Plainfield High School - Milestone Yearbook (Plainfield, NJ)

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THE ORACLE. 25 Johnny. For a long time there had been rumors of a new school and we had even expected to have a year in it. We got but four months, and are thankful for that. We are the first class to hold our class day exercises in this building, and we are glad to have such a nice place to entertain our friends. Our dramatic power was again in evidence when we gave our Senior play, “The Nephew as Uncle.” The originality of the class of 1906 was shown at Christmas in the bee-hive idea. After we had treated the Juniors in a most hospitable way, they returned the treat in the form of a fine banquet. And now in leaving, the class of 1906 utters its heartiest wishes for the prosperity of the Plainfield High School and every one connected, and in making its farewell, says: “Fare thee well! and if for ever, Still forever, fare thee well.” Gas, Re, OG. A Letter From Satan To the Class of 1906, Plainfield High School. R. TRAVELL has just sent word to me that this class is the worst that ever entered the High School, and after graduation he will send the whole class, except a few, down here for punishment. Now I don’t want the goodies down here, that is the people who never did anything, but if one of a class sins the whole class is to blame and so I suppose I shall have to take all kinds. I have made arrangements in the following manner: We will put Russell Stryker, Ruth Bullock, Mary Conover, Christella MacMurray (bless her heart), Alice Sawyer and Elizabeth Winter under the tutelage of Socrates and Cato, who will make them study twenty-five hours a day to make up for lost time. Next we will put the fussers’ squad, composed of Antoinette Aalholm, Sadie Coyle, Joe Gavett, Malcolm Davis and Harold Todd, in the dark room where their hands will be chained together, and they will be compelled to talk to one another twenty-three hours a day. Joe Jones will take a course in geography in order to learn the location of certain places. Robert Rugen will have to light the candles for extra heat. Now I come to the bunch that will catch it the hottest. I would rather see a person good than indifferent. Too bad, isn’t it, that they will have to fight with molten cannon balls. Here is the proposed list: Avis Aldrich, [Lena Bohan, Florence Cooney, Antoinette Hill, Miriam Horton, Cora

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24 THE ORACLE. Probably the Sophs were sorry they had not received a reminder of the same sort, so they could have possessed that last virtue, and were taking pains to see that we should not suffer that deprivation. Our Sophomore year was the first one of vindication of the aforemen- tioned accusation. We resolved to live so that-by our fruits they should know us, and I think that we are quite well known. We are the first class to give three highly successful plays, and the first to give a play in our Sophomore year. Our notable production was, “The Ruggles in the Rear,” and this work foreshadowed our great dramatic powers. The “Amen Cor- ner’ in Miss Lovell’s Latin room was the work of a pupil of 1906. There it remains to this day. The Junior year of our school existence was a continuance of our dignified example to the other classes. But one class remained who dubbed us slow, and I imagine that they thought otherwise after we had been there three years. Who pinched nearly all of the Seniors’ feed on the night of the Seniors’ banquet? 1906. We were gradually nearing that goal now growing distinct—Seniors. Our dramatic powers were further exemplified in this year by our successful production of Tennyson’s “The Princess.” This play was the hardest thing ever attempted in the dramatics of the school, and was remarkable for its elaborate staging and dignified acting. The success of this production is due to our coach, Mr. S. B. Howe, Jr. Something hap- pened in this year which startled that very sedate class of 1905. Those unconquerable Seniors were conquered for once. They had planned to have a big banquet and had borrowed a front door key (to the school.) About six o’clock that slow, sleepy class of 1906 got into the building and securely fastened every entrance. About seven o’clock, after we had securely wired the front door, a step was heard coming up the front steps, a key turned in the lock, and there was a vigorous pull followed by an exultant cry of “Stung” from within and a yell of rage from without. After being made the butt of many taunts and other things—water included—they begged to be let in. We agreed on condition that they go down town and get a lot of extra feed. This they did and a general jollification followed. A pleasant event of this year was our strawride, followed by a spread and dance. Christmas rolled around and we went calmly to the platform to receive our roasts and in return for the shameful way we were treated, we gave the Seniors an elaborate banquet. The way some of them ate was terrible. They looked as if they had never had a square meal before. And now we are Seniors, almost an unbroken class, with a couple of additions to our number. One of these additions is from “Johnny Bull” land, and you may be certain he faithfully carries out all the traits of a loyal

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26 THE ORACLE. Ricketts, Eva Rogers, Ruth Thompson, Ellen Ulrich, Kate Huntington, and Anna Shepard. All girls, too. The boys are mostly bad or have some other trouble, but none are indifferent. The two Demarest girls will constantly be placed near an alarm clock which will time them until they can run a hundred yards in five seconds. Hazel Gardner will be the suburban letter-carrier. May Hallett will be taught the Spanish language, so that when her soul transmigrates she will be right there with the goods. Bertha Hill and Anna Rafferty will take turns in running the high-class minstrel show. Ethel Boice and Katherine Garretson will aid in the construction of a typewriter that can run one hundred miles an hour. . Ethel Murray will take lessons from “Beezlebub’s” brother on how to raise blonde hair. Gertrude Hunter will have to speak three hours every day on classical subjects, in payment for being valedictorian. Now I am up against a tough proposition in tackling some of these boys. Clarence Heaume will have to be taught the difference between the “Star- Spangled Banner” and “God Save the King.” Benjamin Herman and Leslie Palmer will have to count money and tickets every night in the week and figure how they can bring Hades where Heaven is. Philip Leichtentritt will have to carry all the receipts home in the loop the loop automobile, and make good for any money that drops out of his pocket while in this per- formance. © my gracious! Abie Rubenstein will have to parade back and forth before a row of laughing mirrors. I will put George Rittenhouse, Milton St. John, that little witch Louise Klein, and those two Freeman boys, one of whom will catch it from his namesake, in the hottest place here. I believe they are the worst in the class. Well, good-bye, and if there are any alterations, wire me by Messrs. Burr and Whitney’s new pander-wake-and-brake, inter-planitary and inter- solar telegraph system. Yours heatedly, SATAN. Teacher—“Express in a few words this sentence: ‘Mr. and Mrs. Flood drove up to the door of the house and stopped. Mr. Flood then threw down the reins and helped his wife alight. Then they entered the house.’ ” Pupil— ‘The rains descended and the floods came.’ ”’