(uht QtItlsste wnwnsenb ]l{arris ]l{i9lJ ~(lJnol at (@ueens QIollege Vol. 1, No.3
75-40 Parsons Blvd., Flushing, New York 11366
June, 1985
Sing IsA Smash By Heather Nash squad and, eventually, the full helped were Ms. Linda Mannen On Thursday, May 30th Town- scale mural. In addition ; costumes and Ms. Harriette Blechman who send Harris students, with the for the skit of the SING were pro- aided in the drama portion, and assistance of many teachers and vided by Mrs. Joan Walsh, who Mrs. Eiseman who coordinated ' ''ll adults, performed the first obtained them on a "beg, borrow, the SING. "Each of the students go schoolwide SING. The theme was and steal variety." Such costumes gave a.little piece," said Eiseman. ~ our life at Townsend Harris, and consisted -of a policeman's and "Their 'little pieces made a dif-;, consisted of four skits entitled, prisoner's uniforms . ference when you put them all 5i "The Girls and Guys Ratio Among the teachers who also together. ". ~ Scene," "The Gym Scene," Ii' "Spirit Day," and "The ~ Classroom." The production revolved around a visit from the Congresswomen Harrison and Mayersohn with Mr. Moskowitz Chancellor. and ambassadors. The scripts for the workshop production were written by the students along with the supervision of Mr. Frank Polizzi. Mr. David Briskin, with Townsend Harris pianist Yana Stotland and the chorus, were responsible By Christine Holowinsky and for the music. . Heather Nash Among the many performers of On Thursday, March 21,1985, Townsend Ha rris High School was the SING was student Thomas visited by local Assemblypersons Nettie Mayersohn and Julia HarPostilio who, in "The rison. Mayersohn , who was recently re-elected, was active in politics Classroom," portrayed Dr. before serving her first term. She aided in the organization of a local Largmann as he visited a class in school party, and was the Democratic district leader for this area in session. Thomas left the audience 1972. Harrison, elected in-1983, was a volunteer activist and was very in laughter after finishing his verinvolved in the political field during the Vietnam war. sion of the song -~ ' My Way. " After their presentation, the floor was opened for questions . Velina Ju les portrayed a very When asked about their stand on the reopening of Townsend Harris convincing Ms. Nix in "The Gym High School, both Assemblymembers admitted that they were under "'ll Scene," and the chorus poked fun considerable pressure from local schools and parents. "It is difficult at the entire Townsend Harris enough for established schools without Queens College and the of community in their finale, sung to Board of Education snatching away talented students," commented the melody of "My Favorite Harrison. Both speakers went on to admit that they wanted to keep Things." the Queens students in Queens, and that they had been ambivalent In addition to the singers, about the reopening of the school. dancers and actors who performIn addition to being questioned about the school, the two were ed in this workshop production, Newsday reporter Dennis Hevesi presented with concerns related to the community, such as police there were many others who parprotection, crime, housing and security. The Assemblymembers had ticipated in the performance. Mr. no reply except for saying that since money is scarce, no imMorales and the art squad sketchprovements can be made. ed and painted the full stage After the question and answer session, Harrison gave Townsend backdrop used in the perforHar ris students a few words of advice. "I want to see you take inmance. In order to sketch the terest in what is going on . You're involved if you buy a subway token scenes needed (a view of our or a loaf of bread. Whether you know it or not, you're in politics. school front, the hallway and the Whether you like it or not, you are involved in politics, and you By Holly Hatcher When the time comes for gym), Townsend Harris student On Thursday, April 18, 1985 Hevesi to teach his own child should take part in it." Yasmin Santiago photographed Offering words of advice to the future voters of America, Mayerthe Townsend Harris community about the Holocaust, he said he the sections of the school related sohn added , ''We want you to participate in anything you think is imwas greeted by a survivor of the will include it in the three importo the script. The photographs inportant or means something to you! Take part in the world around Holocaust during Enrichment. tant "keys." The first "key" he itiated many sketches by the art you!" Holocaust victim Mr. Dennis wishes to tell his child about is Hevesi's biography includes a that the Jewish civilization was Pulitzer Prize for his coverage of not the only civilization being the Baby Jane Doe case. Hevesi persecuted: clergymen, homosexhas worked as a reporter and uals, gypsies and the mentally editor at Newsday for almost 20 handicapped were also ijlled duryears and was not afraid to learn ing the Holocaust. about and come to terms with the' The second "key" is the 1969 Holocaust. picture of ''Earth in Space." This At the young age of six, Hevesi would illustrate "God's eye view pected to, considering that we are a Student Government member, By Marcia Valentine said, ''We have set the standards recalls hearing things about "it" of Earth." Hevesi compared the The newly established Town- a newly-founded school." (the Holocaust). His parents never 12 years of the Holocaust to only send Harris High School Student The accomplishments this year for the new Townsend Harris Government has contributed a have been many; the government while still following the same approached him about the subject a split second in the 4.6 billion of the Holocaust. He knew years the earth has existed. great deal to the school's well- has been involved in several dreams and hopes of the old." something was wrong and often being. School President, Diana organizational fimdraisers such as the Hevesi explained that the third / On Friday, May 24, the Student found his father sitting in an armZickuhr, said, "I feel the greatest Ethiopia Drive, March of Dimes, "key" is that the Holocaust was of 'the window chair staring out Government held its elections for accomplishment of the school and the cake sale. The government not the only Holocaust that ever year has been the formation of has also organized special ac- next year's officers. Thomas for hours. Mr. Hevesi finallyapexisted; the American Indians and proached his father on the subPostilio was elected our new presiunity between the staff and tivities such as the school dance, . dent, and Sophia Menakis, vice ject. They talked and cried at the reservations, slaves and plantastudents of Townsend Harris. spirit days and the creation of a president. Marjorie Monplaisir dining room table while his father tions, the Japanese and American Townsend Harris High School school constitution. will assume the position of relived the Holocaust and concentration camps are all exresembles a melting pot tha t conThe Townsend Harris Student treasurer; Ruth Kon will be recor- remembered the painful amples of holocausts. tributes in creating a strong bond Government members are proud d ing secretary and Karen memories. Unlike many others, Hevesi closed his presentation between students and teachers." Another student officer said, "We of their achievements, having Vandenberg, corresponding Hevesi was not afraid to learn reminding those present, "All you have is faith ." about the Holocaust. achieved more than we ever ex- started from scratch. Linda Salas, secretary.
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Congress Comes To THHS
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Hevesi Speaks On Holocaust
Student Gov't Sets Standards
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We Continue The Tradition Of Excellence Nine months ago, we put ourselves to the test to see if we could continue the tradition of the pride, dedication and excellence of the old Townsend Harris. By observing the accomplishments of our first year, we can proudly say we have passed this test with flying colors . A look at a Townsend Harris schedule reveals its unique features. One special course is Linguistics; our enrichment bands encourage student participation in activities and teams within the school day. Another feature of Enrichment includes lectures and presentations from congresspeople, politicians and famous Townsend Harris alumni. The fact that our school can attract such prominent people in its short history proves that a desire to continue a fine academic tradition strongly exists. Although we spend much time studying, we have found ways to lighten our days. We have had spirit days, a spring dance, Sing, and many fundraisers. There is another type of spirit that fills the halls of Townsend Harris. This ever-present spirit has resulted in strong student-teacher relations and a bright atmosphere. Our newly established teams have also encouraged school spirit. Our athletic program has just begun with interscholastic swim and tennis teams; our pride and dedication travels from the classroom onto the field. We have made ourselves known in national and statewide contests; Ruth Beattie and Faria Pereira won second place in the Queensborough Science Fair; Hyun-Su Yi won honorable mention. Robert Mendoza won an honorable mention in a Science Challenge Essay Contest, in which there were only 20 winners in the. entire nation, and only one from a New York City public school. :We have learned this year what it means to be associated with such a glorious past and to be part of what promises to be a significant future. We can only hope that one day others will look upon us as we look upon the Townsend Harris students of the past.
June, 1985
Letters To The Editor -
No Malice To Ms. Nix To the Editors: I must say that I bear Ms. Nix no malice. She is one of the finest people I know and I like her very much. Her personality is marvelous and she has a delightful character. However, I am compelled to say that the activities she plans for the helpless students are absolutely above and beyond the call of duty. I'm not trying to be nasty, but I do think that army training would be much easier. The idea of jogging around a gym for 20, or sometimes a dreaded 30 minutes, . is not only a nightmare but a very painful, monotonous period of time. In conclusion, I'd like to remind those of us who have forgotten that Townsend Harris High School is a school for academically advanced' students. It is not a school for <future Olympic stars. .(If there were a couple it would be very nice, but that's not our main concern,') Effort should be counted as a passing grade!!! - Thomas Postilio
1907: 10 Lunch AtTH
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To the Editors: In my time at Townsend Harris H.S. (1907-1910) we didn't have the problem of ''Whose Lunchroom Is It Anyway?" because there was no lunchroom or any kind of eating facility, either for the students or for the faculty. (As a matter of fact, about half of us, both teachers and .students, took our lunchboxes from home to school - and, to tell you the truth, I can't remember whether we ate in classrooms, or outside if the weather was clement, or wherever.) But one thing was quite unique - and my memories of it are vivid indeed! For the incredible sum of 10 cents we were able to buy a boxed lunch consisting of two sandwiches of our own choice,a small bottle of milk (I don't think that paper containers existed then), a piece of fruit and a piece of cake or pie. All for 10 cents, purveyed from a booth on the northwest corner of what was then called "Jasper Oval," our athletic field which was later replaced by the magnificent Lewisohn Stadium and, with the replacement, gone were our 10 cent boxed luncheons. I think it is fair to say that for the majority of students the eleven o'clock period was more devoted to our anticipation of the joys waiting for us in those cardboard boxes than to math, Greek or whatever. I do know one thing: our professors did all they could to ' avoid getting eleven o'clock classes, knowing that most of the sweetness of their erudition was sure to be wasted on the desert air and its odors of expected delights from the booth on the corner of Jasper Oval. Our adolescence had few greater delights than those 10 cent luncheons, in 1907. -A.H. Sakier
THHS Express To the Editors: In order to attend Townsend Harris High School, many students must travel great distances. Accompanying the travel are the many transportation problems that the students must face. Such problems consist of overcrowded and delayed trains and buses. Therefore, many students are late. If we could connect with a city bus line to make a special express bus for Townsend Harris, many of the problems previously stated could be resolved. In addition to an express benefitting the students (many of whom take more than one bus or train), it would benefit the school as well. The special express would reduce transportation hardships and the students would be able to arrive at school on time. If an express bus can be initiated, the improvement of school attendance would be achieved. - Name Withheld
A Place To Study To the Editors: Homework! It seems to be one of the biggest problems that I and many other students are faced with. It seems that just about all my time is spent in school. Between six and seven hours are spent in school and another three to five hours on homework, studying, doing reports, etc. I've put much thought into this matter. Homework is important and I know lessening the amount of homework will lessen my education. So what is an alternative? Perhaps a study hall. I'm sure that my being able to go to a study hall even once a week would lighten my ever-mounting load of school work. This is a problem that cannot be ignored or put off much longer. I think Dr. Largmann should seriously consider the suggestion of a study hall ~nd all other suggestions made by the students or faculty. - Regina Cavao6
Wife QrIUllllic . IDnriJnsenb ]l{arris ' ~ig4 ยง.c4nnl at (@ueens Qlnllege News Editors: Holly Hatcher, Heather Nash Feature Editors: Gia Anne Maika, Doris Sachs Business Editors: Marc Malkin, 'Marcia Valentine, Sandy Wang Reporters: Dawn Cabage, Carol Cespedes, Russell DeCastro, Debra Dermack, Martha Douvogiannis, Sophia Georgiou, Michelle Gnyp, Karen Greenberger, Christine Holowinsky, Audrey Houston, Haera Hwang, Jackie Korman, Brad Mayer, Cheryl Shustack, Scott Siegel, Dorene Soo-Hoo, Matt Sultan, Pamela Yee Faculty Advisor: Mrs. Sheryl Rubin Principal: Dr. Malcolm Largmann
The Classic is the student newspaper at Townsend Harris High School. We are located at 75-40 Parsons Blvd., Flushing, N.Y . 11366-1038. Our telephone number is (718) 969-1433.
F1June, 1985
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Welcome To Townsend H'arris By Cheryl Shustack Well, just look at us. School is almost over and just a while ago we cou ldn't wait until winter vacation . It looked pretty bleak back then, when we first stepped into that tiny brick schoo lhouse instead of the picturesque high schoo l with the football field that we had all imagined. We didn't have textbooks, which at first seemed to be a blessing, but when all the rexograph copies ' of assignments (and books!) were handed out and soon lost, the blessing turned out to be a curse in disguise. And remembe r our bare libra ry? It was nothing but gleaming empty shelves. Ano ther overwhelming encouragement was the absurd 3:1 ratio of girls to boys. The aura of the proverbial "high school life," we thought, was nowhere to be found. It was such a letdown for the new "freshmenseniors." Our spirit was even further dampened when we learned of all the promises that were made and not kept. We didn't have any computers (and still don't), we had a word processing course without word processors and our auditorium was a tiny stage crowded into the back of our already miniaturized cafeteria. Aside from the salient obstacles there were the anxieties that many students suffered silently. Getting up before the sun rose and coming home afte r it went down . Richard Jones boarding a ferry from Staten Island to get to THHS. Whoever heard of taking a boat to school in 1985! Ozone Park where's that! Did I make the right choice? The re's so much pressure! .. . What if this doesn't work out? .. Where are the much ta lked-about high school teams, functions and clubs? Not only did we have to experience these hardships, we had to take them on head first, too . There was no one to pave the way for us, no "big brothers and sisters" to lend a hand of experience. We were all in the same scary and unfamiliar boat together. When we finally ceased comp laining and realized we could do someth ing about the situation, that's when Townsend Harris High School at Queens College began to shape up.
Townsend Harris not only shaped up, it excelled furt her than expected for its very first year. We have our dedicated students, teachers, parents, faculty , alumni association and Queens College to thank for our success. Our students have achieved a great degree of success in their academic areas and the betterment of our school. The teachers and admin istrators have been a constant encouragement throughout the year . Our newspaper has been a smash and our school is flourishing with the various victories from our swimming and tennis teams. Our student government is a strong and creative one, the backbone of our school. Next September, over 200 new freshmen will be entering Townsend Harris, with probably the same anxieties as we had. We will still be the oldest students in the school, the sophomore "seniors," and we will still be the leaders. Think back to how we felt on that first day. We have the upper-hand in experience now. Wha t can we do to welcome the newcomers and alleviate some of their concerns? Why not form a big brother! sister relationship with t he freshmen? In this way they can feel that they have someone to lean on and pave the way for them . Another idea is to partici pate in a network where a freshman with a question or concern can contact one of us for assistance. We have the ability to show the ropes to freshmen who were in the same state of confusion and apprehension that we were in less than one year ago, so we should use it. Even though we worked hard and at times we wondered if we'd make it through the pile of ' homework assignments, collateral readings and the test happy cur-: riculum, we put in a great year. It was a unique experience, and the joy of seeing our new school getting on its feet far outweighed the hardships we endured. For the next three years, with the help of our incoming students, we are going to make THHS the best high school in the city, if not the country . Welcome to Townsend Harris High School.
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Dancing To The TH Beat By Doris Sachs The strobe light flashes. The music starts blasting and everybody's dancing . There is laughter galore and the place is really hot. Is this a description of a: top New York night club? No! It's the Townsend Harris H .S. Dance. All those who attended had a really exciting time . The
Summer Internships Offered By J ackie Korman and Dorene SooHoo The students of Townsend Harris High School applied for various internship positions for the summer . The internships were offered in the areas of law, medicine, music!art and museum work, a total of 110 jobs. About 50 students app lied for the positions and the recipients were informed on May 9, 1985. Some of the jobs had several openings while others were only able to accept one appl icant . Not all of the internships required previous experience; however, interviews were necessary. Appointments were arranged with the employers on the students' own time. Continued on Page 4
Marshburn Lectures on the Law By Dorene Soohoo On May 14, during Enrichment band in the library, Carl Marshburn , a distinguished attorney, spoke to the students at Townsend Harris High School. Carl Marshburn entered City College in New York in 1969 and after completing the necessary courses, entered Rutgers University Law Schoo l in New Jersey. In 1977, he graduated with many degrees, including his Ph .D. and Bachelor's degree. ' He opened his own law firm which handles various kinds of cases including
real estate, administrative and .also conversed about the different corporate law. tools for success, not only for During this presentation, Mar- those thinking of pursuing a shburn told about the various career in law, but also those with obstacles that blocked his path to othe r careers in mind. Two of success as an attorney . He men- these tools are (I) to set goals that tioned to the students about three can be categorized as high expeckinds of attitudes that he ex- tations and (2) spend adequate perienced during this course. time studying. He advised, "StuThese attitudes were procrastina- dying can be very rewarding and tion, indifference and fear. He advantageous, leading to the said, "Law is extremely rewar- unexpected." He would like to ding. However, this field requires visit Townsend Harris again and dedication, determination and an tell of many more cases he has yet optimistic way of thinking." He to encounter.
music was good, the people were , great and the atmosphere was electrifying . Many new friends were made that night and even the teachers participated in t he ''boogying." A contest was held for the best dance r. Everybody had a great time participating and they were all winners: The lively conversation, the excellent food, and the
marvelous selection of music all combined to create a fun-lo ving party. The party, however, had to end. The D.J . played one last song and then the dance was over. A lot was gained from this experience; new friendships were formed , and the event will remain in our memories for a long time!
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Thomas Postilio prepares for his role
Behind The Scenes of Sing By Brad Mayer and Matt Sultan On May 30, 1985, the lights went down, the curtain up, and Townsend Harris High School students presented SING 1985. This first SING ran smoothly but behind the scenes many, many students worked diligently during numerous enrichment bands. Various groups began to lay the foundation for SING two months ago. Since then they have met in the committee of their interest dur ing enrichment. The committees we observed in action were writing, dance and art. Mr. Polizzi, along with Lauren Nussbaum, Stephanie Josephs and Velina Jules .and others on the writing committee were at work writing, revising, reading and correcting the script for the long awaited upcoming event. In room 219, dancers were beating to the rhythm of modern and jazz music. These dances looked super in the SING presentation. Mr. Anthony Morales led the art committee's production of a magnificent mural. This mural included scenes of lockers, the gym and the school's entrance, and provided the scenery for our SING. All the publicity and excitement concerning SING resulted in a grand, memorable event. It drew the school close together once again for this joyous occasion.
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June, 1985
This Class Is Special Canadians Humor Harrisites By Carol Cespedes On Friday, May, 3, 1985, approximately 16 Townsend Harris students, under the direction of Mr. Nelson, visited the Louis Armstrong Middle School (IS 227) to observe a play written and -directed by Canadian high school ." students. ~ Canada's Northview High ~ School and IS 227 have something ~ in common; both are involved in a ~ ,.program for special talent, along with some other schools. The two groups work together and in this case, shared the talent of their own students with others. The play, The Nearsighted Knight and the Farsighted Dragon, was the result of the cumulative effort and work ofthe students while in their high school drama class. The play in its simplicity depicted the humor of the times of chivalry - the problems of a knight who was nearsighted and a dragon who was farsighted. The Nearsighted Knight and the Farsighted Dragon not only entertained the Townsend Harris students present, but IS 227's sixth and seventh graders and elementary school students who were also on a visit from their own schools.
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By Scott Siegal and Karen Greenberger One of Mrs. Weinstein's Global History classes differs from her other classes in that in addition to learning about Rome, Greece and the Middle Ages, the students -are studying video production and the constitutional issues of privacy and student rights. By Debra Dermack The students are combining On May 8th, 46 Townsend Har- their knowledge of both courses to ris students had the privilege of make a documentary, along with seeing the Broadway show Cats. five other New York City high They left during D Band, escorted schools who are studying other by Mr. Nelson. These students constitutional issues. were chosen to attend this play There are rave reviews about because they had had perfect at- this class from the students in it. tendance for the first full term . One of the many students who enThe students arrived in Manhat- joys the class, Julie Tromberg, tan at one o'clock and headed said, "It is an experience of a toward the Winter Garden lifetime that we will most likely Theatre on 50th St. and Broad- never get again." way. After the tickets were Several of the students in the distributed, the students entered class had the opportunity to atthe theatre. As the lights went out, tend a lecture at Columbia the audience became silent, and University. The lecture, given by the show began. The show lived Professor Morris, a Townsend up to its high expectations and Harris alumnus, dealt with the law and the history of the United was enjoyed by everyone. The play was about all different States Government. When asked about his feelings kinds of cats and how they acted. concerning the fact that this class It focused on a specific cat that was trying to get into a highen is not covering as much of the heaven. The dancing and singing traditional curriculum in class, were spectacular, along with in- School Principal Dr. Largmann responded, "When we undertook genious costumes. The show ended at 4:30 and this course, we explained to the everyone went separate ways. It students that they would have to turned out to be a successful day, do a little extra work on their own." enjoyed by everyone.
Students See Don Quijote
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Continued from page 3 The jobs ranged from an employment of about two weeks to approximately two months. The students are required to put in at least four hours a day during their employment. All means of transportation are the employees' responsibility, unless told otherwise by the employer. All internships are non-paid and limited. The internships were limited because of the complications of the age group in our school. When asked how he felt about
the internship, Mr. Boulanger replied, ''This internship should prove to be an extremely good advantage to applying to colleges and receiving scholarships. -The applicants for the internships should be interested, enthusiastic and have the willingness to learn from this experience." A special thanks to the Alumni Association, the Student Internship Committee. and the school's faculty and friends for supplying the students with the summer internships.
By Martha Douvogiannis On May 10th, students taking Spanish as their foreign language went to Francis Lewis High, School to see Miguel de Cervantes' The Adventures of Don Quijote. The major theme of the play was the difference between things as they are and as they ought to be, namely the conflict of reality and idealism. Don Quijote, the protagonist in the play, had many impossible dreams. He wanted to undo the evil in the world and help the poor and unfortunate people. He read many books pertaining to chivalry and this made him think about the .adventures of knights fighting giants. Don Quijote ended up thinking about chivalry and mistaking windmills as big giants. The performance came to a finale after 90 minutes and the students returned to school. Thestudents were treated to Mexican tacos, making it a truly Spanish cultural day. Mrs. Joan Walsh, the Spanish teacher at Townsend Harris, gave two reasons why she enjoyed the play. She said, "I loved it because Don Quijote is my hero and because they didn't "Hollywoodize" the play. They followed the story from the original classic by Cervantes."
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