Saratoga Springs High School - Recorder Yearbook (Saratoga Springs, NY)

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THE HIGH SCHOOL RECORDER 5 When we returned to school in September, 1932, we walked with the dignity of upper classmen. With only the seniors to look down on us, we tried to act more sophisticated, as beiitted models for the lower classmen to follow. Quentin Cole, last year's class president, retired in favor of Chester Hames, the new president, who was assisted by John Harvey and Quintin Cole, as vice-president and secretary-treasurer respec- tively. With Gertrude Beach and James T. Harrington upon the Student Council and Mr. Van Aller as our class adviser, we hoped to make considerable news for our reporters, Fern Benton and William Ingmire, to report. In December we joined the seniors in sponsoring a very enjoyable and successful Christmas tea dance. We felt competent to enter into all activities by this time, and selected several juniors to represent the school in the contest of the Forensic League at Ilion. The year's social activities reached their climax in the Junior Prom. Under artistic decorations and soft lights, we danced to the rhythm of an excellent orchestra. Success was ours, on this occasion, financially as well as socially. , Finally we reached the goal we had worked three hard years to achieve. We were now seniors! The best the school had to offer was now ours. It is now May, 25, 1935. For a few more quickly fleeing hours we can survey a domain We can call our own. None of us will ever forget the happenings of this last memor- able year at Saratoga High. As we surveyed the class of 1935 at our iirst meeting, we found ourselves the largest senior class in the history of the school. Of the two hundred and sixty freshmen who had started out with high hopes in the fall of '31, a hundred and forty-seven had reached their objective. It had been an uphill fight but we had won! In this first meeting we elected Russell Lasher as president, Ruth Eaton as vice-president, and Beatrice Dake as secretary-treasurer. Jack Sigsby, Theodore Welton, and Audrey Johnson represented us in the Student Council and Charles Donahue acted as president of the Athletic Council. We took over the duties of the Recorder as well. James Harring- ton was appointed editor-in-chief, with Gertrude Beach as assistant, and Dorothy Lamb writing Miss Peppy's Diary. The business leader- ship was entrusted to William Martin. One of our first duties was that of regulating traffic in the halls. Trying to correct erring under classmen was rather boring to most of us. Attempting to keep our own senior class from breaking what it considered unnecessary rules, however, proved rather amusing.

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4 THE HIGH SCHOOL RECORDER 1 201 ,Of vo: 101 xo: :QQ ,QQ ,0. ,Of ,gr ,QK ,gf ,of ,of ,Of ,QQ ig. ,Qi With this number the fortieth year of the High School Recorder is completed g and it is now our turn, as an editorial staff, to pass on the torch to our successors. In doing so we wish to express our appreciation to our faculty advisers for their untiring guidance, to the business department and its capable typists, to the business men and women of the city who by their advertisements helped to make our magazine a financial success, and to the student body for its literary contributions. Our only regret is that space did not permit the publication of all the material received. James T. Harrington. CLASS HISTORY On June 26 we of the class of 1935 shall join the ever-growing ranks of the alumni. It is our sincere hope that we may occupy some small part of the memories of those who made it possible for us to be graduated. In the fall of 1931 we entered Saratoga High, two hundred and sixty strong. Most of us had a vague idea that we were in quest of education. It is to be hoped that the majority of us were. No doubt we shall all remember that first day as freshmen. Trying to follow those little pink slips was far from easy. Our first error was in judging 308 as a convenient study hall. With no little discomiiture, we were set right by Mrs. Persons and tramped down- stairs to the study hall, presided over by one we later learned to call Aunt Mary. We soon settled down to work with the meek demeanor of tradi- tional freshmen. The upper classmen were forced to relinquish their cherished locker rooms, however, to provide us with additional class rooms. Under the leadership of President Quentin Cole and assisted by James Harrington and William Ingmire, we moved our belongings to the second floor to begin our sophomore year. We knew the ropes by then and were able to look down upon the new freshmen with almost as much disdain as did the upper classmen. Such plays as The Merchant of Venice and The Virginian proved that we had our share of dramatic talent. In the chorus and orchestra a number of us were getting valuable training, which was to stand us in good stead for musical productions in later years. A number of budding artists and poets also made their appearance. With these mere beginnings, we ended our second year in Saratoga High.

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6 THE HIGH SCHOOL RECORDER We became adept at close harmony in the senior home rooms. Anyone passing such rooms as 307 might have heard songs that ran the gamut from Sweet Adeline to The Isle of Capri or The Lulla- by of Broadway, in renditions that were, to say the least, original. With the assistance of the juniors, we entertained the alumni at the annual Christmas tea dance. Perhaps we shall be so entertained by other senior classes in years to come. A number of us did well in public speaking contests this year. Such training was of great value in preparation for our senior play, Two Girls Wanted. In the musical line, a number of talented seniors had leading parts in Pinafore. Athletics were not neglected and the seniors did well on all teams. The winning of the basketball tournament was one of the many ath- letic events in which the seniors did their part. As the time drew closer to graduation we began to think of our final preparations and allied subjects. The new class rings were intro- duced and they met with favor. The style with The Spirit of Life, in gold, with Saratoga Springs H. S. underneath it, upon a black onyx stone, met with the greatest favor. We believe these rings to be the finest yet introduced into the school. This year has been a precedent-breaking one in many ways. For the first time in a number of years the Senior Ball will be held. We hope that this event will be restored to the tradition it has been in the past. A highly amusing situation developed when we decided to contest. the vote declaring white linen suits as boys, outfits for graduation. A rather hectic time followed, in which the cry Down with white suits, predominated. Even a disappearing petition did not prevent the success of our campaign. The boys will appear graduation night in white fiannels, as a result of this vigorous campaign. With Theodore Welton as valedictorian and Russell Lasher as salutatorian, the last important question is settled. Our debts are paid, we have recorded our history, and are now ready to be graduated. We grow a triiie sentimental as we see our high school days draw- ing to a close. It is with eagerness, joy, and a trace of regret that we close an important chapter in our lives and prepare to start a new one in the fiercely competitive world of 1935. Donald W. Harris, '35