Clifton High School - Rotunda Yearbook (Clifton, NJ)

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THE REFLECTOR The girls bent their heads over the table and chattered softly, and now and then a peal of laughter rang out. When they rose to go, amuse- ment was written on every face. They all looked forward to Saturday night. A roar of motor, grind of brakes in a cloud of dust, and the slam of a door. Bobby’s home,” announced her father, a grin on his face. I sometimes think that if you’d help me we could make a girl out of Bobby,” said Mrs. Lowell, but you only laugh at her.” She’ll get more out of life than Gloria Milford or any of that crowd,” persisted her father. Let her go her own way.” Mrs. Lowell just shook her head. No one to talk with-------,” carolled Bobby, underneath a cold shower. Marie, see if you can find my blue linen dress and my white oxfords. Just lay them on the bed, and then you can go.” Don’t go no- where; what do I care, your-----. Is that you, mother? There’s a new fellow at Tommy’s. Yes, I met him before I left. Seems all right. What! An author! Goodness, I acted as though I’d never heard of him. Well, I never did.” Bobby was now wriggling into the blue dress. She pulled stock- ings on, thrust her feet into white oxfords, grabbed a tennis racket and ran downstairs. Dad, want a game? Make it snappy. What? Mother wants me? I’ll be back in a second.” Bobby, stop singing for a minute and sit down here. I wish you’d give up all this mannish style and be a girl.” Oh, mother, please don’t start all that again. I can’t act that way—it’s not in me—and I don’t want to be a girl.” Well, there’s an invitation here from Dotty Haines to her dance Saturday. It’s semi-formal.” I don’t want to go.” Please, Bobby. Do me a favor and go. You’ll enjoy yourself. If you only knew what you’re missing. You could have so much fun with the young crowd------- Oh, all right, Mother, I’ll go, but I’ll most likely have an awful time.” If you try, Bobby, you can have a good time.” Yes, I’ll be the laugh of the party.” Ready, Bob,” said her father, poking his head in the door. Yes, sir! So-long, mother.” Hang it all,” said Bobby outside. Mother’s making me go to Dot Haines’ dance Saturday night. I hate to dance but----- Oh, let’s forget it and play tennis.” Fourteen

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THE REFLECTOR Pals UC7O ELL, will you look at Bobby Lowell! Of all messy outfits i 0 J t° wear to a place like this! It’s about time that girl woke up to herself. I don’t think she cares a bit about her looks.” Bobby Lowell strode across the lawn, a sharp contrast to the other girls. A hard round of golf had certainly not improved her appearance. A tiny, boyish figure, black hair that just would curl around a pert, little face, and two merry blue eyes which just now were smiling at the world. Cute—yes—but her clothes! They were the despair of every lover of feminine frills. Mannish right from the sweater to stout oxfords, for if there were any two things Bobby hated they were curly hair and frilly dresses. Gee, it’s hot!” she ejaculated. Right!” said a voice behind her, and she swung around to see Tommy Searles, accompanied by a tall, blond young man in white flannels. Oh, hello, Tommy,” she said briskly. Want you to meet a friend of mine, Barry Wells,” said Tommy. This is Bobby Lowell, best golfer in the club.” Bobby stretched forth a grimy hand to clasp Barry’s brown one. Have a good game?” he asked in a pleasant voice. Swell,” and Bobby turned around to gulp down a tumbler of ginger ale. So-long,” banging down the glass; see you later,” and she made off for a snappy little roadster parked near the road, tossed her clubs into the seat, and drove off in a whirl of dust. Glo, Patty, Alice and Dotty had watched Bobby when she met Tommy and Barry. Goodness,” said Glo, you’d think she didn’t know who Barry Wells was, the way she ignored him.” Barry Wells, popular novelist, was the hit of the season. Most likely she doesn’t,” smiled Pat. She never read a novel in her life. She reads wild-west stories and jungle tales. Too odd for words!” What man could like her, I don’t know,” chimed in Dotty. There’s nothing girlish about her. She’s a good sport, but they say she hates girls. She never says much more than Hello” to any one of us, and she hasn’t one real girl friend.” I don’t believe I’ve ever seen her in anything dressy. She always wears sport clothes, and they look as though they’d been thrown on in about two minutes.” I wonder how she’d look in an evening dress,” mused Pat. I’ll bet she strides along as though she were in knickers! And high heels! I’ll bet she’s a scream.” Let’s try to get her to come to my house Saturday, when the crowd comes down. It’s to be semi-formal, you know. If we can get her to come, we’ll have the best laugh of our lives.” This from Dotty. Thirteen

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THE REFLECTOR Three quarters of an hour later Bobby came in, flushed but tri- umphant. Boy, give me a game of tennis any day, rather than a dance.” Mrs. Lowell shook her head. What will ever become of her I don’t know. I hope she’ll enjoy herself at Dotty’s.” Don’t worry, said Mr. Lowell, Bobby enjoys herself anywhere.” Music blared, lights shone, and gaily clad couples spun ’round over the glossy floor. Bobby surveyed the gay scene with a critical air, walked over to the staircase and up to the dressing room. She ran a comb through her tousled hair and sauntered downstairs. Across the floor to a couch against the wall, she made her way. She nodded a greeting to a few of the girls and seemed all unconscious of the attention she was attracting. Dressed in a straight green frock she really looked quite charming but felt ex- tremely uncomfortable. Glo, Patty, Alice and Dotty stood in a group not far away, giggling and whispering and casting amused glances at Bobby. I didn’t really think she’d come,” laughed Glo. The dress is all right, but she looks so uncomfortable. She sits there with her feet tucked under her-----looks afraid to move. I guess if she stood up on those high heels she’d topple over.” Bobby looked their way, smiled grimly, and noticed that they stopped talking. Flushing hotly, she resolved to stick the night out just to show them what she was made of. Good evening, Miss Lowell,” said a pleasant voice, and smiling eyes greeted her. Why, hello, Mr.—er—Wells, isn’t it?” Yes. Barry sounds friendlier, doesn’t it?” Why, yes—and make it Bobby for me,” laughed Bobby. Like all this?” he asked, with a nod at the gay scene. Prompted, for some unknown reason to say 'yes,’ Bobby said it. I just love it, don’t you?” C’mon, old man-------the girls are clamoring for you,” came from Tommy, who had appeared suddenly. Excuse him, Bobby, like a good girl. You know the gang”-------and Tommy rushed off, his excuses trail- ing behind him, before Bobby had a chance to say anything. Well, of all things,” she gasped, and stopped, surprised to find that she had been enjoying herself those few minutes. He’s kind of nice,” she reflected, but I wish he didn’t like all this silly stuff.” Scarcely seeing the spinning couples, she sat there, busy with her thoughts. Bored with the music, she stood up and walked out into the garden. She sat down on a bench outside the summer house, her thoughts far from the scene. Fifteen