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

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THE CLIFTONIAN 23 SIXTH GRADE The sixth grade celebrated Christmas in the usual manner—party, Christmas tree and exchange of gifts. They also had a Valentine party. Some interesting work in original poetry and stories has been done by the class. Booklets were made on Abraham Lincoln which contained poems, a short biography, a detailed incident and a dramatization of an episode in Lincoln’s life. Some of those dramatized were produced before the class. Grover Taylor won first prize in the Lincoln essay contest. Poetry anthologies and nature study note books were made and an interesting Colonial project was also carried on. -------------o------------- SEVENTH GRADE During the year we have had twenty-four pupils registered. We have enjoyed the school year with its many activities. The transportation project which we developed proved to be very interesting We learned the methods of land travel throughout the world, also the development of water travel from galley to steamer. In connection with this work the boys made two miniature airplanes, a speed boat, a cruiser and a battleship. We have kept in touch with the news of the world in our “Morning News • Club”.; also enjoyed many jokes and stories. For our assembly program at Christmas time we presented the play “An Old-fashioned Christmas.” We have enjoyed attending all of the assemblies. We have had the Health Banner several times during the year. Our study of birds during the Spring months has taught us to be more observing and to appreciate nature. We have seen fifty different kinds of birds. -------------o------------- EIGHTH GRADE School opened the first of September with the usual chatter and excitement. At the beginning of the year our attendance was twenty-four but it has now increased to thirty pupils. The girls in our grade Were allowed to take, as one of their subjects, Home Economics II, which is a high school subject. December the seventeenth, we gave two plays, “Getting Experience,” and “Wanted—a Wife,” as our part of the assembly program. In January we were allowed to take the regents in the following subjects: Arithmetic, Spelling, and Silent Reading. After we had passed these subjects we were allowed to take new subjects. (Algebra and Civics.) In spite of the fact that we have had so many absences because of vaccinations and epidemics, we have one girl, Isabel Adams, who has had perfect attendance up to the time of this writing while three others have missed this mark only by a very few absences. -------------o-----------— THE MOON Last night when I went up to bed Peeping through my window was a round gold head. I stopped. It seemed as though it winked at me But then I thought, “That can not be The moon out there winking at me.” I snuggled down into my bed But there it was when I uncovered my head. I jumped to the floor and ran to the sill But the moon was sturdy and standing still. I was satisfied and surprised as could be For a swinging branch made it wink at me. —BLANCHE FOX, Grade 6 -------------o-----------— Miss LeGrand: “How would you punctuate this sentence: A pretty girl walking down the street turned a corner just as I saw her?” Park Wright: “I would make a dash after her.” -------------o------------- Russ Burgess: “My dad is an Elk. a Moose, a Lion, and an Eagle.” Bill Fox: “How much does it cost to see him?”

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22 THE CLIFTONIAN SECOND GRADE Eighteen pupils have been registered in this grade during the year. The children have done a great deal of project work during the year such as displaying and re-enacting the life and customs of the early settlers, and of the Indians. They have, also, done a great deal of weaving on a large loom. The pupils have made their own patterns, and have selected the ones they considered the best. During the month of June they have been working on a toy project which will be exhibited at the closing exercises. The new system of manuscript writing has been introduced and used with much pleasure and success. —L. BISHOP. -------------o------------- THIRD GRADE This year the third grade has had a registration of thirty-one; twelve boys and nineteen girls. Geography has been the favorite subject. These boys and girls are eager to learn about the world they live in, and the slides from the Education Department are a great help to this end. “My Weekly Reader,” published for Third Grade, has also awakened their interest and increased their knowledge of geography, and also of nature study and history. Having read much of China, the students decided to work out a project about this country. The library has been a source of great enjoyment. Frequent library periods have been held in which books which had been read were discussed. The social events of the year have been a Hallowe’en party, a Christmas party and a celebration of Valentine Day. Some of the children took part in the program at the P.-T. A. meeting in December and others had parts in the Washington’s Birthday program, giving the playlet, “The Making of the First Flag.” -------------o------------- FOURTH GRADE The fourth grade social activities have consisted of a few little parties, namely, at Christmas, Easter, and Valentine’s Day. The work for this year has progressed rapidly. The Geography travel slides were especially enjoyable. The bird house contest proved inspiring. Several boys and girls built houses for our feathered friends. Prizes were awarded to the best. We have had excellent attendance, receiving the attendance banner many times. The banking cup was awarded to us three months. In retrospect we have had a very interesting and happy school year. —K. MAC ANIFF. -------------o------------- FIFTH GRADE When school opened in September, 1931, there were twenty-four pupils in the fifth grade. We are ending the year with twenty-three, as one member left in April. Our first party was at Hallowe’en time. Each child came masked and much enjoyment was had in trying to guess who each one was. Christmas time brought us another party with a large Christmas tree, decorated by the children, holding a gift for every child. On May 25th everyone returned tired but happy from a picnic held at the Outlet. Supper cooked over an open fire was quickly consumed by twenty-three hungry children although there were a few ashes and burned edges on some of it. At Christmas time a play was given entitled, “The Christmas Spirit,” at a meeting held by the Parent-Teacher Association. For the Washington Bi-Centennial Celebration the playlet, “A Dream,” was presented and repeated again at the Parent-Teacher Association Convention which was held in our school on May the seventh. On May sixteenth, the same players went to Penn Yan to give the play before the Parent-Teacher Association of that city. The class has been very much interested in working out a large map of the United States on the blackboard. As the different sections of our country were studied, products typical of that part of the country were placed on it. The year has been an interesting and profitable one for the fifth grade.

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24 THE CLIFTONIAN DANDELION Dandelion! Dandelion! What makes your color so bright? I know! I know! You stand in the cheery warm sunlight. The fiery sun drops the gold on you Shining down the whole day through. But after you have stood so long You put on silver, then some down. Along comes the wind and blows you away. But we’ll expect your return on another bright day. —AINSWORTH BENNETT, Grade 6 -------------0------------ WANDERING This man expresses his desire: “I like home and a cheerful fire, But I place first the golden trail. This trail. I think, will never fail To keep me happy—I’ll never tire Of wandering.” The next old man is telling me: “I have a home down by the sea. It is pleasant—I like it there— To sit alone and dream how fair ’Twould be to cross the sea— Thus wandering.” A woman thought of dreams come true, Of friends who were now but very few; She thought of home and fireside bright, And sat and dreamed far in the night Of love, home and friendships true— Her wanderings. I, too, care for home and friendships true, I place these before the wanderer’s view. Each person has his own choice, But I must now strongly voice That I like my home, old or new— Not wanderings. —HELEN TAYLOR, Eng. I. --------------o----------- “ ’TIS ONLY DAYLIGHT THAT MAKES SIN”—Milton The thought that Milton means to put in Comus’ mouth by this meaningful excerpt is that sin committed at night is not sin because the darkness covers it up. Now—about our beliefs concerning sin today—if you were told that Comus’ belief is held today—not altogether, but in varying degrees—would you believe it? “How childish”—“How absurd,” you might exclaim. But, is it? Let me explain. Take any person—Timothy Hay, for example: He goes out some night and gets drunk, and, as is the usual case, he repeats the good time. Now. has he sinned, or hasn’t he? Presumably he hasn’t. The crowd has given its verdict—not in words, but by smirks of approval, slaps on the back, and a certain degree of popularity. (By the way, a more detailed accounting of this can be had in any book on .mob psychology.) His act no longer bothers him; his conscience having died of misuse. Those who care for him are usually those who are blessed with the sort of ignorance that is bliss, and those propagandists who would back up his tastes say that he is merely pursuing happiness as is his constitutional right. (?) Summarily: He hasn’t sinned because his act is ignored by some, enlivened l- others, unknown to others, and “ ’Tis only daylight that makes sin.” —H. ROTH. Eng. IV. ------------o------------ Miss Trautman: “Laura, I’ve told you to stir the cocoa three or four times.” Laura: “Well, I’m sorry, Miss Trautman, but I have cotton in my ears.”