Author: skreutzfeldt
Education … or What?
by Russ Hirai
Drawings by Shirley Anderson and Liz Holm
- Students are generally dissatisfied with their education at Roosevelt, blaming the educational system as a whole for educational alienation.
- Teachers, as part of that system and the main link to the student, come under heavy student criticism. While both students and teachers consider RHS faculty members to be dedicated to teaching and knowledgeable in their subjects, both groups agree that classes are not stimulating or challenging.
- Both teachers and students, while often acknowledging the difficult position of the administration, do not see the RHS administration as a leadership force in the school.
These are some of the conclusions of a survey of education and apathy conducted by the Review. The results were drawn from a questionnaire answered by faculty members and students, and from personal interviews with students and teachers. The questionnaire was given to all faculty members and a sampling of students taken from English classes.
Ironically, although the questionnaire was designed in part to determine student apathy, less than 1/4 of the faculty members returned the completed forms.
The “percent” findings do not tell the entire picture. Many of those questioned objected to being “pigeon-holed” to two or three answers and instead responded by a short paragraph. Also, with such a small percentage of the teachers responding, it is impossible to obtain a clear view of faculty opinion.
As a group, the seniors were the most negative, often dramatically so in comparison with the underclassmen. Sophomores were the most puzzling group, following no consistent trend and often being poles apart from both their older and younger classmates. The reason for this may be as one teacher suggested: “The sophomores are a mixed-up bunch, They’re right in the middle of growing u. They’re disenchanted but they don’t know why. All they know is they don’t like something.”
General interest of the students toward education was a point of controversy. Although the majority of students and teachers considered interest to be less than moderate, many teachers wrote, “students are more aware of their rights and so they are more militant.” Similarly, in response to “Has general interest in learning been decreasing?” one teacher responded, “Yes, because of a rise in student awareness or at least vague discontent with the structure of the system and society.”
The state cause of student “uninterest” proved to be interesting. The freshmen (whose interest levels were highest) cited teachers almost 3 to 1 for their interest in school. Yet, as dissatisfaction increased through grade levels, teachers were mentioned less and less often. In contrast with the freshmen, the seniors cited the educational system as a whole for their dissatisfaction.
Although interest may be wanting, at first glance the students seem very satisfied with the quality of their education at Roosevelt. Through the first three years, students assessed the quality of their education as at least “fair” while over 1/3 consider it “good” or “excellent.” However, in almost all cases a “fair” verdict was accompanied by a negative comment such as the junior who wrote, ” I know a lot more now than when I started but I still think that most of my classes were a complete waste of time.”
Or, as one senior sardonically remarked, “Actually, I have gotten an excellent education from what is probably the administration’s point of view. I’ve learned you should shut up, keep your ideas to yourself, not be an individual, have a pass when going through the halls, etc… But as far as an education developing individuality and openness, it has been outrageous.”
This idea of individuality and conformity came out later in the questionnaire when a majority of students in every year and 46% of the teachers agreed with the statement, “Teachers prefer docility and conformity in students as it is easier to teach.”
Many students were particularly critical of rote learning As a senior wrote, ” Many of my courses have been memorization and nothing but. When students are spoon-fed answers, it isn’t really learning.”
However, when asked “What do you expect out of high school and do you think you are achieving this at Roosevelt?” students answers grew extremely vague. Most responses were similar to the sophomore who wrote ” a chance to learn about life and relevant things.” Many students simply wrote “No.”
When grading Roosevelt’s faculty, both students and teachers agree that their classes lack enough stimulus and challenge to hold students’ interest. A majority of students in all years and over 1/2 of the teachers graded “D” (needs improvement) and “F” (unsatisfactory) on “creation of a stimulating and challenging classroom.” Similarly, on “communication with students,” both students and faculty members indicated that adequate classroom communication was lacking.
The effect of this feeling of “non-communication” was brought out in the question, “Do you agree that teachers ‘don’t really care or aren’t really interested’ in their students?” Half of the freshman and a majority of students in other years agreed.
Discrepancies arose on “open-mindedness” on which 57% of the faculty gave grades of “C” (satisfactory) or “B” (good) compared to students “D” and “F.” In the category of “knowledge of the subject,” students graded higher than the faculty, the majority citing “A” or “B.”
Conspicuously absent on either questionnaire were an abundance of excellent grades (“A”). Neither students nor teachers were willing to award “A” with any frequency. By contrast, the concentration of “F” was high, accounting for as much as 1/3 of the responses on some questions.
Responses to the effectiveness of Roosevelt’s administration ranged from lukewarm praise to outright denunciation. In most cases, as with their education in general, students were vague in their expectations of the administration. To one senior, this was due to lack of contact: The administration is a vague ‘something up there’ to most kids – students have little direct contact with them. Hence (they) expect little from them.”
Many students acknowledged the difficult position that the administration is in. “The administration has a rough job because they have to try to please everyone at the same time,” was the comment of one sophomore. Many said, “They try.”
While many students criticized the administration for being overly conservative and wishy-washy, many teachers criticized it for being too liberal and wishy-washy. Although some agreed with a teacher who stated that the administration is “weak and ultra permissive,” many teachers cited the system as preventing a capable job. One teacher wrote, “I think the administration is doing a fine job within the framework of traditional education, but not a fine job for true learning. They are inhibited by the system.”
Both teachers and students thought sense of priorities was lacking. More than a few agreed with the teacher who wrote that “priorities often seem out of whack,” and the senior who said, “The administration is really fouled up.” It gets stuck with a whole bunch of things to do that doesn’t allow for contact with the students. And contact is important when they’re supposed to be guiding us. They don’t know what’s going on. And if they do, they don’t do anything about it because of the district office, etc. They can’t get rid of incompetence because it starts at the top and comes all the way down. They can’t be bothered with real problems; they’d rather worry about how many kids are on the campus when it is closed.”
Significantly, neither group saw the administration as an effective leadership force within the school.
Because Roosevelt’s student body is a conglomeration of all different types and groups of people, it shares many of the same attitudes, strengths and weaknesses of the “outside world.” This may explain why, though different, the student body shared one common feeling, a sense of overwhelming frustration. Many students agreed with the sophomore who wrote, ” I know too many students who say they’re sick of school. Something must be wrong.
What is wrong? A 3 to 1 majority of teachers said that general interest toward learning has been decreasing at Roosevelt. There are probably few people associated with our school who would deny that.
Part of the problem does stem from the “new awareness” that teachers spoke about. One teacher remarked, “Yes, there is apathy towards traditional roles and attitudes, but there is a proportional interest in new directions.”
For most students this awareness has not been specified. They only know that their education is not really theirs. Student have learned that it is not their place to think or that their ideas count. It is the teacher’s job to educate the student. Consequently when the students are not challenged intellectually in the classroom, they become apathetic. When communication is so poor that students believe (as a majority of those questioned do) that teachers don’t really care or aren’t interested in them, the students’ interest toward the teacher likewise diminishes. The alarming growth of vandalism at Roosevelt is a direct effect of these attitudes. The student does not feel that the school is his. He cannot strike out directly at the system which, at the back of his mind is disturbing him, so he strikes out at the figureheads of the system – chairs, books, desks and — teachers.
In such as situation, education becomes a game of survival. Most students learn to adjust and do “very well.” Others do not. All harbor resentment.
Another part of the problem is the teachers. Themselves educated in the system, they are, as Peter Marin says, “committed to ideas that they have never clearly understood.”
A third part is the administrators. From American Education April, 1970: “There appears to be an avoidance of a theory of administrative roles, a theory that could serve as a guide for the …. principal. Is the principal a manager or an educator? Is he a change agent or a maintainer of the status quo? Is he expected to identify new needs and directions for the committee or is he supposed to keep the school entirely in accordance with the committee’s expectations?” Under the Chicago public school system, the answers are obvious.
Students, teachers and administrators, however, are just the victims of the real problem in the failure of education system — its goals.
Educators seem to have either forgotten, never known, or ignored Alfred North Whitehead’s definition of education as ” the art of utilizing knowledge. Indeed a merely well-informed man is the most useless boor on God’s earth.” Instead, conformity and subjugation of interests are stressed, turning out students like little robots, each from the same mold.
However, students know, and teachers know, and administrators know that students are not little robots. Yet this is the idea that they are supposed to perpetuate. The result in administrators is a reduction from an educator and teacher of teachers to a manager and operator. He is a train engineer unsuccessfully trying to steer a course on an almost nonexistently thin track.
For teachers, the result is, as Willard Waller says, “that peculiar blight which affects the teacher’s mind, which creeps over it gradually and, possessing it bit by bit, devours its creative resources.”
Contributing to this “blight” are many factors: Society does not have a high regard for the teaching profession. School is a factory, and teachers are merely workers — sign in, sign out. And there is the fantastic amount of trivia that teachers must contend with. When a person spends a good part of his working day taking attendance, writing forms, patrolling corridors, and controlling study halls, it is a wonder that he has either the energy or the disposition for teaching.
Yet teachers try. Most are well-intentioned people trying to make the best of very difficult circumstances. And for all their bickering, students realize that teachers try. At Roosevelt, students’ grades on teachers’ “dedication” were higher than those on “effectiveness.” As Charles Silberman says, “(teachers), no less than their students are victimized by the way which schools are presently organized and run.”
At the end of this very dirty chain is the student. He is the biggest victim of all.
So, what can be done?
Externally, nothing. Smaller classes, revisions in curricula, teaching machines are “stopgaps.” They will not change the existing structure. For better education there needs to be massive changes in attitudes.
Education must dispel what Paul Goodman calls the idea of “natural depravity” of students: the view that students are sinners or savages whose human impulses and desires are not to be trusted and must be constrained or trained.
Secondly, teachers must recognize that students think. When challenged by a set of objectives and materials that make sense to them, most students will respond to the challenge.
Most important of all, teachers, students, and administrators must place themselves in a constant state of self-evaluation for a diagnostic purpose — “to indicate where teachers and students have gone wrong, and how they might improve their performance” (Silberman). Educators and students must continually ask the question “Why?”
For Roosevelt’s educators now, inhibited by the system, these are the only means to betterment.
Riders advance to semi-finals, pound Marshall
Roosevelt beat Marshall, the Red West champions, by the score of 93-79.
Throughout the game, Roosevelt kept Marshall 10 points away. The closest Marshall came to capturing the lead was in the middle of the second quarter when they were only 6 points behind.
The only way Marshall was able to put a dent into Roosevelt’s offense was by fouls. This tactic backfired, however as several key Commandos fouled out.
Paul Jefferson was the high scorer with 45 points.
Beat Farragut 96-79
Roosevelt won the first of its playoff games for the city basketball title, by pushing over Farragut by the score of 96 to 79.
Farragut’s defense had really no effect whatsoever on Roosevelt throughout the game, while Roosevelt’s full court press made Farragut give up the ball numerous times.
The leader scorer for the game was Paul Jefferson with 26 points. James Williams put in 22 points while Pat Moran contributed 17 points.
Edge Von 74-73
Roosevelt proved to Von Steuben who should be nuber one in the Red North by beating them 74-73.
Though Von was leading 3 to 0 during the first minutes of the game, Paul Jefferson, Pat Moran and Larry Peoples put shots through to put us ahead 4 to 3. This set the pattern for a tight game.
Both teams during the second quarter played similar to their first quarter performance with a lot of hard defense action.
With the score tied 35-all at the half, Von pressed even harder and made Roosevelt make offensive fouls. Von led the Riders throughout the third quarter and made the score at the end of the third quarter Von 58- Roosevelt 51.
Roosevelt in the 4th quarter put on a full-court press, forcing Von turnovers and converting them into points. With 1:59 remaining in the game, Roosevelt went ahead 71-70.
Paul Jefferson shot in another basket after the team threw the ball around, running out the clock. James Williams made a foul shot for Roosevelt with 0:10 remaining. Von next took the ball out and called time. Von hurriedly brought the ball down and a Von man was fouled.
Even though the foul was called after time had run out, the man went to the line. The fouled man was given the ball on a one-and-one shooting opportunity. If the man had made the first shot, the game would have been tied making the game go into overtime. If he made the second shot Von would have won the game.
But none of these “ifs” came true as Roosevelt ended the season with a berth in the Blue Division playoffs.
RHS 93 …………..Marshall 79
| FG | FT | TP | |
| P.Jefferson | 18 | 9 | 45 |
| E. Jefferson | 3 | 1 | 7 |
| Moran | 9 | 3 | 21 |
| Peoples | 5 | 5 | 15 |
| Williams | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| Ray | 1 | 0 | 2 |
Bowling team pounds Prosser; record 7-2
The Roosevelt Bowling Team stretched its record to 7 wins and 2 losses with a victory over Prosser. The team exploded in the second game as Dennis Descher bowled a 222 game, George Lazewski rolled a 211, Tim Pigott and Lea Licea both had a 203 game and Scott Rosen bowled a 200 game.
In the third game Russel Johnson bowled a 190 and Carl Painter had a 184. Mr. Fermoyle, the coach of the team is looking for a strong finish to the season.
Frosh 2nd in North
The Roosevelt Frosh-Soph basketball team finished second in the Red North behind Senn. The team posted a league record of 7-3 and an overall record of 8-8.
The starting team consists of Hodges Smith, Ted Slowik, Larry Williams, Oscar Towne and Bob Lewicki.
This past year’s Frosh-Soph will be a great addition to the ’70-’71 Varsity team because of the abundance of talent and height among its members.
Classified Ads
GUESTS: You know that was a wow New Year’s Eve party. Thanks for coming.
O NO
TATI: Bicycling is the only way to travel!
PATTI: Open your mouth.
The Mad Popcorn Thrower
SUE: Why is your Co-Captain upside down????
MAR: You’ll never get your quarter.
SHIRLEY A.: Why is majorette dust so cold?
Ricky K
MISS HAWK: Je ferais rein pour vous (pas tu) except sit through any more of those dreadful 0-0 games!!
Got that TIRED and RUN-DOWN feeling?
You may be suffering from pizza-itis!!
C.R.: Only 4 months and 2 days and a few hours till the big day.
M.H.
Mush: You’re so isolated.
Paula: Which way to Coventry?
Paula: Go to Schenectady.
P.S. and K.D.
Don’t forget speech practice.
Mrs Rocklin
Cathleen: Some people buy stupid things for $11.00 at Woolworth’s with engravings and then flush it down the toilet.
But you know how these young people are.
Miss Longo
Shari: How’s the travelodge? Don’t give me any more pens if you don’t want me to know.
Guess Who?
Backseat Driver: Don’t knock my apple cookies. Can I help it if they looked like soggy potato chips and tasted like rubber with dirt on them?
Lynne
D.L.: Go and rap to that dude.
Mar: Meet me on the roof at Bernard and Montrose to do you know what.
Ellen: Sure nothing happened that night.
Michelle: Did you hear the one about two camels?
Marcia: Meat and Potatoes Forever.
Ricky
Eileen Over: Patricia Cake has sore hands.
Mike Crophone
Well, indecisive people are better than belching hallguards!!!
Carol or 6th period: Bessy, Matz or sanity
Reinisch: Your name came up at lunch today!!
Nick A.: Yeah that’s a real fire – Yeah Nick that’s Lake View.
Nick D.
Helen: W.W. is watching you so keep up the good work. Though the apple cookies taste horrible and the milkshakes stink you can always turn to tuna, cheese or liver.
W.W. Partner
CATHY: Thanks for living where you do. Happy New Year.
EVA
Metro: school without walls
by Carol Oblinsky
One high school in Chicago refuses to conform. It is an experimental school called the Chicago Public High School for Metropolitan Studies, and the classes meet in all different parts of the city.
The school is temporarily located in the Consumer Building at 220 S. State, and has an enrollment of 150 students. Andrea Temkin, a former student at Roosevelt, recently became a student there.
Andrea’s classes consist of filmmaking at the Art Institute, journalism, which includes working on the company newspaper for Illinois Bell Telephone, and politics, taught by a black alderman on West Madison. Her courses in Spanish, creative writing, poetry, and black literature are temporarily being taught in the school building.
Andrea comes to the school at 9 a.m. and leaves at 3 p.m. Each of her classes are 2 hours long. All of the classes are 8 week sessions, and no class meets more often than twice a week. There is no homework, but the students work on individual projects in school and in their free time.
The primary purpose of the school is to get students to learn by doing. The students and teachers are very informal with one another; the students even call their teachers by their first names. According to Andrea, “Many students came to Metro to escape the conformity and boredom of their high schools.”
There is no set structure in any of the classes at Metro, and the students completely govern the school. Gym is the only class which is absolutely required and the students can choose courses on anything from retail merchandising to TV production.
The Urban Research Center is responsible for the establishment of this school. Other U.S. schools like Metro are the Milwaukee Independent School and the School Without Walls, located in Philadelphia.
Right now, students can turn to these schools if they find the present structures ineffective. The problem is that only a few students from each school are granted this opportunity.
Maybe with some luck and much effort this effective structure can become widespread.
Review Staff
Rough Rider Review
Published by the students of
ROOSEVELT HIGH SCHOOL, 3436 W. Wilson Ave., Chicago, IL 60625
Principal, Dr. Herbert M Zimmerman
Asst. Principal, Albert Kosloff
Asst. Principal, Frieda Brooks
Asst. Principal, Alfred Klein
FACULTY ADVISORS
Editorial, Bette Strassman
Financial, Louis Gattorna
Editor-in-Chief, Russ Hirai
Managing Editors, Marc Primack and David Schwarz
Feature Editors, Cathy Rossobillo and Eileen Cooks
Sports Editors, Scott Rosen and Jim Larkin
Copy Editor, Laura Friedman
Headline Editor, Patti Sande
Layout Editor, Shirley Anderson
Art Editor, Carol Reinisch
Advertising Editor, Lynda Margolis
In Review, Lauri King
Rough Riters, Diana Lenik
Photographer, Kanella Diakoumis
Typist, Rochelle Newman
Waveriders win Blue city title
The Roosevelt Waveriders won the Blue City Championship by sinking Schurz 48-46.
The team was led by Keith Clarke who won the 160-yard individual medley, the 100-yard butterfly and who swam in a winning medley relay.
Also pacing the team was Steve Trilling who won the 60- and 100-year freestyle and who swam in a winning medley relay.
Gary Wedgewood won the diving competition, Ray Christl took the 400-yard freestyle and Tim Lindgren and Bill Davis contributed to the medley relay victory.
This meet was the culmination of a perfect season for the team as they swept through undefeated.
This was also the third time they’ve beaten Schurz and the second win at the Schurz pool.
Congratulations to the Swim Team and to Coach Randy Wartman, and best wishes for continued success in the Red Division.
***
The Roosevelt Waveriders drowned Tilden by a score of 79-15. The first event, the medley relay, was won by Roosevelt consisting of Tim Lindgren, Keith Clarke, Bill Davis, and Ed Hirsch.
Triple event winners in this meet were Ray Christl and Steve Trilling. The winner of the Bowen-Schurz meet will play the Waveriders for the Blue city Championship.
Swim line scores
| RHS Varsity | 58 |
| Kelvyn Park | 24 |
| RHS Frosh | 60 |
| Kelvyn Park | 17 |
| RHS Varsity | 59 |
| Lake View | 25 |
| RHS Frosh | 60 |
| Lake View | 20 |
Laura Nyro: Unique, talented “Tendaberry”
by Ellen Floren
“And when I die, and when I’m dead, dead and gone,
There’ll be one child born, and a world – to carry on, to carry on”
Sound familiar? You bet! These are lines taken from “And When I Die” a million dollar seller written and arranged by Laura Nyro.
You’re probably familiar with songs such as “Eli’s Coming,” “Wedding Bell Blues,” “Sweet Blindness,” “Save Our Country,” and groups that sing them. But most of us fail to acknowledge the writer, Laura Nyro.
Laura’s fans will all agree that any of her three albums by far surpass any recordings of songs by the Fifth Dimension, Blood Sweat and Tears or Peter, Paul and Mary.
It may seem strange that someone who is said to be as fantastic as she is doesn’t put out her own singles, but records only albums.
The truth of the matter is that most people are not ready and cannot appreciate the clear, three-octave, racing-city-soul voice of Laura Nyro.
When her first album, “Eli and the Thirteenth Confession” first appeared, music reviewers were left groping to fit Laura into existing categories. She was compared to Aretha Franklin, Donovan, Burt Bacharach, usually with the admissions that their comparisons were lame.
Her music – all of which she writes, arranges and sings to her own piano accompaniment – has been called rock, jazz, soul and classical.
A noted characteristic of her music is that she changes key and tempo when you least expect it and her melodies cross identifiable bar lines and keep going when her piano stops.
Now that Laura has three successful albums out, her growing popularity is evident. Laura’s recent performance at the Civic Opera House filled every seat. Her only instrument, besides her voice, was her grand piano which was heard clearly and precisely throughout the auditorium. The audience shifted compulsively with the moods of her music.
To compare Laura Nyro to anyone else is useless. Her formula for writing songs is simple but unique. She writes about real people and places.
Her latest album is called “New York Tendaberry.” “Tendaberry” is a word she made up to describe the warm tender care she feels deep inside the city’s grating exterior. She has “looked into the heart of the city and transcended its decay with the knowledge that, somewhere beneath the dirt, God is alive and waiting.”
The Chicago Sun-Times review stated that “when Laura Nyro walked onto the Opera House stage, they shouted ‘Bravo!’ And bravo is correct. It’s sort of quaint and nice, and so is Laura Nyro.”
Forum deals with draft
by Marc Primack
The last Human Relations Forum was concerned with America’s politics and particularly its draft. The guest speaker, Ralph Hergert of the American Friends Service Committee “making no claim at objectivity” explained both his attitude on the draft and his organization’s function. The A.F.S.C. is a Quaker group that runs about a dozen draft counseling offices in this area.
This group and the many others in this area serving similar function seek to help a youth do what he wants in respect to fulfilling his military commitment. The A.F.S.C will not push a boy into resisting the draft; it merely wants him to be aware of the alternatives to fighting in a war. Information on obtaining classification as a conscientious objector is provided, as are explanations of the penalties for draft resistance or emigration.
Although the A.F.S.C. is not allowed to campaign against the draft, Mr. Hergert claimed that just as slavery could not be reformed “you don’t reform the draft, you do away with it.” He said that from its conception the draft is an evil. He said that the government should not have the power either to ask a boy to kill or to be killed and that by its make-up the draft is class discriminatory.
The majority of the Forum consisted of a question and answer session which sought to determine the legitimacy of violence as the foundation of a foreign policy. Mr. Hergert advocated unilateral disarmament and said that to break the cycle of hate, fear, and distrust that our country is in we must assume that throughout the world people prefer peace to war and we need to “take the risk that other people are people.”
In Review …
Class of ’70 chooses motto, flower, song
The class of ’70 graduation committee under the chairmanship of Waverly Hill has decided on the class motto and class flower. The motto is “The future can be achieved only by present victory over the past.” The flower is the rose.
Soon to be decided is the class song, which the seniors will all vote on. They have a choice of 3 songs. Mark Primack and Michael Dorf wrote one to the tune of “The Days of Wine and Roses”. Eileen Cooks and Diana Lenik wrote their song to the tune of “Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head” and Lauri King wrote hers to the tune of “Another Op’ning, Another Show.”
The song that they decide on will be sung on Graduation night.
Interschool Council delegates chosen
Roosevelt students recently held an election for those students they wanted to represent them in the Area C Interschool Council. One student from each year was elected. Kathy Licht received the most votes as a senior. The junior elected was Phyllis Taylor, and Larry Johnson was elected as the sophomore representative.
The representative elected will meet with the representatives from other schools and talk about problems common to all the Area C schools.
Activity show features “Medieval Times”
“The Medieval Times” were featured in the first student activity show of this semester. Those who had paid their student activity fees heard a variety of popular songs such as “Come See About Me,” “Shotgun,” “I’m a Man,” and “Take Me Back.” The Medieval Times displayed their creative talent at the end of their show by playing an original piece.
The group consisted of three guitars, one saxophone, two trumpets, and a drum. An unusual feature of the show was the use of an electric violin.
RHS students win keys in Art Fair
A total of nineteen students from Roosevelt won keys in the recent Scholastic Art Fair.
Those whose portfolios will go on for competition in New York are Liz Larsen and Keith Steinke.
The key finalists are John Behrmann, Judy Koehl and Pam Rudnick.
Key winners were Danuta Berenfeld, Carola Kanaya, Garry Reznic, Sue Robin and Susan Uyeda.
Merits were given to Michael Leibman, Lew Mark, Albazi Martin, Dimitrios Melisina, Keith McPhearson, Ingrid Nelson, Joan Palmer, James Simpson, and Charles Wasserstrom.
Jankowski experiments with grammar
Miss Carol Jankowski is experimenting with grammar in her junior English classes. The program is individualized English, in which each student works on his own weak points of grammar.
The program comes from Northwestern University which worked closely with Roosevelt’s English faculty.
G.A.A. to sponsor bowling party
The G.A.A. is sponsoring a bowling party at the Drake Alleys on Drake and Montrose. All girls interested will be able to sign up either as a team or as individuals to be placed on a team.
As Mrs. Levin told her senior classes, “If you have never bowled before in your life this is your opportunity to begin taking part in an enjoyable sport.”
Pep Squad’s Pickle tradition carries on
Roosevelt is a school of many traditions. One of them is the annual Pep Squad Pickle sale. This year the sale will be held on March 17 in front of the lunchroom. The sale will go on for all four lunch periods, and pickles can be purchased for a mere 15 ¢.
The idea of having a sale was thought of two years ago by ex-Teddie Janet Levin. Her reason was that she wanted to sell something green, in honor of St. Patrick’s Day, which falls on March 17th.
Letters to the Editor … March 1970
Dear Editor:
I am writing in regard to your interview with Mr. Weitzenfeld and Glenn Swimmer.
I have been a student at Niles West for a little more than two years whereas Mr. Weitzenfeld and Glenn have only been here 6 months.
I was a student at Roosevelt for about 3 months and when I first came to Niles West it was a big change from Roosevelt. First impressions were good but the novelty wore off.
Much of what Mr. Weitzenfeld said was true and perhaps Roosevelt can benefit from the criticism, but some things were not true.
For one thing, there is vandalism at Niles West. Recently the auditorium was off-limits because of student vandalism.
Also the hall-problem is not non-existent. There is a hall-problem mainly on the first floor. However, students rarely make it up to the third floor, where the math department is located.
I disagree with Mr. Weitzenfeld on the statement that learning is emphasized in the home. For many, it is the grades that are emphasized so that the students can enter a “name” college.
There are many pseudo-intellectuals as well as real intellectuals here. Class ranks are considered important to the students and your “acceptance” into their group depends on your “intelligence.”
The teachers and the school system are good but the student society leaves much to much to be desired.
In a sense, Mr. Weitzenfeld is lucky that he got into a school of upper middle class white students who are essentially interested in education and do study whether they are working for a grade or not.
He has solved his own personal problem but has probably escaped the challenge of teaching where teaching is most needed.
Emi Yamaguchi
Dear Mr. Weitzenfeld:
I must disagree with you on one of the points you have made in your interview.
I resent your implication that my staff is not professional in terms of curriculum innovation. All curriculum innovation had indeed come from within the department since I have been at Roosevelt. This includes essential biology and PSSC Physics.
In the works for the future is an introductory physical science lab course. We are presently engaged in an articulation program with our feeder schools.
None of these innovations came as suggestions from Downtown.
R.J. Wortman
Science Department Chair
Dear Editor:
I am writing this letter concerning your interview with Mr. Weitzenfeld and Glenn Swimmer. I don’t think it’s fair of them to compare Roosevelt to Niles West.
Niles West is a suburban high school, so right away one knows that their classes are smaller. Naturally, the teacher will have more time to spend with each student. Here at Roosevelt the classes are much larger, so the teacher will have less time to spend with the student.
Mr. Weitzenfeld said that the students at Niles West respond more than the ones here in Roosevelt. I think this is because here, the students have so many teachers that don’t care about them. In the teacher’s case since the student doesn’t respond he gradually cares less about his students.
Another thing which I want to comment on is classrooms and facilities. It isn’t fair of Mr Weitzenfeld to compare our light bulbs with Niles West’s. They get more money than Roosevelt so they of course have better facilities.
Although your article is a good one, like I said before, it isn’t fair to compare Roosevelt with a suburban high school.
Damaris Romero
Social Center a huge success
March 1970
by Russ Hirai
Two years of petitions and requests are finally paying off for Roosevelt students as Roosevelt’s evening social center is now in full operation.
Over 300 students have bought tickets to the Friday night sessions, engaging in a variety of activities, including basketball, pool, swimming, table tennis and volleyball. The $1.00 tickets are good for ten sessions, so an RHS student pays only ten cents for each session.
The operation of the center is maintained by a faculty-student group under the supervision of Dr. Zimmerman.
Teacher supervision is provided by Mr. Massey, Miss Koffman, Mr. Klein, Mr. Layden, Miss Kaplan and Mr. Cetinske.
A student group of Ricky Karlin, Eileen Cooks, Jan Matsumoto, Don Maruyama, Carol Reinisch, Jim Shroeder, Janet Ohka, Mike Quaintance, Marcia Yoshizumi and George Kondiles is responsible for the setting-up and care of equipment.
At various times in the past two years, Roosevelt has asked the Board of Education for permission to start an evening social center. Not until this year, however, with an increase in revenue and the closing of the Max Straus Center, has it been possible for Roosevelt to begin a lighted schoolhouse program.
The major concern – that of enthusiasm and participation – appears to be solved. The sessions thus far have enjoyed great response in both areas.
How much of this enthusiasm is attributed to novelty remains to be seen, but right now Roosevelt’s evening social center program is a success.
Teacher blasts student irresponsibility
by Kenneth M. Krone
The discontent of youth has given rise to a 20th century “Children’s Crusade.” “Oh my, from the mouth of babes,” exclaims many a bewildered adult. You, students of Roosevelt High, are also children of the world.
Nurtured in the bosom of hypocrisy, you can see the double standard, and you rebel, either out of conviction, or for the hell of it.
The world does truly extend beyond the walls of our school, and you are a part of it like no other generation. Perhaps to you, school is a non-essential accessory to that big world out there, representing mostly the worst of it.
Roosevelt, like most public schools, is more or less, a replica of the society which created it. What’s good and bad about Chicago, America, and the world is what’s good and bad with Roosevelt.
However, rather than taking on the outside world, for many of you, your school becomes the scapegoat. You localize your anti-social behavior, and your school becomes the whipping boy on which you vent your frustrations.
This era of questioning and protesting those values and institutions that some perceive as being illegitimate and unjust, has led to a new higher level of disorganization, confusion, and indiscriminate rule-breaking. Thus, the typical quantity of instances of anti-social, unlawful, and immoral behavior is at an all time high.
You the students, have been taking advantage of the current situation by “getting away with all you can,” with little regard for the justice of your behavior.
Irresponsibility
You have been acting against people, and their institutions, but you have accepted little of the responsibility for your behavior. Too often you have been living a “negative existence” by engaging in disruptive, anti-productive activities, later taking advantage of the resultant confusion, and accepting non of the blame for it.
I shall cite some specific examples here at Roosevelt of what I speak. Of course, there will be disagreement as to how widespread they are.
Many of you students frequently come unprepared for class. Typically you lack paper, pens, pencils, books, assignments, locks, gym outfits, projects, etc. This has, in some cases taken on epidemic proportions, resulting in a poor educational environment in the classrooms.
Your day-to-day dishonesty is a shame on you. Stealing each other belongings, cheating on tests, refusing to admit to others or yourselves the truth of a self-debasing or self-incriminating fact – your working definition of truth is “that which the involved parties can be made to accept or to believe.” You are making wilderness into a jungle.
Harassment of Teachers
There is a widening policy of harassment of teachers – the most vulnerable of your establishment – oriented authority figures. You have been playing off one against the other, relating to them with the minimum amount of respect, as the situation requires, ignoring deadlines for turning in forms, assignments, coursebooks, moneys, etc.
This has place a spiraling burden upon the teachers, for they must put forth an added effort on administrative trivia and follow throughs. As a result, teaching quality inevitably declines – less innovation and more blandness. You, therefore, rebel further by cooperating less, leading to further deterioration. Where does the spiral end?
Put your own house in order, first. With so much concern about “environmental violence” (pollution, etc.) let us examine our immediate situation.
Our lunchroom is truly a sore spot in our environment. The lack of consideration for the other person’s right to dine in a state of relaxation, in a wholesome atmosphere, is being infringed upon.
The intentional spilling of food and drink – yes the wasting of our limited resources – is a despicable crime against humanity. The fact that one-third of the world’s people are undernourished or are starving to death is not in itself a logical argument against your actions, but it does indicate a great hypocrisy in in your life style.
We gave in to your demands for autonomy in the lunchroom and you proved that you cannot accept the responsibility.
Lack of responsibility
The destruction and removal of property not belonging to you alone is every bit as selfish an act as “American Imperialism.” If you have guilt, you have committed an act of selfish gratification.
If you have ever stolen a book, if you have intentionally destroyed a piece of school property, if you have stolen a purse or wallet, you have violated the “power to the people” principle. You have taken the power derived from ownership, from the people, for yourself.
Class cutting, tardies, and unnecessary absences are running rampant. But in the long run you will suffer. Too often, instead of working to reform and improve classes – by constructive criticism, positive suggestions, continuous follow-ups, and accepting responsibilities for successful failure, you withdraw, later only to strike out in a negativistic way.
Do the rest of you commit these selfish, irresponsible acts because of some lofty reformist principle, or because of a chronic unwillingness to tackle the responsibilities of being a student?
These are some of the examples of your lack of responsibility. Granted that not all of you are guilty on all counts. There are considerate people at Roosevelt and to those I am indebted and humble.
Parents partly to blame
The society that is ours is mostly the handiwork of your parents and their contemporaries. Our school (whose job it is to pass on the accumulated knowledge of our culture to you) should be of great interest to your folks. Far too many of them, however, are not sufficiently concerned.
The exceedingly poor turnout at our open house is a symptom of their indifference. You may or may not be getting short-changed in your education, but most of your parents will never know. And they are the ones who can demand improvements the most readily, by virtue of their taxpayer and voter status.
If some teachers seem unqualified to teach, if some students lack textbooks, if some rules are unfair, if some courses are irrelevant, let your parents be part of the reform. They helped to make the “mess,” they should at least wring the mop.
Administration and some faculty party to blame
In some ways, we educators can be justly blamed for some of Roosevelt’s ills. For one thing, we tolerate much of your anti-social, anti-educational behavior without holding you accountable.
If you have committed an act defined as wrong by our existing code, you should pay the price, whether it be detentions, suspension, or whatever. An unfair rule or practice will hopefully, not long stand the test of time. But the power to force change must never be solely a game of power politics.
We are mistaken in being so accommodating to many of you students When you mess up the lunchroom, you should clean it up. When you break or deface school property, you should pay for repairs. When you frequently come unprepared to class, you should be punished. You should be held accountable for your actions.
Society emphasizes education
You stand to be big losers. Our times dictate that to be a financial, social, or moral success, you must be knowledgeable. Whatever your political belief or social philosophy, knowledge is power for you. Learn all you can to work toward your own Utopia.
Hard-boiled institutions do not get changed overnight. The irrelevancies of our educational matrices will take a long time to change. The matrices themselves, a reflection of “the system,” may take far longer. In the meantime public education, although mediocre, is not worthless, and it would be in your best interest to get what you can from it.
Whatever the individual does, he should be held responsible for this actions. It is a privilege to be punished for what one believes in. Stand up and be counted when the chips are down. Be strong and honest in setback as in victory.
A society which does not hold its citizens accountable for their actions, will find itself insecure, unstable, unjust and unmanageable.
You, the upcoming generation who must inherit and manage the society, must first look at yourselves – your life-styles, your attitudes, your philosophies and your day-to-day behavior.
I fear you’ll find yourselves as hypocritical and selfish as those people and institutions you oppose. Some of you have noble ideas – why not be a living example of how people can live and work together in peace, co-operation, brotherhood and selflessness.
“Pine Bros. Cough Drops”
A peek into Room 329 any day after school makes the average peeker wonder just what exactly is going on.
Room 329 is the meeting place for those students interested in helping the Review staff in its participation in the “Pine Bros. Cough Drops Contest.”
This needs some explanation: A few weeks ago, several members of our school’s journalism class attended a Tommy James and the Shondells’ press conference.
At this conference, reporters were told of a contest, the object of which is to collect more Pine Bros. Cough Drop boxes (or the words “Pine Bros. Cough Drops printed on 3X5 cards) than any other school. The prize, it was announced, would be a Shondells’ concert for the winning school, plus a monetary award.
This should explain why a dozen kids or so can almost always be found writing industriously in 329 – the only sounds being the scratch of pens on paper, the ancient paper cutter begging for some oil, and the groans when someone accidentally writes “Pine Bros. Cough Droughs.”
Each day an increasing number of students become involved in card-writing, and each day more and more cards and boxes come pouring in.
The total now – believe it or not – is more than 400,000. The cabinets in Room 329 are slowly but surely getting filled to the brim.
Because the contest’s prize (the concert) is one that will be shared with the entire school, the staff hopes that everyone will help print the cards.
“The doors of 329 are always open,” says one card-writer, “so everyone can come in to write or to deliver cards.”
If it’s hard for you to stay after school to help with cards, there are always boring Sunday afternoons at home, a perfect time to busy yourself with this school project.
Either way, remember to print “Pine Bros. Cough Drops” on our 3X5 cards, and to keep those cards and boxes coming in!
The contest ends March 21. All cards and boxes must be in by this date. So, if you want to bring Tommy James and the Shondells, plus the Litter and Baby Huey and the Baby Sitters to Roosevelt to perform a rock concert, get busy. There are only a few days left so Riders – write on!
Need a place to go?
by Diana Lenik
If you’ve seen all the movies in town, and can’t think of what to do next, here are some places you may never have considered.
It’s Here, at 6455 N. Sheridan is a coffee house with live entertainment. For only $2.50, you can sit on the floor and listen to university and professional groups sing and do comedy routines.
Shows start at 8:00 and 10:30 and a reservation will insure you a place against the wall. The atmosphere is very casual, so don’t worry about what to wear. Featured now are The Now, a rock-folk group, but they won’t be there long.
If you aren’t watching for it, you may miss The Body Politic at 2259 N. Lincoln. It’s a storefront theater started by Paul Sills, the original founder of Second City.
Almost completely improvisational, the young performing troupe act as both actors and narrators. They work with little props and costumes, much like Second City, so much is left up to the imagination of the audience.
Currently playing is “The Master Thief and other Tales” some of which are loosely based on fairy tales. The actors are accompanied by a guitarist-singer using contemporary music.
Performances on Thursday – Saturday are at 8:30 and 10:00. Prices are $3.00 on Saturday, and student rates are $1.00 on Thursday and Friday nights. It’s a good idea to get there early so you can get a parking place.
After the show you can stop in the curio and head shops, or look at the unusual people that live in the North Lincoln area.
Summer’s not far off, and the Ravinia music schedule is being announced. Located in Ravinia Park in Highland Park, the musical series has both classical and popular concerts.
Seiji Ozawa will be conducting for classical enthusiasts. Also popular artists such as Dionne Warwick and B.J. Thomas will be featured.
The park admission price is $2.50 for a cozy spot on the grass, with reserved seats a little more. Concerts are given on week nights as well as weekends, so check your newspapers closely for exact dates.
Better yet, try to get your hands on a complete schedule. They’re always done creatively, something to hang on your bulletin board.
So don’t worry if the movie section looks bad, there’s always something else going on.
Classified Ads
VIRGINIA: You bring babushka from old country?
MAUTS: How about some French lessons?
Ricky Masaki
To: Lisa, Carol, Eileen, Shirley, Pat, Patti and Amy, thanks for the lovely camping trip!
From: George, John, Ray, Randy, Lenny and Tim
R.K.: How's your French coming along? Are you progressing?
J.M.
MARILYN: You don't belong in a city of six million people UGH! Pack up your wampum and go back to tribal village UGH!
A Fellow Savage
D.M.: Hey Honeeee - watcha doing?
J.M.
DAB: Oink, Oink, Oink, Oink, Oink.
Arnold
GEORGE: You sure are a lousy poker player. Next time you better wear more clothes.
P&C
TIM: We liked the real you at Duncan! Try Duncan-Life at Roosevelt.
P&C
MY DEAREST MICHAEL: Sniff, Sniff, Ml Life, My Love, My All!!!
PATTI
RANDY E: You sure look cute in your pajamas.
P&C
GOTOR: Only a coup of months until the official opening of the Road Runners, alias the Devon Daredevils. Fasten your seatbelts.
THE DEVON KID
KEITH (K.C.): Congratulations on taking first in three meets at Steinmetz. Next time I'll expect you to beat out Ray by two full lengths.
PATTI: I'll have to let your mom know about the goings on at Camp. You're really a nightowl!
In Old Country, never wrote Classified Ads!
MR. WHYTE: Bobbypins are a great investment at 29cents. Scissor phantom around. Hair-BEWARE!
FERN & GERRIE: Congratulations on being elected Co-Captain(s)! Lots of luck and love always.
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid are alive and well and laughing loudly at the Gateway Theater.
HEIDI (Alias Lisa the K): What happened to the Pig Tails?
P.M.
WOODPECKER: Don't wake me just smile.
MIKE
PURPLE MARTIN: I'll flash your lights before I come in!
APE MAN
PAT: Can I have my pants back now?
GEORGE
CAROL R: John get out of my life.
R and G
LYRA: Sleep tight and pleasant dream "smack."
A Mid-Night Raider
P&C: Thanks for the midnight nap.
T and G
LYRA: Who won the football game on "holding" penalties?
Two spectators
P and C: Is that all you really did was play cards at Purple Martin?
HOOD
P and C.: Thanks for the use of your scarfs.
G and R
BELLE: Don't get nervous when you're hit by a truck. Next time Burn Rubber.
Fearful passengers
MAUREEN: Doctor says I'm allergic to tea.
YANA: Change your name to Majako tomorrow.
Camp Duncan Reveals ALL!!
My Dearest Lisa: Meet me in the cabin "Black Oak" at 4:00 A.M. Don't be late. Love and Kisses.
"Little Hood"
RAY and SHIRLEY: Were you two really catching frogs and feeding horses that day??
P&C
JZ & SM: The Maniac Car Rental Agency announces its biggest bargain of the century. This month you can have, at your disposal, a brand-old, chauffeur-driven, scratched up red Ford to drive you to your destination, whether it's Kedzie and Elston, Mozart and Belle Plaine, Sacramento and Belle Plaine or Downtown Snowbank. Our specialties include running into buses and police cars.
ENNYL AND BAD
Bowling team holds 3-1 record
by Scott Rosen
The Roosevelt bowling team which is coahed by Mr. Fermoyle has now boosted its record to three wins and one loss in league competition. The only returning letteren from last year’s squad are George Lazewski and Tim Pigott but the team has been aided tremendously by such newcomers as Scott rosen, Dennis Descher, Carl Painter, Russell Johnson, Lee Licea and Paul Zakzewski.
Since beating Kelly in their first game the team lost to Kelvyn Park, beat Tuley by a score of 2,510 to 2,020 and beat Schurz.
The next game the team plays is against Lane who won the city championship last year.
The team plays their gams at the Drake Bowl so go there and root your team to victory.
Frosh-soph rolls past Foreman
Frosh-soph shows plenty of action!
ROUGH RIDER review 