Rensselaer High School - Crest and Shield Yearbook (Rensselaer, NY)

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THE ORACLE In September, 1926, we assembled again, ready to enact the second or Sophomore scene. We were much more sophisticated by that time, and we knew how to manage. The stage director and the musicians, who were known to us as the Faculty Orchestra, no longer terrified us, for we had come to learn that although often stern of visage, they were kind and warm at heart. The Sophomore scene we found to be heavy work. The lines we had used in the previous scene would not do at all. Every one of us had to master new specialties. It was quite a nuisance, you may be sure, for by this time we had all acquired a great many outside interests. Early in the year we met to elect those who should represent us as a group during the year. For president of the class we chose Catherine Poole, for vice-president, Ida Wixsomg for secretary, Anna Bleakley, and for treasurer, Frank Krauss. After we had organized we set to work in earnest. This soon be- came tiresome, but by constant urging of our directors we managed to keep up until the Christmas and New Year interval, for which we had planned far ahead. It was about this time that the other members of the company began to notice us. VVhy shouldn't they? We had en- tered a basketball tournament with the other three groups who were filming scenes on the lot, and had come off victorious. After this we settled down again to steady work, and almost before we knew it, June had come once more and the Sophomore scene was at an end. The stage director told us we might report again in September for the third or Junior scene, and this we did on the day set. Without preliminaries, the faculty musicians began playing the score, and im- mediately our work was under way. Before doing much in this line, however, we decided to organize. To lead us we chose Charles Neville. His assistant was Fred Ham. Kenneth Moore had charge of our cor- respondence, and Harold Palmatier of the treasury. The text books from which we were to learn our parts were much more intricate now, and we were expected at this time to work out some of the intricacies ourselves. The usual Christmas a11d New Year's interval came and went, but there was no noticeable let-up in work. June found us still in a whirl of work and eager for the respite of intermission. It was with some trepidation that we approached the final or Senior scene in September, 1928. Upon our work in this scene depended the achievement of the much-to-be-desired happy ending. The parts, the lines, the text-books, were much more difficult than we had ever experi- enced. We saw that we could not afford any slips or 'tlet downs in this final scene: it would be too easy to lose track of the swift and l26l

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THE CLASS OF 1929: A FOUR PART SCENARIO priate intermissions. From the very beginning of the first part, up to the end, it was truly dramatic in that it was, throughout, a struggle of purpose on one side striving to overcome innumerable obstacles 011 the other. Fortunately for us, and in the line of the traditions of popular drama, the production has terminated with a happy ending. As no motion pictures were made of the various scenes, I shall try to give you as vividly as I can the continuity of the scenario. I must explain also that the whole thing is based on a book called Curriculum, An Outline of the Course of Studyf' composed and pub- lished by the educational authorities, although at many points the members of the cast worked in material far removed from the text of the book. The lyrics were not by any one person, but were selected at random from the various textbooks on mathematics, languages, sciences and other prescribed subjects, the actors reciting whatever stray lines they happened to remember. The musical numbers were by our teachers, who, on occasions, played such lively tunes that we could hardly keep up with them. - The cast assembled one September morning in 1925. We were taking the part of Freshmen in that sce11e, and, I must confess, we were rather green actors. However, after adjusting ourselves to the new work, we bega11 to learn our lines and act our parts well enough to satisfy our stage director, Mr. Clark. VVe had been on the lot about three weeks when it was announced that the actors who were doing the Senior act at that time were to give us a reception. Of course we were almost overcome with joy at this news, but our joy turned to grief when we heard that this reception was really an initiation into the actors' society. Many reports became noised around about the ter- rible way the new members of the society had been treated in past years and of the awful things that were in store for us.at the reception. This dampened our ardor somewhat, but when we went to this event we were agreeablysurprised in more ways than one. Then we went back to a short period of work, and soon an intermission was called. This consisted of the Christmas and New Year's vacation, and we were grateful for this short breathing space. When we returned we were told to pay more attention to our parts tha11 ever, to provide a strong finish to the first or Freshman scene, as it was called in the book, and this we were told was absolutely essential to lay the groundwork for the scene that was to follow. We were almost breathless, I can tell you, when the time came for intermission in June. l25l

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THE CLASS OF 1929: A FOUR PART SCENARIO complex actio11. Vie were real actors now, and we felt that we could finish successfully. Our first task was to elect new officers for the year. Frank Krause was elected president, Elizabeth Biddls, vice- presidentg Ida Wixsom was chosen to take care of the correspondence, and for treasurer none other than Charles Neville. After these pre- liminaries were over we 'tbuckled down to work, and before we knew it the usual Christmas and New Year's vacation was over. The Easter interval soon followed, and the company enjoyed th elong looked-for trip to WaShlHgl0l1 by way of New York, Atlantic City, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Washiiigtoii, Harrisburgh, and Scranton. After this vaca- tion we were preparing for the grand finale of the whole four years, graduation. That glorious ending is assured now, and there remains only the Commencement scene itself-and that will soon be enacted. So the scenario ends: a happy ending for a happy group, the Class of 1929. R. M., '29. TREASURE CHEST Each year some gifts are given To the members of the class. They're just as parting tokens, As out in the world you pass. I've tried to find a suitable gift For each and every one, And, if you are not pleased with them Wlieii all my work is done: Just take them and say nothing, For I do not mean to knock, And wear a smile when you get them Though they may cause you quite a shock. MAUD LANTZ ,w4,---,,,,i,ic.., .,,,rr.r.. - ..... -A box of dates Of all the dates you have made, You surely made them goody So here's a few more dates for you, And use them as you should. l27l