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

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seemed adapted to him a year back is now out of the question. He may discover that a dentist or a chemi- cal engineer requires an extensive course of study, or that the doctor needs more than a college degree. He may decide all too soon that he is adapted for an art career and sacrifice his high school training for one in elementary drawing or sculpturing. Statis- tics show that many students who enter high school and college never graduate, and the majority of them, it may safely be assumed, h ad full intentions of com- pleting the prescribed course of study. Numerous changes and occurrences in the life of a youth either tend to determine a suitable vocation or to demolish all hopes for success in attractive fields. A youth may change his choice of vocation several times before he ends his schooling, and then may enter a field most unexpected to him. Still, there are many young men in college who are merely there for the purpose of obtaining general knowledge, and have not as yet determined just what they will graduated. It is said that some men are born humorists, artists do when and mathematicians, and so their vocations are prac- tically handed out to them. For the overwhelming majority of others, the choice of vocation is usually dependent upon personal opinion formed from obser- vation and the convincing advice of others. —A. O. B. ASSEMBLY DEPORTMENT Out of respect for the school, the faculty, and the student body, every Centralite should act his part at Unfortunately, evening engagements and subsequent lack of homework preparation always re- veal themselves at the morning assembly. The girls are usually busy discussing the latest dance step and others are attempting to prepare a little neglected homework, while the assembly exercises are progress- ing lamely and without student co-operation. It is entirely up to the students to sing loudly and sweetly, since without their united voices the results are painful. Everyone should have enough self-control to govern his actions in providing an attentive audience. Dance steps can wait until later in the day and text books should never be opened— during the assembly period. It is pitiful to see so many students humming their memory passages or quadratics, accompanying the piano with the hymn. Starting the day right has a lasting influence over the following hours of work, and incidentally, in- creases Central's enviable reputation. —A. O. B. all times. HIGH SCHOOL ACTIVITIES A prominent characteristic of a good high school is the promotion of various clubs and activities. It is necessary for the student body and the faculty to come into closer contact socially than is permissible in the classroom, and the school organizations breach the gap in a worthwhile manner. Central does not lack any clubs, nor is interest in activities waning, but there is a large fraction of the student body which does not participate in the social and extra-curricular part of school life. There may be good excuses for some of the non- participants, but for the majority, there is no good reason for their not joining a few select organizations. These “nomad students do not realize what they are passing up and should set to work immediately and join in the social spirit of the school. A list of the various clubs and their respective activities is published in his issue of the PIVOT. Read them over and then decide which are best adapted for you and then act. —A. O. B.

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= E г WD і == (CL —Á TI шва: I Іш КЕСЕ (ium — DISILLUSIONED! By Frieda Halpern Walter Dunly entered Morton High School with too confident an air, considering that he was just a freshman. It seemed as if Walter had quite a queer conception of what high school meant. To him it ap- peared at first like a place where one needed to work but. very little and still to be granted many privileges. (Of course he was a freshman, for how could any- one else have such preposterous thoughts!) Never fear, though, Walter was soon to be disillusioned! Due to all the wandering about that Walter did while looking for the room where he had been di- rected, he learned quite a bit about the school build- ing. But sorry to say, only about the building. After waiting hours as it seemed to him, Walter, armed with a schedule and books commenced his high school career. z Although lessons were begun at once, the kind- hearted teachers dealt very gently with the freshmen, knowing how new and timid they felt amidst their new Little by little, however, the comers were put to work. Walter gave no thought whatsoever to this, having set his mind upon studying only where it was abso- lutely necessary. One day, shortly after the term had begun, he entered his Civics class with no idea at all of what the lesson dealt with. (It might be added here that due to the above facts, Walter was looked surroundings. new- upon as quite an important personage among the fresh- men). Oh, thought poor Walter, “if only the one in front of me would sit still, the teacher might forget that I'm in the room. But no, the boy in front of him persisted in wriggling about in his seat. Poor foolish Walter! Imagine a teacher not knowing which of the students were or were not present. These thoughts were soon interrupted when the teacher, speaking in a clear and distinct voice said: Walter Dunly, will you tell us the reasons for establishing city governments?” Walter only stood and listened. “Why Walter, surely you must know the answer to that question. It was very clearly defined in the chapter assigned for your homework.” The only answer that Walter had was, “I am un- prepared. “I am afraid that you are not starting your studies as a student should, so for tomorrow, besides doing the assigned homework, you will hand me, written out five hundred times, “I must prepare my lessons every . day. Remember, added the teacher, “this is all for your sake only. Thus it was that Walter's first vision of what high school meant was completely shattered.