Clifton High School - Rotunda Yearbook (Clifton, NJ)

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THE REFLECTOR This plan of Bill's, however, did not fit in with Jimmy's. He was hoping to take Betty to the prom himself. It was something he had been anticipating for a long time. He could not escort her to the prom held when he was a freshman, because his freshman year was spent in the high school at Rochester, New York. During his sophomore year his family moved to Middleton. A few weeks after he entered the Middleton High School the Junior Prom was held. At this time he suppressed an urgent desire to ask her to accompany him to the dance on the grounds that he did not know her well enough yet. And then, too, she was so popular and he knew almost no one. However, he did not take any one else to that dance. In his third year he had asked her, but was too late: Bill had beaten him to it. He had been determined that no one should beat him this year, but it seemed that Bill had done that very thing. But perhaps Bill had not asked her yetg perhaps he was just bragging. Bill was a conceited fool anyway. He was, Jimmy must admit, an exceptionally good football player, but that was about all. Because he lived on the eastside and his father was considered the richest man in town, he snubbed the students from the westside, whose fathers had to perform manual labor to support their families. He even snubbed some of the students from the eastside who weren't quite so rich as he. The only person living on the Westside whom he did not snub was Betty. Jimmy knew Bill hated him. He called him chief squealer,'- he always made fun of the cheer leader-and tried to belittle him every chance he got. But if Bill had not yet asked Betty to go to the prom with him, he soon would. Jimmy must act quickly. He must see Betty, ascertain whether or not she had accepted an invitation from Bill, and, if not, he must extend to her his own invitation. Upon deciding this he closed his locker, proceeded along the hall, descended the back stairs, made his exit through the rear door, and con- tinued to the girls' exit. There he accidentally-or, at least, he hoped it seemed accidentally to her--met Betty. Hello, Betty, he greeted her. f'Mind if I walk home with you? Fm going your way today-over to the library. Well, you'll have to walk fast then,', she answered. I have to get home as quickly as possible, then mother and I are going to Magee's to select a new dress for me to wear to the Junior Prom. I guess I can keep up with you, Jimmy accepted. If my car weren't in the garage, I could've saved you some time by driving you home. Thanks for the kind thought, but it will be all right if we don,t waste any timef' There was a short interval of silence as they walked rapidly up a small hill. Twenty-six

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THE REFLECTOR The Lull Before the Storm A vivid sea, a lowering sky, A strip of leaden beach, The wreck of a boat looming high and dry, And a sad colored bird with a desolate cry Flitting away out of reach. A line of white on the sandy bar Where the fitful surf runs high, A pallid mist rising near and far, And the dream of a night without a star, And the night wind's mournful sigh. JAMES CURRY, June 1934. Lozfe in Reverse T was 2:45 o'clock, the end of the school day in the Middleton High School. Students were rushing toward the exits, depositing and with- drawing books from lockers, and standing in groups in the corridors discussing yesterday's football game, in which Bill Dawson, the tall, heavy-set, right half-back, had made a sensational sixty-five yard run which won the game for Middleton. There had been two minutes left to play. The score had been thir- teen to seven in favor of Sussex, Middleton's traditional rival. Then Bill had made a brilliant end-run, and almost miraculously dodged tacklers all the way down the field for a touchdown, thereby advancing the score to thirteen-thirteen. After this brilliant comeback it was the least Red Jackson, Middleton's quarter-back, could do to gain another point by making a successful kick, making the final score: Middleton, fourteen, Sussex, thirteen. The thrilling game was approximately the only topic of conversation all next day. The faculty found it difficult to keep the attention of the students. Some of the younger teachers didnlt even try to do so, but spent most of the period gabbing with the students about the mo- mentous game. A middle-sized senior, too small for a varsity football player, but just the right size for a cheer leader-and he was the head cheer leader-stood staring through keen, gray eyes into the interior of his locker. A casual observer might think he was deciding which books to take home to study. But the observer would be mistaken. Jimmy Hunter did all of his homework in his study periods. His books, like those of many high school boys, seldom saw the interior of Jimmy's home. No, it was a quite different problem that perplexed him. His best friend, Red Jackson, had told him that Bill Dawson was bragging that he was going to take Betty Harris, the recently voted most popular girl in the school, to the Junior Prom. ' This prom was sponsored by juniors in honor of the seniors, and was the biggest social event of the year in the Middleton High School. Twen ty-five

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THE REFLECTOR As they reached the top, Jimmy asked, Whom are you going to the dance with? Or is it a secret?,' W'ell, no one has asked me yet, but there's plenty of time, and I haven't quite given up hope. Well,-ah,i began Jimmy. Honk! Ho-o-nk! There's Bill Dawson in his car. I think he's going to pick us up, announced Betty. Hello, Bill. Hello, Betty! Can I give you a 1ift?', invited Bill, and then, Well, well. If it isn't our illustrious queer-leader. Since it looks like you're with this representative of the fair sex, I suppose we'll have to accommodate you, too. Well, I suppose it's all right if the car doesn't objectf' Thanks,,' muttered Jimmy, disgustedly. He knew Bill didn't want him, and he wouldn't leave Betty alone with Bill now. He must forward his invitation first. Jimmy didnit say much during the ride, but Bill kept jabbering all the way, so his own conversation wasn't missed. When they arrived at Betty,s house and she had left them, Bill said, So you're going to the library, eh? Well, I'm sorry, but I'm going in the opposite direction, so you'll have to walk. Jimmy wasn't surprised at thisg he had rather expected it. He stepped to the sidewalk and started off in the direction of the library, but as soon as Bill had disappeared around a corner he changed his course toward home. He couldn't go to the library, he had just taken out a book two days ago. jimmy decided to call on Betty that evening. There was no time to lose if his ambition of two and a half years was to be realized. Hence, at eight oiclock he strolled leisurely along Elm Street, toward Betty's house. But as he neared his destination, he discovered that some one else had the same idea. For whom should he meet on the corner of Elm and Hamilton Streets but Bill Dawson. Well, well. If it ain't the chief squawker again, greeted Bill. Oh, it's the famous football hero. And what are you doing on this side of town, if I may ask? asked Jimmy, although he could make a shrewd guess as to the real reason. I'm just conducting myself on a sightseeing tour of our beautiful cityf' answered Bill. 'Tm here to try a soda in the famous Pop Warren's Soda Palace, where, I'm told, you dish 'em outf' Yes, but you won't have the pleasure of my services tonight. It's my night off. But I'm going there to talk over an important matter with Pop, said Jimmy, realizing that he needed some excuse for being so near Betty's home. Okay, I'll walk you down there, suggested Bill. There was very little conversation wasted during the course of the Walk, and when they reached Pop's Soda Palace, Bill seated himself at the fountain while Jimmy proceeded to the rear of the store, and, after Twenty-s even