8
wingspan
Decades see evolution of pop culture
WEST HENDERSON HIGH SCHOOL
3600 Haywood Road, Hendersonville, N.C. 28791 • Volume XXVIII, Issue 3 • February 19, 2010
•Spring musical to be Thoroughly Modern Millie
The spring musical, Thoroughly Modern Millie, will be performed March 18, 19 and 20 at 7 p.m. Adult tickets will cost $10 and student tickets $8. “The play is the story of a small town girl trying to conquer the Big Apple amidst the roaring ’20s,” drama teacher Kelly Cooper said. The cast includes senior Elizabeth Thompson as Millie, senior Kyle Keith as Jimmy, junior Kara Hamilton as Miss Dorothy, senior Drew Adams as Trevor Graden, sophomore Alisha Carland as Muzzy, junior Katie O’Shea as Mrs. Meers and juniors Eric English and James Loder as Bun Foo and Ching Ho. “I love this musical. It is a great opportunity to showcase all the wonderful talent we have here at West,” Cooper said. “If you like comedies, then you definitely need to come see this production.”
Peregrine Poll
Photo used with permission of Lifetouch
50
Senior Kyle Keith and junior Katie O’Shea in last year’s You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown
At the homecoming pep rally in October, members of the senior class show off their school spirit. The senior class wore red, white and blue tie-dyed shirts they had made at the senior picnic for the last day of spirit week, which was themed red, white and blue day.
West celebrates its half-century anniversary as a high school 1960 2010 Kayla Sciupider Asst. Opinion Editor
• A senior class of 94 students • Sports: cheerleading, men’s and women’s bastketball and field track events • 494 students • Hang out spot was Brock’s Drive-In on Greenville Highway • Popular TV show Andy Griffith
Do you support sending 30,000 more U.S. troops to Afghanistan?
• Popular musicians Chubby Checkers and Elvis Presley
Yes
• Yearbook was called The Falcon
31%
• School began Sept. 2 and graduation was May 31
No 69% (based on a survey of 308 students)
H all H eard
• School colors of red, white and Carolina blue • Average of $0.25 per gallon for gas
T
he year was 1960. Students from three different schools in Henderson County were together for the first time on the campus of their new consolidated high school. As the students entered the building, they saw spacious classrooms with freshly painted walls and shiny tile halls lined with Carolina blue lockers. “The first day was filled with anticipation, walking into a beautiful new facility. It was just eye-opening. There was space, even with the 400 plus students and the lack of the vocational building. Soon everybody knew each other, and the forming of the one school did not seem like such a big deal,” 1960 Class President Kohlan Flynn said. In 1980 Flynn returned to West as principal. It was 50 years ago when West was formed by combining three high schools: Fletcher, Mills River and Etowah. There was no vocational building, no track, no football field and no baseball field. The new high school lacked a mascot and school colors, so a vote was taken. The students decided on the falcon as a mascot and red, white and Carolina blue as school colors, taking Flynn’s suggestion of borrowing one color from each of their previous high schools. Although these three rival schools were very competitive, they came together. “We didn’t have computers or cell phones; we had eight-track tapes because cassettes weren’t here yet, so
you would think we were in the Dark asked permission to take a bunch Ages,” Flynn said. “When I came back of seniors and train them to be bus here as principal, nearly 20 years lat- drivers,” Flynn said. er, we had a computerized schedule.” West was strong in athletics The school was different in many from the beginning. The women’s ways, including the lack of comput- basketball team went undefeated in ers, cassettes and even bleachers. the school’s first year, and the men’s The bleachers were dug by hand be- team finished 15-6. fore the school’s second year, and the “The girls had an excellent field house was built by a community team,” Flynn said. “We had a young effort. lady by the name of Lynda Drake; “I’m proud of that, and I think she was 6 feet, 3 inches tall, and we accomplished a whole lot while you just couldn’t stop her. She was we were here. One a prolific scorer, of the things we acand the team just complished while I fed off her. We (the The first day was here was buildmen) only lost one was filled with ing the field house,” game on our own Flynn said. “A lot of floor, and that was anticipation, other community to East. The games walking into a efforts went on. We were all really beautiful new have always been close. The commuthe envy of the counnity followed our facility. It was just ty as far as commuteam because of eye-opening. nity support goes. how they both perIt’s been super, but it formed.” Kohlan Flynn was a challenge.” Community class of 1960 In the 1970s the support, along shade of blue in the with the support school colors was changed from Car- from the students and faculty, still olina blue to royal blue. continue to help West keep up its tra“It looked a whole lot different dition of excellence in education and than it does now,” Flynn said. “The athletics. original color was Carolina blue, “I don’t want to do anything that but the school changed it in order would tarnish the reputation of this to match uniforms for sports teams school, and I want this school to conmore easily.” tinue to thrive and for the students to In the early years, West had continue to be successful,” Principal trouble finding and actually paying Dean Jones. “It’s a really neat thing to bus drivers, so they had to train some be at a place during its 50 year anniof the students to drive the buses. versary just because of all the history “There was a possibility of a prob- and tradition that’s here. Trying to lem with bus driver pay, and rather maintain and uphold and grow that than face that issue, Mr. Marlow tradition — that is my goal.”
“
”
• A senior class of 244 students • Currently there are 34 different sports teams playing 14 different sports • 1,067 students • Hang-out spot is now the senior parking lot • Popular TV show American Idol • Popular musicians Taylor Swift and Lady Gaga • Yearbook is called the Westwind • School began Aug. 25 and graduation will be June 10 • Current school colors of red, white and royal blue • Average of $2.69 per gallon for gas
in the
Photo used with permission of Lifetouch
“You see a good-looking man with a really ugly woman who looks like her face was on fire and put out with a pitchfork.” Cliff Searcy, English teacher (about couples at the mall)
Photo by Haley Glatzer
“I didn’t understand anything you were saying. It felt like algebra.” Miles Heywood, senior (discussing awkward situations)
Photo used with permission of Lifetouch
“They were caught in the tent doing . . . that . . . while the war was going on. He was caught with his pants down. Literally.” Buck Baker, social studies teacher (talking about Santa Anna and “The Yellow Rose of Texas”)
Performing during the senior skit at the homecoming pep rally, senior Matt McMullen rallies the crowd. The senior class won the competition for best class skit.
Posing before the beginning of their act, the dance team prepares to perform for the school during the homecoming assembly on Oct. 13. Members of the team danced to different songs from the 1960s.
Playing a Rock Band guitar, the Falcon entertains the crowd at the homecoming pep rally. The Falcon then battled against Brevard High’s mascot, the Blue Devil.
4
Seniors race drag cars and bikes
Looking Ahead Feb. 24 March 2 March 25
Early Dismissal Day Progress Reports End of Grading Period
5
Abusive relationships pose a problem