Clifton Springs High School - Cliftonian Yearbook (Clifton Springs, NY)

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20 THE CLIFTONIAN March, Mrs. Stenari of the Rochester Normal had charge of the kindergarten and carried on the work most successfully for five weeks. At Easter time we joined the First and Second Grades in conducting an Easter Sale with its Flower Shop and Gift Shop, the proceeds of which were given to the Landscaping Committee of the P. T. A. During the year a Kindergarten Rhythm Band has been organized and will have its first public concert on June 13th at our closing exercises. Throughout the year a lunch of cocoa, or milk and crackers, has been served the children each morning. We wish to thank Max-y Louise Connolly, Jean Vanderhoof and Mary Tomlinson of the Eighth Grade who faithfully assisted each day in the preparation and serving of the lunch. Each child in the kindergarten has been given the Detroit Intelligence Test. Parents have loyally co-operated with Miss Woodruff in all health work and splendid results have been accomplished in this line. Our kindergarten has been a happy meeting place each day. We have had our songs and stories, our work and play. We hope, through this work and play, to have accomplished the aim of all kindergartens—that the children in our care shall have developed physically, mentally, morally and spiritually. MILDRED L. BROWN THE FIRST GRADE At the beginning of the school year I had 38 pupils enrolled, but during the year sevei'al dropped out and new ones entered so that my register at present is 33. During September the children were busy making and finishing a “Three Bears House.” The stox-y had been told to them and then they dramatized it. The children suggested making the house and seemed to enjoy it. At Hallowe’en we had a party. The kindergarten, first and second grades united. The children came in costume and then we played games in the auditorium. After the games the children went to their own rooms for refreshments. During November we studied Indian life. We began by having the story of “Hiawatha”. Then we made an Indian village in the sand table like the one we had read about. Then we studied the Pilgrims and made a Pilgrim village in the sand table also. At Christmas time we had a Christmas party in our room. We played games and then we received our presents from the tree. All the decorations were made by the children. In January we took up the different kinds of transportation. We went down to the New York Central station and watched the trains enter and leave. Then we went in the waiting room to see where the tickets were obtained. After we had talked about our trip we built the station and train in our sand table. Then we studied the different winter sports. We talked about them and drew winter scenes with action figures, skiing and skating. In February we had a Valentine’s Party. The children made their Valentine box and brought Valentines to put in the box for their friends. Before Easter vacation the kindergarten, first and second grades had an Easter Sale”. We had a “Gift Shop,” and a “Flower Shop.” The articles and posters were made by the children. They also had charge of the sale. The money was given towards the shrubbery for the school. During the Spring months we studied about the wind, birds and flowers. We made kites, weather vanes and drew pictures that showed the winds of March. From our bird study we drew pictures of bii'ds and made bird houses. Later we took up gardening. We planted the seeds in egg shells. I have had a lovely group of children and have enjoyed working with them all year. ESTHER LAMSON, Teacher

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THE CLIFTONIAN 19 THE KINDERGARTEN DOINGS IN THE GRADES With the opening of the new school, came the opening of the Kindergarten as a new department. During the summer of last year, a series of posters, loaned us by the National Kindergarten Association, setting forth the advantages of the kindergarten, was exhibited in the business section. A series of articles on the Kindergarten was printed in the Press. In September, thirty-one children registered in our first class. We have, at present, a class of thirty-two, which is divided in two groups. Learning our way to and from school, and getting acquainted, occupied us quite completely for a few weeks. Our first celebration took place in the Auditorium on Hallowe’en. where we joined the First and Second Grades at their annual costume party. In November, we made our first theatrical appearance when we dramatized “The Three Little Kittens” for the regular Wednesday Assembly. Although somewhat overcome by our au- dience and surroundings, we “carried on” to the best of our four-year-old ability. Christmas time, always the high spot of the year for the children, was a most happy occasion. Gifts were made for parents and friends, and the mothers and younger children were guests at the Christmas party. In January, trains were studied as a means of transportation. Visits were paid to the Lehigh and New York Central Stations. Later, stations, trains, tracks, coalshutes, semaphores, etc., appeared on the Kindergarten floor as the children represented their impressions by means of blocks, paints, and the materials of the Kindergarten. In February, a Mother’s Meeting and Tea was held. Miss Woodruff spoke on “Nutrition.” Literature on this topic was distributed to everyone present. The mothers were also given lists of books suitable for small children. A pleasant social hour followed. During the later part of February and

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THE CLIFTONIAN 21 SECOND GRADE During the year there have been 30 children registered in the second grade, 16 girls and 14 boys. The Primary department gave the Thanksgiving program in the Auditorium. The Second grade were costumed as Pilgrims and gave a series of tableaux. This grade also had a part in the Easter sale of hand work and, as the money raised was used for purchasing shrubs for the grounds, we were asked to take part in the planting. This grade gave a short program. During the winter we had a feeding station for the birds on our window sill, we had nuthatches, chickadees and downy woodpeckers as guests. This spring we were fortunate in having orioles outside our window and we contributed bits of string for their nest. The new easel has been a source of much pleasure. The children have enjoyed painting pictures to illustrate the story work. This group seems exceptionally talented in that line. THIRD GRADE When school opened in September, the Third Grade contained twenty-eight pupils. During the year four boys left us, so we are finishing the year with twenty-four children. During the year the grade has twice been the proud possessor of the Attendance Banner, and three times it has won the Banking Cup. Seventeen of the children have won their Palmer Method Buttons. This is the largest number of children who have ever succeeded in winning these buttons in the Third Grade. At Christmas time the children dramatized the story, “Peter and the Strange Little Old Man,” as their part of the Christmas entertainment. Afterward, they enjoyed a tree and presents in their own room. The members of the Fourth Grade were their guests. On St. Valentine’s Day they had a party. The valentines which they sent to one another were distributed, after which refreshments were enjoyed. Before St. Valentine’s Day they sent val- entines to the children at Oak Mount Sanatorium. At the picture Exhibit in February the third grade chose “The Torn Hat,” by Sully, as their special picture. George Barton posed to represent the picture. All of the children enjoyed this exhibit very much and added much to their knowledge of the masterpieces of art. One warm day in April, the class and their teacher took a trip to the Outlet. They gathered specimens of soil along the way, as soil was their special topic for geography during the month. They also observed the birds and flowers. During April, they also made Health Posters. These were placed on exhibition in Griswold Gray’s store. FOURTH GRADE All members of our grade have thoroughly enjoyed the new school, especially the gymnasium, which added interest and zest to the winter indoor play periods. At present baseball is reigning high. It is predicted that from our ranks a few Babe Ruth’s mav be developed. The work in Geography has been most interesting. This, in part, has been due to our new facilities for stereop-tican slides on various countries. We took a vote for the favorite subject. Geography took first place, Nature Study, second, and Arithmetic third. In March, we formed a Junior Au-budon Society to motivate the study and protection of birds. Our social activities consisted of two parties. Everyone had a good time in a small way. M. K. MacANIFF. Miss Frantz—“What does, ‘He stayed not for brake’, mean?” Sue—He never stopped for a mechanical contrivance to reduce speed by means of friction.” Mrs. Hall—“Why have you been getting such low marks this term?” Eloise—“Why, don’t you know that everything’s marked down after Christmas?”