Rewinding time: Insight into the culture changes at MHS in the past five decades

Fifty years ago…

Until Title IX was passed in 1972, girls were restricted to participating in the drill team, cheer team, and the majorettes. Starting in the 1973 school year, the Girls’ Athletic Association was established which included volleyball, bowling, basketball, swimming, gymnastics, track, tennis and golf. Before this, girls participated in the Girls’ Timing Organization, which helped the boys’ sports. Only seven years since the school’s opening in 1965, students were still adjusting to the new environment, including ongoing construction to the building itself.

Forty years ago…

During the 1982-83 school year, the community petitioned for an elected school board instead of appointed. The school board proposed a 7-period school day to fit more classes into students’ days. Throughout the year, many changes to curriculum and teaching style were proposed.

Thirty years ago…

Along with introducing new technology such as early Macintosh computers, there were also many policy changes during the 1992-93 school year. In August 1992, the school board made all Munster schools smoke free. They  also made sexual assault an official school violation. Taking place over the entire school year, the North Central Organization sent a visitation team to study the school’s academics, organization and athletics. They gave critiques, saying MHS’ weakness was vocational education.

Twenty years ago…

Starting off the 2002-03 school year, the Supreme Court gave schools the power to randomly drug test students after two years of it being prohibited. Moving further into the school year, teachers started to worry about class sizes increasing from the average of approximately 25 students to almost 30 per class. Today, class sizes continue to increase, with the average being approximately 35 students per class. It remains an issue, especially with the number of teachers leaving the profession.

Ten years ago…

Following the school shooting  at Sandy Hook Elementary School in December of 2012 and a shooting at Southlake Mall, students became more concerned with safety at school and in the community. Also due to the 2012 election, there was an increase in students interested in politics. Talk of legislation regarding guns in schools began to become more prevalent, which continues to be a largely discussed topic today. Despite the highly competitive nature of MHS staying the same, students and staff became less focused on school policy change and more concerned with state and nation wide education issues.