Clifton High School - Rotunda Yearbook (Clifton, NJ)

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THE REFLECTOR Veil' .lm THE THEME STUDENT PARTICIPATION IN SCHOOL GOVERNMENT ISITORS and guests of our school invariably comment upon the fine order and the inconspicuous discipline prevailing in our school gbuilding. From the assembly rostrum we have been told again and again that our school rates high among the institutions of the State for its order, its elhcient management, and its splendid upkeep. Our guests from neighboring schools have registered pleased surprise, and expressed unstinted praise for our smoothly running system, our elimi- nation of waste time, and our businesslike checks on delinquents. We students know that the credit for this praiseworthy state of affairs goes de- servedly to our principal, Mr. Nutt, and to his aides, the teachers, and the members of the oliice force. We all agree that Mr. Nutt has rendered the school outstanding service and that he might rightfully Hrest upon his laurelsf, But Mr. Nutt has not been satisfied with all this. It has been his constant de- sire to inculcate the love of order and good discipline in his charges by sharing responsibility with the teachers and the pupils, with the aim of furthering the demo- cratic ideal and of developing in us the primary requisites of good citizenship. This past year has witnessed the formation of the Teachers Council, an advisory body to the principal, enjoying great prestige and respect. The past term likewise is most notable for a serious attempt on the part ofithe students to better the exist- ing pupil agencies through which they may participate in school government. It is characteristic of our principal that when the interest of students in their agencies seemed to wane, he did not shake the students out of their smug complacency. He saw what we never suspected-that any change in student affairs, if it were to be worthwhile and successful-would have to come from the students themselves. Without mentioning a word about his policy he inconspicuously encouraged student initiative and waited for the students to do something about themselves. This issue of The Reflector is an indication that our principal7s policy is bearing fruit. We feel that the time has now arrived and that the students are uwaking up. We decidedly do not desire to convey the impression that things have been going wrong in our school. As we indicated in the beginning of this introductory article, our school always has been considered a model. What we do desire to convey is that while we have been highly rated, we are not satisfied with this. Where we have been good, we are going to be better. Through the liberality of our principal and teachers we have learned the supreme lesson for students-that it is under their wise guidance, and not through our own unsuper- vised devices, that we shall succeed in bettering ourselves. Our school always hasbeen a model. It is going to remain a model, but from now on we are going to think more of it, work harder- for it, and remember it with greater affection and loyalty because it has taught us, in a most democratic manner, that we may have responsibility-if we deserve it, that we may participate more fully in school government-if we are Ht for such participation, and that we may enjoy the great advantage of learning the secrets of true citizenship by practicing it-when we are ready for it. ' THE EDITORS. Five

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THE REFLECTOR val- 'IW Reilector Staii : ll:ebruary : June 1933 Editor, lris Brownlee. Literary Editor, Gertrude Smits. Associate Literary Editors, Harry Cooper, Frank Hawthorne, Marian Curtiss, Marjorie Brittain. Re- flections Editor, Ernest Bepko. Associate-Reflections Editors, Joseph Koosman, Edna Grimshaw, Felix Borowsky. Sports Editor, Joseph Moltane. Associate Sports Edi- tors, Joseph Rosensaft, Margaret Bialek. News Editor, Gertrude Donkersloot. As- sociate News Editors, Jean Coleman, Ruth Hengeveld, Marian Bailey, Edith Goet- schius, Elsie Weigand. Art Editor, Sue Leverton. Associate Art Editors, John Herzo, Evelyn Berchart Hermina Schoeppe, Steven Yanko, Benjamin Ciesla, Joseph Weiss, Robert Slough, Olga Belinski, E. Einreinhof. Business Managers, Edel Pet- ricek, Frederick Doherty. Advertising Manager, Andrew Chambers. Assistant Ad- vertising Managers, Jacob Pruiksma, Russel Planck, Marion Wesley. rlvable ol Qontents PAGE PAGE An Interview with the Superintendent 3 Literature ,,,,.,,,,,,,,A,,,.,,,,,,,,, ,.,,,,,,, 3 l The Theme .....,.,......,.................,.,.,.,,...,........,...,...... 5 Literary Projects .....,...,.... ,........ 4- 0 Report on 7th Annual Conference ...... 6 School News ,,...,,.,,..,A,,,,..,,...,.,....,,,, ......... 4 il Special Report of Committee on Law Illustrated Chronology ,....,,.. .,...,... 4 LL Enforcement ...........,...........,.,,...,.....,,................ 8 Athletics ----------ppnn----,',...-,--'-'-Y-.,,--Y -A-..--.. 4 7 Extra-Curricular Clubs ......,t. ,,....... 2 6 Reiqeetiens -e---.----..--t-,,w-W,-.----,,., nutuhhhth 5 3 Annex Student Court ..,,,.... ...,..,,, 2 7 Senior Seetien tnnennnnntttnnnwltn-t'w.---- ttlttull' 5 9 The Teachem Council ----------- --------- 2 8 Patronize Our Advertisers ......... 67 .. 29 Editorials .......,,,......,........t..,.. ......,.. Four s

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THE REFLECTOR ral IGH liqeport on the Seventh Annual Qonference of New ,llersey llflligh School Qotlneils g HELD AT COLUMBIA HIGH SCHOOL, SOUTH ORANGE, IV. J., APRIL 6, 1933 HE members of the Committee on Law Enforcement of the Democracy Classes hereby submit to our Principal, Mr. Nutt, and to the Teachers, Council the following report on the Conference which they, and four members of the Gen- eral Organization, attended: Committee on Law Enforcement INTRODUCTION The Conference, consisting of representa- tives of seventy New Jersey High Schools, was called to order, promptly at 3:15 olclock, by Robert Patton, Student President of Columbia High School. Mr. Patton introduced his Prin- cipal, Mr. Curtis H. Threlkeld, who in turn intro- duced the visiting speaker, Professor E. K. Fretwell, of Teachers, College, Columbia Uni- versity, who spoke on the subject: The Inherent Values for the Pupil in a Program of Pupil Participation in School Government. Professor Fretwell outlined a general form of student participation in school government but pleaded for more of the true spirit of par- ticipation, rather than the mere form of it. His talk strengthened us in our opinion that Many form of student participation, if it is to be real and effective, must originate in, and be the natural growth of, the student body where it is introduced. GROUP MEETINGS ' For purposes of discussion four grouplmeetings were held in different parts of the school. Members of the Clifton delegation were present at each meeting. A - Financing School Council Activities. It was the general impression that Student Councils should exercise control over all student activities, including: Clubs, Athletics, Class Activities such as Junior Prom and Senior Play, Sales, Dances, Red Cross Fund, Unemployment Relief, Assembly Programs, and general improvement funds, and that the Council should be made responsible for the financing of the same. ,The budget system was proposed as the best method of financing projects. B - Benejits of Pupil Participation. It was the opinion of the representatives of many schools that outright student republics generally are failures and that, therefore, new and better forms, embodying the ideal of co-operation between students and teachers and principal, are to be preferred. It was the general feeling that student groups should. be consultative rather than autonomous. Six