Jefferson Junior High School - Jeffersonian Yearbook (Rochester, NY)

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Mrs. Rodney and the Forum Officers I fi in right: liloycl Crt-llin, Clinton llcmiulcson. Mrs. Rodney. Florence XX 'xtlm llcrlwrt ll'1cl1 STUDENT FORUM Excitement ran high during the election of the Student Forum. Campaign managers mapped out a live campaign with real issues and the different platforms of the four po- litical parties were presented before the Forum members. Slogans, banners and posters graced the corridor walls. On election day, March 18, every member Went to the poll in his own ward, and there marked his printed ballot, in secret, folded it and dropped it into the ballot box. The successful candidates were four pupils whose pictures appear on this page. 14 '

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anything was put before the public itwas censored by the Manager. In this way the whole campaign was carried through with a high ideal of civic order, clean politics, artistic value and Jeffersonian spirit. The campaign was a challenge to the initiative, the finest ability and judgment of every individual. The response came in the form of the plat- form, typed copies of which were sent to each home room. Posters and slogans expressing the party principles, tags bearing block printprofile of the candidates, and life size silhouettes posted in the corridors, published the record of the attitude, ability and achievement of the candidates. At the regular assembly the campaign speeches were made. The mana- ger introduced the candidates of his party, each of whom addressed the as- sembly, outlining his policies if elected. Party spirit was very much in ev- idence by penants, bearing the party slogan, attractive and convincing posters, artistic head dresses, lantern slides with pictures of candidates, songs cheers, etc. After a week of the most enthusiastic school spirit Jefferson has ever seen, election day came. The school was divided into six voting districts, each provided with election commissioners, printed ballot, booths, etc. The polls were open from 8:15 to 4 o'clock. The entire student body and faculty voted at their convenience, without interruption of regular work. Election returns were published next morning. The news was received with many expressions of a non-partisan and wholly Jeffersonian spirit. The inaugural address was given before the student body. The ofiicers were installed by Mr. Finch. ' At the first regular Forum meeting the president delivered his message to congress and outlined the plans for his administration. Among the great Forum business projects are, the spring pageant, The History of Music , details of which you will find elsewhere, and a paper sale for the purpose of strengthening the Forum treasury. There is no limit to the possibilities and the power for good which the Student Forum may reach. A code of honor will be completed by the close of this semester, which will help the constitutional committee to draw up its constitution next term. We are hoping to plan all campaigns for next semester so that there will be plenty of time and a thorough understanding of detail. We are treading 'slowly but surely, hoping that whatever the Forum accomplishes will be of lasting benefit to us and to those who will share the joys and responsibilities of our great school in the future. If the school is to train for democracy we should make a democracy of the school. Our Forum is step in making of Jefferson a real democracy. 13

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School Emblem REPRESENTATIVE STUDENTS Once a semester the faculty consider the various members of the Nine A Classes to determine which boy and which girl has, in their judgment, best exemplified the junior high school spirit and lived up to the ideals and standards of Jefferson in the most exemplary manner during the three years. It is sometimes hard to decide, for Jefferson stu- dents are trustworthy and eager to serve their school at every turn. Personality, scholarship, athletics, dramatic and musical ability are all taken into account, but a stud- ent need not qualify in all of these lines. Any member of the faculty may propose one or more candidates. When the names are all in, the votes are taken and the boy and girl receiving the highest number of votes are declared elected. Other plans for electing the representative student are be- ing discussed and the one now followed may be displaced by another. A button is awarded to the boy and a pin to the girl on whom the honor is bestowed. The 'monogram of the school, a gold J. J. H., appears on a field of blue en- amel. The eight sides ofthe octagon emblem typify the many-sidedness of its wearers, and the all-round develop- ment for which the school stands. 15