The Document Archive of John Dewey High School

Mike Lustig, a founding John Dewey High School Teacher:

In doing research for my 60's course, the exciting idea of doing a Hippie Wedding as a culminating class activity popped up. Students did research, the concept of what a HW might be like, and how it embodied the values of the 60's was explored. The band would pick songs, dancers would choreograph in honor of the bride and groom,( who would write their own vows). Student poets would dedicate their work, as well as gurus who would

comment on the issues of the day(war, the Military-Industrial Complex, drugs, sex, Rock and Roll,etc).

Group singing of the best folk songs of the 60's was also a prominent part of the HW. Tie dying on campus the two or so weeks before the Hippie Wedding generated interest. What started with maybe fifty people attending in 1981 mushroomed to three or four hundred in the 2000's. The HW became the symbolic end of the year event from about 1984-2005.

A documentary created in 1980 about the origins and philosophy of an experimental high school in Brooklyn N.Y. as told by creators, teachers and students and filmed by Jerome Majzlin.

Current Marien Bio Activities with Lane Rosen (Marine Bio teacher, John Dewey High School). 2015

Dr. Segal spoke during the 2010 Anniversary. (40 years)

During the 1970's we were able to sail on the City College chartered research vessels on the days they were not being used-- usually in the winter! with Andrew Hoffman, David Byck, David Goldenberg, Roz Poznansky, Mitch Green, David Cohen, Robert Wities, + you.