Frankfort High School - Cauldron Yearbook (Frankfort, IN)

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T 11 K C AULD It 0 N The First Two Weeks of School F I were asked to give in two words a summary of the first two weeks of school, I should choose perspiration and resolution. The summer months were neglected by Old Sol last year and Neptune “rained” supreme. Palm Beach suits and palm leaf fans were stored away in the old chest in the garret. Fires were lit and society made good use of the real substance that had been supplied to their favorite topic of conversation. On Labor Day, however, when Old Sol came out to celebrate, he learned to his surprise that the Frankfort Public Schools were to be opened the next day. He clapped his hands in glee and beamed upon the rising generation with all his tardy and pent-up magnificence. Immediately the perspiratory system of Young America began working overtime. Palm Beaches and palm leaves came out and fires went out. Everything changed except, of course, the aforementioned topic of conversation, which, like Tennyson’s little brook, must go on forever. The other phase of our first two weeks of school life is resolution. There is probably more real work done in the first and last two weeks of a school term than is done in all the other fourteen weeks put together. But the motives under these two periods of work are different. We work the first two weeks because we want to; the last two weeks because we have to. The first two weeks contain resolutions, the last two, revolutions. The typical student, when lie starts to school after three months vacation, is firmly resolved to love and obey his teachers, respect his principal, and devote himself to his studies with all his mind, heart, and soul. After three months respite, studies do not have the same dark aspect as formerly. The student realizes that during the preceding three months nature has been at work and that his intellect has grown sufficiently that he may now successfully cope with an extra subject or two. He will work hard, master the extra subjects, get high enough grades to win the scholarship, and will also win the various other little events during the year. With many this state of mind does not last the entire two weeks; with some it may last as many as three or even more. It all depends on the individual behind the resolutions, whether these are fanciful air castles of the moment, or grim strongholds of determination capable of standing siege for eighteen weeks. Mice No attempt should be made to eradicate the mice from the high school building, for, far from being a detriment, they are a positive advantage. When students eat peanuts and candy, some crumbs are bound to fall to the floor. Sere n

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EDITORIAL The Relationship of F. H. S. to Frankfort P. H. S. is a miniature Frankfort, for it has its officers and citizens, its council meetings, and its streets and alleys to clean. Do not the teachers guide and direct the students just as the city officials look after the welfare of the citizens? Are they not taught to care for their own premises at school, just as citizens must care for their home premises? Thus the boys and girls learn to keep the school yard, the building, and their own desks in a clean, sanitary condition of the school. Learning to care for school property is learning to care for town property. Moreover, the pupils upon the whole become law-abiding citizens of P. II. 8. They obey, not through fear, but because they soon realize that no organization can be managed without obedience to certain laws. They know that each one must do his part willingly in order to make the whole run smoothly. Thus they learn the need of laws and why they should be obeyed. Every course of study in our school, and every activity in our school help to make better future citizens of our young people. Since our high school is a young Frankfort, the town should take an ac tive interest in it. Out of it will come tin future population of Frankfort. Probably some F. II. S. boy will be mayor. For these reasons Frankfort should further the ability of the high school. She ought to be interested in securing the best instructors, for no other factors of the school influence the boys and girls as much as they. She should see that the students are learning those things which make strong citizens, and that they are showing their desire for victory in the high school activities, for this will later result in enthusiasm for town affairs. The Chamber of Commerce works for everything that tends to increase the growth of Frankfort, from Hallowe’en celebration to bringing factories here. Then, it should aid the high school and help to make it a better one. Even recognizing it as an important part of F'rank fort will make it a stronger institution. The above does not indicate that we feel our school is not appreciated, for F. II. S. does recognize the fact that the people are loyally supporting it. It has learned that the entire city is gratified when plays, debates, operas, and parties are successful. And, in return, the Frankfort High School is trying to do its part in making “Frankfort First.’’ i x

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THE CAULDRON When a teacher sees these crumbs, there is likely to be some trouble in store for the student who occupies that seat. This mean? friendly relations broken, and ill feeling established. But that little peacemaker, the mouse, while rambling across the floor, comes across these crumbs and eats them before they are discovered, thus averting all the awful consequences which might have followed. The mouse is a graceful creature, as it glides smoothly from cover to cover, and the students who watch it are greatly rewarded by a vast development in the aesthetic side of their culture. Moreover, students whose brains are weary from overwork find it pleasant to rest their minds by considering the playful mouse in its innocent frolics, and in thus seeing, they take on courage for renewed effort. •Abolish the high school building; abolish tin1 text-books; yea, even abolish the teachers if you must, but spare tin innocent, graceful and beneficial little mice from the horrible and outrageous doom of the cruel mouse trap. Student Government To establish student government, would be to establish the so-called honor system. This system places in tin hands of the students the responsibility of self-government. To establish this system, an honorable, well organized student body is necessary, each student having a keen sense of personal honor. It is applied in many places in the school, such as in tin1 examination room, in the study room, in the school contests and activities, etc. The students themselves appoint the committees to govern and judge, and thus honor and self-respect is won among the students. The honor system produces many good results. It creates in the students a sense of responsibility, relieves the teachers to some degree, and strengthens the characters of the honorable students. Of course a “cheat” is to be found wherever one may be. Under student government, the “cheat is looked down upon with contempt by the students. If in the examination room, a “cheat signs the pledge in which lie declares he has answered all the questions without help and is not found out, it is felt that lie has harmed no one but himself by detracting from his manhood. Another good result from the system is that, it it is a success, it gives the school a high standing in the community. Also, it sends young people with well developed characters out in the world to become citizens. Now, the question is, are there any possibilities of founding student government in F. II. S. ? Have we a comparatively honorable student body? Would our students assume the responsibility after having been watched and directed all of their lives? And, finally, do our students really desire student government? desire it strongly enough to be willing to use the self-control that is necessary to make it a success? E i a h f