Eastern Academy - Echoes Yearbook (Paterson, NJ)

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I937- === EAS TERN: AGADEMY=—=—— 19.37 At the end of January we had our graduation exercises and we are busy now getting ready for the June closing and graduating program. In April we rendered an interesting program in School No. 12. The proceeds of this program will be used to good advantage. Several of our teachers, the principal included, took extension work in Montclair State Teachers’ College. The Graduating Class of January hired a bus and visited places of interest in New York. The June Class wants to do better and is making plans to visit places of historic interest in Philadelphia. I wonder whether the boys and girls are aware of the fact that all things cost money and whether father and mother are always able to foot the bills. Pins, rings, dresses, suits, presents, flowers, etc., etc. cost money, and money does not grow on trees. I wish some one would introduce a more simple procedure of graduation. Of course, the merchants would dislike such a plan, but many parents would, perhaps (?), welcome a change. In some states of our union no graduation exercises are held when pupils finish the eighth grade. Several shorter programs were given during the schoolyear. We had our Thanksgiving Program, Christmas Program, Washington’s and Lincoln’s Birth- day Programs, Rally Day’s Program, etc., etc. In the fall of the year we intend to have an art and hobby exhibit. Our exhibit of drawings in the Prospect Park Bank and North Main St. Bank was admired by many spectators. Our Board has been active and busy also. The Spring Drive is just about completed and plans are made for our Labor Day Program. If nothing interferes with our plans, a field day will be held before the end of June, and the Ladies’ Cirele of our school is going to hold a “Silver Tea” and Sale in the near future. More important than all these activities is the fact that all our children were instructed daily in the way they should go. We have tried to permeate our instruction with the eternal truths of God’s Word. We have shown our children that we are pilgrims, looking for a better country, but we have also tried to show them that we must be faithful citizens of our country while we live and show our influence as Christians in every sphere of life. We have sown the seeds but God has to give the increase. Let us work faithfully unto the end in the fear of our Lord, obeying his command to instruct the covenant youth according to his will. Of course, we fail miserably oft times, but at least we try. May the Lord bless the cause of Christian Education. Gerhardus Bos Tt PINE STREET CHRISTIAN SCHOOL The enrollment of the Pine Street School was somewhat better than last year. There was an increase of eight pupils. We hope and pray that our enrollment may continue to increase and that all Christian parents may realize what their covenant obligations are as well as their privileges. If said parents would only read prayerfully the promises which they have made before God and His congregation at the baptismal font there would be no doubt whatsoever, where their children should attend school. We had a very successful year in every respect. Not much sickness, the average attendance being over 95%. Our eighth grade contains 18 pupils which hope to graduate this month. The graduation exercises will be held June 23 in the Summer Street Christian Reformed Church. The main speaker for the seventeen

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1937 ——— EASTERN ACADEMY 1937 Chustian School News MIDLAND PARK CHRISTIAN SCHOOL We’ve missed your “Envoy” so far this year and hope we may see it more often next year. Ours has been a busy school this past term and many changes have taken place. Our staff for next year will be somewhat different. Helen Ruiter will again be in Room One, Martha Voorman will be in Room Two, Jessica Mierop will continue in Room Three, Jeannette Tanis will take the place of Wilma Te Slaa in Room Four, and Walter D. De Kock will again be in Room Five. The training of our teachérs for next year ranges between three and five years—a record we feel quite proud of considering the size of the school. All but one of our teachers have attended our own Normal School at Calvin for at least one year. All the teachers have not completed their plans for the summer but Miss Mierop is planning on leaving for New Mexico June 21 and hopes to ;visit there for the summer. Miss Te Slaa is again teaching for six weeks at West Sayville and may also spend some of her vacation visiting with relatives in the West. Mr. De Kock and family hope to leave the morning after the Commencement Program for a two or three weeks vacation with relatives and friends in Michigan after which he hopes to complete his first year of Graduate study at Columbia University. This year we are having a double graduation as there are fifteen graduating from grade nine as well as fifteen from grade eight. We hope that all or at least most of the ninth grade graduates will continue their high school work at Eastern Academy in September. They have worked hard and, in most cases, well during the past year and we certainly would like them to continue in this same spirit in the future. They need your encouragement teachers and upper classmen. Our school ground has undergone a major change in that we have had a large steam shovel excavate and level it. We feel quite well satisfied with the change and hope to continue the improvements. I would like to tell you about our newly-organized baseball team but am a little timid just now, your players will tell you why, but you will hear more of them later. Why couldn’t each of our schools have a team and then play each other occasionally? We are having our Twenty-Fifth Annual School Day at Lindbergh Park in North Haledon on July 5. Every effort is being made to make this picnic bigger and better than ever before—we’re even having, ponies there for the “kiddies” to ride on—and we hope that the Patersonians, ete. will give us the same cooperation we always give them at Idlewild on Labor Day. An inter- esting day of entertainment has been planned. All friends who are interested are cordially invited to enjoy themselves with us. W. De Kock It NORTH FOURTH STREET CHRISTIAN SCHOOL The school year is drawing to its close and its many activities will belong to the past. In January several grades visited the Industrial Exhibition in the Y. M. C. A. In order to encourage Mr. A. Vandewende with his projeet and to stimulate the interest we sent different classes to see his miniature village. A composi- tion writing project was started and prizes were earned by some pupils of dif- ferent grades. sixteen

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1937 = EASTERN ACADEMY=——= 1937 evening will be Professor R. B. Kuiper of Philadelphia. Several of the above pupils have signified their intention of enrolling in the Eastern Academy this fall. Why not all? Parents, do not break the chain unnecessarily to the detri- ment of your child. ‘Do not these links belong together, viz.: Christian home, Christian church, Christian school, and Eastern Academy? Remember the High school age is a very dangerous age. We must be doubly on our guard, and behold what a blessing of God that we have Christian institutions built for the express purpose of aiding you in the training of the children whom the Lord entrusted to your care. In the day of judgment can you meet ‘your Saviour with a clear conscience? Have you done all you could? G. Bos IU RIVERSIDE SCHOOL NEWS A few more weeks of testing and program drilling and another school year will be ended. The question has been asked how many more years will we be fable to continue our school. During the last seven years the enrollment has decreased from 104 to 82 children. A few years ago it has been as low as 76 children. It’s the old story, not all that could send their children. Sometimes I fear that mere tradition instead of principle is carrying us along. ‘Whither Bound” might indeed be prayerfully considered. A few weeks ago it did indeed look like a small school when many pupils were quarantined on account of mumps and scarlet fever. Most of them are again back in the ranks. One of our pupils, a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. F. Van Dyke has been confined to her bed since last September. Her trouble is, epi- thesis of the hips which is being corrected by weights. It’s a very long process. At my weekly visits I receive an inspiration. Her gallant, patient spirit is a marvelous thing to behold. About two weeks ago a fifth and eight grade pupil met with an accident while riding a bicycle together. One of them received minor bruises while the other is still confined to the hospital with a splintered arm. A warning not to ride tandem on a single seated bicycle. Some time ago I was invited to visit the new school on East 18th Street. What a building and what equipment! A gym. second to none. On one of the floors three successive small rooms were fully equipped representing a kitchen, dining room and bedroom. Obviously these rooms are used to teach domestic science. Each room was equipped with a loud speaker. What a poor outfit we have compared with such a school. Fortunately there can be teaching with a teacher on one end of the log and the pupil on the other. Did this visit dis- courage me? Not at all. In fact it gave me added courage. To think that our parents are willing to sacrifice these luxuries for their children in order that they may obtain a training which under the guidance of the Holy Spirit might make their souls beautiful and most glorious, is to see faith in action. May this faith of ours be strengthened so that we will gladly continue this important phase of Kingdom work until the end of time. During the last seven years less than 50% of our graduates go to Eastern Academy. That’s a pity. Let’s be sincere about this business. Let our faith be tested, put it squarely (reverently speaking) up to our Heavenly Father and tell Him about our financial difficulties if that be the reason. If that be not the reason, then ... then, make your own conclusions. R. Hommes. eighteen