Leominster High School - Magnet Yearbook (Leominster, MA)

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THE MAGNET Crafts Club The art club was formed by freehand drawing students, interested in handicrafts and art work not taken in the drawing courses, and was under the direction of Miss Whiting, the drawing instructor. The only requirement for membership in this club was a minimum of one year of freehand drawing. This year the girls have made many useful and interesting things. First, mono- grammed portfolios were made and have been used throughout the year to hold unfinished work from week to week. The next project was book binding which proved to be ex- ceedingly interesting. Some of the girls made photograph books, others notebooks, and still others made diaries and autograph books. At Christmas time the members made very attractive and original Christmas cards either stenciled or block printed. Tooled and cut leather work was next, and many lovely things were made: cut belts, pocket books, and card cases. Now, the girls are finishing some very attractive, decorative parchment lampshades. The designs are original and well worked out. The next project they hope to take up is soap carving, an activity that is quite new but already very popular, and many commendable pieces of carving are expected. All the work undertaken has been very interesting and the projects have been inexpensive enough to include all the girls in the work; however, we have been rather handicapped by lack of necessary tools. It was impossible to do tie-dyeing because there was no gas nor sink in the freehand drawing room, while in bookbinding we felt the lack of a press to keep the books in shape. Nevertheless, there is an increasing interest in the things the girls have made and they have entered into every project with a keen interest and a whole-hearted enthusiasm. The club consists of fifteen members and is informal in organizatioh, having only one officer, the secretary-treasurer, Rachel Crawley, who accounts for the small amount of dues. The club was formed primarily to further an interest in handicrafts among the students of the high school, and we feel that the results have been most satisfactory.

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THE MAGNEI——— The Debating Club Three years ago a debating society, known as the Forum, was organized, with a group of twenty-three students. Meetings were held in the afternoon, but this year debating has been recognized as a regular school activity and meetings have been held every two weeks during school hours. The membership of the Club has greatly increased so that it has been able to carry on its work more successfully. Karly in the spring an invitation from Clark University was received to join the Interscholastic Debating League. This was accepted, and, on March 14, a dual debate was held with Athol High School. The question was, Resolved: ‘‘That the jury system should be abolished in the United States.” Our negative team, consisting of William Capone, Emmett Lavin, and John Sweeney, met Athol’s affirmative team at home, while our affirmative team comprising John Tobin, Kathryn Brady, and Francis Toolin went to Athol. The teams were coached by Mr. Rogers, the Faculty Advisor. Before the season closed a letter was received from Boston University stating that they were starting a debating league similar to the one Clark University has been sponsor- ing and inviting us to join. It was decided to accept the invitation because of the wider field of association. It is also hoped that the Clark League will be maintained. With these two leagues a better and more successful season is expected next year.

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THE MAGNET Junior Red Cross Club The Junior Red Cross Club was organized after a talk given on February 13, by Miss Dakin of the Boston Chapter of the American Red Cross. The next Thursday during Activities Period, about forty candidates for membership reported to Room 19. At this first meeting the following officers were elected: President, Barbara Barrett; Vice-President, Audry Marshall; Secretary, Barbara Bicknell; Treasurer, Rosamond Cook. Miss Johnson was chosen as Faculty Advisor. As Thanksgiving was near, the club voted to give some needy family in the city a Thanksgiving dinner. The club members responded very well and furnished a bounteous dinner for a family of five. The next project to be undertaken was the filling of Christmas boxes to be sent abroad. About ten boxes were sent from the Senior High, together with the contribution of the other Leominster schools. The club then took up the School Correspondence project of the Junior Red Cross. Under this plan several girls met together as a group and wrote interesting letters to other Junior Clubs in other High Schools. At our February meeting we were fortunate to have Miss Peekham from the head- quarters in Washington to speak to us on “The work of the Red Cross at Home and Abroad.” She told of many interesting and worth while projects that had been worked out by other Junior Red Cross Clubs. She brought several beautiful illustrations of work done by foreign chapters. Some of the more interesting ones were dolls dressed by Japanese girls and sent to America as good-will bearers, and some very beautiful embroidery done by Belgian peasant girls. The most helpful suggestion she gave us was the “Bedford Hospital Project,’ and the club decided to carry it out. Bedford Hospital celebrates May 12th as National Hospital Day. This is the one day in the year when recognition is given the nurses. The club dressed seventy-four small dolls in nurses’ uniforms to be used as souvenirs at the banquet. Several times during the year the girls visited the Home for Old Ladies, and entertained them with informal programs.