1954 Yearbook

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June 10, 1954

THE WESTERN PENNSYLVANIAN Published every two weeks during the school year at the Western Pennsylvania School fur the Deaf, Edgewood, Pittsburgh 18, Pa. Subscripton,- fifty cents a year.

Entered as second-class matter at the Post Office at Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Editor Assistant Edttor

Sam B. Craig Chriscopher G. Smith

The Volume 62

Pennsylvania n JUNE I 0, 1954

NUMBER II

SAM B. CRAIG, M.A., LITT.D. Superintendent

To the Members of the Graduating C lass:

It has been a pleasure to work w ith the m embers of the 1954 g raduating class over th e past seven years. I a m proud of the way in which you have g rown and d eveloped into fin e young men and women. I have confidence in you and know that you will do w ell whatever you undertake to do. My hope is that you will always look back a nd remember well the happy years you have had at the West ern Pennsylvania School for the Deaf.

Sincerely,

Sam B. Craig

I'ront row, left to right : Joe Derkiss, Audrey Martin, Dorothy Oravec, D ella M iller a1J(l W ayne Ritchey. Back row, left to right: Mr. T eitelbaum, Class Atlt1isor, Franklin Cole ant! Bo bby T ttrns.

]oe Derkiss

President

Audrey Martin

Vice-President

Wayne Ritchey

Secretary

Franklin Cole

Treasurer and C lass Tes tator

Della Miller and Bobby Turns

C l ass Roster

Dorothy Oravec

Class Prophet

Bernard Teitelbaum

Class Advisor

{!.faH o1f(otto Never Turn Back

Blue and Gold

Red Rose

CLASS

OF 1954

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JOSEPH DERKISS Diploma - - - " Red" - - - his favorite pastime - - - dreaming of a new Buick - - - likes to cease the girls - - - his manner is shy, but he acts so cute and a! ways blushes easily - - - loves to bother others by being noisy - - - manager of the basketball team this year - - - all star guard on the soccer team and is a good pitcher for his softball team - - - is a member of the Reading Club, a Boy Scout, a monitor, and President of the Class of "54" Ambition: To be a printer.

DELLA EMMAJEAN MILLER Certificate - - - "Della" - - - lives in Sidman - - - laughs easily and blushes as easily - - - is interested in typing - - - en joys softball, volleyball and bowling - - - has her eyes on Franklin most of rhe time - - - her manner is shy but she acrs so cute - - - Per expression: "No!" and "Maybe, I can't tell" - - - is a monitor and 路 a compiler of the Class Roster of "54" - - - a cheerleader - - - >1 member of the Reading Club - - - one of the May Queen's court for 1954 - - - Ambition: Hopes to become a wonderful housewife.

ETHEL MAY KRATZ Cerrilicate - - - "Popi" - - - lives in fe llevt:c - - - B:g cater of potato chips and Chez-it - - - likes ro play softball, basketball, and many ocher sports - - likes the work in Cooking Class - - always dreams of the boy she loves - - - likes sewing and cooking - - hates crafts and arts - - - likes to talk with boys who are nice - - - hopes to be as wonderful a cook as Mrs. Lawler - - - wants to help her mother when she graduates - - - Pet expressions: "I don't care" and "I 'm not worrying about it" - - - is a member of the Reading Club - - - one of the May Queen's courc for 1954 - - - Ambition: Wanes to become an efficient housewife.

WAYNE RITCHEY Certificate - - - "Wayne" - - - his favorites : roller skating and dancing - - - loves to read story books - - - has a pleasing personality - - - is interested in earning merit badges - - - his favorite sports are soccer and basketball - - - is a member of the Reading Club, the Boy Scouts, is a monitor and Secretary of the Class of " 54" Ambition: To be a printer.

DOROTHY IRENE ORAVEC Certificate - - - "Dotty" - - - lives in Oakmom - - - her favorite spore is swimming - - - hates her lessons - - always has a favor for her friends at school - - - enjoys sewing dresses and things -- - Pet expressions: "W here?" and "Well!" - - - is the Class Prophet of "54" - - - a member of the Reading Club - - - a Senior Scout of Troop 21 - - - a monitor - - - one of the May Queen's court for 1954--- Ambition: Wishes to become a rypist.

ADA JOYCE RICHARDSON Certificate' - - - "Ski Nose" - - - lives in P leasant Hills - - - loves bowling, golfing and volleyball - - - can't keep her eyes off brownies - - - is interested in sewing - - - always writes letters to her g irl fr iend in Cleveland, Ohio - - laughs easily - - - Pet expression : "Well " - - - is a Senior Scout of Troop 21 - - - a member of the R ead ing clu b - - - one of the May Queen's court for 1954 - - - Ambition: Wants to become a typist.

CLARK McCULLEY Cerrificate - - - "Baby-Face" - - - was a very accive figure in soccer and one of our rough men - - - has his eyes on the g irls most of the time - - - always blushes - - - is a member of the R eading Cl ub and Boy Scouts - - - is very much interested in carpentry - - - His ambition: To be a lumberjack.

PRANKLIN COLE Certificate - - - "Frank" - - - lives in Mt. Pleasant, Pa. - - 路- his favorite car is a Buick Roadmasrer - - - played on the varsity basketball and soccer reams - - - has his eyes on h is gal, Della, most of the t ime - - - lives on a farm in Westmoreland Co. - - - is Sergantat- arms for the Boy's Reading Club, a monitor and a Boy Scour of Troop 24, and T reasurer and Testator of the Class of " 54" - - - Ambition: To become a Pennsylvania Scare Game Protector.

ALBERT VAN SICKLES Certificate - - - "AI" - - - his favorite is whistling--- always talks about motorbikes - - - tells thrilling stories - - likes to talk with the girls - - - loves to wear his jacket - - - his favorite sports are soccer and basketball - - is a member of the R eading C lub and Boy Scout Troop 32 - - - Ambition : To be a printer.

BLAIR GILL Certificate - - - "Blair" - - - makes many friends and always teases the girls - - - his first love : a moto rcycle - - - loves to work in the k itchen - - always eager to wrestle with Herbert - - - is a member of the R eading Club and a Boy Scout - - -Ambition: To become a lumberjack.

BOBBY TURNS Certificate - - - "Bob" - - - makes friends with his pleasing p ersonality - - - his favor ite pastimes: roller skating and dancing - - - blushes easily-- loves tO tease the g irls and talk with rhem - - - always cells jokes - - - plays soccer - - - is a member of the Reading Club-- -a Boy Scout of Troop 24- -complier of the Class Roster of the Class of "54" - - - Ambition: Undecided.

KENNETH HAGERICH Certificate - - - "Kenny" - - - loves to tinker with auwmobiles - - - played on the basketball and soccer teams last season - - - dreams of a Chevrolet - - has his eyes on Elsie - - - has many hobbies - - - bothers the bovs most of the time - - - loves to teas~ the girls - - - a member of the Reading Club and a Boy Scout - - - Ambition: To be a printer.

AUDREY ARLENE MARTIN Certificate - - - "Auclie" - - - lives in W oodruff, W. Va., - - - her favorite sport is baseball - - - -always thinks of her fiance - - - gabs with Margaret - - loves to go to the movies and reads movie and love books - - - Pet expressions: "What for?" and " I don't care" - - - is Vice-president of the Class of " 54" - - - is a member of the Reading Club - - - is one of the May Queen's court for 1954 - - - was cheer leader in 1953 - - - Ambition: H opes w become a wonderful housewife.

CAROLYN ELIZABETH MOWERY Certificate - - - "Carol" - - - from Martinsburg - - - always fixes girl's hair, en joys doing it when she has time - - - enjoys playing softball and other sports - - - likes cooking and sewing - - - hates knitting - - - always calm when the girls tease her - - - always has fun - - - Pet expressions: "What for ?" and "I don't believe what you say!" - - - is a member of the Reading Club - - - Ambition: Wants to become a housewife.

LILLIAN MARIE LEASURE Cenificate - - - "Marie" - - - lives in Indiana - - - likes sports - - - always neat and acts vampish - - - tries to attract the boys - - - is always tempestuous with the girls - - - Pet expressions: "Well" and "Shut up" - - is a member of the Reading Club - - one of the May Queen's court for 1954 - - - Ambition: Wants to become a h ousewife.

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Processi o nal

The Son of God G oes Forth to War. Audience u•;/1 rem'lin st:;ndiug until after the singing of America.

Dr. Walter L. Moser

lnvocation't' Edgewood P rcsbytcrinn Church

America Led by Anna Fil owatt Miss Louise Lee at the P iano

Songs Onward Christian So ldie rs Pennsylvania I See the Moon June Weather Vacation Days

Dr. R. E. Peterson

American Legi on Award Commander, American

Lc~i:)n,

Post 743

Miss Madgei Miller

American Legion A uxiliary Award Member, American Legion Auxil iary, Post 743

Boy Scout Awards

Mr. F. W. Hall Chairman of Courr of Honor

" Mrs. Lessie L. Chamberlain will serve as interpreter for rhose of the audience "ho onnor follow rhe oral presenration easily

Awarding of Books to Moni tors

Dr. Sam B. C r aig

Awarding the George M. Teegarden Prize for Special Interest in Literature and Reading Miss Marion Quick Reader's Digest Award

Mr. C h ristoph er G. Smith

Davis M e dal Award

Mr. M. W. Holliday

R ecognition of Pupils for U nusual Effort a n d Achievem ent Miss Marion Quick and M r C hristopher G. Smith Mr. Willam S t eele

Alumni Prizes for Excellence in Vocational Work President of the Alumni Assocation of W.P.S.D.

Prese ntation of the C l ass of 19 54

Dr. Sam B . C r a ig

Presentation of Dip loma and Certificates

Mr. John R. McCun e, Jr.

Vice-President, Board of Trustees

Announcements

Dr. Sam B. Craig

Benediction

Dr Walter L. Moser

R ecessional

T e n T h ousand Times Ten Thousand_

Attdie11ce will please ramai11 seated tmtil the Gradttating Cfttss has -retired.

Perhaps it was the heat, I'm not often accused of day dreaming, but one afternoon last August, I felt myself suddenly transplanted in time and space. As sure as Chris tmas comes in July, there I knew I was in Miami, Florida as I surely will be in August of nineteen hundred seventy-nine, dozing in a beach chair and dreaming of the friends I"d left at W.P.S.D. twenty-five years before.

I was roused from my reveries to take a second look at the handsome, nut-brown, life guard sitting on his high lookout chair to warn swimmers of depths beyond their abilities. Was not that Wayne Ritchey? Sure enough it was.

I spoke to him. He did not know me at first.

Then he was nice and told me that I looked more attractive, since there was twenty pounds more of me. Don't you think that was nice?

Wayne told me to look around and I would see more old friends because the National Association of the Deaf was having a convention in Miami and there were delegates there from every state, at least twenty from Penna.

Wayne showed me how to swim. While learning to swim, I happened to bump into a blond lady. She was Audrey Martin and she had her six young children with her. I forget how many more she had at home. She took me to her home and invited me to stay for supper with her husband, Joe Derkiss and the children. I watched the programs on her television set. I was amazed to see Franklin Cole shown on the television screen. He was playing in a basketball game and was captain of an "All Star" team.

I went outside quickly to get some fresh air because I was so surprised. I walked along the sidewalk and there was a blond man with his pretty wife and two cute kids. To my surprise the man was Bobby Turns. His pretty wife was Carolyn Mowery. Wow! You ought to see her!

She was the most beautiful woman that you ever saw.

Bobby said that he would call for me at the hotel the next day at one o'clock and take me out to lunch. I had seen many signs "Eat at

Alblairs" so we went there and a very charming hostess, known to you as Lillian Leasure showed us to our table.

While we were enjoying our lunch, Blair Gill and Albert Van Sickles came to talk to us.

They were the famous "Alb lairs. " When it came time to pay for the wonderful food that we had eaten, Bobby smiled and said, 路路another surprise,'' Joyce Richardson was the cashier. I was really delighted to see dear Joyce but I'll always wonder how many people she shortchanged because she had had no flair for arithmetic.

Joyce told me that Della Miller was going down that "Long, Long Trail'" ---with Franklin. I was astonished. Then Della took me to another restaurant. We found good seats near our g ang from W.P.S.D. We reminisced happily about our friendships at our Alma Mater.

We saw a waitress passing us. We did not recognize her. Later she approached us. We were really amazed that she was Ethel Kratz.

Della and I talked with Ethel and we were pleased to learn that Ethel owned a restaurant.

I asked, "Did you hear about Clark McCulley?" They said. "No." I told them that he had come to Florida and had planted an orange grove. Some of the trees were already producing oranges as big as grapefruit. He was becoming a famous farmer. Wow! It is wonderful at Clark' s farm.

C l ark hired Kenneth Hagerich to work for him. Kenneth loved to hunt and he shot a big alligator the year before. He had a beautiful alligator skin which he had tanned. He aways admired it as would any famous hunter.

It was wonderful then to know that men were using the atom only for peaceful purposes, to prolong men's lives and produce more good things for everyone. One of the great new projects was the new Institute of Human Engineering where retired scientists and teachers and others who had earned retirement were still working when they felt like it, pooling their wisdom and experience for the benefit of

mankind - experimenting with new chemicals, fertilizers, plants which were adapted for peaceful u ses of mankind. Mr. Teitelbaum and I were both employed there.

Awa king , I h a d the feeling that we shoud all inspire d by this preview of our lives, which, unlike most dreams, has an element of reality.

Those a nd even h a ppier events are waiting for

us. T h ey r equire o f us only that we work willin gly to bring ab out the peaceful. happy abundance of which this u se in a scientific age g ives promise as r evealed in my dream. I wish that my friends a ll lived around Florida where I could see them oftener and spen t m a ny afternoons t a lking a bout scho o l days of many years b efore .

-Dorothy Ortii'!JC

The C lass of 1954, bein:5 of soun d and of "disposing" mind and memory, do hereby make a nd publis h this o ur last will and testament in order, as justly as may b e, to distribute our interests in the world amo n g succeeding generations of g irls and boys. We shpuld like additi o nally to give the followin g appr eciations:

To Jane Rice, Carolyn Mowery bequ::aths her sweet dis position and merry laughter.

To John Fitzpatrick, Bobby Turns lea v es his love for flir ting with pretty girls.

To Margaret Cenis, Audrey Martin passes on h er love for "chatterboxing" about boys.

To Arlene Radzik, Della Miller g1ves her ability to crochet so beautifully.

Firs t: To the Board of Trustees our h eartfelt appreciation for m a intaining a school were we could'路 'o btain an education and become citizens to ou r community.

To S hirl ey Smith, J oe Derkiss g ives his surplus huskiness tb round out his skeleton-like frame.

To our school we leave a sum of money to be u sed in the b est interest s of school.

To Joan Lebda, Lilian Leasure leaves h er tale nt for flir t ing with t h e boys.

We are grateful for the p rovidence that broug ht Dr. Sam B. Craig here to be our Superintendent. H e has been a n able administrator and wise counselor who h as th e interests of every deaf c hild at heart.

To Gerry Schulman, Blair Gill bequeaths his dare-devil instincts for showing off on motorcycles.

Our principals, teachers, and in structors have worked h ard all these years to prepare us for our after-school life and f or this we are truly thankful.

We must not forget Dr. E b e, Miss Run g and Dr. O'Loughlin w h o h ave g u arded o ur h ealth so well.

W e make these indiv idua l beq u ests to boys and girls: T o J o im Wing , Joyce Richardson leaves her huskiness.

To Patty Crawford, D oroth y Oravec leaves her favorite swimming s troke.

To Wallace Varnd e ll, Kenneth Hageric h gives his ta le n t for repairing toy cars and trucks for the little boys.

To Donald Daberko, C lark McCull ey b equeaths his dislike for hunting.

To Paul Gum, Wayne R itchey leaves his speed and d efensive prowess on th e soccer field .

To Mary Ann DiCola, Ethel Kratz bequeaths h.e.r propensity for j o king .

To Donald Kuhn, A lbert Van Sickles leaves his intense int erest in t h e operation of the school tractor.

To Mike Dorrell, Franklin Cole wills his abili ty as t his sch ool' s best softball pitcher.

-Frankli11 Cole

SOCCER TEAM

Back rou-Coach J ones, W ayne R itchey, Pau l Knetzer, Joe J ezerski, Robert Cramer, Charles Fisher, Billy Hopfer, Bert Shaposka, Manager Middle rou- Joe D erk iss, M ichael Dar rell, Albert Van Sickles, Pro11t row--Frank lin Cole, Ro nald Heckman, D onald D aberko, John Delong, Bo b T urns

SOCCER SQUA D These are the boys who brought fame and gl ory to our sch oo l with eig ht straight v ictories a g ainst no lose s.

T h e b oy s worke d hard in practic e, n ever giv in g up until th e ball was gettin g throu g h th e goal.

This y e ar, the first tea m was comprised o f fi ve g ra dua tes and s1x will g raduate nex t year or later.

SCHEDULE AND SCORES We Sept.

24

They

Shady Side

3

2

Connelly

2

0

Oct.

I

Oct.

Washington

4

Oct.

5 !2

Washington

4

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Oct.

15

Co nne lly

2

0

Oct.

19

S h ady Side

3

2

Oct.

21

K is ki Prep

I

0

N ov.

II

K iski Prep

5

0

SUMMARIES OF THE GAMES

CONNELLY SHADY SIDE W.P.S.D. opened the season w ith a n impressive 3 to 2 win over Shady Side. John Delong opened the new-born season with a fielder in the openin g seconds of play whi!e Bobby Turns followed suit in the second frame. Don Dabe rko scored the w inning marker wh ich was all the Lions Needed as Shady Side tallied twice in the story-telling final period.

W.P.S.D. really s h owed the other t eams the power that they h ad when they defeated Conn elly by the score of 2 to 0. John DeLong and Don Daberko did the sco ring for Dick Jones' contige nt. The Lions have won two g ames s traig ht.

WASHINGTON John DeLong pulle d the "Hat trick" with three tallies and Donald Daberko sent one throug h in a game played on the mud-splattered field. Lions won over Washing ton easily with the score of 4 to I to bring the Lions to its third straight victory.

SHADY SIDE It's six down and two to go as the Lions defeated a hapl ess v isiting team with a score of 3 to 2.

John DeLong tallied the winning marker m the few seconds that were left of the game.

T he youthful star raised his total to eight fo r the season w ith two tallies. J oey J ezerski scored the o the r marker.

WASHINGTON

KISKI PREP

Dick Jones cleaned the bench as the Lions notched its fourth straig ht win by defeating a stunned Washington eleven 4 - 1 .

John DeLong, Ronald Hec kman, J oe Jezerski and Bobby Turns s truck pay-dirt for the locals.

Ronald Heckman scored in the first stanza, and then the Lions defense tightened for the rest of the game as Lions co pped their seventh straight v ictory.

M ic h ael Dorrell shone at his g oal-tending position. It was the third white-washing j ob this season for t h e fourteen years o ld s tar.

CONNELLY

KISKI PREP

Lions rolled up its fifth straight victory, as Lions routed Connelly by the score of 2 to 0.

Five down and three to go.

Donald Daberko and Joseph Derkiss sent the tallies through for Lions.

Lions finished unbeaten when they defeated Kiski Prep with the score of 5 to 0.

A ll the players on the first team were up for their blocking, kicking, and running were s up erb that afternoon, as L ions notched its eighth ~traight win.

Ronald Heckman took scoring honors for the afternoon w ith two tallies. Frank lin Cole, Joe Der kiss, and John DeLong each sco red one apiece.

JUNIOR VARSITY CHAMPIONSHIP TEAM

First row, left co right: Rona ld Heckman and Joh n Smith Second row : George D'Amore, John DeLong, Paul Gum, Coach Mackin. Third row: Allen Phillips, Teddy Walstrom, Michael D orrell, Paul K netzcr.

This is the team that won the East Boroughs Tournament which was h eld at th e Braddock Youth Center.

OUR 1953- 1954 BASKETBALL TEAM """"''"'--

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Left ro Right: DeLong, Heckman, Knetzer, Fisher, Jezerski (Captain), D orrell, Hopfer, Cole, Van Sickles, and Daberko. From: Derkiss, Manager, Mackin , Coach, and Dumnire, Towel Boy.

DATE

OP PO NENT

1 Millvale Hig h School 8 St. Michael High school 11 Millvale High School 16 Oakmont Hig h School January 8 Pitcairn High School 12 Sh ady Side Academy 15 Shady Side Academy 19 Kiski Junior Varsity 26 Pitcairn High School 29 Export High Sch ool 30 Ohio School for the Deaf February 5 E. McKeesport High Sch ool 9 Export High School 12 St. Michael High school 16 Trafford High School 19 Kiski Junio r Varsity 26 Braddock Hig h School

December

Away Away H orne Away H ome Away H ome Away Away Home Away Home Away Home Away Home Home

W.P.S.D

OPPONENT

78 44 67 45 46 29 56 65 56 51 58 38 56 29 43 47 78

34 70 33 70 63 33 43 38 67 60 57 35 83 56 63 40 60

WHO'S Who? 1. Joe Derkiss

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Wayne Ritchey Bobby Turns Blair G ill Carolyn Mowery Joyce Richardson Audrey Marrin Kenneth Hagerich Dorothy Oravec Clark McCulley

WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA SCHOOL FOR 'PHE DEAF

THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES REES T. SCULLY President

"JOHN R. McCUNE, Vice President

Class of 1955 " John R. McCune, Jr. James E. Hindman Charles Lockhart C. Snowdon Richards "W illiam F. Hoffman Dr. Kenneth M. Day Joseph G . Horne Robert M. Fisher Beverly R. Shriver "Members of the Executive Committee

JR.

CHARLES L. McCUNT-i Treasurer

Class of 1956 Rees T. Scully William A. Gordon E. Bruce Hill Allen S. Davison John Gilfillan John H. Henshaw Dr. ]. A. Hutcheson HarolJ E. Mt>yer

BEVER LY R. SHRIVER Secretary

Class of 195 7 Charles L. McCune •·w. N. D ambach Henry Chafant, Jr. *H. D. James J ohn G. Frazer, Jr. L. H . W ilcox Richard D. Edwards Hon. Hug h C. Boyle George McKee Blair

• TERMS OF ADMISSION This School is an institution of learning incorporated under the laws of the State. It was huilt and is sustained by contributions of benevolent persons and by legislative appropriations, and is designed to afford a good common school education to all deaf children in Western Pennsylvania. It is open to all such of suitable a ge and capacity for receiving instruction in conformity to the rules adopted for its government.

The School is located at Edgewood in Allegheny County, a short distance east of the City of Pittsburgh and within a few minutes' walk of Edgewood Station on the main line of the Pennsylvania Railroad.

The legislature makes provisions for the education and maintenance of State pupils, the Sta t e paying three-fourths and the school districts from which pupils come paying one-fourth of the cost. The State assumes the full cost for all pupils under six years of age and over 2 1 years of age: .Children are admitted as young as three years of age. Parents and guardians supp ly their children with necessary clothing, paying the traveling expenses of the pupils to and from the School, ~so a nominal incidental fee.

Children are r egularly admitted upon application from their parents or guardians, and approv ed by their local school authorities.

The annual session of the School usually begins on the second week of September and c ontinues for forty weeks, until about the middle of June.

Sam B. Craig, Swperintendent