The Falcon
Morton West Blog
Has it really been 50 years since we graduated Morton West High School? I know we are all in that surreal feeling of nostalgia about it.
So lucky we are to be right here, right now. We were a big class of 742 on Graduation Day in 1975. This was reported to me by our classmate John Skoubis, who was on the Graduation Committee that day in June.
All filled with hope and excitement for our futures beyond Morton West. We went into our Journeys...college, workforce, marriages, children, and life events. What a ride it has been!
Our artists became artists, our scientists explored amazing new scientific fields, our business students opened franchises. Our AV guys went into television and won Emmys. Many took over their family businesses and some got in their cars and drove to California to create their futures there. Our class not only produced Chicago's Mr. Beef, we have The Food Network's Dr. BBQ, also.
The women of our Class of 1975 had opportunities their mothers only dreamed of having in the work force. Some became doctors and veterinarians, sales women traveling the world. Some studied computers and developed websites for major corporations. Then we had the trailblazers, taking on jobs in male-dominated industries, opening doors for generations of women to come.
I am so proud to be part of this amazing Class of 1975.
We have so much to celebrate!
Jan Ketza
Class of 1975 Alumni,
One of your Artists, that became the Artist she wanted to be.
The Ed Dabrowski Photography Collection Morton West 1971-1975
In 1971, as a freshman at Morton West High School, Edward Dabrowski began shooting photos of his time in high school.
1100 negatives were produced during this period, creating a photo documentary of teenage life in Berwyn, Illinois, 1971-1975.
These 1100 negatives were stored away in Ed Dabrowski's family home basement in Stickney, IL, for 50 years. Here is where his father had built a darkroom studio for him to encourage his interest in photography as a student.
For 50 years the negatives went untouched, until now, to celebrate Morton West Class of 1975 50th High School Reunion. Ed thought it would be a great time to bring out and work on them for the Reunion. After he sent the first batch of scanned negatives to the Reunion Committee to be reviewed, it was then discovered what an amazing time capsule of our high school life was presented in these photos. Ed is working weekly taking the negatives, scanning them one by one, making digital copies, then forwarding them to Jan Ketza for editing and then uploading onto our Morton West 1975 Website Photo Gallery for all classmates to view.
Please check back often to watch the progress unfold.
The photos are all in Black and White. The images captivate your heart and take you on a nostalgic journey back in time. They cause you to pause and recall the simpler times of our lives. You'll relive good memories, friends you grew up with, and possibly wake up the dormant teenager in you!
What an incredible serendipitous gift this is!
~Jan Ketza
Class of 1975 Alumni
Teachers Don’t Know If They Influenced Your Life,
So Tell Them
A few years back, my friend, Greg Slawko, gave me some good advice. He asked if any teachers in high school had a profound affect on my life. If someone did, I need to find that teacher and let them know that what they did really mattered to me, especially if it moved my life in an unexpected trajectory.
With this in mind, there were two teachers at Morton West that I needed to thank. One was an English teacher during my sophomore year, Patty Bellin. She was the first teacher who told me that I could be a good writer. The other teacher was our Falcon newspaper advisor, John Stebbins. When I was a Junior and a Senior, he gave me the chance to actually write meaningful pieces. It was the first spark that showed me that writing could be part of a career.
It took a while, but I finally located John Stebbins. After he left Morton, he worked as a reporter for the Bloomberg news service, then he and his wife retired and moved to Knoxville, Tennessee.
I sent him a letter and explained that the time he spent with me to edit my work and to improve my writing approach built up my confidence. What he taught me was a solid cornerstone for my 40-year career in communications and public relations. He was a teacher who truly influenced the life of this student.
To be honest, I wasn’t sure if he would even remember me. He wrote back to me and “phew,” he did remember me. He told me that it was a great comfort to know that his teaching career meant something to someone. He was glad that he offered a positive influence.
I am happy that I followed Greg Slawko’s advice. If a teacher can have a positive affect on just one student, then it is worth the effort. I still have work to do. I need to find Patty Bellin, even after 52 years. But I'm glad that I connected with Mr. Stebbins.
My advice: If there is a teacher that changed your life, find that person. Let them know that their work has meaning.
Tony Molinaro
Morton West Class of ‘75