Today Marks 40th Anniversary of RAP Day at Warde Giving Students & Teachers a Chance to "Relate"

Relations Among People (RAP), an event for which members of the Andrew Warde High School community came casually dressed and spent the day getting to know each other better, took place 40 years ago today, Thursday, May 21, 1970.

The program was designed to break down some of the barriers between generations and improve human relations. There were no regularly scheduled classes. Headmaster Ken Petersen's office was decorated with two large balloons inscribed with the words "peace" and "love."

Dressed casually in a striped, short-sleeved shirt, Petersen said some faculty members were concerned with the polarization which took place in the school on Moratorium Day in mid-October. As a result, a group of faculty members proposed having a "human relations" day. He said the students had a role in the planning the day, too.

Although he admitted he was somewhat apprehensive at first, the Warde headmaster said, "I think we have accomplished a lot of the things we set out to do." However, absenteeism ran slightly higher than normal with some 200 of the 1,600-student body not present. Petersen said there are usually about 100 students out each day.

The day began with an assembly in the auditorium which included the film The Detached American, which dealt with human relations in the school, the family, the military, and race relationships. Dr. H. Parker Lansdale, a community leader and human relations worker, also spoke to the students.

Creative arts workshops, planned by student Pat Rogalin, included nature and art shows, a student photo exhibit, and a pop art show. Discussion groups, arranged by Dr. Marvin Mankowitz, a guidance counselor and one of the organizers, featured topics on racism, how to disagree and still like someone, dissent, and the generation gap.

Laura Giat and Maynard Taylor, a faculty member, planned social programs on drugs, student-to-student relationships, student-to-teacher relationships, and the draft and Vietnam. A film about the inner-city was also shown by its two young producers from Father Panik village.

Captain Patrick L. Carroll of the Fairfield Police department conducted one-on-one relations between police and "kids," and Rev. George Heron conducted a workshop on one-on-one marital relations. Other topics included social change through institutional channels, the relationship between patriotism and dissent, and youth-adult communication.

The courtyard was the scene of a folk and rock concert by the group Four in the Morning from Woodcrest, New York, a performance by Kyle Sherwood and other individuals as well as groups.

Students were enthusiastic about the day. Junior Jeff Greenberg felt RAP day was needed and was well-received. "We ought to have one every week," he added. Ken Sniadecki and Bob Maloney, who both helped with the planning, thought it was successful.

Bob Scholz, who was "a little disappointed that more kids didn't get into the discussions," said he still thought the event was well worth it. "With what we learned today, we could make a better RAP day next time," he added.

"Fantastic," was how senior Ronnie Bernsetin described the day. "When people can get together like this they forget about differences and are friendly with each other. Their hangups go floating off in the air."

Faculty member Arnold Wile said RAP day was the result of three to four months of planning and hours and hours of meetings. "This was a first," he said. "There are bound to be ways to improve another time."

English teacher Robert Gillette, who originally proposed RAP day, explained that when he was teaching at an inner-city school in Buffalo, the faculty came up with a similar idea of people communicating with each other.

Wile felt that the school population at Warde is no different from the town's population. "We have been trying to stop the polarity. It's no panacea, but it's a start," he stated.

Paul