Clifton High School - Rotunda Yearbook (Clifton, NJ)

Page 18 text:

I might here suggest that the young ladies of the class, or even of the school itself, form a secret society for the application of similar tests for endurance to the masculine portion of the school. It will be very gratifying, indeed, if the results turn out as well as in the above instance and if they do, perhaps in time our idea will be adopted by the nation. I. Dictionary. SPOTLESS! MARKLESS! NAMELESS! Without authority, I’ll confess, am I making this prophecy, for the gift of foretelling the future has not been bestowed on me; but allow me to predict that our French 1-2 books will be spotless, markless, and nameless in June. Spotless? And how could they be otherwise when not one person places finger on the leaves of those books unless a clean white handker- chief covers the touched part? No, not always are kerchiefs used, for one boy being unprovided with a kerchief, or rather with a clean one, made the end of his pretty silk tie serve the purpose. Markless? Why the French 1-2 books don’t know what the word “pencil” means, and likewise I assure you, it is of names written where they should not be. I shall here insert a quotation made by one of our conscientious French students, especially for the dubious: “For fear my book might be soiled,” she said, “I never place it with my other books on the writing desk, but take care to keep it on the white counterpane on my bed.” Let each one do as he chooses in believing this prophecy, but let him not try to dissuade others, who by pure evidence, are compelled to believe it. Q. C. THE WAR’S DESOLATION The tow’ring mountain wrapped in mists of dew Discloses two contrasting scenes to view. The one, a valley, gold with ripened grain, The other, causing tears and bitter pain; The one, due to the works of nature’s hands. The other, ruined by war’s cruel demands. Its time for fame and splendor has expired, Its beauty, charms and arts were all required. The school, the church, the homes, all these are past. They yielded to a barb’rous deed at last. N. Lover. sixteen

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gotten lost in one of the innumerable wings of the high school building, we had just decided to send out an expedition in search of her, when she entered, carrying two very odd looking instruments. Great excite- ment was caused which was further heightened by her taking a very curious object from a paper. We breathed a sigh of relief, however, when she told us that the object she held in her hand was a clam, a c-l-a-m. Assuring us that she would under no conditions allow it to escape from her, we felt safe and prepared ourselves for a complete study of the stranger’s anatomy. The clam is composed of a shell which is divided into two sections, which were tightly closed at the time of our study. Our teacher took one of the odd instruments, which proved to be a knife, and inserted it in the small crevice between the two sections of the shell, and taking the other instrument, which proved to be a small wooden mallet, she ham- mered until the clam was opened. Not a sound did the creature make. This was rather disappointing as we had expected a lively fight and now are inclined to think the clam a coward, having given up its “struggle for existence” too easily. Our teacher then requested that the young ladies of the class gather about her so that she might explain the niceties of this creature’s anatomy to them. There was so much conversation pertaining to the clam going on in the room that the atmosphere began to feel positively “clammy.” Upon our returning to our seats the young men gathered about our teacher, completely shutting off her view of the seated portion of the class. Several young ladies, taking advantage of this opportunity, began to remove their shoes in order to put on their gym “sneaks” as they were destined to take physical training the next period. I observed three new ways of efficiently performing this change and was just about to learn the fourth when one of the young ladies startled us all by uttering a triumphant ejaculation. She had, it seems, found a bent pin on the floor and decided to utilize it. Recalling that the Spartans used to flog their boys in order to test their endurance, she decided to test the en- durance of a certain young man in our class, only in a more effective, modern manner. Accordingly, she placed the pin upon his seat and had hardly done so before the young men took their seats. We held our breath and closed our eyes, waiting for the agonizing scream that was sure (we thought) to follow. Little did we know our classmate, however, for instead of making a scene he sat, one leg care- lessly crossed over the other and a brave “do or die” smile on his countenance. What a relief it was, you may be sure, to know that his endurance was so great, for he was the leader of the young men of our class and since the above event, of the young ladies as well. fifteen

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THE HOT SPELL IN CLIFTON HIGH The Spanish class in languor sat, Our heads were drooping low, The sweat was rolling down our backs. For scarce a breeze did blow. Miss Sharp, enthroned behind her desk. Endured the swelt’ring heat. We pupils in the seats in front Looked anything but sweet. Poor Mr. Friend was suff’ring so, His face was oh, so red. He sat there with his book in hand. His other held his head. A damsel with a powdered nose. With all the powder gone, Was going to do some desperate thing— The powder’d not stay on. Miss Dorothea looked quite well— Her hair up cool and high; But why the little curls, my dear? Please, Dorothea, why? Her glasses so annoying her. For tortoise rims are hot. Miss Billy had an “awful” time. Her lessons quite forgot. And I myself was drowsing quite; The way I kept awake Was thinking of a cool green spot Far up at Greenwood Lake. Not only we in Spanish class Were roasting by degrees. But everyone in every room Could melt away with ease. Biology was just the same. But here a slight breeze blew. Miss Kroeger too, looked cool and neat In dress of flowered blue. With one sleeve up and one sleeve down. His coat hung up to dry. With every hair pushed back in place. The heat passed Kroeder by. E. E., 21. seventeen