Mount Vernon Seminary - Cupola Yearbook (Washington, DC)

Page 26 text:

Show the filming of a scene from one of the movies-to-be, Cyrano de Bergerac, Gone With the Wind, or Pinocchio, was the first order. Choosing the balcony scene from Cyrano, the star-sighing Bettsy Smith listened to the simperings of her weak- willed lover, Ruth Blanchard, as he was secretly prompted by out- standing-nosed Ruth Fishback. For the same problem, of course the southern m inded Seniors just had to choose The Wind. Eleanor Cyrono Serenades O ' Hara Wallace primped as she wailed her fate to Anne Laurie Melanie Comer, so sweet in the filming, so terrifying on the set. When it came to pantomiming two dictatorships and a democracy there was little chance for variety. After all there are not so many conspicuous democracies left, and certainly only two or three as yet notorious dictators. Hitler, Stalin and Roosevelt were burlesqued in their characteristic attitudes by both groups. Well, the Juniors gave a grand show but the evening went to the Senior Class. FORMS INGENUITY On January 21 an equally important ingenuity contest was staged by the Forms, between the Yellow and the White classes. Again a Faculty com- mittee set the trials. The Whites had the stage first, their first stunt being to represent five historical persons. Anne Vinton caused a riot as Henry VIII, especially when she lost her hat and her beard to the very first wife. Deenie Ingenious Formers 22 i

Page 25 text:

ASSEMBLIES Speaking of brightening the corners, we wish here to enter a tribute to the interesting list of assembly programs Miss Hanna has brought to school this year. Mr. Kiplinger of the Kiplinger News Letter Service brought us some valuable news right off the wires, combined with his own interesting predic- tions and forecasts of possible outcomes. He even roused us to question and discussion, surely some of us to a more consistent interest in daily headline news. Mr. Louis Untermeyer, poet and critic, came out one afternoon to talk to us and some special guests about poetry in everyday life. Mrs. Lloyd served tea after the meeting, which all was just another assembly dressed up to an exciting party. Miss Elizabeth Clark, of the International Migration Service, came in a regular Wednesday session with moving stories of refugees and their present political predicaments. These and other assemblies, although planned primarily for their educational value, we have thoroughly enjoyed, both for their live, up-to-the-minute subject matter and for the stimulating persons who have spoken. INGENUITY The throwing of the Senior glove challenged the Juniors to the annual bat- tle of wits, to be held on the evening of January 1 4. A super-secret committee from the Faculty went to work on the formulation of problems worthy of our most ingenious members. The evening came, as such evenings always come. Leaving untouched plates at the dinner table and with nary a calm face, the Seniors struggled weakly to Senior room. Having drawn the favored lot for first performance, the Juniors, tense and solemn, were just able to make Optima room. There they went to work fast and furi- ously on a short time al- lowance, while the Seniors grew grey with the long wait for second period. Four Little Angels 21

Page 27 text:

Hitlerites Stage Losing Show Hutton was wrapped up in a vivid, languid characterization of Cleopatra. The Yellow class also chose these characters as two of their five, making a most interesting comparison. Peggy Mack as Henry VIII stole the hearts and the lives of his various wives in rapid procession of events. Irene Stewart as the captivation Cleopatra danced to her said love-death. A casting office problem led to two very different class impressions. The White Class chose to impersonate prominent persons of the stage today. We especially remember Gay Klipstein as Harpo Marx. The Yellows put on an amateur-night. Again the audience clapped Irene into a dance encore. Both classes gave fine shows but the Yellows were a bit more ingenious, winning the coveted honor of defeating their traditional rivals, the Whites. MUSICAL EVENTS The remarkable growth of musical consciousness which is making itself felt throughout the nation is also pervading M.V.S. Music is being increas- ingly enjoyed and shared by the entire school community. This widens the activity of the ever popular Choral Society, better known as Glee Club and Choir. The Choir has been especially outstanding this year in the beautiful anthems of Sunday Chapel service. The Glee Club has appeared in two recitals. The first was in December. We were delighted with the splendid progress of the singers in harmony of voice and interpretation. The girls sang again for M.V.S. Council in April. The combined Choir and Glee Club are still working on the operetta, In Mozart ' s Time, which will officially close the music season at Mount Vernon. Mrs. Barrow is Director and Mildred Rand, President, of Choir and Glee Club. We are also indebted to Mrs. Barrow for the fine organ recitals she has given us on Sunday nights. On January 21, Mrs. Barrow and Miss Mack chaperoned a small group of girls to New York for a delightful week-end of Metropolitan Operas. 23