5th Avenue Life

Fifth Avenue Life

June 1927

Published by the

Students of the Fifth Avenue High School

Pittsburgh, Pa.

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Section V. Feature Section
A Senior's Diary

MARCH
Monday 21. Began my diary today. Reports out! It rained tears inside the school and out. One teacher almost fired for giving a smart freshman a red "E".
Tuesday 22. Club pictures taken today...powderpuffs---and combs---and cosmetics---can be seen in all corners of the school. On taking a picture, a student of the school looked up at a bird. Evidently you will find him on one of the pictures.
Wednesday 23. All seniors puzzled. Proofs of their pictures arrived. Remarks---"Don't you think my nose looks long?" "Gee, your mouth is funny in this one." "A profile! No, I don't care for the one in the Journal."
Thursday 24. Clean-Up program in Home Rooms today---all Senior girls ordered to "clean up" their faces.
Friday 25. Many are seen returning home the 2nd, 3rd and 4th periods---they left their reports at home! (Maybe a few fathers refused to sign their names...who knows?)
Monday 28. Jack Frost decided to show the world that he's not passe yet. It snowed today!!!
Tuesday 29. Parts given out for the class play---"Pomander Walk". Excitement among the seniors---every member of the class is a born actor.
Wednesday 30. Hurrah! We keep the cup again! (It is ours for keeps now.) Fifth wins the interscholastic debates at home and abroad.
Thursday 31. We were preparing something for tomorrow. But some of us slipped into the auditorium to take part in the Freshie Assembly. We understood every word! It was a German program

APRIL
Friday 1. All Fools Day! Ben Horovitz passed out chocolate candy. It was delicious! (G-r-r-r-r) April Fool!
Monday 4. Clean-Up Campaign at its height---many are competing for the best slogan---and wonder of wonder!---students are seen cleaning their desks out!
Tuesday 5. Leave it to Fifth and 407---Ben Sufrin wins the Oratorical Contest amidst many sprained vocal chords.
Wednesday 6. Big pep meeting to cheer the victor---most of the school turned out to gaze upon the illustrious Ben---Another surprise in store---"Rynie" spoke!
Thursday 7. Great Scott!! Big mix-up today---two rooms fight as to who should have the honor of cleaning the halls.
Friday 8. We spoke to public school children on the Clean-Up Campaign. They looked very intelligent, indeed (intelligent speakers the reason).
Monday 11. Day after two of the best days of the whole year. Still cleaning up. We had an assembly today---yes, somebody spoke!
Tuesday 12. Friendship Club Candy Sale---Everybody buys candies---even the teachers help out. Sophomore asks Junior, "Who's passin' out the candy?"
Wednesday 13. Day before our vacation---no Senior Assembly---imagine! Some of the teachers loaded us with school work! Wow!
Tuesday 19. Well, well---here we are again. One good thing about these vacations---you don't have to listen to Ben asking for class book material or to Hime balling him out for not gettting it.
Wednesday 20. Nothing doing---Except Mr. Story bit his tongue trying to pronounce Saul Zeidenschneider's name.
Thursday 21. Student of 407 gets up and shouts, "Rotten," when student in Mr. Demmler's class gets up to sing "Home, Sweet, Home."
Friday 22. Big Oratorical Contest at Carnegie Music Hall. We hope Ben wins.

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We suggest that he sleep beside Cicero's statue in the Museum this afternoon.
Monday 25. Contest is over. We lost because of a Zoologist who spoke on the same program. Anyhow, we succeeded, though we seemingly failed. Better luck next year.
Tuesday 26. "Clean Me" windows are cleaned.
Wednesday 27. Class Book material still coming in,---like rain on the Sahara Desert.
Thursday 28. Seniors who visit the Million Dollar Pearl Theater are thrown out because they had read the sub-titles aloud in unison.
Friday 29. Winter sticks to us like adhesive plaster. Senior A social tonight. Oh, boy! Watch us step.

MAY
Thursday and Friday 18-19. Class play.

JUNE
17. Class Day.
27. Boat Ride.
28. Commencement.
29. Farewell Reception.

--Eleanor Frank

Class Song

Words by Alice Zetelstein

Music by Lewis Singer

Of all the schools there are,

There's none like our dear high,

And where we go, if near or far

We'll raise her standard high.

Oh Fifth, four years we've spent

Within your halls so dear

The years were short, How fast they went

And now we're leaving here.

Your worth can't be repaid.

We owe you much this day.

The good we learned, the friends we made

How can we you repay?

Dear Fifth, we promise you

One this commencement night

To always be firm, loyal, true

And always do the right.

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A Debate

Resolved--That Seniors in Fifth Avenue High School should be exempt from all work of a scholastic nature.

INTRODUCTION

I. History of the Question.
    a. First steps in agitation for exemption for Seniors.
        1. Movement began since the first school was founded.
        2. The movement made little headway in most places due to the lack of support by the teachers.
    b. Place where exemption has already been obtained.
        1. Stupid High School, Dumbell's Island.

II. Definition of Terms.
    a. Seniors are those in the Senior grade.
    b. Exempt means relieved of unnecessary burdens.
    c. Work of a scholastic nature is anything that is taught in school, not excepting Halleck or History.

ARGUMENT

I. Exemption of Seniors is necessary, for:
    a. The Seniors are being overworked now, for:
        1. Mr. Southwick and Miss Simmons assign long lessons in "Problems of Democracy".
        2. They have to memorize thousands of books and authors in Halleck.
        3. They have to work on the Class Play and the Class Book.
        4. They have to take the lead in millions of activities.
        5. They are called upon to make speeches on the cleaning up of back yards and on the aspects of the

             education of morons.
    b. Overwork of the Seniors is detrimental to the welfare of the school, for:
        1. The school loses the benefits of the abilities of the Seniors, which are wasted in unprofitable work.
        2. The Seniors get nervous breakdowns.
    c. Exemption from work is needed to overcome results produced by overwork.

II. Exemption from work would bring out the true qualities of the Seniors, for:
    a. Their time would be occupied by lording over all inferior under-classmen.
    b. The Seniors would have time to enjoy themselves more than at present.
        1. They will have a social every week and a boat ride every month.
        2. Their time will be spent in parties, where their intellectual faculties will be greatly developed.

III. Exemption of work for the Seniors will prove of great advantage to the school as a whole, for:
    a. The school will imitate the idle habits of the Seniors, for:
        1. In their respect for the Seniors the underclassmen will imitate the actions of their superiors.
    b. This idleness will develop geniuses, literary and otherwise, for:
        1. It will obviously lead to a lower scholastic standing.
        2. Low scholastic standing will produce such men as Goldsmith and Swift, both of whom graduated at the

             bottom of their classes.
        3. History shows that uneducated men have produced the best results, for:
            a. Shakespeare was ridiculed by the "University Wits," but in the end he turned out to be a greater man

than they.

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IV. Exemption from work is in accord with all the principles of education, for:
a. It is an old tradition of all schools that the Seniors before they graduate should be given all the favors that

             can be given them.
        b. Exemption from work is the greatest possible favor that can be given the Seniors.
        c. The Seniors will always feel a higher regard for their Alma Mater if exemption from work is given to

them in their last semester.

Appreciation

The class of June, '27, is perhaps the first graduating class that has had an opportunity to realize the immense practical value of the "new" Fifth Avenue High School. It is a "new" high school. Any class member can easily recall the trips in preceding years to Central Library for an English or History topic. Even more indelibly impressed on our minds are the trips to Montefiore Hall, a mere ten-minute walk (if you ran).

The answer is simple. It applies to all of those changes that have taken place in our high school course. It is a matter of growth and expansion. What student cannot appreciate the fine library? At each pupil's disposal are hundreds of the world's finest works---gems of literary value and pearls of knowledge. After all, as the saying goes, there is nothing like a good book.

Activities and clubs have grown tremendously. This alone is a sign of advancement in the student's school life. More doors are opened for the student to get a glimpse of the practical world with which he will have to deal shortly. Of course, the three R's will always remain for a foundation, but this extra-curricular work will be built on that foundation and will light a beacon to a future life of self-respect, clear vision and inner strength.

Finally, and perhaps most important of all, our new annex, recently constructed, has proved its service to our school. This great feature of the rebuilt high school opens a new field of atheltic and educational possibilities. Due to the gym, the student has health-promoting facilities. Due to the auditorium, the student hears inspirational talks from great men.

Through these recent benefits, each student is molded into a finer citizen, for he is the product of teaching, experience, and common sense. Shall we ever fully appreciate these opportunities opened to us? The answer lies within you alone. As you utilize them, you show your appreciation and spirit of service and loyalty to your Alma Mater.

---Harry Hinkes.

CHEF SENIOR TO CHEF JUNIOR---GREETINGS

Recipe for an Ideal Senior Year

A cup of thrift and a tablespoon of economy will produce 100 per cent banking.
A pound of enthusiasm poured into the former will result in prompt payment of dues.
A teaspoon of energy stirred well into this mixture will bring every pupil to school on time.
A quart of observation mixed with a like amount of appreciation will create a much wanted desire for good literature.
Mix all ingredients well and add a large cup of initiative. Heat to the boiling point. Result--Editor's desk swamped with excellent material.
Dilute a pound of cleanliness in a glass of lukewarm endeavor. Your Alma Mater will retain its reputation for pulchritude.
Mix all of these ingredients thoroughly. Place them in the oven. Bake the mixture with the coals of character during vacation time.
The result will be a successful Senior Year.
God bless you----
---Sir Chef Harry Shrieb

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The Morning Street Car

Clang! Clang! All aboard!! A bang of two swinging doors and the morning street car is on its way with its cargo of human freight. If one does not have a morning paper or a lesson to study, it is very amusing to watch the characters in the street car and thus "while away" the half-hour of jamming, jostling, and ill-feeling that is prevalent in the morning street car.

In the center of the car, perched on a high stool, sits the conductor, who feels very important and handles change and car tokens very accurately. He abhors the sight of pennies, but a young man has just handed him twenty-five of them for three tokens. He throws them into his jacket without counting them, to the great delight of the young man, who must have won them in a penny ante game of the previous night.

In the rear of the car we hear the foreign chatter of words as a few laborers argue among themselves, while giggles are heard from the three young girls in the front of the car, who are perhaps telling each other about their "dates" of the night before. "He says to me and I says to him, so, he says."

The habitual street car rider shows his skill by reading a paper undisturbed while he is jostled and pushed around. Another young woman feels very indignant because of the fact that a hod-carrier is sitting beside her and the odor of burnt lime and narcissus perfume do not mix. Another amusing picture is that of a man hinding behind his morning newspaper while one woman tells her companion all about etiquette and the lack of gentlemen in the present day. The car has filled up rapidly and is very crowded, but a long stop is made when it is found that a woman in the extreme end of the car wishes to get off, and asks the conductor to clear the aisle for her. The conductor cannot fulfill her wish and so she utters a few words about the inefficiency of the system and something about reporting "someone to someone."

A transfer point has been reached and the conductor very skillfully makes change, sells tokens, and distributes transfers while the motorman tells him to hurry as they are thirty seconds late. The car empties quickly; the few remaining riders settle back comfortably in their seats and Clang! Clang! All Aboard!! the closing of two swinging doors and the street car is on its way to the "barn."
---Rose Davidson