Clifton High School - Rotunda Yearbook (Clifton, NJ)

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T H E R E F LiE C'T O R val- , -lou General Organization C - Character Training. - It seemed obvious to us that civil virtue is best instilled by practice in government, and that such practice should be given in the schools, not in civil life proper. It likewise was our impression that a much healthier view of politics might result if students participated in government in co-operation with their superiors, so that they might be encouraged to act rightly, and discouraged from objectionable practices. D - Better Discipline With the School Council. Many instances were given of schools where students participate in govern- ment not only through student councils, but also through aiding the faculty in an executive capacity by acting as monitors in study halls, as librarians and custodians in school libraries, and by patrolling the exterior as well as the interior of school buildings. Student responsibility is further developed by permitting the students themselves to deal with infractions of regulations through student courts. Our impression was that this innovation should not be hastily adopted. OUR GENERAL IMPRESSION or THE CONFERENCE The multiplicity and diversity of the problems discussed seemed to us an in- dication that each school must formulate its own plans and arrive at a system of student participation peculiarly fitting to its own needs. Therefore we do not approve of the imposition of any copied form of student participation in school government in our school. The best results will be obtained by an evolutionary, rather than a revolution- ary change. r We heartily recommend, therefore, that the General Organization be revivified in accordance with the proposals contained in our special report, and that this body, when properly functioning, transmit its suggestions, proposed regulations, pleas, etc., to the Teachers' Council for approval or veto, and that these matters finally come to the attention of the Principal in a joint report which he also may approve or reject. A JOHN LOTZ, Chairman, BERYL M. CONINGSWOOD, GEORGE HILAIRE, MATTHEW KAISER, CAROLYN LEIBACH. Seven

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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

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THE REFLECTOR emi, 'IGN Special llgeport of the Qommittee on ll,aW Enforcement of the lllroblems of Democracy Qlass W PART I- PREFACE N assigning supplementary work to the pupils in the class in Problems of Ameri- can Democracy, our teacher asked, on Thursday, March 2, for a group of volun- teers who would form a Committee on Law Enforcement to examine and report on means of improving school spirit, and of promoting the better co-Operation of students and teachers in matters of mutual concern, particularly as regards school regulations and their enforcement, school discipline from the studentis viewpoint, and student participation in government. Nine members of the class volunteered to form this committee, of which num- ber, however, only the five whose signatures appear at the end of this report remained on the committee. The committee undertook to meet daily to discuss the varied and complex prob- lems which presented themselves. All told, the members devoted sixty hours apiece of their free time to this task. They visited three schools in search for information, attended the annual Conference of New ,lersey Student Councils, and gathered a wealth of first hand material from schools in New Jersey and New York through the medium of correspondence. In view of the liherality of our Principal, and of his oft-expressed willingness to receive the recommendations of well-meaning students, we, the members of the aforesaid committee, desire to present to him the result of our findings as contained in this report. A copy likewise shall be left with the Teachers Council for the con- sideration of the teachers. PART II - INTRODUCTION A - PECULIAR LOCAL CONDITIONS. After an examination of conditions elsewhere and a comparison of them with conditions prevailing here, it is the opinion of the committee that any sudden or drastic change in the status of the pupil would not be wise, and for the following reasons: E I-While school spirit is good, it is not constant, as may be seen in the vary- ing degrees of student support given to athletics, drives of various kinds, and other school projects, such as The Reflector. 2-Until school spirit is a more complete reality, any artificial plans based on it are bound to fail. 3-School spirit must come from the pupils, who should not be given the full rights and privileges of participation until they desire them, and until they show that they deserve them. f 11'-Until the spirit of responsibility is more general, any scheme of student participation will be subject to ridicule, abuse, and consequent frustration. B - THE FIRST STEP. We feel that, in view of the local conditions, the ground work first must be pre- pared if a sturdy growth of true citizenship is to be achieved. Part III of this report deals with measures which, we think, are worthy attempts to promote better. school spirit and a more general sense of responsibility. Eight