Wakefield High School - Oracle Yearbook (Wakefield, MA)

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erous in allowing us space for reports of social events, assemblies, club meetings, and sports. Without the assistance of the Item , we should have great difllculty in publishing the Booster and the Debater , since both of these undertakings are too extensive for our school printing shop. Ever since the begin- ning of the publication of both, the Item has done all of our work promptly, courteously, and at reasonable rates. The publisher of the Item has also been very generous in providing prizes for the pupils in connection with their English work. Last year, fifty dollars in gold was presented to the four pupils, one from each class, who made the greatest improvement in English during the school year; and this year, as well as the prizes for improvement, an additional fifty dollars is to be divided among those four who do the best work in EnglLsh. In each group, the award for the winning senior and junior is fifteen dollars; and for the winning sophomore and freshman ten dollars. The editor of the Item , last j ear, presented a fountain pen to the penman who showed the most improvement. These prizes furnish an incentive to better penmanship and to greater accuracy and skill in the use of our mother tongue. They also show us that our friends at the Item office are truly interested in our progress. We take this opportunity to thank the Item for all these evidences of good will. M. A. H. THIS MODERN GENERATION If Youth ' s Aflame, Who ' s to Blame? This was the flashing title of an editorial in one of the current magazines. Much has been written about this modern generation and many writers have expressed disparaging opin- ions of the young people of the present. For many reasons, however, the youth of today is far beyond the youth of yesterday. There are two methods of deterlnining one ' s course of conduct: scientific and authoritative. If you stop to reason out a problem, weighing advantages against disadvantages, and then proceed to carry out what you believe is right, you are acting scientifically. On the other hand, if someone tells you that the thing is right, and you do it, relying wholly on his judgment, you are showing deference to authority. This generation is following more and more the former way, while our grand- parents were exponents of the latter. The aim of the schools today is to teach the pupils to think for themselves. Why, then, complain when they do? Immorality, reading of books that are not of the highest class, frequenting moving-pic- ture theatres of questionable character, im- proper dancing — all these things are charged against youth. But is youth to blame? Let us consider each of these indictments. A certain man told the story of finding it neces- sary to have the electric lights removed from his cellar, so that his son would not see him drinking. But when his son went out on a drinking party, this business man shook his head and wondered what would become of the young people. Who writes the books and who produces the movies which are not fit to read or see? Surely it isn ' t the youth; it is the older people. If educators want the younger generation to be better, why don ' t they make the people of their own age stop writing objectionable stories? It is only a small percentage of the young people who patronize the cheap dance halls; but, as in the reports on prohibition, the papers do not tell of the millions who do regard the law; they merely spread the news of the hundreds that do not. If given their elders ' confidence, the youth of today will carry the race forward and up- ward; for they are frank, efficient, courageous, and able to look life squarely in the face. E. P. The members of tlie Debater staff wish to extend their hearty thanks to Miss Eyan ' s typewriting classes for their invaluable assist- ance in preparing the material for the press. Nearly every article passed through their hands and was typed with great speed, ac- curacy, and neatness. Through their efforts, the work of the editors and printers was greatly facilitated and wc highly appreciate their co-operation. E. D. As the class of 1927 approaches the end of its high school activity, let us call to mind the fact that this is the first class to graduate, having spent the entire period of four years in our beautiful new building. We are very grateful for all its advantages, and we know they have helped to make us more useful and worth while, as a class and as individuals. Our assembly hall, gymnasium, athletic fields, im- proved class rooms and laboratories all rank with the best in the country. In these favor-

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EDITORIALS W fe-e THE PARENT-TEACHER ASS ' N The Wakefield High School Parent-Teacher Association is a most useful organization and unquestionably fulfills its purposes as stated in the constitution of the society: The object of the association shall be to promote in the community an in- terest in all matters pertaining to the school, to afford an opportunity for the consideration of such matters and to maintain a closer relation be- tween the teachers and the parents to the end that the efficiency of the school may be increased. An interesting program is arranged for each meeting of the association; and a feature of these meetings is that opportunity is given for parents and teachers to become acquainted, and to confer about the work of the pupils of the school. One of the important activities of the P. T. A., as the name is often abbreviated, is encouraging athletics in the high school. Throughout the season the association has provided refreshments for the teams after basketball games. When the fact that the football team lacked blankets, was brought to the attention of the association, it imme- diately voted to donate blankets for the use of the players. The members of the P. T. A. as individuals, made a point of supporting both basketball and football games. The as- sociation as a whole undertook to advertise the Leominster-Wakefield game, which was the last of the -football season, and succeeded in attracting a very large and enthusiastic crowd. The establisliment of a scholarship fund, named appropriately The Elizabeth F. Ingram Scholarship Fund, in memory of our late beloved and respected teacher, is another un- dertaking of the association for the benefit of the school. The object of this fund is to aid students to go to college. Since it is competi- tive, it will be an honor to obtain the scholar- ship. The minimum amount of this scholar- ship will be $50, and the P. T. A. has pledged itself, for the present time, to raise a sum of $150 each year, so that eventually the interest of the money will accumulate and automatic- ally pay for the scholarship itself. When the fund is large enough, the amount of the schol- arship will be increased. The Parent-Teacher Association has started to raise money for the fund by two enter- tainments. The first was a group of readings by Mrs. Laura H. Porter, on December 3, 1926 ; and there was a concert on February 25, 1927, liy the Middlebury College Glee Club. Each was excellent of its kind and the latter event proved especially popular. Great credit is due to the president, Mr. Yeuell, for his sincere interest and hard work. It was largely thru his efforts that the enter- tainments were so successful financially. It was he who gave to the high school a large number of attractive metal calendars with the picture of the high school engraved on them, which were sold for the purpose of helping the athletic fund. We, as students, appreciate the loyal support of the Parent-Teacher Association, and thank it for all its timely help. G. W. THE ITEM ' S CO-OPERATION As the Wakefield Daily Item lias given our high school a great deal of valuable publicity in the past, it seems fitting that the Debater should express the thanks of the student body. The Item has invariably been most gen-

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able surroundings, school ana class spirit have received a new impetus, and loyalty to higher standards is manifest. These privileges which, four years ago, filled us with surprise and delight, may now have become commonplace to us; but let us not forget in years to come, the great benefits which were bestowed upon us when the citizens of Wakefield erected the new high school. E. D. ITEMS OF INTEREST ABOUT OUR STAGE Many of the pupils of the High School do not realize what has been done in connection with the use of the auditorium stage for dramatics. Our stage is very unusual because of the semi-circular arrangement of panels, which are sixteen feet high and four feet wide. There are no wings and no backdrop, and there is a space of about fifteen feet wide in front of the curtain, that is practically of no use, as no scenery can be put on it. In working out our problem of stage setting, the first things to be considered were exits and entrances, as there were no doors — nothing but mere panels. A regulation door, of ordin- ary height, that could open and shut, was made by the Manual Aits Department, to be set in between the permanent panels. Another panel to go over the door was made, and these were both painted to match the regular panels. The painting was done so cleverly by the Fine Arts Department, that the difference from the other panels is not distinguishable. A French door was also made ; this is easily adjustable and can be used for windows and the like. Of course a background was needed, so two screens that stand up from the floor were fashioned. One was painted to represent the interior of another room and to correspond with the general stage decorations. The other was of a pale blue color to represent an out- door scene. In addition to our lack of s cenery, the lighting was very poor, as there were only two lights at the rear of the stage, and these belonged to the gymnasium. The footlights, sunk as they were below the floor, and far from the actual acting space, were of no value whatever unless the actor came within six feet of them. The light from them struck the ceiling and reflected upon the audience, thus, instead of aiding any production, only adding to the discomfort of the audience ; so two large box floodlights were constructed to light the down-stage action. These lights are placed usually one on either side, and directly behind the front curtain. They are movable and can be used in any position needed. Some blue burlap was bought and made into curtains for the top, and a gold curtain was placed between the two blue ones. Both the curtains and the gold backdrop have been used at least three times. It is material that is permanent and can be used whenever needed. The first play of last year, The Importance of being Ernest , presented the problem of a garden setting to the Fine Arts and Wood- working Departments. It was handled very cleverly. The second play, The Eising of the Moon, required a night scene on the shore of a body of water, which offered still an- other problem in stage design to the Fine Arts Department. Another curtain of netting was bought, in two different shades of blue, and laid over the gold drop; upon this were pinned irregular strips of dark and light paper, producing the effect of water. The two floodlights were used for the lighting by put- ting blue screens in front of them. A blue spotlight w as also used. In Daddy Long-Legs , there was a problem of stairs and a fireplace. These were made in the woodworking shop. The stairs are peculiar in that they are adjustable to any place on the stage, and can be used without any landing, with two landings, or with but one. A new piece of scenery is now being made; it consists of three screens. These screens are eighteen feet long by twelve feet high, and will be painted to represent various scenes tliat may be used. These are to be set inside the doors and offer a new interior scene; this will make it possible to have greater latitude in choosing plays. Before, we were very much limited in our choice. Every time a play is produced, it offers op- portunities for the co-operation of the various departments. There is advertising to be done; there are news articles to be written for the school and local paper; posters to be printed by the school press (which is operated by the pupils) and drawn by the boys and girls in the Art Department; scenery and special pieces of property to bo constructed by pupils in the woodworking shop and painted by the stu- dents in the Art Department; costumes and drapes to be made, in the Sewing Department, and music to be furnished by the school orchestra. E. W.