Clifton High School - Rotunda Yearbook (Clifton, NJ)

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HISTORY OF THE CLASS OF 1919 HE opening day of school in September, 1915, was a day of great commotion at the Clifton High School, for on that day the largest class that had ever entered the high school presented itself at the school entrance. And we might state here that the school has been in commotion ever since. Probably no other class, at least no other that has attended high school during our four years’ stay there, has caused quite as much trouble to the teachers. Our girls, that is certain groups of them, will talk and keep on talking, while our boys will fool and joke. The two senior section teachers certainly would have become gray-haired had we re- mained in school much longer. Anyone who has had occasion at any time to be present at a senior class meeting, realizes that there was prac- tically as much commotion there as on that first day of our Freshman year. This does not sound like a very gratifying recommendation for the class. Nevertheless, it seems true. But to return to the class where we left them, standing at the school entrance. Many, of course, were bashful, and kept to the background, hesitating to make their appearance among our future upper class-mates. But the braver ones, mostly boys, led the way, up to the high school de- partment. The faculty had been “forewarned” of this large crowd of Freshmen which was to sweep over the school; therefore, they had pre- pared the assembly hall for our section room. No ordinary sized room such as those used for section rooms was adequate for us. Naturally enough, we as Seniors laughed at the Freshmen who en- tered the school this past September and February. Probably every senior class before us has done the same thing and every class after us will continue to do it. So it is not strange that we thought ourselves superior to them and considered them very small and very childish. But do we ever consider how we were made fun of by the Seniors of 1916, too? Though it may seem to us that since we have entered high school, we have always been the same as we are now, nevertheless, others have noticed a distinct change in us. We hope that no hard feelings will be caused if we mention several names to illustrate the change that has taken place. One of the faculty has said that every time she looks at one of the Freshmen, Mr. Jackson, she is very much impressed with the resemblance to Mr. Husselrath when he was a Freshman. We all know the size of little Mr. Jackson and also that of Mr. Husselrath at the present time. Many, perhaps we may say the majority of our Freshmen boys were about that same size. Likewise, we must also mention the twenty-nine

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CLASS DIRECTORY Robert Bennett...... Amy Clough.......... Elsie Dahlen........ Alfonse DeRose...... Winifred Drukker ... Fred Friend......... Vito Fritz.......... Grace Grimshaw...... Charles Hilton ..... Helen Hollingsworth . W. Husselrath ...... Charlotte Keppler ... Eugene Laue ........ Nicholas Mandak..... Margaret McMurray. .. Rita Merritt........ Antoinette Muller. ... Frank Muller........ Ernest Otto......... William Peterson ... Emil Poles ......... Huldah Robbins ..... William Sander ..... M ARGAR ET SCH N EE W EIS S James Shaw ......... L. Smolensky........ Elfreda Schnuetgen . Hazel Stagg......... Emily Strickland George W. Surgent... Evelyn Train ....... Kenneth Warren...... Marion Warren....... Helen Windhorst Kenneth Woodruff .. Margaret Bowman ... ...........College Secretarial School ..........Business .....Law School ...........Law School ..............Medical . . . .Montclair Normal .............Business ........Normal School .................Work .............Business .............Business .............Business ........Normal School .....Montclair Normal ........Normal School Mechanical Draftsman .......Textile School .............Business .............Business ..............College ..............College .....Coucher College .............Business .......Medical School .............Business ........Normal School .............Business .......Medical School .............Business .....Stevens Institute Business Business Business twenty-eight

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change in the girls. Whoever would think of Miss Windhurst with short dresses and her hair in curls? A similar change has come over prac- tically everyone of the other girls. Naturally enough the election of a president of a class of our size was an exciting and interesting one. The honor was given to Mr. Osmund Spaar, who for the first few months performed his duties well. Either growing tired of these duties or the duties becoming too great a task for him, the worthy president sent in his resignation. Mr. Esty was elected to take his place. During that year nothing of importance was accomplished. A com- mittee was appointed to look into the matter of going to Washington in our senior year. The idea was never brought forward again. It seemed that they looked into it but that was all. It was during this year, also, that the colors, purple and white, were chosen as our class colors. The following year the class chose Mr. Bennett as their president. The class colors, as time went on, did not please the class. So, after a great deal of discussion the colors, old rose and gold, were decided upon. But these, too, seemed doomed to be done away with, as again the students were disappointed in their choice. It was during this, our Sopho- more year, that the present colors, dark blue and red, were chosen. The class became somewhat more active during the Junior year, under the leadership of Miss Merritt as president. The pennant for the class was made and placed upon the assembly wall. During this year, several afternoon dances were given in order to increase the amount in the treasury. We succeeded in this, slowly, but surely. Then came the big event of the year—the annual Junior Prom, given in honor of the Seniors. For those who did not attend the dance we extend our sin- cerest sympathy in not being present at such an enjoyable event. It is probable that, for them, the idea of a day free from lessons was as pleasant as the dance itself. The ceiling of the hall was decorated with red, white and blue streamers. The flags of the Allies and our own dear American flag were arranged on the walls. The decorations were en- tirely in keeping with war times. Our class has always seemed to like changes. They never cared to have the same president for any two years. Thus, they elected Mr. Laue to the presidency of our Senior year. Mr. Laue had been vice- president in our Sophomore year with Mr. Bennett, so was therefore well fitted to take charge of a class which was still unruly. The students decided to give up a Senior Prom, and voted a trip up the Hudson as far as West Point to take its place. Our class has always been well represented in the various school activities. We have had the honor of having one of our members, Mr.