Were you at Northland in the 1975 School Year? Fifty years ago the US population was 215,973,199 people and the average life expectancy was 72.6 years. The median household income was $11,800 and the average new home cost $42,600. At the local grocery store a gallon of milk ($1.57) along with a dozen eggs ($0.77) was just a little over two dollars. A gallon of gas was $0.57 and a postage stamp was $0.10.
At the academy Awards, the “Oscar” winner for Best Actor was Jack Nicholson and his co-star Louise Fletcher won Best Actress. Their director, Milos Forman, won Best Director and it all was from their work in the winner for Best Picture and Best Screenplay. Do you remember the movie? All of them flew over the nest to win the “Oscars.” Getting scared to go into the water was a popular thing as well, the movie “Jaws” was the top money making movie of 1975.
The top rated television show was “All in the Family”, with “Rich Man, Poor Man” and “Laverne and Shirley” rounding out the top three. The Emmy Award for best drama went to “Police Story.” The Emmy voters loved “The Mary Tyler Moore Show”, giving it the best comedy award with its actors – Mary Tyler Moore/ Best Actress, Betty White/ Best Supporting Actress, and Ted Knight/ Best Supporting Actor.
Over at the Grammys, album of the year was “Still Crazy After All These Years” by Paul Simon. Captain and Tennille won Record of the Year with “Love Will Keep Us Together”, while the Billboard Top Song was “Sister Golden Hair” by America.
In the world of sports, the Pittsburgh Steelers won Super Bowl X (second in a row), the Philadelphia Flyers won the Stanley Cup (also second time in a row), the Golden State Warriors won the NBA championship, and the Cincinnati Reds won the World Series. Archie Griffin won the second of his two Heisman Trophies.
To see what else was going on in the world during 1975, click the link below.
Back at Northland, the 1974-75 school year was a year of firsts. NHS saw a new principal, Charles Pollock, take the helm.
A new course, Auto Mechanics was added to the curriculum in the space that is now home to the Viking Wellness Center. Not to mention, Homecoming Queen Natalie Saggio presiding over Northland’s first use of “Stairway to Heaven” as a theme at the Homecoming dance. Has it been used since?
The Drama department did not disappoint, presenting a powerful performance of “The Diary of Anne Frank” as well as a light hearted production of “The Emperor’s New Clothes”
It appears to be on the golf team, bell bottoms or plaid pants are required. 
The description says it all…
More memories await for paid NHSAF members, check out the 1975 yearbook HERE