Central High School - Cog N Pen Yearbook (Newark, NJ)

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But they did not know the full change until the night of the play. There was no standing room left and even the boxes were Half curiosity, a desire to know why Mary Ralston had [he auditorium was filled to overflowing. crowded. the school had come because of been chosen as Dimples. When the sad faced little Miss entered, the audience was convulsed [hey found it out soon enough. and she provoked them to tears and laughter at her own imperious will. And then, when, at the very last, Dimples broke into the most charming and dim- pling smile imaginable, they shouted with laughter and She was called back again and again, and when at last rose in a body to cheer the adorable heroine. she sank, breathless and laughing, into a chair, back- stage, the young and good-looking Leading Man, who had received his share of the applause, came up апа humbly invited her to attend the Prom with him. He was interrupted by the Producer who, not quite as humbly but every bit as eagerly, begged her to give him the same honor, and when he received the an- swer he had a wide grin spread across his good- As for the leading man, he lived to see the now popular Dimples, floating happily in the Afterwards, he often told friends that he had once played opposite the famous Mary Ralston in an amateur And they laughed and told him to stop his kidding. natured face. arms of her producer. show. CENTRAL'S CREED By Edward Stark I believe in Central High School as a school by the students, of the students, and for the students, whose just teachers are rightly chosen; a democracy in a school; a perfect formation, one and inseparable; established upon those of conscientious study, leadership, equality, and honesty, for which principles former Central students have striven through many years of hard effort. I therefore believe it is my duty to my school, to love it; to maintain its spirit; to respect its colors; to abide by its just regulations; and to defend it against competitors in all pursuits. 13 PRECAUTIONS FOR MEN DURING LEAP YEAR Ву Мау Smoleroff If a girl invites you to her home more than twice a week for dinner, bear in mind for what purpose a goose is stuffed before Christmas. Ifa girl tells you that men whom she doesn’t love want to marry her, and that the man she loves isn’t aware of it, then looks at you, don’t wait until the noose is around your neck; offer to help rope him in. If a girl tells you no one has ever understood her as you have, make up your mind it’s time to begin misunderstanding her. If a girl tells you she has learned to prepare five kinds of meat at school, be sure to tell her you're a vegetarian. If a girl tells you she’s devoted to her mother, five sisters, and three maiden aunts, that they all live together, and that the man she marries could come right into the heart of the family, tell her you think it would be a crime to intrude upon so happy a home. If a girl tells you no one will ever exist for her after she’s married but her husband, find the poor fellow who falls for her and warn him to take put a heavy life insurance. So much collar-and-leash de- votion would kill any man. If a girl tells you she has money in her own right, and you've intimated that you have a sincere but penniless affection for her, consider first whether your digestion is good before you make up your mind to eat that money three times a day. If a very plain girl tells you all the women in her family married at twenty and that her twentieth birth- day is tomorrow, you might gently remind her that it’s the exception that proves the rule. If a girl tells you she’s lost thirty pounds because you once casually remarked you could only Jove a thin girl, just look unconscious for an instant and the bone of contention will consider herself yours “‘till death do ye part. If a girl tells you she can't help being honest, she must confess that she loves you and wants you for her husband, if you don't care to accept her don't hesitate to say so. Remember a woman who is so frank herself cannot fail to appreciate honesty in an- other.

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DIMPLES By Eva Cohen It was a most wonderful play. The Producer said so, the Author most assuredly thought so. Even the Leading Man condescended to admit that in all his sixteen years of experience he had never seen a more enjoyable comedy. Indeed, the play bid fair to be one of the best amateur attempts ever produced by any graduating class of the Dayton High School. But there was something lacking; something that every good play must have. It was a heroine. Yes, out of a class of thirty girls not one could be found to fill that stellar position. Not that they didn’t want to. Every single one of them filed an application. Everyone, that is, except Mary Ralson, and she didn’t count. You see, she was small and plain and she never smiled. And then she was so horribly clever, too clever ever to be popular. And so she never thought of filing an application. Now the part of the heroine, called for some- body who was pretty, clever, and able to control her emotions very strictly. This character was named Dimples and she would be a scream if she could be played by the right kind of person. She was funny because she never laughed. When she faced her audience, it must be with an expression so ludicrous that every one must naturally burst into laughter. То be successful she must provoke mirth all the time and her greatest asset must be that comically sad face. Where, in that class of flappers, could be found one who would not burst out laughing or start giggling at her own funniness? Where could be found a girl who could be а Dimples without showing any dimples? Тһе Author was in despair; the Leading Man went around casting imprecations on the whole tex which could not produce one decent actres. Тһе Producer alone said nothing. One day, however, he sent a notice around to the 4A Class. As a result of that notice, there assembled, after school that day, thirty girls on the stage of the audi- torium. Some were self-conscious; some were gig- gling in the knowledge of their own personal attrac- tions, some touched up lips and cheeks; only one stood up straight and stiff, gazing stolidly at the clock. There was a stir on the stage when the Producer entered, a stalwart, handsome young man of about twenty winters. Не went up to the front of the assembly room and issued his orders in а sharp, commanding tone. Each young lady will please take а copy of the leading part from that table in the comer. As I call your names, will you please step up and read until I tell you to stop? With an excited flurry the little group did as it was told, and then each awaited her turn. The girls came on one by one, and read from two to four minutes. The recitations were greeted with Pretty good, or Fair, and most of the time with “АП right.” When Mary Ralson came on, he said noth- ing. She was the last one on the list and after she had read awhile, the gathering was dismissed. All except Mary. When she went home that night, her heart was singing and two unsuspected dimples had appeared in her smooth cheeks, innocent of any sug- gestion of rouge. But her excitement was nothing to the shock of the school, the next day, when it heard from the lips of the horrified leading man that Mary Ralston “о all people had been made the heroine. Тһе Flap- pers laughed derisively and the ‘‘Fellers” snickered openly; but they could do nothing about it, not even the handsome leading man, who begged and pleaded, and threatened, in vain. Never had a budding star taken her place under such difficulties. The school knew nothing, in the weeks that fol- lowed, of the work that that young girl did. They knew nothing of the great professional who coached and molded her, because underneath a stolid exterior Mary Ralston had hidden the heart of an artist, and beneath those indifferent features, she had concealed the expressions which could be found only on the face of the greatest of actresses. The part fitted her like a glove. She was the Dimples who did not dimple, at least not until the grand climax. Under the praises of the Producer and the profes- sional, her self-consciousness vanished and every bit of prettiness that she possessed came out, until even her classmates began to notice the difference.

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[HE SCHOOLMA'RM OF SOMERSVILLE Ву Leah Lesser Mary Ann Pennington was the schoolma'rm of Somersville. Immediately, my dear readers, you will imagine a tall, angular woman with hair drawn tightly back in a stiff bun, large tortoise shell glasses, and But Mary Ann Pennington was a young person with protruding teeth. you are entirely mistaken. blonde, bobbed, curly hair which she wore in the fashion of the day, big blue eyes which were wont to open wide at any sign of surprise, and a small, red, kissable mouth. The day that my story opens was a particularly hot one in the month of June. Mary Ann had had a very trying day in the schoolroom for, in spite of the warm weather, Johnny Roberts had persisted in being mischievous and it was all she could do to keep him out of it. She was trudging homeward on a hot, dusty road, thinking of various plans for the following day, when she heard the honk, honk, of a car and she barely had time to jump out of the road when a red sport roadster whizzed by and a young man called out: “Sorry, but I’m in a hurry. Mary Ann’s thoughts were not very pleasant after that and she vowed that if she ever saw him again she would tell him just what she thought of him and you may be sure that whenever Mary Ann Pennington made up her mind to do anything she usually did it. As she passed the neighboring farm, Miss Theo- dosia Smith, otherwise known as the Smith Daily (for she never missed anything that occurred in Som- ersville) cried out: Mary Ann, there's а young New York fella at your house talking to your Ma. ` Yer better hurry afore yer miss him.” But Mary Ann did not hurry in spite of the warn- ing that she would miss seeing а New York man if she did not do so, because she was not just at that moment interested in any man but he. of the red roadster. Yes, she certainly would tell him a few things! She entered the back door leading into the kitchen where her mother had started preparations for din- ner. As she donned a large apron she heard her mother say: 14 Well, young man, I might be able to accommo- date you if you don’t mind plain lodging and plain food. I can give you my daughter’s room as the spare room has been closed all winter and might not be fit to sleep in, and she can stay with me tonight. You had better put your automobile in the barn there in the back of the house.” “Thank you, madam,” a pleasant voice replied. Mary Ann finished her work and started to set the table for dinner. As she was doing this her mother came in and said: Mary Ann, you had better set another place. We have a New York man staying with us for the night. He did not wish to travel during the night because of the bad roads and he asked me to give him lodg- ing. She did not reply but went to the china closet to get the extra dishes and as she turned she heard that pleasant. voice cry out— “Well, if it isn't the little girl whom I nearly ran Who would have thought that I would meet her адат?” over today. As she looked up she saw a man about thirty years of age with dark hair, slightly gray at the temples, a strong chin, and eyes—well, she couldn't exactly tell just what color eyes he had. One moment they were black and another moment gray, but she liked the twinkle in them, (although she never would have admitted it, had you asked her.) Mary Ann had been brought up to be polite so of course she had to say, How do you do? to the stranger in spite of the desire to tell him to go to the devil, but she decided never to speak to him again as long as he was there. Thank Heavens! It was only for one night. At the dinner table Richard Henley, as the New York man was known, kept up a brisk conversation with Mrs. Pennington, and although he attempted to draw Mary Ann into the conversation he could not do so, for she only answered in monosyllables when spoken to and, after being snubbed a few times, he finally left her to her own thoughts of vengeance. “Mrs. Pennington, I wonder whether you could accommodate my mother and me for the summer. My