Paxton High School - Reflector Yearbook (Paxton, IL)

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THE PAXTON HIGH SCHOOL REFLECTOR 7' saw that their sister was moving slowly from the bed with her eyes fixed on the man, who was too intent upon his work to see her as she crept softly to the door, which fortunately was close to the bed. Another in- stant, and she was outside, and the two hoys heard the click of the lock as she turned the key The burglar heard it too. Starting round, he saw that the bed was empfy and the girl gone from the room. He ran to the door and tried it; he could not open it. Catching up the sack into which he had been putting everything he considered of sufficient value, he made for the window. Heedless now of the noise, he flung apart the curtains to find the boys standing inside. With a violent push, he sent them sprawling on either side of him, theft jumped out of the window on the balcony below—only to be caught by a pair of strong arms, and in his turn to be thrown to the ground. , s soon as Marjorie was outside the door, she had run as fast as poo- sible to her father’s room, which happened to be just below hers. 'Her father roused by the sounds the hoys made on the balcony, had already dressed, so when Marjorie told him of the man in her room, he was ready to receive him as soon as he descend- ed. So, after all, it was not Marjorie who was taken “down a peg” that time, for though a real burglar had paid her a visit, her brothers were witnesses of the fact that she did not give one “squeak”. In the excitement of catching the burglar it was never known how the boys had tried to give their sister a fright and they thought it best for their own dignity to keep silence on the matter. State Superintendent Blair and His New Year’s Letter to Superinten- dents and Teachers. The teachers and school children of Illinois are fortunate in the personal- ity and character of the man vho is the official head of the educational in- terests of our state. He is a man of the finest scholarship, of the highest moral, cultural, and educational ideals. He Is a man of large vision, and clear vision. He appreciates the dignity and magnitude of his office,— even its honor; but he is not blinded by any of these things. His vision passes right out beyond to every school district in the state, to the work of every teacher, to the possi- bilities for good in the lives of every child. Bach month a letter appears in the Eudcational Press Bulletin, fresh from his heart and brain, and ad- dressed to some part of the great army of workers in the schools of Illinois. Sometimes it is a letter to school janitors, calling attention to the dignity of their part of the work in determining the future character and worth of the rising generation; the importance of cleanliness, the need of intelligence, the opportunities for safeguarding the health of school children, their moral as well as their physical well being. Sometimes his letter is addressed to Boards of Edu- cation, sometimes to parents, some- times to the pupils themselves; but perhaps most frequently to teachers, as the most vital part of the school system. No matter to whom these letters are addressed, the character and tone is the same. In thought, they are al- ways profoundly suggestive; in style clear and luminous,—often breezy, stimulating, racy. Superintendent F. G. Blair s New

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THE PAXTON HIGH SCHOOL REFLECTOR 70 CHANGES IN THE SUPERINTEN- DENTS OFFICE For years the superintendent’s of- fice- except to wrong doers—has been an atti active room. Besides be- ing neatly and substantially furnish- ed, the well filled book cases that lined the wall space on three sides have always given the room a digni- fied atmosphere. But on last Monday morning, those who had occasion to visit the room could not fail to no- tice a marked change in the arrange- ment. The bookcases that were rang ed along the west wall had been re- moved to the spaces between the south windows and placed back to back, forming a series of alcoves. The wall space left vaacnt by their removal had been used for the instal- lation of an exhibit of the work be- ing done by the seventh and eighth grades in manual training and do- mestic science. These changes have been made without destroying the general sym- metry of the room furnishings, and the exhibit of the hand work of these grades adds very greatly to the at- tractiveness of the room. It is under- stood that the details of the exhibit will be changed frequently so that the latest work of the pupils will at a»l times be in evidence; also, so that the best of every pupil s work may at some time be given a place. High school students very generally express regret that they did not hare the opportunity of doing similar work before they graduated from ‘the grades.' Several pupils from Clarence and vicinity were tardy Jan. 22, because the 8:12 train was late. This train is seldom late; therefore it Is a very convenient time to come. THE AMATEUR BURGLARS (By Helen Ludlow, T4.) “Give me a lift and I’ll get up on the sill said George in a rather loud whisper. “All right old chap, only don't make such a row, or you’ll wake her’’ was Bob’s reply. •’Her’’ was Marjorie, their sexteen- yearold sister. The boys had come to the conclusion that she was much too uppish, especially since her birth- day, when father had given her that pearl necklace. They had put their heads together as to the best method of ;aking her “down a peg” and had resolved on giving her a fright, just to “make her squeak” and so show that Hie wasn’t quite so frown up as sho tl.cipht. ‘(he always has b33i so jolly afiaid of burglars said Bob, “and now I know she goes to b?l with the necklace on, for fear someone should come and steal it, so let’s get in her window some night, and pretend we are burglars.” Now the night had come. The two boys, after a weary period of waiting, had stolen out of the house and climb- ed on to the balcony just beneath Marjorie’s window. “I’m up and the window is op n”, whispered George as he scrambled up on the window ledge. “All right, get in, but -don't do vny- thing ’till I come” was Bob’s reply. He did not see why George should have all the fun to himself. • In a very few minutes, the two boys were inside the window, though hid- den from the rest of the room by thick curtains. Very softly, they parted the cur- tains to see—a man standing by the dressing table busily opening and searching drawer after drawer, using a d°rk lantern. Before they could collect their scattered wits the boys

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72 THE TAX TON HIGH SCHOOL REFLECTOR Cear’s L etter to Teachers, which is published below, ough. to be of in- terest to high school students as well as to teachers. It may be that it is never given to any teacher to know when, or where, or how he may “ring the rising bell in the dormitory of his pupils’ souls”; but, if the secret could be dis- covered, every true teacher would gladly pay the price of its possession. That such a teacher may at some time, or in some way—unconscious though it be—touch the secret springs that thrill to noble, purposeful, use- ful, joyous life, is his highest and his most ardent hope. Perhaps if students more generally understood this, they would pardon something to human frailty, and ac- credit at least a trifle more to the spirit of unselfish devotion, the no- bility of purpose, and the unwavering faith that together make it possible for a true teacher to labor and to wait.’ Teachers and students, let us all read this letter from Superintendent Blair:—yes, read it, study it, ponder it. Perhaps his stirring words shall have the magic power to teach the way, or touch direct the hidden springs. O. J. B. New Year's Letter To Superintendents and Teachers: “He rang the rising bell in the dor- mitory of my soul.” The gentleman was speaking gratefully of what one of his teachers had done for him. Happily, he found a fine expression for his feeling. You and I would probably have said, “He woke me up.” Nevertheless, I am glad that he used just that figure. It says so much and suggests so much. How many boys and girls grow to men and women and die without near- ing the rising bell! How many of our pupils have heard it? How many of them are still dreaming, dozing, sleep- ing? How many teachers are real bell ringers? How many of them grow old in the school room without awaken- ing a single new idea or latent power in the dormintory of a child’s soul? It may be that the best bell ringers are unconscious of it. It may be that most boys and girls forget when their rising bell was rung and the hand that rang it. Little matter. The result is the main thing. The influence of a teacher is not measured in years. It is measured in the thoughts stimulated, the hearts quickened, the minds awakened. The quantity and quality of her service is not marked on the calendar. It is recorded in the flash of opened eyes, in the sparkle of kindled emotions and in the joy of awakened powers. There is your quiet, tidy little body tiptoeing about the dormitory, hold- ing her breath for fear she will awake some one. If she ever rings a bell, it’s by accident and is a matter of regret rather than congratulation. Her heart’s desire is to go on year after year without disturbing any one. O, for the clang of a bell or a dash of cold water! We have just been ringing out the old year and ringing in the new. Some people, no doubt, think there was entirely too much noise and fuss and disturbance about it. But it came in the middle of the night while we were sound asleep and some one had to blow the whistles and ring the bells to wake us up so that we might see the beginning of a brand new year that had never begun before and will never begin again. New years of op- portunity are beginning every day for our pupils in the dormitories of their souls. Shall we ring the bell or let them sleep? F. G. Blair Superintendent.