Here we go again! HPHS of course stands for Huntington Park High School, we were the "Spartans". Colors Orange and Grey. A very good school way back then. High standards, graduating some of the best who were to become leaders, doctors, etc. In fact I was happy to discover one of the fellas in my small graduating class became an FBI Agent. Now that was class! From some of the other years, we had Plastic Surgeons, High Class Pasadena Lawyers and Society Ladies in their communities.
These were the years when WWII was still being faught and many of the young men went into service. In fact a number of them paid their last full measure in the closing days of the conflict either in Europe or the South Pacific.
I didn't however start this memory lane wandering to talk about such things. No, I decided I wanted to share something that was pretty darn important to any student who entered good olde HPHS. That was the routine of getting the memorbilia that went with attending. When you were a Freshman, you merely had the honor of being on Campus and learning where all your classes were. Hopefully you could get your classes close enough together that you didn't have to go from one end of the Campus to the other.
You know we still had a number of bungalo classrooms left over from the Earthquake of 1933. They were very sturdy, and housed some of the less college prep classes. In one we had Girls Glee and Choir with Mr. Burditt.
He sure was a good teacher, and great Music Director. Learned a lot from him. Tried to plan such classes before Lunch, or before school was over for the day. That way making it across Campus to another class wasn't so hectic. Couldn't always manage it, but it was worth the good try when a new semester started. Business classes, unfortunately, were not always held in the same building, so that was another hassle. I managed pretty well most of the time.
When one was half way through the Freshman Year, you could order your School Class Pin. It had the Logo of the School and of course the year you should graduate. Those pins were pretty important to every student. They were not cheap either, so having one made you pretty classey to say the least.
When you were half way through the Sophomore Year, you could older your Class Ring. More expense, but they were varied in style, stone, and of course School Logo and Graduation Year. I remember mine had abalone shell, dark grey with the beautiful coloring to back the School Logo. Wore it with a great deal of pride. The pin was still important. I had added to mine a chain and a $ sign to tell I was, or had been on the School Council as Commisioner of Finance. I enjoyed that job. Planned the dance muscians and took care of the ticket booth at all the athletic events held on Campus. That ment I never saw any of the games, but I was busy during most of them.
When you were half way through the Junior Year you could order your Senior Sweater. Now this was an event. First everyone in the Class had the opportunity to design and/or vote on the Year Emblem which was worn over the left hand pocket of the sweater. You could order a slip over or a cardigan style. Of course the Class voted on the color of the sweater as well. Unfortunately, the year I graduated, we still had fall out from the War and they were not making sweaters. We could buy an emblem if we wished, but I didn't bother. I didn't like the color that was chosen for my year, so passed on that. I had so admired Ronalds sweater. The year he graduated 1944 they had ordered baby blue sweaters with a dark blue and cream colored emblem. They really looked classey.
I never was part of GAA. Those sweaters for the girls were White with Orange and Gray sleeve stripes for the number of years activity and of course the GAA Emblem over the left hand pocket. The boys Letterman
Sweaters were Grey with the Orange and Cream colored Emblem over the left pocket. Orange stripes on the sleeve for years active and the emblems from what sports competed in.
I can't pass up telling you Jay, who went to Bell High School, one of our arch rivals, had earned a letter in Track and Basketball. Their Letterman Sweaters were Purple with Orange Stripes on the Sleeve. He was tall, so had an extra long sweater. Had it for years, I have no recollection whatever happened to it. It made a coat for short olde me.
Most of my High School years were colored by the War. The normal things my Brothers had experienced were absent for our class. We did not have the Big Posh Year Books. That high grade paper and ink, were just not available. We had a very small paper back covered year book by 1947, but it certainly left a great deal to be desired compared to what both Ralph and Ronald had for their years in school at HPHS. Of course Ralph only attended there a couple of years. We moved to California in 1935 and he Graduated in 1939. Way back when!
I am sure School is different now, but I just wanted to share this part of my life with the family. Oh, the color they picked for my Graduating Year was red. Not a pretty color of red either. Maybe they picked it because there weren't going to be any Sweaters, so they were'nt that disappointed. The Emblem as I recall was going to be Black and white on a Red Sweater. Like I said you were welcome to buy the Emblem with HPHS and the 1947 on it and have it put on a Cardigan or Slip Over if you wished. Some did, but I didn't feel like it was worth the price. I did have a pin, which now is minus the School Logo, but the $ is still attached. My Ring also lost the logo, and it has been lost over the years. Have no idea when or where. The memory remains, and the pride I recall I had wearing these two pieces. This might be interesting to note both; the pin and ring were a way of showing a couple were going 'steady'. The guy would give his 'girl' his pin to wear on her blouse or sweater, or his ring to wear either with a lot of yarn wrapped around it on her finger, or on a chain around her neck. Some of the girls gave their boy friends her ring to wear on a little finger if it fit. I don't recall them sharing their pins. Guys didn't really care about wearing a girls pin. Sweaters, both Senior and Letterman were worn by Girl Friends. No, I never had that opportunity. Like I said, we didn't have Sweaters during the War Years. I guess that is why Pins and Rings got the wear.
Well, for what ever reason, it appears things are a great deal different now a days. I am sure there are other things that have been adopted as signs of various importance on Campus at the local schools. You know we never had a lot of Cheer Leading. At least it was not as BIG a thing as it has turned out to be in todays Schools. When Dawn was in School it was a really big thing. I called them, and still do for that matter, the Rah, Rah, Girls. Once little girls use to play house, nurse, teacher, etc. Now I see them in the front yard doing routines of Cheer Leaders. I will never get use to that. A 'sign of the times' I guess. Well - things come and go.
So must I, at least for this writting.
Written this 1 day of October 2010
by: Eileen Rosenberg
No comments:
Post a Comment