Ben Blewett Junior High School - Junior Life Yearbook (St Louis, MO)

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The picture show put on with our own lantern on April 26, was a decided success. In many ways it represented the spirit of junior. It was an ex- pression of what is made possible through the co-operative effort of pupils, parents and faculty. Almost any plan may be brought to fruition when be- hind it lies the spirit of each for all and all for each . Again, the occasion gave the pupils an opportunity to demonstrate their ability to govern them- selves. Seats were at a premium and the show lasted three recitation periods, yet not one thoughtless act marred the pleasure of the morning. The pupils took charge of the performance, managing the picture machine, attending to the ventilation and directing the singing between acts. Furthermore, every- one enjoyed the picture The Tale of Two Cities for its own sake and car- ried away the conviction that life is made more meaningful through the spirit of service and sacrifice. The visit of Chief Buffalo Bear brought a bit of real local color to junior. Our imaginations were kindled as he stood before us in his wonderful head- dress and beaded shirt and told the story of the simple home life of the In- dians. For a moment we lived in a tent made of buffalo skins, slept on soft fur rugs, and ate three meals a day of stewed buffalo meat. We thrilled over his review of Custer's last fight, even though he sought to bias our judg- ment in favor of the Indian. He closed his talk with an appeal for a day to be set aside in the calendar for the purpose of paying tribute to the Indian as the native American. Remember the last scene in Miss Maus's Aud. how Bumbuku Chagama was carried in with great pomp and ceremony, reclining in her chair carried by four natives? Remember the Japanese effect given by the japanese song and the huge japanese umbrella? And then, of course, you remember how the wonderful teakettle, Violette Heins, performed the daring feat of walking across a tightly drawn tight rope, held loosely in two attendants' hands and resting on the floor. It was a great success-at least the applause gave us that impression, Miss F. Brown's group gave an auditorium session April 21, 1921, en- titled, The Trials of a Hostess. The scene was in a woman's club, before the time of women suffrage. Helen Oster as the hostess took the part very well. Bridget, fresh from the old sod, who through her clumsiness caused many laughs, was played by Louise Sparks. Mr. GroSsman's group presented a sketch, Now and Twenty Years Later . The chief feature of this play was the appearance of Mr. Ryan, the principal, as one of the actors. Outfitted in flying togs, he arrived in an air- plane. l35

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-S W H ::,,,5,?.,.,.,,:L.,...,1 ,vw--1 ,g -:nnr:- 1:-ff:-ff--- -'- W ' 'N N' The Value of Auditorium Sessions -' FEW days ago, as I was walking down the hall, I heard a boy A remark to his friend, The bulletin says there will be an aud. 3, session the fifth hour. Aren't you glad? 53322933 Yes, he was glad, but our aud. sessions do more than merely give pleasure. There are many other benefits derived both by the participants and the audience. Here are a few benefits to the group giv- ing the session. It gives them practice in learning a part, self-confidence in appearing before an audience, and a desire to present their speeches in an effective and interesting manner, it also helps to develop a healthy group spirit, for each one works to shed honor on his group, nothimself. As for the audience, we may say that the pupils' minds are benefited by seeing a num- ber of instructive playsg and they learn how to conduct themselves in a re- spectful and orderly manner without the direct supervision of the teachers. We have had many interesting aud. sessions in each grade th-is yearg but we can mention only a few because of lack of space. A reading of the follow- ing notes will give a fair idea of the type of sessions held during the year. An educational Pageant was presented by Miss Willit's group. The children impersonated the principal characters and wore costumes which rep- resented the different periods, beginning with an Indian dance and extending through the phases of education to the present time. The Three C group wr0te a play on the subject of Missouri's one hun- dred years of statehood. This was played before the seventh grade in March. Both performers and audience seemed to Find it interesting and enjoyable. An occasion of great interest in our auditorium this year was the visit of Edgar A. Guest. Many members of the faculty enjoyed with us the pleasure of listening to this poet of the people. For a half hour Mr. Guest entertained us by reciting many of his poems describing the simple joys of home life. Humorous selections then followed and he ended by reciting with much feel- ing his beautiful poem of The Flagn. Mr. Guest's visit was due to the invi- tation of the Edgar A. Guest Group. l3-L 5

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if The True Blewetts gave the first operetta, The Old Ladies of Lavender Town . The life-like wax works and the old-fashioned costumes gave the play an air of quaintness and charm, as Miss Racy said, befitting the setting in Kate Greenaway's delightful land. At Miss Bakerls aud. session, the stage presented a picturesque appear- ance when Robin Hood and his followers appeared. The audience enjoyed the primitive justice meted out by the dignified Robin. Miss Racy's group dramatized a part of the Odyssey. The stage setting and the dignified Greek actors suggested in a fine manner the spirit of the old classic which the class used as a foundation for their playlet. The Blewett Doers presented many interesting historical characters, and as Warren Shumard said, The people said they were dandy . The Wilson Juniors gave Merry Mount and a refreshing breath of Spring in the Maypole dance. Comedies, fairy plays, pageants galoreg We're sorry there isn't room for any more. Red Letter Day That day in the fall when the Conservation Committee of the Missouri Federation of Women's Clubs visited junior. We felt highly encouraged by the interest that these visitors took in the work of the various departments of our school. Red Letter Day at junior There are many Red Letter Days possible at junior. The one I have in mind is not only possible, but, I believe, very probable, and I predict its com- ing before another year is up. It will be when there are installed at four or six convenient places in the lunch-room two drinking-fountains and two faucetsg when the entrances to the lunch-room itself are widenedg when traffic in front of the serving-counter is regulated by means of a rope on the keep-to-the-right-plan3 and-is this presumptuous? when no teachers ob- struct the passageway to the lunch-room by sitting at the ends of the tables. Speed the Day! 1345 l 3