People often have trouble recognizing their unique gift or special talent.
Sometimes if we pay attention, we can learn to recognize the secret of our unique talent early on in life. This was brought home to me in dramatic fashion recently at our 50th year high school reunion. A friend, Donna Gillespie, gave me a copy of an article from the June 1964 Ferndale Eagle Newspaper. The article described a program that I had started at age 16, during my senior year. As I read the article I discovered that without knowing it, I had discovered my unique talent in high school. It has been my great fortune for the past 50 years to have been able to continue to use this talent in my career and personal life.
Here is the article as appeared 51 years ago. I am interested in your response, and your story about how you discovered your personal gift and unique talent.
Dr. Rob
“A New ‘Clique’” by Marty Bloomfield, June 1964
Ferndale Eagle Newspaper, “Published by the Students of Ferndale High School”
“Have you heard the news? There’s a new “clique” in Ferndale High. It’s big (40 boys), highly organized, (a set of goals and frequent meetings at preselected “hangouts”), and destructive (trying to undermine some of the student body’s basic beliefs). The “clique” with members who are emphatic about carrying out the programs and bolstering the influence of the group is also strong and unified. The school administration, although fully aware of the gravity of the situation, has not tried to discourage the movement in any way.
The name of this active new “clique” is the Student Relations Council (SRC), and its purpose is to eliminate through understanding the tension and friction between the various social and racial groups (or cliques) at our school. The SRC (created by senior Robert Pasick), representing every major group in the school, has been meeting for the past several months and has accomplished a great deal. Not only does it involve candid discussions with everyone laying their true feelings on the line, but it also acts proposed projects. It was the Student Relations Council that sponsored last month’s student relations assembly featuring Dr. L. Schwartz, Professor of Social Psychology at Wayne State University.
At the assembly, Rob Pasick, president of the SRC, also outlined its five goals. They are:
- To lessen the strife and ill-feelings that now exist between various groups at FHS.
- To insure all students adequate recognition for achievement, not just those on academic program. The council has already talked to all teachers about this.
- To plan school activities that appeal to all students, not just a particular segment.
- To provide understanding for students in trouble. Students who want to are allowed to come before the council, which tries to understand the problem and help in any way it can. This has already been done, and two previous offenders are now active members of the SRC.
- To eliminate the pressures on freshmen to join cliques. The council feels that one of the best ways to solve the problem is to stop it at the freshman level before it starts.
- Underlying these goals and all the work of the council is the broad aim of “more respect between students through recognition and understanding.”
The council owes its creation to the cancellation of the Homecoming Dance last October. The popular traditional dance was ruled out because the administration feared an outbreak of vandalism and fighting due to racial tension. The Student Council was concerned, and Rob Pasick, a senior representative, was appointed to look into a solution for the problem. Rob came up with the idea of a Student Relations Council and was authorized to set one up. Rob followed through, and in early January a group of 15 boys representing all major racial and social groups at FHS, got together and formed the present SRC. Both councils then agreed that the Student Relations Council should sever all legal and constitutional ties with the Student Council so that the SRC could function with more freedom and effectiveness.
Since then the SRC has met at least 12 times, mostly in the homes of members. They have held two breakfasts in the teachers dining room to discuss policy with the teachers and principal, and the endorsement and cooperation of the administration. Members of the council include:
Jim Springston, Jack Clarkson, Jim Beltz, Howard Bibb, Alan Fishman, Fred Larsen, George Morey, Bruce Pealteer, D Martenson, Craig Cowell, Frank Graves, Larry Lockridge, Marty Heckie, Tim Cornell, Ken Krabenhoft, Mike Robinson, Steve Johnson, Rob Pasick, Nathan Tounsel, Lee Palmer, Huey Long
At home meetings, with no teachers or girls around to inhibit anyone’s comments, the boys get the most done. In the informal discussion everyone comments on all aspects of student relations. Rob says that the seriousness and sincerity with which the guys speak is very encouraging, and all come away with a deeper understanding and respect for the other fellows.
Ken Krabbenhoft, a senior living in Pleasant Ridge and last year’s foreign exchange student to Brazil, was impressed by the fact that everyone had something worthwhile to say. No one group dominates the meeting. Ken said that he never understood how concerned some minority groups were until he joined the SRC (The SRC is definitely against labels like “Greasy” and “P.R.” – high income students from Pleasant Ridge, but it does recognize existence of these problems.) He was very pleased with the constructive approach displayed by all.
Howard Bibbs, a Negro senior said the idea of the SRC was something he had always been in favor of. He felt that with the work the SRC was doing the situation was “bound to get better.” Howard added that all students, not just the council, should actively strive to increase understanding and harmony within the student body.
As you can see the Student Relations Council of Ferndale High is unique. No other school in this area has anything that measures up to its freedom and effectiveness. But FHS itself is quite a unique high school. We have students representing a very wide range of social and economic differences, and the SRC is working to “capitalize on these differences,” for the betterment of the entire student body. GOOD LUCK“