Vol. 7, No.1, October, 1990
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75-40 Parsons Bouleva rd. Flushing, NY 11366
Townsend Harris High School at Queens College
New build ing makes its mark on campus by Sasha Antoszewski The official ground-breaking cere mony for the new Townsend Harris High School facility took place October 4 on the Queens College campus while studen ts unable to atten d celebrated back at the high school building. Th e event, which also commemorated Founder 's Day and the 186th birthday of the original Townsend Harris High School , took place in a tent on the site of the future Queens College parking garage that must be built before actual construction of the new high school can begin. This is being done because the new building will displace the parking lot currently in use at the southwest comer of the campus on Melbourne Avenue and 149th Street. Due to the limited space and budget provided by the sponsors' of the event, the new School Construction Authority, not all students,' teachers, and alumni were able to be invited to the ceremony.Workshops were held at the high school to makesure all students contributed in some way to the cele bration. At the ceremony, freshmen and incoming sophomores recited the Ephebic Oath. Guest speakers included Queens Borough President Claire Shulman, Senator Leonard Stavisky, Superintendent of Queens High Schools Margaret Harrington, new Queens Borough Board of Education representative Carol Gresser, President of the Townsend Harris Alumni Association Morton Lisser, School Construction Authority head General Charles E. Williams, Senior Class President Addie Male, and Junior President of Archon Dien Taylor.
"This ground-breaking is an affirmation of public education....The school building will serve New York City well into the 21st Century," said Principal Malcolm Largmann in his opening remarks. Dien Taylor, in his address to the students, said, " As we break ground for our new home, we must think about the futur e. It is our hope that this monument to humanity will enrich our city and help us to help others." "This has really been a labor of lo ve," said Borough President Shulman.SenatorStavisky compared the struggle to obtain the building with the Israelites' search for the promised land as told in the Book of Exodus. Assistant Principal Malcolm Rossman, reacting to the ceremony, said, "I think I now know what it's like for' a woman to give birth, with all the pain 'and frustration, to see something .so miraculous and wonderful be born." The event was a culmination of student, faculty, alumni , and parental efforts to get the site and settle on a construction date. Both are now defi nite, after many public hearings and struggles with the neighborhood surrounding the Queens College campus. Actual construction is scheduled to commence this coming Sep- : tember and is supposed to be completed by March of 1994. According to Dr. Largmann, the possibility of future problems with the new building due to New York's financial troubles is slight. "This is a great day for our community and students because this will be the most modem educational facility in our city," said General Williams.
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The new Townsend Harris will be the second high school built by the School Construction Authority, and will cost $70 million upon completion. The school will have seven floors, two of which will be below ground. The 170,OOO-scjuare-foot building will contairt 16 classrooms, a cafeteria, four computer rooms, two computer labs, a library, a med ia center.an art studio and classroom , two science labs, and a kitchen. Other features include an 8,OOO-square-foot main gymnasium and a 2,OOO-squarefoot auxiliary gym, a 500-seat auditorium, a communication workshop, an orchestra room, a speech workshop , a suite of administrative ' offices, and four teachers' lounges. It will accommodate 997 students, will be completely air-conditioned, and fully accessible to the handicapped. The main entrance of the building will be located on Melbourne Avenue, in order to avoid traffic on 149th
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September 1984- Reopening of Townsend Harris High School. December 1987- John Bowne protests use of their farmland .for new Townsend Harris. February 1989- Townsend Harris protests further potential delay in design and construction as published irt the Board Of Education's Five-Year Capital Budget Plan. July 1990- Board of Estimates approves construction of the site on the Queens College Campus. October 1990- Ground-breaking ceremony.
Medieval Fair
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Merit semi-Finalists
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Street. "I just hope the building is goirtg to be done by the time 1am a senior," said freshman Michael Bergman, The celebration held back at the high school featured a birthday cake, enrichment workshops irtstead of classes, and a photo collage made by students. Those-in the building filled out time capsule entry forms , wrote letters to alumni, and designed aTshirt with the "top 20 lies atTownsend Harris." Sophomores Donna Weiss, Kalen and Kara Tubridy, and Helen Xanthakys created the T-shirt. Some lies listed were:
I didn't study for that test. There's a rapid dismissal today. It's only a minor change in your program. There are a lot of boys in my class. THHS AT Queens College.
Teacher: 'This willbe 'a fUn collateral." Buy Ii ticket, everyone's going. Students also thought of items to be irtc1uded in a time capsule that would reflect life in Townsend Harris. Some of the most common answers were: A copy of the Ephebic Oath. Gym shirts. Dance tickets. A copy of The Classic. Other answers included a picture of the cafetorium, suggested by sophomore Sharon Politis and Marni Sussman; M&M 's and Blowpops, suggested by sophomores Christine D' Andrea, Terez Czap, Kara Tubridy, and Isabel Cuervo; and a Gap bag , suggested by sophomores Veronika Zelinski and Stephanie Strajcher. To represent all collaterals, juniors Alona Bach, Dee Mike, Allison Liescheidt, Holly Sage, Carrie Spivack, and Amy Schwach suggested a copy of the "clipping thesis" be put in the capsule.
Murder staged to spark spirit
Landmark dates in struggle for new building
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DIRT flies as Principal Malcohn Largmann, Queens Borough President Claire Shulman, School Construction Authority head General Charles, E. Williams , Assemblywoman Nettie Meyerson,and Junior President of Archon Dien Taylor, "breakground" for the New Townsend Harris High School building sites on the Queens College Campus.
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History of
" Halloween p.6
by Jennifer Teodoro tered in a drawing to determine the "Who killed Dr. Largmann?" grand-prize winner. The grand-prize, This murder mystery will be solved described by Coordinator of Student on Spirit Day, October 31, when stu- Activities Lynne Greenfield as a" spec dents submit their solutions and a _ tacular holiday candy basket," will be grand-prize winner will be selected. . displayed in the lobby . . Participants will also determine the A student committee, comprised of site of the crime and the weapon used, members of the Student Leadership Clues will be posted in the lobby on class and Student Union officers, is orOctober 29,30,31. Only students in ganizing the investigation. The Student Union is planning more costume will be permitted to give in solutions.Students who guess correctly "spirit" activites for the week of No in the three categories will receive a vember 12. These may include a pep gift certificate for a free item at the rally and a dance, and special theme Student Union store and will be en- . days are also being considered.
Boys' Bowling p. 7
Girls' Swimming
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