Rhode Island School of Design - Portfolio Yearbook (Providence, RI)

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as individuals and in groups. Programs were changed. Subjects were dropped and subjects added and war activities began to occupy the spare time of the remaining students, now largely feminine. A Christmas play, ‘““The Juggler of Notre Dame,” was presented by the Museum and shortly before Christmas recess the school again assembled around a large Christmas tree, this time in Memorial Hall, to sing carols. On Sunday, January 25, “Trek” club held a “Sketch and Ski” party at the school farm, Cranberry Hill. Equipped with sketching pads, water colors and even oil paints, everyone had to ski and when anyone of the party happened to fall in the snow, he was requested to “hold that pose, please.” On February 26, “Footpoints,” another in the series of plays, was given in the auditorium before a large assembly. Costumes and sets for this play were also designed and executed by the students. On April 9, “Fiesta Festival,” the Sophomore Class dance, was held in Memorial Hall. The hall was decorated in night club style, South American in theme, and a novel “floor show” was the feature of the evening. The purchase of a war stamp was necessary to gain admit- tance and half the proceeds of the dance was given to the War Fund. Another play, ““The Queen’s Enemies,” a fantasy by Lord Dunsany, was presented in the auditorium on April 26. On May Day the dormitory girls entertained the other girl students at a May Breakfast in the Waterman Street dormitory and this same evening the annual Junior-Senior Prom was held at the Agawam Hunt Club. On May 11, another one act play, ‘““The Red Velvet Coat,’ was presented at assembly for the students and again in the evening for the public. “Fashion Alert,” a fashion show depicting the role of the cos- tume designed for a world at war, was presented May 20 in the school auditorium. 31

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Sophomore Year On September 29 a meeting of the Sophomore class was held. Plans were made for the new school year and the following class officers were elected: President, John Armstrong; Vice-President, Marjorie Lang; Secretary, David Duncan; and Treasurer, William Mahoney. The class was further divided this year as each student entered the department for which he had been preparing throughout the freshman year. ‘This same autumn a series of Defense courses, designed to train defense industry workers, were begun and there was a large enrollment in each. The Thorne Collection of Miniature Rooms, shown by the Mu- seum from October 1 to November 30, was of great interest to the students, particularly to those in the architectural, interior design and textile departments. On October 18 the “Trek’’ Club was organized. ‘This club planned and sponsored most of the school’s social events and was very popular with the entire student body. ‘This year there were two Hallowe’en dances; one a formal dance in the new dormitory and the other a “Vic” dance in Memorial Hall with service men from Hills- grove as guests. On November 8, “Sadie Hawkins Day” was held at Cranberry Hill Farm. ‘The girls invited the boys, who even now were becoming scarce and if their invitations were accepted, they tagged the boys with baggage checks on which both their names were painted in large letters. Picnic lunches and vegetable boutonnieres were supplied by the girls. On November 27, the Chinese Play, “Lady Precious Stream” opened the series of plays sponsored by the museum and entitled “Some- thing Old—Something New.” Beautiful and accurate Chinese cos- tumes were designed and executed by the costume department. During this month , because of impending war conditions, the Museum stored most of its treasures in a bomb-proof underground vault. On Sunday, December 7, Pearl Harbor was attacked and the fol- lowing morning an assembly was immediately called. ‘The entire school listened to President Roosevelt’s speech in which he formally declared war upon Japan and Germany. ‘This was followed by a brief message from Doctor Farnum and the singing of the Star Spangled Banner by the entire assembly. ‘This assembly was the turning point in the history of both the class and the whole school. ‘The boys began to enlist, both 30

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Junior Year The Rhode Island School of Design made an important announce- ment. It would hereafter grant a degree, Bachelor of Fine Arts, and on September 23 an assembly was held during which Doctor Farnum ex- plained to the students the necessary qualifications for obtaining it. On September 25 the students held a very successful scrap jewelry drive in connection with the war effort. A part of the trinkets was to be sold for old gold and silver, and part of it sent across to our soldiers for trading with the natives. The Junior class held a meeting and elected the following officers: President, Rosaline Braga; Vice-President, Ann ‘Tokaz; Secretary, Dorothy Nichols, and ‘Treasurer, ‘Thomas Curry. Late in October the Dramatic Club presented at an assembly period a musical entertainment, giving the history of the waltz and including several original skits, dances and novelty items. ‘Thirty-five students joined the army and navy reserves during this month in connection with the new reserve program for college students. ‘The students were now working toward the degree of Bachelor of Science with majors in various fields. On the twenty-fifth of November the Gallery Canteen was opened in the Museum. Many of the girl students have been hostesses ever since and helped make the Canteen such a great success. Fifteen girls from school served as hostesses to the servicemen at the U. S. O. Centre on Washington Street, on Sunday, December 4. “Save the Children,” a drive to collect Christmas toys for the neglected children of the south, proved very successful. “The toys were quite a sight when they were all gathered together in a little room upon the fifth floor. An entertainment given by the Dramatic Club brought a sale of seventy-five dollars in War Savings Stamps at the last assembly before the holiday vacation. Students and Faculty members who attended the production were requested to buy at least one twenty-five cent stamp. On January 6, it was announced to the student body at assembly that the school would operate on a twelve months basis for the duration of the war. This was the first full time schedule in the history of the school. 32