year, was success expected this season? "Well, we were moved up to the A-divison this year, so we knew the competition was going to be tougher," said Donnell Butler. "The important thing was to remember teamwork is the key to winning." This new year also meant a loss of last year's seniors, including team captain Christina Wu. What
effect did the departures have on the players? " We feel a loss but it hasn't af fected our perfo rmance as a team, because their absences were filled by new members." The star ring lineup, which includes Elizabeth Kim, Sally Lee, Lucy Kim, Suzy Lee, Hae Joo Kim, and Jane Kwon, plays textbook style volleyball on the court. The stan dard pass, set, spike play has been drilled to score points practically every time. The girls' coach is responsible for this aspect of their success. Ms. Wanda Nix has been with the team since the beginning and she is very proud of their accomplishments. "They're very hard-working and they take an intellectual approach to their games," she said. "I am extremely proud of my team. The girls are very nice, so win or lose, I still enjoy their company." Many observers sens e a dynamic chemistry between coach and team. The players have used this to their ' advantage. "We couldn't have gotten this far with any other coach. We want to win, but it's Ms. Nix who pushes us to win," explained Hae Joo Kim.
Boys' soccer savors victory By Jonathan Boltax "Finally!!" is the word that describes the feelings of the Boys Soccer Team aft er they won their first game in PSAL history. The team won 4-2 after a 0-10 losing streak in their first year as a varsity team. Coming into this year, the goal was to win at least one game. "If we can win a couple of games and be comp etitive, the season will be a success," said Jonathan Perry. In the first game of the season, the spirit of the team was high. Xavier Mandeng said, "We're going to take it to the max; we're going to rock till we drop ." In that game , Townsend Harri s tied Hillcrest. For the first time in PSAL history, they did not lose. Led by seniors Cory Gingold, Oliver Mcintosh, George Eliou, and goalie David Kleinman , Har ris went one step further defeating Forest Hills, 4-2. Marc Ackerman said, "The spirit of Townsend
Harris proves that we really want , to win." Townsend Harris lost the next two games against Van Buren, 2-1 and Francis Lewis 3-2. Each game was a heartbreaking loss since they both were decided in the last 10 minutes of the game. However, in the next game against Hillcrest, Townsend Har ris won 3-2. Cory Gingold had 3 goals and Eric Wiener, who filled in for David Kleinman, held Hillcrest l ong enough for Harris to s cor~ the winning point. It's a team effor t," said their Coach, James Jordan. "With the help of the seniors, and the new members of the team , this team has improved itself 100 percent. They are now a respected threat in the Queens B division." The soccer team 's record now stands at 2-4-1. The team has 5 games remaining in this momentuous season.
TOOLS OF THE TRADE, soccerballs show the abuse that the soccer team dishes out.
Track team sprints towards success
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By Jonathan Isler' "It's 3.1 miles of rugged terra in ," said David Fischer, describing the course the Boys Cross Cou ntry Track Team must run on . T he t ea m, wh ich graduated many seniors last year, is undefeated and is optimistic abou t the new season. The team won its first two meets, handling Beach Chan nel and Andrew Jac kson. Mar k Robinson, who finished in first place with a time of 20.18 against Beach Channel, says honestly,
"Running isn't as easy as it seems . " Richard Rivera led Townsend Harris to its second win over Andrew Jackson by a final score of 48-23. With the loss of several senior runners, Coach Walter Davis "hopes the team is as competitive this year as it was last year. " Dan Shrage, who placed third against Beach Channel, admitted, "It'll be more difficult to win than last year, " ' but claims the team "should do all right." Students join the team for a
variety of reasons . David Fischer acknowledged that one of the reasons he joined was that he "needed some extra-curricular activities." Scott Karp , anoth er rookie, said he j oined because he "wanted to get in shape ." Despite their persona l reasons for joining, they all have one common goal in mind - to be undefeated for the second consecutive season. Team member Mar k Sc hwa rt z fee ls "an undefeated season is very possible considering the quality of the athletes that form the team."