Barringer High School - Athenaeum Yearbook (Newark, NJ)

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OUR SOCIETIES. '9 OUR SOCIETIES. 'pHE Montagu Society is in a flourishing condition holding its meetings as usual on Friday afternoons, but the girls are no longer crowded into one room. The two rooms in the rear of Miss Greene's room are thrown open, and comfort and air arc thus secured while the members enjoy a “ feast of reason and a flow of soul ” in the shape of essays, recitations and read- ings. On Friday afternoon, December 20th the programme was of a highly interesting nature, as William Dean Howell’s farce, “The Elevator, was rendered before a large and appreciative audience. The piano, rejoicing in a new cover was pushed back against the black-board and decorated with a bouquet of flowers. Miss Greene’s desk, resplendent with Christmas gifts, was also given a position in the back- ground, Mrs. Sherwood’s nig. Miss Ley- den’s and Miss Antz’s chairs and Miss Crane’s table transformed the platform into “ Mrs. Roberts’ luxurious drawing- room.” With these auspicious surround- ings, the troupe made its first appearance, The cast included the best artists of the Dramatic Company of the Senior Class. Moustaches,—gray, black and various “Do YOU ever receive contributions written on both sides of the paper?”— asked a man as he entered the office of the editor. “ No sir,’’ replied the editor. “All right; I was going to endorse this check to your order, but I don’t want to break your rules.” And he went out, leaving the editor in a deep green study. Prof.:—“Gentlemen, was Minerva married ? ” Pupil:—“No sir, she was the goddess of wisdom,” and then he didn’t know what they were laughing about. shades of brown,—overcoats and Derby hats played a conspicuous part in every scene, Miss Williams in her role of Mr. Roberts excited much merited applause. Mrs. Roberts’ (Miss Albertson) lamenta- tions over the non-appearance of her guests and the failure of her dinner-party were quite dramatic. All the acting in the Elevator scene was strong and effect- ive. Miss Baker, in her part of Mrs. Cur- win, fainted in a manner truly artistic and Miss Rudd, as Mr. Miller, frantically waved his (her) wife’s fan over the unconscious lady. Miss Melick and Miss Tunison performed their parts of young Mr. Bemis and Miss Lawton with such truthfulness that their little side play produced the effect of being a scene from real life. Other scenes followed, equally felicitous in presentation and the performance closed with a very effective farewell—the whole troupe appearing on the stage singing their adieux while love-smitten gentlemen hung highly-colored hearts on the “the weeping willow tree,” (in this case the gas-fixture). Every one pronounced the farce a brilliant success, and the next production of this company will be hailed with enthusiastic delight. Books were put away and the Junior, class was called to order. “ Write a pun,” said the teacher. Two girls sitting together looked in consternation «at each other. “What is a pun?” w'hispered one. The girl addressed took her paper and wrote the following: “The poor King of Ann«am is dead. This is the most notable case of suspended annam ation on record.” Her se«atmate slyly looked over her shoulder, saw probably only the first sentence and turning to her paper wrote:—“ Mrs. Jones js dead. This is a pun.’

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i8 NORMAL ECHOES. NORMAL ECHOES. We heartily respond to your invitation. We deem it an honor once more to blend our echoes with the familiar strains which rise in Christmas song from our revered Alma Mater. If the echoes prove but feeble, please attribute it to the fact that we are pioneers in this department of literary work. Time has wrought great changes among us since we departed in that blaze of glory, that transport of rapture—Commence- ment! The brilliant constellation which illumined the literary firmament of ’89 has undergone a marked change. Our first magnitude star, which attained its maximum brilliancy June 17, has changed its position and now sheds the effulgence of its rays in the constellation known as Packer’s. Another,which, on June 17 shone as a first magnitude star, has disappeared from our firmament, but will doubtless in later years startle the world by suddenly reappearing with increased brilliancy. We also note the disappearance of a few of our “lesser lights, caused by their near approach to the Son. And so in our musical world. The full, rich tones of our dark-eyed contralto thrill no more the quiet air of the school room. We miss from our number our bonny blue-eyed musician and artist who carried away the mathematical honors of ’89. Our classmate who so wildly and vividly portrayed our future careers no longer terrifies us with her supernatural vision. Of the five gifted Seniors whose “sage unique effusion but one short year ago graced the opening pages of this time honored Annual, three have sailed away “To their work beyond the school room, to the great world that awaits them.” As yet we have hardly become accli- mated to the atmosphere of the Normal School. The change has been too sudden. We find ourselves precipitated from the dignity of seniorship with its offices of emolument and honor, its astronomical researches, its studies in the intricacies of Trigonometry and the sublimity of Virgil, its critical analyses of character and of fiction, its discussions, in fact from the very Parnassus of literary attainment, to the lowly position of Junior and to the role of Primary School Ma’am with its monotonous A, B, C, “Once upon a time, 1, 2, 3, etc.’’ Since we made our pedagogical debut, novel indeed have l een our experiences: our firm grasp of the governmental reins, the awful din, the almost wild despair, and all those feelings inexpressible which come to us, as careworn and weary, with locks dishevelled and spirits depressed we wend our homeward way. The converging lights of our many lines of investigation brought to bear upon the sciences have pierced the enshrouding mysteries, and revealed to our startled mental gaze many remarkable facts. The most noteworthy of these, the bold claim of a young enthusiast, is that political economy is the science of the human soul (sole?). The star-gazers of ’90 would be inter- I ested in our “break-neck endeavors,” although conducted in a somewhat dif- ferent line. Exciting it must be to trace the erratic wanderings of our (we forbear to say heavenly) bodies as they shoot through the gymnasium’s airy dome. We wish the rising Seniors a year as replete with happiness as that which I crowned our High School days—when we I proudly bore the title of “ Jack-o-lantcm-1 light-uns! ’’ With hearts filled with loving memories of “Auld Lang Syne, and thanking you for your kind interest in our welfare, we unite in wishing you, each and all, a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year

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20 EDITORIAL. HIGH SCHOOL ANNUAL. Newark, N. J., 1-890. EDITORS: Wm. H. Osborne, Miss Gknevra F. Tompkins, Nathan Kussy, Miss Nellie S. Kinnard. BUSINESS MANAGERS: Ai.rfrt G. Clark. Henry Hahn. EDITORIAL. S we enter upon the duties of amateur journalism, we feel the responsi- bility of our position, and shall endeavor to do what we can to make this issue of our school paper interesting to our readers and useful to the school. We fondly hope that a generous public will smile kindly at our mistakes, and give us more credit for our efforts than they really deserve. However this may be, here is the Annual to speak for itself; on other pages will be found “metal more attrac- tive ” than school-boy editorials. Between the covers of this magazine are grouped the choicest products of the wit and the diligence of our pupils. Yet, bear with us a little, while we our tale unfold. Last June, amid the acclamations of a well-filled house, and the parting regrets of their teachers, the class of ’89 left us for a new sphere of action. On the Sep- tember following, an unusually large number entered upon their duties at the High School. In order to make room for the increasing force of pupils, the whole building at No. 103 Washington street is now used for the “annex.” How long, oh, how long must we wait for a new High School building! When the class of ’90 returned to the High School in September, they were filled with regrets upon realiz- ing that this was their last year in the old school, but these cogitations were agree- ably disturbed when they discovered that the last remnants of Paleozoic time had been replaced by shining rows of new single desks in the assembly room. Since last year the number of papers and magazines used by the Composition Department has greatly increased. The various classes now subscribe for the fol- lowing: North American Review, The Atlantic, Harper's, Century, Scribners', Magazine of American History, The Cosmo- polit an. Wide Awake, St. Nicholas, Youth's Companion, and The Christian Union. During the past year the classical depart- ment has made some improvements and is about making others. Its “ Kennan ” lec- ture was a complete success, clearing three hundred and fifty dollars, which will be used for a stereopticon with views, and books for the classical library. The latest addition and improvement to our school happens to be stationary on West Park Street, and usually goes by the name of the Free Library, a building filled with books of all descriptions and on all subjects. It is, and is bound to be, a great aid to students of all classes. Oh! what a help it is to the pupil who seeketh after science: there he may be seen, the enthusiast, the gatherer of scien- tific facts, earnestly examining that jour- nal of science called “ Puck,” or extract- ing psychological notes from “Judge.”! And also he abstracteth the Seven Day Book, undoubtedly with the intention of studying ethnology as delineated in the characters of the wily aborigine and the Mexican cowboy. Oh, what an excellent use of an excellent thing! WE cannot conclude without a word in favor of our advertisers. Representative business men of the community, they are well known and worthy of patronage. We thank them for their aid and recom- mend thepi to our readers.