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.. Townsend Harris High School at Queens College
149-11 Melbourne Avenue. Flushing, NY 11367
Senior prank goes sour; dinosaur destroyed · by Amy Kommatas '-'Kill the beast! Cut his throat! Spill its blood!" This quotation, from William Golding's Lord of the Flies, can be likened to the scene in the lobby on Monday, June 16, as a group of six or seven seniors threw Harold, the school dinosaur constructed from aluminum cans, from the front of the school building toward the atrium. · Princip~l Malcolm Largmann drew this analogy to Lord of the Flies since he envisioned the scene in the lobby as one of group hysteria, with students chanting, "Toss it over! Toss it over!" The prank started off as a preplannedjoke, with hundreds of lemons strewn across the lobby floor, an obvi-
ous play on Dr. Largmann's statement made in January of 1995, when, upon
announcing the cancellation of the Feb- ter the event, the seniors sat in silence ruary 1995 move to the new building, for over 10 minutes before the adminishe said, "Make trators spoke a word. "This event was a · lemonade if disgrace to the Ephebic Oath. In short it you're handed was disgusting," said Sheila Orner, Asa lemon." A sistant Principal of Guidance to the sebag· of lemons niors that afternoon. "We just wanted was attached to ' to leave our mark," explained senior the principal's Jason Mandl. "I guess we just took it a door with a little too far, though." note that allegUntil the perpetrators confessed, Dr. edly read, - Largmann considered cancelling the "Make your senior party and more importantly, reown lemon- voking all 250 Townsend Harris· enade." dorsed honors diplomas. "It is truly a travesty that we [will] During the After plunging one story to his death, a destroyed Harold lay in shambles in all have to suffer for the acts of a few," senior meeting the courtyard on June 17. continue.d on p. 2 just minutes af-
Appel ambivalent about retirement Sweetin to become 'not so busy' by Kate Rube wants," she will return two days a week After a 30 year teaching career, As- next year, which will allow her to stay sistant Principal of Science Susan Appel involved in the many activities she curis retiring. A biology teacher irt rently organizes, supervises, and particiTownsend Harris since 1984, Ms. 'Appel pates in. The research program wi'11 remain a has "mixed feelings" about her decision to retire, a decision which Was only fi- top priority with her; she will continue nalized in the last few weeks. Though she had been contemplating re.;.: tirement for ·c"' ~ months, Ms. Appel was unsure if she really wanted to leave everything she loves about teaching - her biology classes, her research Assistant Principal of Science Susan Appel, works dilligently on grading students and Regents examinations from her department colleagues. Ms. Garcia and Ms. Appel have co- teaching the Westinghouse elective for ordinated many science activities; both seniors, a course which prepares students have organized the Otto Burgdorf Stu- to enter the prestigious Science Talent dent Research Contest for the last two Search. The first year that the school years, and despite her retirement, Ms. opened, Ms. Appel began instructing a Appel will _continue to co-chair the com- . research class, and one of her students petition. went on to become a finalist However, for Ms. Appel, retirement in the Westinghouse · science will not mean permanent absence from competition. continued on p. 2 the school. "Getting what every teacher
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MetroCards replace passes Page3
by Beth Citron as Mr. Sweetin has," Ms. Schwartz said. "I'm leaving while I love it. I love the Although Mr. Sweetin enjoys his roles kids and staff," said Thomas Sweetin, as Senior Council and yearbook adviEnglish teacher and Senior Class Advi- sor, they have kept him constantly busy. sor about his retirement this year. According to Senior Ronit Schwartz, Though he still loves teaching, Mr. yearbook Editor-in-Chief, "This man is Sweetin decided to retire this year so incredible. He comes in at 7:30 every that he could pursue other things in his morning and he's been here with us unretirement, such as reading, travel, and til 10 at night. Anytime I n~ed him, I the renovation of his house- "supervis- call and he's here. He's so willing to ing it," he added; "I don't know a spade help us out on weekends and vacations." from a shovel." Mr. Sweetin has been the yearbook and Senior Advisor since the first senior class was graduated I 0 · years ago. Although he has managed both positions for the past 10 years, they will Senior advisor Thomas Sweetin helps Senior Monica Patel choose a be split into two photo for the yearbook. next year. History teacher Maria Vita will be the new In fact, one weekend, when he was in'' yearbook advisor and health teacher the building to work on the yearbook, Ellen Schwartz will be the Senior Ad- Mr. Sweetin discovered the flood that visor. ''I'm looking forward to the chal- ruined the gym floor (seep. 3). Because lenge that this new position will bri'ng ... he was in the building, the custodial staff continued on p. 8 I'm hoping that I can do the job as well
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College Statistics Pages 4-5
Imagination workshop Page6
Seniors' college destinations Page? -