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STATE

NORMAL SCHOOL FARMV1LLE,\^.

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-THE-

MARCH,

1920

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2010 with funding from

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and Sloan Foundation-

http://www.archive.org/details/focusmar1.92092stat

IBoatD of ^DUot0 KATHARINE STALLARD HELEN DRAPER EVA RUTROUGH MILDRED DICKINSON HARRIET PURDY ELIZABETH MORING VICTORIA VAIDEN EDITH ESTEP INDA MILLER

CHARLOTTE WOLFE KATHLEEN GILLIAM

Editor-in-Chief

Assistant Editor-in-Chief Literary Editor

Assistant Literary Editor

Business Manager Assistant Business

Manager

Assistant Business

Manager

News Editor ,

Assistant

News

Editor

Exchange Editor Assistant

Exchange EdUor

———

——

:

—

—

Cable

of

1

Contents

LITEEAEY DEPAETMENT:

—

To Gr. S. Anonymous _ The Mikado 's Tea Harriet Purdy The Place of the English Ballad in High School English Mary Stephenson _ The Lark Jeanette Edmunds _ „ _ _ Nahyima Kathleen Kennett Good Posture in School With Suggestions for Conducting a Better Posture Campaign Mildred Dickenson __ The Gray Lady of the Blue Eoom Frances Currie Mothers—JS:. G. The Blue Moon and the Pink Star Jeanette Edmunds The Correlation of Language With Music in the First Grade .::

—

Alta Barnes

Darn

It!

Jett

_

54 56 60 61

65 73 75

79 8

_

_..._

.._

I—Dora

53

„

85

_

;

SKETCHES E. K. S _ The Same Old Tale—Elisabeth McClung Gilliam 's—E. E. S Blue Eidge—J5. E. S _ _ A Spring Fantasy Eathanne Montague Inspection

Mary

Isabel

Payne Harris

_

86

.

„

_...

87 91

_

91

_...

93

—Eesolutions

„

95

EDITOEIALS: E. E.

To Think Y.

W.

C. A.

or

S Not

97 to

NEWS

HIT OEMISS

EXCHANGES

Think—F. D.

__

_

98

-

_

_

-

100

-

102

_

104

The Focus Vol.

IX

Farmville, Va., March, 1920.

Co I

^

(3

stand where Spring with magic touch

Has formed

a wonderland about,

And somehow from my The pain goes

And where

aching heart

out.

where the

I see thee

I

No. 2

lilies

blow,

the nodding violets peep

hear them say thy name, when they

Awake from The birds

that

sleep.

fill

the day with song

Are chanting notes of praise

Ah! would

Were

that their sweet

to thee.

power of song

given to me.

I am tired of being still When 'mid the flowers and in And like the spirit of the Spring

For

Thou

the air.

art everywhere.

Alas, and art thou

Enchantress,

I

still

so cold?

have loved thee well.

How thy indifference pains my No tongue can tell.

heart,

But now where Spring with magic touch

Has formed a wonderland about, I stand,

and from

The pain goes

my out.

aching heart

THE FOCUS

54

Cije ERTAINLY cups

I

S^iMW&

there never

was such

Cea As

tea.

I

refilled the

thought, with renewed gratitude, of the kindness of

who had made

the friend

favorite beverage of an

it

Emperor;

possible for

—

me

to revel in this

whose uncle was

that friend

so fortunate as to be on intimate terms with the Mikado's cousin.

It

afforded

me

say pride, to realize that tea,"

young

a warrantable thrill of pleasure, not to I

was actually drinking "the Mikado's

—a brand especially prepared

for His Excellency, the

Em-

peror of Japan, and never before permitted to grace the table of any one save

members

And how worthy Its delicate

tion!

of the imperial household.

of a regal board was this delightful concoc-

aroma was imbued with

my

of the Orient; the fragrance wafted to

reminiscent

of

orange-blossoms

would be true to mirrored in

its

the fair land

tradition

—no,

and

to

all the subtle

if

one

geography;

and

cherry-blossoms, botanical

crystal-amber depths were fascinating scenes of

from which

it

tranquil sapphire sea; and by

came. its

There arose a vision of a

side a quaint, vine-clad pagoda,

grey turrets wreathed in purple wistaria-bloom.

its

faint tinkle of far-off chimes, the

maidens

me

to

tea.

is

caught the

the most delicious tea. Miss Kent, I have ever tasted!"

enthusiastic outburst of the guest at

my

success,

I

gay laughter of diminutive

—and

"This

The

charm

enchanted nostrils was

duties as hostess.

my

right recalled

The luncheon had been a decided

due in large part, to the magic influence of the Emperor's

The Tea was

easily the belle of the

menu, the soul of the

repast, the crowning glory of the feast; briefly,

Even those most versed

in Epicurean ethics,

it

was IT.

and most disposed

to look with disfavor upon any violation of custom or precedent,

drowned

their

momentary

regrets for the coffee that wasn't in

genuine and whole-souled approbation of the Tea that was.

Tea had been the centripetal force around which the conver-

THE FOCUS had

sation

my

from

For

rotated.

I

55

had not been so

friends the history of the Tea;

it

keep

selfish as to

was only

fair that I

should share with them the delightful sensation of lunching

And from

with royalty.

moment

the

Tea had stood out as an

the

ventionalities of the meal.

of

It

had

its

formal introduction,

among

aristocrat

the plebian con-

cast over the

whole function

an undeniable glamour that could not otherwise have been

at-

For a repturous hour the progress of the luncheon was

tained.

punctuated with frequent and repeated exclamations of praise for the unexcelled merits of the Tea.

But

things

all

my

farewell to

and supreme the

fireside

furore

my

must have an end, and last

precious Tea

I

I

and

I

tell

wandered

Mary to the little

moved nearer

....

I

awoke.

I

created.

I

in luxurious enjoy-

walked

my

my

fell

It

lid,

glance

was a cheap and most

to consign

upper

it

lazily

Kitchen, as

towards I

went.

upon an open

tin;

wondering why half of the contents

had never been able

unassuming I

—had

was dining with His Excellency

Mary, the Queen of

closed the

had disappeared.

would

when

passed the cupboard,

mechanically,

tea,

Emperor's Tea I

—and steeping myself

late afternoon

the pantry, calling

As

—the

his Tea.

was

It

real

betook myself to an easy-chair by

and there gloated over the remembrance of the

in the Imperial Palace

ment of

Heaving a sigh of

departing guest.

satisfaction, I

asleep and dreamed that

fell

was waving

finally I

to use

it

distasteful

brand of

after the first trial.

to the garbage can.

Then

shelf, where, in regal state,

box containing the Mikado's Tea.

my

I

eye

reposed the Instinctively,

The paper wrapping was unbroken.

Servants are so careless.

HARRIET PURDY.

THE FOCUS

56

%\ft 01ace of

ti)t

â‚Źnslis\f Vdallatt

in I^tgl) &cI)ool â‚ŹnsUe\f N

I

recent years there has been a very noticeable revival of

interest in the old English interest

and Scottish ballads.

This

has been directed in the channel of discovering

fragments or wholes of these old ballads which reached America with that great influx of Scotch-Irish and English of the seventeenth century and have been

handed down from generation

oral handing

down;

been found; and in

in other instances the exact production has still

other cases the thought has been used

an entirely new ballad.

to create

to

Often the original version has suffered from this

generation.

But

to relate a history of the ballad in

my

purpose

America as

is

not so

much

to estimate

and

ascertain the place of the ballad in the English curriculum of

The importance of ballad study

the high school.

in schools has

been undervalued and sadly neglected.

The ballad should be studied

as a

means of

interpreting the

English language and the spirit of the people.

may be

This

done through word study, knowledge of sentence structure and general knowledge of the history of the people.

and ballads show the Latin fluence,

As

and

reflect the

Certain folk lore

show

the Scotch in-

others are distinctly French.

still

a study in

influence; others

word and vowel changes and

growth of the language the ballad

differences is

which

very valuable.

Children notice very keenly the use of u for v; ch for g and for

o.

study.

Ballad study indirectly teaches English history.

battle of

Hood, ing

In the

Bannockburn, Chevy Chase, Flodden Field and Robin

etc., facts in

history are told in a delightful and entertain-

way which helps

haps cultivate a

The

ai

Other differences can be very easily found from short

vivify

and

vitalize

English history and per-

taste for literature of this type.

fact that the ballad has all those elements

with lyric poetry

is

of interest to the student.

which contrast

The

belief in

THE FOCUS

57

use of silver and gold are characteristic

fairies, elves, the great

of the people from whence they came.

The rhyme and rhythm

stimulate interest and also serve to light the pathway in our

These characteristics of the ballad are

study.

interpretative

Wordsworth, Coleridge,

reflected in

Macaulay, and

Scott,

later in Lowell, Whittier,

Byron, Tennyson and

Holmes and Taylor;

the ballads of the mountaineer of Virginia in the recent

war ballads created

The ballad has

all the

in

camp and on

the battlefield.

elements of the short story.

also excellent training through

in

and Tennessee and

music and rhyme.

There

is

English work

such as dramatization of ballads, original work, singing, writing of the story and metre

From

work

is

available

from

this source.

the standpoint of moral influence the ballad

sary subject of high school English.

The

a hero and his exploits.

held to the very end.

A

great

many

is

interest of the reader or listener is

in

The

not essential to a keen enjoyment of the poem. is

love element

The

often non-Christian, but this influence

comparison with

all

a neces-

Every high school child loves to read of

wonderful heroes and their daring adventures.

view of death

is

center around

singer's is

vague

other moral forces in the ballad.

Mr. C. Linklater Thomson of the London University

dis-

courages the study of the old English ballad "because the moral in

them

is

poems."

bad, also because their style

is

inferior to the Scottish

Frances B. Gummere, of Haverford College, in an

article in the Virginia

Journal of Education seeks to justify the

He

moral of the ballads.

believes that elements such as sim-

plicity, directness, repitition of critical

phor found

in the great

moments, very

body of ballads

morals in the outlaw ballads.

little

meta-

offset the disregard for

"The ballad of popular

does not ask general questions about the evil in our

misery of men, the riddle of the painful earth.

There

tradition lives, the is

not a

touch of sentiment or reflection, but the rough working virtues are there

—courage,

treachery." ballads.

There

sympathy of pen, scorn for cowardice and is

a "never say die" spirit in the fighting

Sidney Lanier says: "I know that he who walks in the

THE FOCUS

58

way

these following ballads point, will be

manful

in necessary

generous to the poor, tender in

fight, fair in trade, loyal in love,

the household, prudent in living, plain in speech,

merry upon

occasion, simple in behavior and honest in all things."

Ballad study would enable the teacher to come in closer relation to the

and force

community

life.

In doing this she becomes a factor

in the workings of the

She has reached

community.

out and found a point of contact and obtained the interest and respect of the parents as well as the children.

Perhaps she would begin with the familiar folk songs of the Children would be interested inmiediately

surrounding country.

had heard from childhood and would eagerly

in the songs they

bring others from fathers, mothers and grandparents.

would the children derive

poems but

these

the teacher

—"Let

would have received knowledge of

the children be taught the music

Some modern

'Old Black Joe' would be

received with horror in the ranks of pedagogy in school, yet in later years they will

A whole-hearted, this

approach

this

if

sincere interest of the people

to the ballad.

they were sung

have found their place."

would be gained

Later, after folk-lore has been

discussed and exhausted, the real ballad

Thru

Someone has

and words of our folk

Old Black Joe was acknowledged and accepted as an

songs.

American folk song.

by

Not only

from the singing and reading of

had not experienced before.

the people which she

said

benefit

is

introduced and studied.

method of approach the teacher would perhaps

dis-

cover some ballad which has been hidden away in the memories of

men

for years.

As an old mountain woman explained

several ballad hunters she did not

These are her words: used

to,

"Now

know

to

the value of these tales.

that folkses can read more'n they

and have song books with pretty new tunes, nobody's

agoing to burden their mind no more with them old ballets which alius

was a

sight foolish

anyhow."

In the December 1913 issue of the Review of Reviews there

an

article

on the value of the folk songs and the tendency

undervalue them.

is

to

"The underlying character of our own folk

THE FOCUS

59

songs depends largely upon our pedagogues.

This does not

mean music

normal school

teachers

teachers, properly so-called, but to

who

are required to take music.

There can be but two

possible objects of teaching music in the schools.

The one

is to

develop the aesthetic sense, the other to induce the nation to sing."

How much could render!

the teacher could do

Only

the realization that

and what a great service she

in recent years

America

of English and Scottish ballads which

and

have scholars awakened

is little

inferior in richness

interest to the old country itself.

The ballad has a most important place for does

word

it

in high school English

not interpret the English language and people thru

study, structure

pressions

and history of the period, leave lasting im-

from a moral standpoint which encourages

qualities that are noble

of

to

offers a field for collecting survivals

sympathy the robe of

community

in the

all

those

and manful; and weaves with the thread interest

which will enfold teacher and

world of service?

MARY STEPHENSON.

THE FOCUS

60

Ct)e Latk I

Hark from The

the skies of early

lark drops

Over the

down

fields of silver

His melody sweetly

dawn

his notes,

wheat

floats.

II

On And welcomes the new-born day, And hails the sun as it stretches it's joyous wings he drifts on high

rays

Thru the pearly clouds of gray.

Ill

His notes are

like the

Of some enchanted

And

his call is sweeter, clearer yet,

As he

We

golden strings lyre.

circles higher, higher.

do not

see

IV him we only hear

—

His joyous, gladsome

And

call,

a feeling of rest and peace and love

Seems

to hover over all.

J.

EDMUNDS.

THE FOCUS

61

113al)pima

HHE

sun sank low behind the purple hills and twilight

descended in Chicksaw Valley.

All seemed

and quiet; the chirping of the birds in the

peaceful

trees

and the

croaking of the frogs served to intensify the silence.

Nahyima

sat in the

doorway of her wigwam

lost in a reverie.

She was slim and straight, with grace lurking in every feature.

Two

Her face was fresh and piquant.

glossy black braids gave

More

her well poised head an added charm. ever,

how-

As she

sat

were so searching and anxious that surely some-

there her eyes

thing

fascinating,

were her eyes, deep, dark and questioning.

must have been puzzling

Nahyima was

her.

She was thinking of two young braves

agitated.

whom sought her for soul.

He was the crafty

One

each of

his squaw.

her

Black Hawk, handsome and strong,

The other she

but treacherous and evil at heart.

was Silver Tip.

she hated with all

For two days

determined, but in all things fair and square. she

had not seen him.

He was

explorers thru the dark

mighty

A

river.

If

forest

far away, guiding a party of trails

the

to

headwaters of a

only he were there now, she longed to see him

noise broke out in the stillness.

Nahyima,

ward and strained her ears for the sound.

Her father bade her come his tepee.

As she entered he took

Prepare; at the next

his pipe

moon you

will

from

his

mouth and

in

acquiescence.

glided noiselessly

Her

from the

father,

become

Hawk

to-

his squaw."

it.

She bowed her

satisfied,

grunted and she

Terror gripped her heart but she stilled

head

out.

Slowly she arose and went to

him.

to

so.

startled, sat for-

Then a voice rang

looking into her eyes, spoke, "Nahyima, I saw Black day.

He

loved.

In war or in peace he was the bravest, the most

tepee.

Outside she stopped, the blood beat in her temples, her heart

thumped, revolt

filled

her soul.

Lifting her hands to the

moon.

She pleaded, "0 God of the moon, help Nahyima, help Nahyima

THE FOCUS

62

to find a

way

lips.

At

length,

called her, thither she went and

The pines

out."

wandered thru the moonlit

worn

always with

trees,

out,

on her

this petition

but soothed by the calm night, she

turned and sought refuge in her wigwam.

The day dawned day.

the lake

Rosy gray merged

beautifully.

The sun was

several hours up.

and stepped one foot

into the

Glancing over her shoulder she saw Black

rested her.

coming towards her with a smile on was slung a beautiful She thrust

fur.

Black

Hawk

into the canoe

off

stood aghast, the idea that she

Aloud he

You

Nahyima, but 'byeanbye.'

pushed

Then

enter his egotistical mind.

face cleared as he thought to himself, "It will pass with time."

Hawk

Pausing beside her he offered her the

fur.

him could not

did not love

to ar-

Over one shoulder

his face.

away and jvunping

it

from the shore.

It

into golden

Nahyima ran lightly canoe when a voice

is

his

just a sudden fancy.

called to her, "Not this time

love me."

She did not answer,

the canoe shot ahead, rounded a projecting point of the shore and

a

moment

Nahyima was

later

The days passed to

Nahyima

Again morning dawned beautifully, but

by.

the big blue sky seemed gray and all the lovliness

of an Indian

summer was

since her father

not Black

lost to view.

lost to her.

had called her

Hawk

to

him

of; that

performed her morning Afternoon came.

Would

that fateful night?

Silver Tip

was the heaviest blow.

She slowly

tasks.

Nahyima,

favorite haunt on the

not ten days passed

squaw tomorrow?

take her for his

had not been heard

Had

still restless,

bank of a nearby

decided to go to her

So

river.

fleet

of foot

was she that ere long she was seated on the bank under a weeping willow

tree,

watching the turbulent stream flow past.

knew how she loved ed

to recall

him

She

one

Everything seem-

this spot except Silver Tip.

to her mind.

No

sat there a long time

brooding

in soltitude.

Suddenly the snapping of a twip broke the stant

silence.

Nahyima sprang up and turned around.

to face with Silver Tip.

In an in-

She stood face

For a moment her head reeled, joy and

THE FOCUS

63

surprise mingled in her beautiful dusky countenance.

broke the silence, "Silver Tip, you back?

I

Silver Tip took her trembling hands in both his own,

love you.

I

I

missed you

A moment

later they

We

up by

Hawk

no take

my

wed Black

of her father to

We

love each other.

There

much

is

Tonight we will go."

when

left his lips

Silver Tip leaped

crafty Black

see each

frown on his brow.

the tribe of our fathers.

the big water.

Scarce had the words behind.

we

days we did not meet?"

cannot be.

said, "this

away from

will go

pretty land

A

command

Silver Tip listened with a

"Oh, Nahyima," he

so long since

It is

all those

"Nahyima,

were setting on the bank Nahyima pouring

into Silver Tip's ears the

Hawk.

so.

me what happened

Tell

other.

Then she

very glad."

a voice broke in from

from the ground.

There stood the

with a sneer on his face, saying "Silver Tip

squaw."

look sharp as a knife passed between the two men; then the

The two warriors grappled, each

fight began.

their muscles well nigh burst in an effort to

The seconds sped by;

Now

were equal.

neither yielded.

by a superhiunan

arm from Black Hawk's

It

straining, until

throw the other.

seemed that the two

effort Silver

Tip freed one

iron grasp and at last gained an advant-

Black Hawk, strong and mighty, fought like a savage, but

age.

Nahyima, found strength each

Silver Tip, thinking of the girl

minute that he did not think he possessed.

were on the side of Silver Tip.

Black

Right and fair play

Hawk began

to

Silver Tip

was lightening quick and too agile for him.

realized he

was being beaten, slowly but

He knew

his

it,

avail little

Even as the thought entered

treachery. it.

waning strength could

Concealed then held

it

at his side

high.

late.

Down came

Tip.

Silver Tip lay

was a

Silver Tip

surely,

by

fair

now

lose,

He

means.

unless by

his mind, he acted on

knife, quick as a flash he grasped

had one

fleeting glimpse, but too

the arm, the knife pierced the back of Silver still.

Black

Hawk

looked

down

at the

work

of his hands, then with a cry of exultation he siezed the lifeless

body and threw Silver Tip

r

it

into the river.

was gone

forever.

The waters rushed over him.

THE FOCUS

64

Slowly Black

Hawk

turned around to the

What

girl.

horror and loathing she directed at him!

a look of

With inexpressible

scorn for him in her face she turned her back and fled thru the Swiftly she ran but

forest.

reached her wigwam.

would not comforted. mutterings

Her

get up.

it

seemed an eternity before she

She threw herself upon the

Only three words could he

—"Silver Tip murdered."

so poignant

was her

A

left

storm arose, clouds blotted out the

night she left her

her alone

Twilight lingered and deepened into

winds whisteled thru the

trees.

wigwam and

Nahyima was

alone.

stars,

the

At mid-

stole out into the storm-ridden

With bowed head she came

night.

from her rambling

At length he

grief.

The hours rolled by. black night.

elicit

and

floor

would not be

father petted her, she

to the river bank.

Standing in the spot where her lover was cast into the water,

Nahyima I

stretched out her

am coming

torrent.

to you."

arms and whispered

softly "Silver Tip,

Forthwith she leaped into the raging

The black waters closed over her head.

The winds took

up the echo of her dying words and wailed them mournfully thru the dark forests.

On bank,

the following all that

was

morning a moccasin was found on the left

The Indians of Chicksaw Valley now to their children. spirit of

river

of Nahyima. tell

Whenever a storm

Nahyima comes back from

the legend of

Nahyima

arises they say that the

the

happy hunting ground.

She stands on the river bank with hands outstretched while the pines sigh and

murmur

her words of

fidelity.

KATHLEEN KENNETT.

THE FOCUS

65

Qussmiom tot ConDucting

(LOIt^

a <s^ooD

Po0ture Campaign

N

I

the days

when

and 'rithmetic were

"readin', writin',

taught to the tune of a hickory stick" by a deductive

method, the public school teacher considered

it

her duty

keep order. in the class room and to hear the children

to

their lessons

subject.

from a

them on some

or to lecture to

text,

Here her obligations

recite fitting

were ended.

to her class

The

ideal public school teacher of the twentieth century will not stop

She endeavors

here.

duties of

life, to

to

fit

common everyday

her pupils for the

show them

the importance of

good

health,

and

supply home training when necessary to those who are not

to

so fortunate as to have had

but when

we remember

it.

This

the child for an efiBcient citizenship,

for

is

indeed a big undertaking,

that the object of education is to prepare

we can

realize the necessity

it.

Everyone imderstands that good health

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;hence

the

life

physiology, in this line

etc.

reason

for

our

However, there

is

study

is

of

essential for efficient

anatomy,

hygiene,

one phase of great importance

which we are often inclined

to overlook or to consider

a hopeless situation and therefore ignore; when as teachers

should give

it

much thought and

attention.

The child who

on the end of his spine and studies physiology

cramming fit.

facts

and obtaining

little

practical

we sits

really only

is

knowledge or bene-

Comparatively few school children know how to carry them-

selves

and many a healthful constitution

is

undermined and many

a child becomes round shouldered thru carelessness of carriage,

whereas a

little

information and training could have prevented.

The importance of good posture on health cannot be exaggerated, therefore, since

some thought and

efficient

we

teach children hygienic principles,

to this

way.

phase of the subject and treat

it

let

us give

in a clear

THE FOCUS

66

Since one of the causes of poor posture

important step

that of defining

is

is

ignorance, the

first

good posture, and thus inspiring

This can be best taught by the Vertical Line Test.

better carriage.

By demonstration

can be shown that a straight line dropped

it

the front of the ear should fall to the forward part of the

from

If this is correct, the spine is in the

ball of the foot.

The

position with the correct curves.

ribs

proper

which are attached

to

the spine are in the best possible position to allow the lungs to

expand.

The heart

action

is

unimpeded, the stomach and

down on

not crowded and the diaphram does not press

organs and push them out of place.

liver

the lower

Particularly are all of the

organs crowded in the fatigue posture, where the back in bent, the chest hollow, the shoulders roimd,

This

thrust forward.

and the head and neck

the most usual of all the types of in-

is

Another very harmful type

correct posture.

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

that

is

known

as

the Obliterated

Lumbar Curve

back

the natural lumbar curve having disappeared, and

is straight,

in

which the lower part of the

the head and neck thrust forward. position, but very in their seats

who

is

and

sitting

is

rare as a standing

children slipping

on the end of their spine.

so often told to hold his shoulders back,

other extreme and develop what

where the chest great.

This

commonly caused by

is

shows us the

is

may go

to the

called the exaggerated posture,

thrust out too far

This posture

when attempting

is

down

The child

and the lumbar curve

not often seen but

is

too

one to watch for

The fourth type

to correct the fatigue posture.

lateral or one-sided deviation.

is

Here one hip

is

higher than the other, one shoulder (that on the side of the lower hip)

may

Only

be lower than the other and the spine curved.

a physician can determine

Of course

it is

how

serious such a type

may

be.

one thing to know what poor posture

another to understand

how

to correct

the fact that repeated coaxing

it.

We

and injimctions

to "sit up," "stand straight," "hold

to the

and

young person

your shoulders back,"

without giving the reasons for the importance of

any material value but a weariness

is,

are all witnesses to

to the flesh.

it all, is

etc.,

not of

Therefore we

THE FOCUS

67

must wage war on our enemy "Poor Posture" For

systematic way.

this

purpose

it

in

an

efficient

and

has been suggested that the

public school teacher "put on" or conduct a better posture cam-

paign in the public school lasting from long as she sees

fit

seven days, or as

five to

provided the campaign

is

not allowed to

drag or become boring.

There are numerous ways of conducting such a "drive," and almost limitless opportimity for original inventions on the part

A

of the teacher and all those taking part.

desirable plan for

such a movement would be to arrange for some program for each

day during the campaign as a means of keeping the subject constantly before the

minds of the

The campaign might

students.

Monday morning by

be introduced on a

a talk from the teacher

Good posture should

on the general importance of good posture.

be defined; the four types of poor posture illusrated and con-

demned, and the straight

line test given to all the students.

A

general outline or plan of the drive should be brought before the

minds of the

students.

This could be followed the next day by

a fifteen-minute lecture on "Health and Posture" presented by the

neighborhood physician or nurse cities

and towns

it

illustrate this talk

League.

may

In larger schools in

possible.

to secure slides to

and throw them on the screen when appro-

These slides

priate.

if

would be an excellent idea

may be borrowed from

The next day such

the

American Posture

a topic as "Carriage

and Character"

be presented in a forcible and concrete manner by one of

the pupils

from the higher grades

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;the teacher of course supply-

ing the necessary books and sources of information mentioned

below.

Here

is

of the children.

an opportunity to appeal to the natural vanity

Impress upon them that beauty

without good carriage.

No

can look strong or manly position and

given on as to

is

"How

how

to

in yourself

girl

who

impossible

can expect to be stylish, no boy stands and

sits

careless of his appearance.

A

to Correct

is

in

a slouching

talk should be

Poor Posture," and suggestions given

form the correct habits and correct poor carriage

and your neighbor as

well.

"Standing straight

is

THE FOCUS

68

primarily a matter of habit not of muscle," we are told by Luther

The use of good

Gulick in his book on The Efficient Life. posture

such as the vertical line

tests,

against a wall with heels

away

well as directions for taking

correct

individual

faults.

An

should be the big day. arranged

if

Other such simple

effective

last

exercises

day of the campaign

may be

entire evening's entertainment

from opening

work for presenting the program.

An

exer-

easy and

plan would be a series of "stunts" and pantomine done

by the students themselves. give the idea and

ways according

may be

with all slipped feet

Examples such

as the following will

developed and added to in more effective

to the ingenuity or originality of the organizer

One "stunt" may be a scene

and the participants.

on their

The

more strenuous

desirable or an hour's time taken

cises or class

as

and body straight and then walking

flat

in exactly that position are valuable.

drills, as

to

and standing close

test

down

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;and

example of posture

the teacher as poor an

any of the pupils.

in a classroom

in their seats or bent over papers, or sitting

In contrast with this

show

with the alert teacher and energetic pupils.

the ideal class

may

These parts

be

taken by the students in the school and the lesson being taught

may

be one of hygiene, anatomy or physiology, or

Another suggestion would be

simply pantomine.

it

may

be

to let different

children illustrate the different types of poor posture and explain

A

the causes for them. tion caused partly

twelve-year-old boy has the fatigue posi-

by carelessness and laziness and from the habit

of putting his hands in his pockets. obliterated

lumbar curve caused by

spine and slipping

down

A

in her chair.

wrong sense and has

while the fourth type

is

by a

her big stack of books under the same lateral curve.

different ways.

This

last

One

type

girl

may

the exaggerated fault,

girl

who always

carries

arm and has developed

the

be illustrated in a number of

instead of having carried books has

become twisted from carrying her are too heavy for her.

on the end of her

Another has caught the

idea of posture in the

illustrated

the

little girl illustrates

sitting

little

brothers and sisters

Others develop slight lateral

who

curves from

THE FOCUS forming the habit of

good

illustration

sitting or

to the

boys

young man when he enters

Many more

different boys.

very

a comparison

is

tlie

army with

splendid carriage after a year or two of service.

shown by two

A

standing on one foot.

which would appeal

of the physique of a

69

his

This can be

"stunts" of this sort

could be used and a very helpful and interesting program

ar-

ranged.

The campaign should be thorough but not allowed If the

whole school enters into

it

with spirit the field

may

be

One im-

enlarged by going into the subject in greater detail. portant phase of

to drag.

which should certainly be mentioned and may

it

be developed into a complete topic for a lecture or discussion

girls

and high-heeled pointed shoes and

tight clothing

important features to discuss and condemn. the relation of furniture to posture. in the

harm

schoolroom where is

done by

it

and tables

at

home.

This

is

would be

Another topic

is

particularly practical

should be shown that a great deal of

sitting at desks

which are either too high or too

The same thing

low for the individual.

is

This would be especially for the

the relation of dress to posture.

Whenever

is

applicable to chairs

the feet cannot be placed

flat

on

the floor with the arms resting lightly on the desk without the

back bending or the shoulders pushed up, there

wrong with

is

something

the furniture.

The one important thing a better posture campaign

to be is,

remembered about conducting

that in order that

it

be a success

and bring the important matter clearly and forcibly before the children, all of

The

them must take an

be valuable.

This

may

be done in various ways.

and reward may be used participation.

best posture.

A

prize

active part in carrying

it

must be created before the drive

correct atmosphere

Competition

to inspire the children to interest

may

be

on. will

off"ered to the child

and

having the

Other prizes should be offered for the best essay on

the subject, the best rhyme, slogan, "stunt," or poster.

This will

not only draw the children into the spirit but the results will be

used in the final program.

A

a

means of creating "atmosphere,"

THE FOCUS

70

posture could be discussed in certain classes

—physiology, English

could be shown that correct

and music.

In the latter class

breathing

necessary for good singing and correct posture

is

As

essential for correct breathing.

about good posture

morning

to discuss

it

it

may be

there

is

so

much

is

to be learned

advisable to allow a pupil each

one particular phase

—for example the correct

position of the head and neck in relation to the rest of the body,

The

or the proper carriage of the shoulders.

discussed on this

must

morning

strive particularly

particular point

will be the thing for

Posters on the subject put

up

and on bulletin boards are of

in different parts of the school

illustrate the point for the

plates

mounted

day.

may

These

infinite value.

not

from magazines

necessarily be original drawings but figures cut to

which everyone

on that day.

For instance two fashion

—one from "Vogue" or "Vanity Fair" showing

the

peculiar slouch and unnatural pose, and the other depicting style Pictures and plates of famous statues are

in the correct sense.

valuable as illustrations and look very effective when mounted with the correct explanation below.

same

One might mount on

"Indian Warrior" and the more famous one of "The Trail,"

and contrast them.

mounted on a fresh paint.

The body

is

steed

In the former

and arrayed

straight

and

"End

steed.

He is

is

End

and the whole

of the

see the Indian brave

statue

and war

shows the

In contrast

of the Trail" what might easily be the

vived and he

same warrior

Other statues

and he

may be

is

used,

Every line in his

an example of the fatigue as

for

instance

Michael

Angelos' "David," Macomonnie's statue of Nathan Hale Bartlett's "Lafayette"

form.

Good

alert

we behold

perhaps the only one of his tribe who has sur-

nearly overcome with fatigue.

figure denotes exhaustion

type.

we

in all his feathers

keen-eyed savage starting out on war path. in the

the

piece of board plates of two such statues as Proctor's

—

prints of

to

and

show perfect carriage and beauty of

famous paintings are always

easily ob-

tained and every school should have a good collection of them

Most of Gainsborough's

portraits are splendid illustrations of

THE FOCUS His famous portrait of Mrs. Sheridan

good carriage. cellent

example of a good

Nassau"

71

by Vandyke

as painted

"William

sitting posture.

and there

Along with in quoting

is infinite

These are only sugges-

prospect for development.

and painting we may

the use of posters

good authors on the

find value

subject, or in collecting appro-

"Throw

Instead of the harmful injunction to

priate slogans.

your shoulders back," Gulick

Try

against the collar."

an ex-

is

Prince of

illustrates particularly well the

correct position of the neck and head. tions

II,

tells

us to "Keep the neck pressed

and notice how

it

helps.

it

All of these suggestions are only a scattered collection of ideas

A

and general principles.

teacher

who

subject and

A

must understand the

become thoroughly acquainted with

good deal may be found on the subject

One

of the best books to be found

Posture of School Children."

possibilities.

its

in the average public

and physiology are of course

library and text books on hygiene

very useful.

In

it

is

is

Bancroft's "The

the classification of the

principal types of poor posture, the causes, and a

splendid suggestions as to tions as

value.

how to To sima

how

to correct

give exercises

is

book up

in

the

on" a

desires to "put

better posture "drive" in his or her school

number of

There are instruc-

it.

physical education that are of a few words

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

it

contains the

exact information needed for a wide-awake teacher conducting a

posture campaign.

There are other books

"How

such as

too,

to Live" by Fisher and Fiske and the "Efficient Life," by Luther

H. Gulick.

Chapter 5 of the

latter is

Shows Character" and contains

No doubt

"How

the average school teacher has conducted

of campaign. cently

devoted to

we had

We

have finacial "drives" of

a national

the

Body

excellent thought.

campaign

some

all kinds,

for better speech.

and

sort re-

In the

knowledge of the writer a better posture week has never been observed in any elementary school and only in one college.

There

it

served to inspire those that participated to send the

make Week at

idea to other teachers and

paign.

Better Posture

it

a universal public school cam-

the State

Normal School, Farm-

THE FOCUS

72

ville,

Virginia,

tive teachers

campaign

was a great success

the value

and

in public schools

to the state

and humanity

in that

possibilities

it

revealed to prospec-

of conducting such a

and thereby doing an

in training healthful

infinite service

and

efficient citi-

THE FOCUS

Cl)e T

^

I

(I5raj>

called the Blue

is

in

JLaDp of

it

is

Room,

suppose, because everything

I

The walls are

blue.

Blue IBloom

tlje

finished in a delicate blue,

the soft rugs that cover the floor have touches of blue in

them, the pictures seem to catch the reflection of blue from the

and

walls,

all

some mystic

things seem to be under

spell, for

whether they are blue or not, they appear to be blue when in the

Blue Room.

The big

end of the room, the

fireplace in the

high window

seats,

and the

soft blue light shining over all,

speak

romance of other

times.

of gallant courtiers, gracious ladies and

To

this

room, we are

when

told,

moon

the

lady and a

little

child,

from the Land of the

low, from out

the spirits of a Past, perhaps to

over again some pleasant memory, some trivial thing, as-

sociated with the Blue sees

is

come

the depths of the old well in the garden

live

secret

on one side of the fireplace, the deep windows with the

closet

them

go, but

Nobody

Room.

from the terrace

sees

them come, nobody

front of the house, the

in

garden back of the house and sometimes from the avenue, one

may

see a bright light issue

from the windows of the Blue Room.

Then the neighbors remark, one Verville has

Why

she comes

we do not know, nor

scornfully laughs at the those of the hall,

"The Gray Lady of

Gray Lady rushes up

there any record of

some bold person who

who hold

in reverence the legend

is

the winding stairs,

and bursts into the Blue Room,

There are those who

is

seen,

Often when the light

the fact.

to another

come again."

to find

down

the long

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;darkness and

believe that she comes to bring

quiet.

some mes-

sage from the Land of the Past to the people of the present, others think she comes to warn people of the old well in the garden, and still

others believe that she

friends or

world.

member

None

comes

to

of the household

light the

who

is

way

for

some

soon to leave the

of these theories have been proven, but she

still

comes, sometimes on cold wintry nights, sometimes on warm

THE FOCUS

74

summer comes

nights, but always

to

world can come back. father,

when

the

moon

is

low.

Perhaps she

prove to skeptical mortals that those who have

she

is

"doomed

Or perhaps, to

to

the

Hamlet's

like the ghost of

walk the night"

left

atone for some

trangression.

But we do not believe with the

like to accept this last thought.

good people of that

protect the household of Verville, to drive that

might

affect

the light, as

it

it,

and

to leave

Let us rather

vicinity, that she

away

good luck for

comes

to

all evil influences all

those

who

comes from the windows of the Blue Room.

FRANCES CURRIE.

see

THE FOCUS

75

ÂŁ@ot|)erÂŤ

H

ERE

are your letters, Mrs. Gardner."

Mary Gardner's

"Put them on the table."

then asked hesitatingly, "Is

voice was

The maid glanced around

hard, emotionless.

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

is

uneasily,

there anything else before I

go?"

"No, nothing else."

The maid

silently left the

room, closing the door carefully

behind her.

Mary Gardner She

eyes.

the table

lay back in her chair and wearily closed her

no curiosity concerning the pile of

felt

by her

She knew that they were

side.

condolence from well meaning friends.

letters

on

stilted notes of

Similar notes had been

streaming in for the past week, since the death of her son had

become generally known.

She knew that nothing could increase

the ache in her heart but she could not bring herself to open

more

Such a short time

letters.

marched away, and joyfully

seemed since her boy had

it

alive, so tinglingly patriotic.

And

she had thrown herself into war relief work, not for the same

reason that he had thrown himself into war, but to pass the time between his letters more quickly. for those letters

Then another

How

she had hungered

and how eagerly she had anticipated

letter

had come, and

life

his return!

had become an un-

bearable thing to be dragged out in miserable hours and minutes for interminable years.

A

followed by a light peal of laughter sounded

shrill whistle,

Surprise, then swift pain ran through her that

from the yard.

happiness and carelessness could exist anywhere.

The door opened abruptly and ed

in.

At the look of

boy pulled

his

cap

a small freckled-faced

utter anguish

off

and stood

in

boy look-

he surprised on her face the

embarrassed silence waiting

for her to speak.

"What

is

it

Henry?"

"Mrs. Hale told

me

to ask

you could she

get half a dozen eggs."

THE FOCUS

76

"Yes.

Go

and ask

in the kitchen

"Her boy, Robert,

Emma

for them."

comin' home and she

is

is

makin' big

fixin's

for him," he volimteered tactlessly, as he turned to go.

A

spasm of pain crossed Mary Gardner's face and

most of

all,

bitterness

She hated everything that could be happy,

surged over her soul.

She had always

Ellen Hale.

mingled with a superior

felt a secret

dependent, clinging

pity, for

contempt,

little

Ellen

There had never been any real sympathy between them

Hale.

and now she dared flaunt her happiness

in

of hyacinths floated in on the

The odor

Impatiently she crossed

oppressing her.

Mary Gardner's face. warm air, stifling and the room and closed

the window.

Afternoon found her more longing to go to

own impulse but gether

know

A

would be that she

knew

she

as

much

felt

had reached

an irresistable

She could not explain her

that seeing Ellen

and her son

as she could bear; she

the pinnacle of

would

human

to-

at least

suffering.

trim, black-clad figure, she crouched back in the cushions

A

as the great car leaped forward.

them

She

restless.

Ellen Hale's home.

to Ellen's tiny cottage.

Mary Gardner stepped from

in the fading sunlight.

and walked quickly

to the gate.

hand went convulsively

meant

across the table and in her

swept over

Mary with

sympathy.

own

it

What could Ellen Hale know own son was even then

not care for her sympathy?

Mary Gardner.

may

letter

letter.

It

all

ever have been

had come.

away, but she had refused

timid, afraid.

open window

weeping quiely and

hand she clutched a

Gardner's when her

Mary suddenly became

the

One arm was thrown

to stop.

startling clearness, if

to her right

machine

room, and by the table

in her arms,

said to have left her, the day her

had come

Through

little sitting

head buried

steadily, as if she never

the

Just inside, she paused, her

to her heart.

she could see into the quiet sat Ellen Hale, her

few minutes drive brought

gleamed spotless and cheerful

It

of grief like sailing

Ellen

to accept

her

Mary

back to her?

Suppose now Ellen should

Hesitancy was no charactertistic of

She resolutely went into the house and

sat

down

THE FOCUS When

by Ellen.

"Ellen,

I

know.

contained

had

she spoke her voice held restrained feeling.

Let

Ellen did not It

me

stay here

and mourn with you."

her head, she dumbly held out the

lift

much

same information

the

She read

held.

hour of her own

that

letter.

Mary's own

letter

through again slowly and then, Mary

it

who had maintained such

Gardner,

77

a stony silence in the

first

put her head on the table and gave way

grief,

to great racking sobs.

After a time Ellen lifted a tear-stained face but her eyes were shining softly.

"Mary, we have so much

to

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; and

much

so

to

Mary's head came up with some-

live for," she finished softly.

"Will you

thing of her old spirit. live

be proud of

me what we

tell

have

to

for?" she demanded tensely.

"Why, to take

I

my

feel as if

my

boy were

right here with me, urging

share in the work he gave his

took on a peculiar tenderness, as

if

life for," Ellen's

me

voice

she were explaining some-

thing to an unreasoning child. There was no conscious superiority in

her manner but she seemed far removed from a world of pain

and commonplace.

"He was

so strong, so brave," she mused.

aware of Mary's presence. not try to hold

"And

I

am

She scarcely seemed

glad, so glad, that

I

did

him back."

For awhile they were both

silent.

When

Ellen spoke again she

was the old Ellen, Mary had always known, thoughtful and sympathetic.

"I'm sorry for Mrs.

She has never had never live

down

When Mary I

come

to see

to

Ellis, think

how

she must feel.

worry about George's safety but she can

the shame."

rose to go Ellen went with her to the door.

you often?" she asked tremuously.

reluctantly, as if

She

left

"May Ellen

she had just discovered something she was afraid

of losing.

"Come

as often as

you care

to," Ellen

answered simply.

The library was suffocatingly hot when Mary Gardner reentered it. The window had not been opened since she had closed

THE FOCUS

78

it

that morning.

She threw

it

open and stood gazing out into the

gathering dusk taking deep breaths of the hycianth scented

air.

Then, before she removed her hat and gloves she went to the desk, unlocked a drawer folder.

She opened

and took from

its

depths a dark, oblong

with trembling fingers and looked deep

it

and himgrily into the gravely smiling eyes of her son.

Ellen Hale is,"

oh,

is infinitely

she whispered to

my

"Little

wiser and bigger of soul than your mother

it

softly.

son, with your help

I

"But

I

can learn from her, and

will try."

K. L. G.

— THE FOCUS CDe

IBlut

{With apologies

^oon

anD

to Messrs.

tt)e

79

Pink ^tat

Anderson and Grainger.)

The Blue Moon swung away up high

The Pink Star smiled from her folds She twinkled and winked

in the sky,

flirted in fact

Moon glimpsed

But the great Blue

And And

—

coolly back

indifferently glanced thru his bright silvery bar loftily

Who

ignored the poor Pink Star,

glowed more warmly and risked one more smile,

Winked once again

—then

waited awhile.

II

The vain Blue Moon swelled up

And

in his pride

spread his proud beams on every dark side.

Climbed a

higher, shone

little

more

bright,

Said to himself "I'm King of the night,

"Yon

little

Pink Star with

Is a silly little

And

Why

thinks

I

its

would deign

compared

me

to

—

faint pale rays

many

goose with

foolish ways,

to smile

down on

her,

she's only a blur."

Ill

The Pink "I'll

show

star then

the Blue

grew haughty and cool

Moon

that I'm

So she drew herself up and Ignored the Blue

Moon

as

if

Turned her back

to his face

Sat majestically

still

And For

as

if

no fool."

lifted

her head

he were dead.

and without even a glance

in a trance

apparently forgot the moon's bright bow. this is the

way

of a

maid you know.

IV

And

seeing a planet not so far

away

She sent him a smile both happy and gay

THE FOCUS

80

And he in return stretched forth a bright beam, And on the Pink Star did radiantly gleam.

When the Blue Moon saw this he was dumb with And looked at Pink Star with quite jealous eyes.

He was furious with rage, his anger was great, He determined to have Pink Star for a mate.

surprise

V He swung slowly down and smiled And in his great eagerness leaned But the

star kept her wits

at

Pink Star

over his bar.

and turned not her head.

But went on smiling to the planet instead.

Then the moon drew nearer and whispered

What

it

was he said I'm sure

I

quite low.

don't know.

But the Pink Star blushed deeply and gave a few sighs,

And looked

at

Blue

Moon

with soft dreamy eyes.

How

it

So

leave these two lovers alone in their glory.

I

all

turned out

is

not in the story.

JANETTE EDMUNDS

THE FOCUS

81

Clje Correlation of JLanguage SJ^n&it in

A

FTER

iFir0t (t^ratie

tl)e

having taught and observed in the

months;

three

grade for

first

of

correlation

the

find

I

toiti)

music with

language important and valuable.

Music as well as language

is

The most

form of expression.

a

beautiful thoughts, the sweetest, the saddest and the angry, can

To

be expressed in music. music, just think of the

give an illustration of expression in

little

simple instrumental piece, "Crossing

by Rudolph Frime.

the Bridge,"

coming down the road with

riage

you can hear the

First

the patter, patter of the

it

As they

strong horses feet and the rattle of the carriage wheels.

we hear

start across the bridge,

the tread of the horses feet.

the rumbling of the wheels and

The horses and carriage

Under

and are heard no more.

the bridge

stream smiling and singing away as

The music

distance.

winds

it

one likes

roll

away

the

little

we hear its

way

that expresses such things as that

is

into the especial-

form of expression.

ly suited to little children because of the

No

car-

hear a person sing a bright joyful song without

to

expressing happiness and meaning.

In

my

first

grade in music children are taught to pronounce

and enunciate every word

in a

song correctly

if

possible.

We

have the children pitch their voices high to make the tone sweet

and

One

clear.

monotone, pitch also.

I

little

thought.

Now

when

girl,

I

first

started teaching

come up

she can

as high as the other children.

In reading and talking, she has improved wonderfully.

I

could not understand what she was

had

to ask her over three times

This change in her now,

said.

high tones in music.

and

I

give her as

In the

first

was a

She not only sang low, but talked in a low

She

much

I

At

first

talking about, and often

and then not know what she believe

loves to talk

is

and

due largely tell

to her

her experiences

opportunity as possible.

grade music

I

sing to the children largely.

This

is

THE FOCUS

82

CO let

them hear the

clear high sounds,

understand every word

This

themselves in other ways.

arms for

We

They skip

They

lightly

them express

to let

done through in

listening, criti-

"The

Little Butter-

around the room waving

their

butterfly wings.

have dramatization in language; we also have

tizing "Jack

and

Jill,"

while the children with high voices or

The minute

I

down and

and the

begin singing they clasp hands walking

around the room swinging

home and

and boy are taken from among the

little girl

singers, one taking the part of Jack

monotones or low

Jack falls

music

The children are very fond of drama-

the teacher sings, a

Jill.

in

it

it.

and a great deal of

other

is

we have

and different gestures of the hands as

Fly Song."

to see if they can

sing as well as enjoy the songs.

I

are not allowed to sing much, so

cising

and

their

later Jill

hands as

if

they had a bucket.

He jumps up and

does also.

goes to bed, using a chair for a bed.

Jill

comes

and laughs as the teacher holds paper over Jack's head.

away

the teacher brushes her

runs in

Then

The children

as if to correct her.

are very fond of such songs.

new song

In singing a story

it

tells.

class the story

Sometimes the teacher gets a child

know

the

to tell the

and often she brings the story of the song out

by simple questions.

As

the children are eager to

Much

of this dramatization

is

done.

and Language, we move along

in Industrial Arts

in the

same way correlating Music and Language.

At the beginning of school the children sang farewell songs

summer and

the

When

the

greeted the

fall.

Language and Industrial teachers took up the autumn

leaves the children sang,

"The

When Summer's Done."

When the poem, "October the children sang It

to

it

Little

Leaves of

Autumn Come

Party," was taught in Language,

in Music.

Thus

it

was appreciated more.

has been found that the more famaliar we are with a subject,

the

more we appreciate

Then

the

it.

Language teachers took up the subject of Hallowe'en

THE FOCUS Through

with the children.

my

correlated

the teaching of stories and poems, I

Music by teaching the children the songs of Hal-

For instance, when they were taught about the yellow

lowe'en.

pumpkins,

taught the

I

in the Barn."

After

the children, I

had one

I

little

song "I Found a Yellow Pumpkin

had sung the song for several days boy

little

tell

to

the story of the song to

Another song which was correlated with Language

the class.

was "Jack 0' Lantern Looking Another topic taken up

home life, subject more

Me."

in at

in the

Language period, was the study

including farm animals and fruits.

of

little

83

real to the children, I taught in

To make

my

Music

the

class

songs about animals and fruits such as; "I had a Little

Little Kitty Goes Meow, the Little Dog Goes Bow, Wow, Wow," "Bah, Bah Black Sheep," and "The Farmer Man Comes in to Town With Many Things to Sell."

Pony," "The

Some

of the lessons which the class enjoyed most were those

taken up at Thanksgiving.

At

this

time the Language teacher

had the children discuss why we have Thanksgiving and how we celebrate, with prayer and praise to God and with the good things to eat.

Then they would sing the Thanksgiving songs

"A Pumpkin Ran Away Praise and Thanks

We

Before Thanksgiving Day," and

as

"Now

Render."

Christmas next came and the children were thrilled of course.

In the Language lessons they discussed and talked about the

baby the

Jesus, the pictures of the

Music

class

and "Away

in a

we sang

Madonna and Santa

the songs,

Manger."

The children

of the Christ in Language, then

me

Claus.

In

"Once a Darling Baby Lay," often studied the picture

we sang about Him

the story of the song

in class.

"Once a Darling

They loved

to tell

Baby Lay."

Then

the songs of Santa Claus

were used.

Two

of their favorite songs were, "Jingle, Jingle

and Christmas Bells

Tiny Bells," and "Down the Long Highway From Santa Claus Land." Both of these songs gave vivid pictures and they loved to

make

gestures with their hands during the song.

"The Toy-

man's Shop," another song was especially suited to the language.

It told of the numbers of toys for little girls and boys.

THE FOCUS

84

After Christmas the subject of the Eskimos was taken

language and

up

taught

I

it

in Industrial Arts.

roundings we sang two songs I

asked them what they would

still

telling us

call

it

all

Everyone chimed

it.

through

I

in "Little

With a beautiful picture drawn on the board by the

Language teachers the children looked to the song.

In

in

home and surmore about him.

sang the song to them and after singing

Eskimo."

up

was also taken

After studying the Eskimo, his

in music.

First

It

my room

It

made me

feel as

they had a sand table and on

ground of snow, water,

seals, bears,

board and listened

at the

though

I

lived there myself.

it is

the

dogs and

Eskimo house,

sleds.

While

I

sang the songs the children gave wonderful attention and the brightness of the childrens' faces showed that they were interested.

we

Besides the Eskimo songs the "Snowflake," song to get

sing the "Wind," "Jack Frost,"

them

to feel the bitterness of the

weather in Eskimo land.

As with

those songs

the language as

Stephenson.

much.

Through

we have taught

others which emphasized

Especially the "Swing," by Robert Lewis this

correlation of music with language

the children are benefited and enjoy their songs also.

ALTA BARNES.

THE FOCUS

85

Datn '^tiii So

tired, so sleepy, so

Can't even wiggle

Wish

I

Resting

was

my

at

my

home

poor

wearied out. eyes about; in

little

bed

weary head.

Tired of this darned old place called school;

Rather be called a crazy old fool;

Don' learn nuthin', no way, no good.

Reason for coming,

Wish

I

I

never understood.

had somep'n nice

t'

eat,

Some candy, some ice cream, jes' somp'n Wish I's in a nice picture show.

Or wish I had somewhere nice to go.

sweet,

Tired, tired, n' everything mean.

Craziest ole people I've ever seen.

Going, go

Blow

my

'n fin'

me

a pistol or gun.

brains out n' have some fun.

D. F.

J.

86

THE FOCUS

â&#x20AC;˘

Sngpection

W

HY

mad

the

scramble on White House this morning?"

asked a visitor to that particular place of abode.

"Wrs. Walker

is

inspecting,"

someone informed

her.

If she had waited a few minutes and just listened she would have

understood without

easily

any further information than the

chorus of regretful exclamations that could be heard

down

all

up and

the hall.

"I haven't swept behind

my

screen this week and the girls all

say Mrs. Walker looks behind every single thing in the room."

"Oh,

haven't

I

someone

moved my

dresser or

waste basket," came from "I told

do

bed since Xmas,"

else wailed.

"There's enough dust behind

didn't

my

Mary

Just at that

radiator to

fill

the whole

another direction.

to straighten out our closet yesterday

Now

it.

my

I

don't

know what

will

happen

and she

to us."

moment someone came running up

the hall with

a terrible piece of information.

"Oh, say everybody!

She's grading the

rooms with

C's and mostly E's, can you imagine anything worse?

says she

is

A's, B's,

And

she

expecting to send notes!"

"Oh, you know

she's not!

What

will

Hand me

we do?

a

broom, quick!"

Third Floor White House never underwent a quicker or more

thorough surface cleaning than that which befell

few minutes.

it

for the next

Every remark made by anyone was accentuated

by the stroke of a broom or the whisk of a dust on the hall stood aghast; she was dumfounded. seen her dear girls so energetic before.

When

cloth.

The maid

Never had she Mrs. Walker ap-

peared a few minutes later the din of clashing broom and chairs quickly subsided and

if

she could see through the

she probably foimd an apparently

"A"

maze of dust

hall.

E. K. S.

THE FOCUS

Šm

%fit S)ame DiREAMING, teachers

wondering,

Cale

pondering

Suddenly

asleep.

fell

I

87

I

I

my

over

student

was conscious, very

many eyes were gazing upon me and that were crowded around me so close that it was only with great

"BS^I conscious that girls

difficulty that I

was able

There was the

to breathe.

with her waist hanking out,

girl

stopped talking and never said anything.

who never girl who

There was the

labored hours over things and then decided not to use them.

There was the

girl

who knew nothing and thought

There was the

everything.

knowledge and not wisdom. compliments when

me

to

I

whose head was

girl

There was the

There was the

scolded her.

me

go to the "movies" and "handed

fellers," while there.

girl

There was the

girl

she

knew

filled

with

who gave me girl who asked

a line about her

with the pleasant voice

and winsome ways.

It

was the

five

minutes just before classes,

began, "Yesterday, you told

me

I

teach this lesson this

to

one

realized, as

way

but don't you think this will be better?"

"Have you heard

that Florence

is

sick

and wont be able

to

teach today?" inquired another.

"Miss Lawson,

I

complained someone

"My

brother

"just while

I

is

to

just

can't

make Vergie behave

in

class!"

else.

be here for only an hour," began another,

teach too, what shall

I

do?"

"Miss Lawson," put in one of the algebra teachers, after a brief consultation with the other teachers, "if

papers

like

"I never

you told us

had such a headache

in

she passed around a bag of candy. to go thru the

"What

shall

quired another.

we grade

the test

pupils will flunk."

to, all the

my "I

life,"

am

volunteered one as

afraid

I

wont be able

agony of teaching."

I

do with Bettie

if

she doesn't stop talking?" in-

THE FOCUS

88

"Johnnie wont hand in his home work and

know

I

have done

all I

to do," ejaculated another.

There was a sudden tap on the door and the principal an-

nounced he had forgotten

to tell

me

that the tentative grades

were due today.

Then, as the bell rang for classes

were moving around

Lawson,

I

was aware

me and someone was

ain't yo' goin' to

that

many

feet

exclaiming, "Miss

breakfast? mos' every on' don' gon!"

ELIZABETH McCLUNG.

THE FOCUS

89

(Billiam'6

0|H, ^^^

"But Helen,

jol^ I

made

Mary! we have

just three minutes to go to Gilliam's

before class, come

New

a

run."

let's

money with me and

haven't a cent of

I

Year's resolution not to start any more bills

at

Gilliam's."

"Oh, will

that's all right,

buy enough hungry

get so

Don't believe

to last

"Hurry up.

I

dinner.

till

just once.

No for

I

I

it

is I

dinner."

my

appetite."

don't see any use walking all the

I

there's not a sign of it.

why

just nearly starve.

Oh! you don't mind

late.

anyway, 'cause

the other day,

I

cutting

don't see any student government

girls looking.

everybody else does

and that

fifteen cents

just don't see

heart-rending about

know we'll be Anyhow, I

I

have I

could possibly wait

I

"I, either, its just

campus

till

on.

12:15 every day.

as

just

come

any grass

way round

in that path,

and

even saw Miss Randolph cut across

suppose she was a

little late to

her

little class."

student government girl with her alleged perfect faculty

seeing

could have

everything

the two girls were as they

made

possibly

distinguished

a flying dash "cutting

who

campus"

for Gilliam's; nor could she, with her very steady nerves, have

withstood a very slight shock as they slammed the door behind

them.

Give us something quick, we're already

"Oh, Mr. Gilliam! late for class.

"Oh,

I

What do you want Mary?"

don't know, what do

"I want anything

"Now you know "Now Mary,

you want?"

you want."

anything suits me."

don't be foolish,

I

asked you to come over here,

you say what you want."

"I'll

declare Helen,

get something quick."

I

like anything

no matter what

it

is,

just

THE FOCUS

90

"But I'm not going

to get a thing until

you

tell

me what

to

get."

"Well, you get what you want and

"But you said you weren't going "Yes,

know

I

I

did, but

I'll

I'll

get

just get

it

right over here this afternoon and pay for

"Well,

liam give

I

don't think you ought to, but

me two Hershey

"And Mr. Gilliam take

give

some quick Helen

"I wonder

if girls

—

what

I

want."

to get anything."

if

this

once and come

it."

you must,

—

^Mr. Gil-

bars!"

me

this

a dimes worth of peanuts.

Hershey bar

is

—Here

grand."

ever will learn that this

is

a place to

buy

and not a place to argue," sighed Mr. Gillisim as again the door

slammed behind them.

KATHARINE STALLARD.

THE FOCUS

91

Blue mxi^ti mint m^^ti BOARD," sang out the half asleep porter, and amid many hurried goodbyes and smothered exclamations we scrambled on board the train for Blue Ridge.

It

was

1:00 A. M. and, tho the excitement of the previous day had

A

kept us awake so far,

we were ready

was ours and we

once began making, preparations for bed.

at

Nobody knew where anything was; above our heads and we were longed

which.

to

for sleep.

suitcases

all too

whole Pullman

and bags were piled

sleepy to

know which

Finally, with the aid of the porter,

able to get them straightened out and Lib and

I

be-

we were

were the

first

ones to get settled in our berth.

Just as

I

lemme put

was nearly asleep someone jerked the curtain; "Miss, this sheet over the

dust in yo' eyes whiles yo'

up the

fully fastening

is

window

won't get no coal

so's yo'

sleep," explained the porter care-

We

sheet.

sleepily assented.

In a few minutes the curtain jerked again, "Miss, yo' suitcase is

smack

right

in the

middle of the

aisle, I'll jes'

push

it

undah

yo'."

"Oh, yes please, do anything only don't bother us again."

"Yas'm, yas'm," and he apologetically

someone

shuffled

oif to

bother

else.

"Well, Katherine, we'll surely get to sleep this time," and so saying Lib turned her face to the window.

A

few minutes passed and a hand was thrust thru the curtains

and a gruff voice followed, "Ticket, please."

"Oh, horrors, where are our tickets?"

"They are digging

The

in

my

down under

tickets

purse

if I

tickets,

exclaimed. it,"

and Lib began

the pillow.

were duly punched and the conductor went on.

Again we made a feeble attempt

hand was

I

can ever get to

thrust in and a

please."

still

at

sleep,

gruffer voice

but yet another

demanded "Pullman

THE FOCUS

92

Lib and

Pullman

"You

looked at each other in blank dismay, we had no

and our minds would not work enough for us

where they could

to think

"We

I

tickets

haven't any,"

be.

managed

I finally

haven't any!" and the voice

"Oh, yes we have, Ethel has them

to gasp.

became very indignant.

all,"

Lib managed to arouse

herself to the point of saying.

"Well,

who and where

is

Ethel?" the voice was becoming

thoroughly exasperated.

"Oh, she's business manager and general director of gation, and

He

she's in

started

away but

bothered any more?"

most

I

checked him to ask, "Are we going to be

He

too quickly replied, "Yes,

all

certainly are, if I don't get these tickets."

However, he did get the peaceful slumbers.

many, many

When

tickets

next

and Lib and

we opened our

I

I

said

it

side,

was

to see

Robert E.

like a pearl in a great sea of green.

E.

you

no more.

soon passed into

eyes

miles away, high upon a mountain

Lee Hall, nestling

this dele-

No. 11."

KATHARINE STALLARD.

THE FOCUS :a

S'

PRING

;

S)pring jFantasp when

the mystic, the wonderful,

unquenchable forces.

irrepressible,

in

93

life

bubbles up

The season of

I

g^ra] misty moonbeams, tinkling rains and golden sunlight;

when of

all the

woodland bowers are

unnumbered flowers and

filled

with the wafted perfume

soft southern zephyrs kiss the violets

modest cheek and make the anemone blush.

Now

this is the season fairies take for their revels.

away

of the year they creep

Instead of merry, jolly

little

into

For the

hollow trees and what

rest

not.

airy folk they are sad and crushed,

then

when spring

their

wings and enter forth in the gayest of colors and lightest

of

humors was

It

was

to

is

ushered in they get the butterflies to

dance and play until drear winter

just this season long, long

lost or stolen

is

come

tint

again.

ago that a tiny fairy

girl

The other folk grieved and mourned for

away.

Asmarel for she was a great favorite among

Some

suspected

the gnomes, while others were determined the dwarfs

had cap-

all.

tured their playmate, but though they asked both gnomes and

dwarfs

Now

all stoutly

denied knowledge of her whereabouts.

the truth of the matter was:

Asmarel had grown

tired of

her homes in the woodland bower and had begged Mr. Robin so

hard

to take

her with him when he flew north that he consented

and they flew away together.

to her wishes

They had

delightful times sipping the

flowers or wheeling high

up

honey out of wayside

in the bright blue sky.

Pretty soon,

however, Mr. Robin decided to build pretty Mrs. Robin a nest

and

settle

down and though Mr. Robin was very kind

to

Asmarel

she preceived at once that she wasn't wanted.

Now

to

Asmarel sleeping

in the flowers or flying daintily here

and there had been but a pastime she discovered

down-dilly

it

when she

at

her old home, but

tried to slip into the

now

gay heart of a daffy-

bent almost double with her weight, so crying with

remorse she would slip out and beg the wee flower's pardon.

Then she made another

startling discovery

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;she could no

longer

'

THE FOCUS

94

flit

She could hardly

gracefully to the tree tops.

tiny waterlet.

circle

about the

Also her wings needed painting dreadfully.

was nothing for poor Asmarel

to

do but

cry,

backward and forward on a small bough she cried as little

fairy heart

Now that

would

day than usual and seeing their

to see them, butterflies

How

lost

comrade

glad, glad, glad

in

distress

was tiny Asmarel

The

perhaps they might be able to help her home.

thistle

down and

spider web.

down

After this they fashioned the thistle the spider

web

into reins.

whisked the tiny throne into the her

her

took the question to their leader and sent out different

committees to secure

fit

if

break.

a bevy of butterflies had wandered farther in their play

rushed to her assistance.

and

There

and so rocking

into a tiny chariot

With a whir of wings they

air

and Asmarel was really on

homeward journey.

Oh! what delighted crowded around listening

their

little

All that afternoon they

people.

comrade showering her with questions and

open mouthed

to her adventures.

a fairy party, they invited the mischievous

gay Miss Will-O'-the-Wisp.

home home was by far

That night they had

moonbeams and

also

And, Oh! how delighted was the think that she had fully

sweet fairy lassie to be

again.

decided that

the best place after

I

all,

don't

you?

KATHERINE MONTAGUE.

:

THE FOCUS

95

flParp 30abel jBapne J^arris

M

since the tract of land

hands of the Payne family

in the

was granted

King of England for valor

Springs

The farm on which she

Bath County, Virginia.

valley,

was born had been

the

Warm

A.RY Isabell Payne Harris was born in the

to one of the ancestors

by

in arms.

Mrs. Harris was the fourteenth child of a family of sixteen.

She was educated

since been

moved

She taught

at

Covington, Va., and at Stannboro, Va., in

which Dr. Harris was president, and which has

the school of

to

Roanoke under the name of Virginia College.

December

after leaving school until she married,

22, 1882, Dr.

William Francis Harris, B.

A.,

M.

A.,

Richmond

College and a graduate of the Baptist Theological Seminary at Louisville,

Her married

Ky.

life

was spent

in Missouri

where

Dr. Harris was pastor.

Dr. Harris died Oct. 15, 1898, in the Baptist Sanitorium in Louis, while he was pastor at Carthage,

St.

came

to Virginia

and lived

in

at

After his death she

L

survived,

is

Covington until 1901.

Mrs. Harris was principal of R. F. 1902-10 she was

Mo.

whom

Mrs. Harris and her daughter Eloise, by

in Danville,

1901-1902 Va.

From

Hollins College, and from 1910 until the

Normal School, Farmville,

time of her death she was at the State

Va. Mrs. Harris

left as a heritage to

those

her the example of as nearly a perfect

life

and the memories of a love that knew no

Resolutions of Respect of the the State in

Normal School

Memory

of Mrs.

who knew and

loved

as mortal can

live

selfishness.

Home Department and Faculty of for Women at Farmville, Virginia,

Mary Payne

Harris, Assistant

Head

of

Home.

the

Resolved

That

in the death of

Mrs.

Mary Payne Harris

the

Home

De-

THE FOCUS

96

partment has

lost a faithful, efficient

a loyal friend.

courtesy

she was

an example and an inspiration.

devotion to duty marked her nature

won

in contact.

the confidence

Unselfish

and her cheerful sympathetic

life

and love of

all

with

whom

she

came

Mrs. Harris was decided in her conviction of right

and wrong and was true of her life

co-worker and the Faculty

In her strong religious faith and in her unfailing

was loyalty

The supreme

to these convictions.

test

to Christ.

That on behalf of the whole school we extend to her daughter

and her

relatives our

profound sympathy in

their great

sorrow

and that copies of these resolutions be sent to them.

That these resolutions be incorporated in the Faculty records

and be published

in the school

magazine and

in the Farmville

Herald and the Farmville Leader.

MARY WHITE BESSIE

C.

COX,

RANDOLPH,

ESTELLE SMITHEY, Committee.

19 January, 1920.

The Focus Published monthly during the school year by the Students' Association of

the

State

Female Normal School, Farmville, Virginia.

Subscription

price, $1.00 per year.

Entered

Vol.

as

second-class

IX

matter at

the

postoffice

Farmville,

at

Virginia

Farmville, Va,, March, 1920.

No.

2

editorials With

this

number

with The Focus.

It

the present staff finishes

has striven to do

its

all in its

The Focus on the good firm working basis

it

year's

power

to

work keep

has hitherto held

but owing to circimistances which have already been explained, it

has been impossible to publish the usual eight numbers.

staff

now

wishes to thank the student body and

have given help operation,

The

making

staff feel

The Focus

to

it

all

those

The

who

for their hearty support and co-

possible for four numbers to be published.

assured that The Focus has been missed and that,

realizing the necessity of having such a magazine in the school,

the students will respond even

from the

literary

more

readily in the future to calls

and subscription departments.

have had any connection with The Focus

this

course with a great deal of interest, and

let

a student body,

still

All those

who

year will follow

its

us ask that you, as

continue to give your loyal support to your

magazine.

E. K. S.

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; THE FOCUS

98

TO THINK OR NOT TO THINK No

one cares for the person

who

stays on the fence

agreeably disagrees with us

know

don't

however,

is

is

much

better liked

dis-

by us than the

The person with an opinion,

or don't care person.

not always worthy of our admiration, nor are our

own conclusions always

Have you

truthfully drawn.

information to give you the right to your opinion?

have you

and hasn't

The person who

a preference on one side or the other.

She

said, "I don't like her at all.

sufficient

How

often

the biggest pill.

is

know her so very well, but I just can't stand her."?

Later, "You know I didn't use to like her at all.

Now I'm just crazy about her since I know her better."

Back in the dark ages women were not allowed to think; it Oh,

I don't

was not considered necessary.

The mental exertion of choosing

between Jimmy and Johnny was obviated by the largest club of the rivals, and the brains of the prize were undisturbed except for the slight jolt caused by the

was dragged by her hair days of her

life

bumping

of her

were a

to the cave of the victor. total rest for her brain,

body

as she

The ensuing and consisted

merely of providing the clothing, food, and shelter for her lord

and master.

many

has taken

It

years for her to gain freedom of thought.

She has not yet entirely obtained equal freedom of action.

day

is

do not

not so far distant since still

women

revert to their ancestral type,

others to do.

The world

is

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;leave the thinking for

not yet altogether satisfied with the

growing freedom and equality of woman. particularly, are ages.

still

Some

countries, India

in the darkness of ancient

Some modern world powers

in this respect.

The

learned to think that some

are

still

and medieval

doubtful, uncivilized

Not long ago a London newspaper published

the statement that there is a great increase of insanity

modern women who are employed

among

in "thinking positions," par-

ticularly school teachers!

To

vote or not to vote

is

not the only question for

today, but to think or not to think.

What

are

you going

women to

H. D.

do?

THE FOCUS

i^ere On March

99

anD Cljere

13 Mr. Bretnall's Sunday School class presented a

play "The Graduation Exercises of the Woodbine Seminary" and also an

Armenian pantomine

for the benefit of the Armenians,

The pantomine was appealing

to

and the costumes were

all

The play was very comical, and as it repcustom of 1850 we could readily see the contrast

very appropriate. resented the

of styles then with those of today which seemed very funny to us.

On March 20 the orchestra much by the girls as well

very

who missed it Munoz and they

gave a recital which was enjoyed as the people of the town.

Those

know that it was given by Miss know how much they missed.

need only to will

The nineteenth of March the Juniors entertained the They

first

Seniors.

gave us a view of ourselves ten years from now, which

was enjoyed by

all

and caused quite a

bit of laughter.

Then they

escorted us to the artistically decorated reception hall and there

we danced and were

served punch.

The

entire evening

was most

thoroughly enjoyed and every Senior should be proud of her Junior

girl.

The following

girls

have been elected as

ofiScers

of the Student

Association for the year 1920-21:

Katharine Stallard Lily Thornhill

Louise Brewer

Elizabeth Woodward

Grace Stover Phyllis Coyner

Ruth Jones

President Vice-President

Secretary

Treasurer First Professional Representative

Chairman of Campus League Recorder of Point System

THE FOCUS

IQO

g.

The following

m.

girls

c.

:a. il5eto0

have been elected as

of the Y.

officers

and are now taking the cabinet

C. A. for the year 1919-20,

W.

train-

ing required:

Elizabeth McClung

President

Dorothy Schafer Anna Vries

Vice-President

Secretary

Ella Jenkins

Treasurer

Helen Draper

Under-Graduate Representative

Misses Katharine Stallard, Elizabeth McClung, Mildred Dickenson,

Elizabeth

Cowherd, Virginia Swoope, Edith Estep,

and

Frances Gannaway were sent as delegates to the Student Volunteer

Conference held in Richmond, Va., March

Miss Woodruff also attended

5-8.

this conference.

This was a splendid opportunity for the Y. closer touch with the Student Volunteer

inspiration

from

The Y. W.

W.

C. A. to get in

Movement, and gain much

work.

its

C. A. Cabinet Council held

March

Rollins College, Roanoke, Va.,

26,

its

annual meeting

27 and 28,

Misses Elizabeth McClung, Dorothy Schafer,

Mary

inclusive.

Stephenson,

Lucille Mcllaney, and Pattie Garrett were the cabinet

who

On

at

members

attended this meeting. the evening of

March

14,

Mr. Ralph B. Nesbitt, Secretary,

Student Volunteer Movement, gave a very instructive talk at

"Senior Parlor" to a large nimiber of students.

This was espec-

ially interesting to prospective student volunteers, as well as to

those generally interested in foreign mission work.

The members of

the Y.

W.

in industrial conditions, as

C. A. are taking a decided interest

was shown by

their attendance,

and

enthusiastic applause at the talk given by Miss Minnie Beadles,

THE FOCUS who

is

employed by the Whitlock Tobacco

Va., at prayer

firm

is

101

March

27.

Co., of

Richmond,

Miss Beadles told of the work

this

doing in helping to better the working conditions of their

employees, and afford amusement for them.

Misses Elizabeth McClung, Helen Draper and Merle Davis, will go as delegates to the Tri-annual Y.

W.

C. A. Convention

held in Cleveland, Ohio, April 13 to 20.

Miss Bessie Randolph will also attend

this

convention, and

Miss Mary Stephenson will go as a visiting delegate.

THE FOCUS

102

mt

or iS^iss ECHOES

"Oh

Just eight

joy!

"No, indeed, during

at all

on,

Mary,

lets

Miss

dear,

I

hadn't done anything

"

but just

"My

a ticket to anything else

me, child, and

just sat all over

"Come

buy

"

this

"She

afford to

I can't

"

more weeks before we go

go over to Gilliams

The way

?!

"

these girls fix their hair

is

awful!

"I don't

"

know

a thing about this

the bossiest thing

faculty, but

"Hurry

"Yes,

I

I'll

I

test.

What do you know?"

—trying

ever saw "

to rule the

whole

show her about

ladies!

Shoo!

The doors

is

going to close."

did have the headache before class, but

lets

go to

that movie."

"

him

and in

I

was so worried

"Isn't she perfectly

born teacher of

First

class?"

—why

I

hadn't heard a word from

two whole days."

Prof.

grand!

Why,

she says she thinks I'm a

"

—"Which

do you prefer teaching or attending

i

THE FOCUS Second Prof.

—"I

103

prefer attending class,

pleasant to sleep yourself than to talk to a

because

room

it's

more

full of sleeping

children."

Miss Stubbs

—"Differentiate

between a landscape garden and

a school garden."

First Prof.

—"In

a landscape garden weeds are planted

cultivated; in a school garden all

Mr. Lear Senior

growing things are destroyed."

—"What are the duties of the county clerk?"

— "He

gives marriage

and death

licenses."

Faithful Senior (looking at thermometer)

forgotten to wind this up;

Senior

and

—"What

is

it

your

was

first

—"They

must have

at seventy yesterday."

thought when

observers

come

into the grade?"

2nd Senior

—

"It takes the

most convenient for a speedy 1st Senior

—"I

form of

a question

—which

exit."

don't have them; they all leave me."

door

is

:

THE FOCUS

104

Due

The Focus had not been able

to the fact that

printer until a late date

it

has received

which are now back numbers.

The

Record,

We

to secure a

exchanges, most of

wish, however to acknowledge

and

Thanksgiving

many

The

numbers;

Christmas

Hampden-Sidney Magazine, November-December; The Winthrop

The Bessie

Journal, November;

December; The

Tift Journal,

Christmas number; The Chathamite, December, and The

Critic,

Student, January.

We

wish to congratulate The Bessie Tift Journal on the Feb-

ruary edition of their magazine.

The

organized.

Poet,"

is

stories

Each department seemed well

were quite

"Our American

interesting.

The joke

a beautiful tribute to our worthy poet.

partment was

de-

full.

This magazine, as a whole, shows the splendid effort on the

many

part of

The

stories

individuals.

found

in

The Record

arrangement of your departments.

are very good.

A

fuller

We

like the

joke department

might be suggested.

"The

Tattler,"

exchange essays

show

table.

are

is

a

The

attractive

magazine we are glad stories are clever

and

true poetic feeling.

interesting.

On

the

and

to

welcome on our

full of life

Several

of

whole we consider

the

and the

poems

this a well

balanced and thoroughly enjoyable magazine.

CHARLOTTE WOLFE.

THE FOCUS

105

SPirectorp CLASSES

FOURTH PROFESSIONAL Ethel Gildersleeve

President

THIRD PROFESSIONAL Katharine Stallard

President

Grace Beard

Vice-President

Helen Draper

Secretary

„

Edith Harrell

Treasurer

McClung

Elizabeth

Reporter

SECOND PROFESSIONAL Victoria Vaiden

President

Odell Lavender

Vice-President

Burgess

Caroline

Secretary

Vara Jones

Treasurer

FIRST PROFESSIONAL Elizabeth Moring

President

Lily Thornhill

Vice-President

May

Secretary

Minor Jones

Treasurer

Frances

FOURTH YEAR HIGH SCHOOL Grace Stover

President

Virginia Anderson

Vice-President

Cowherd

Secretary and Treasurer

Elizabeth

THIRD YEAR HIGH SCHOOL Phyllis

Coyner Lindsay

President Vice-President

Virginia

Harriet Judson Lucille

Mayes

„

Secretary

Treasurer

THE FOCUS

106

STUDENT GOVERNMENT ASSOCIATION Mary Finch

President

Second Professional Vice-President

Sue Jones

First Professional President

Lily Thornhill

Secretary

Alta Barnes Julia Lee

Purdy

Treasurer

Y.

W.

C. A.

President

Ethel Gildersleeve

Vice-President

Frances Spindler

Mary Rucker

Secretary

Endia Sargent

Treasurer

Purdy

Student Representative

Harriett

PI

KAPPA OMEGA

Ethel Gildersleeve

President

Katharine Stallard

Vice-President

Vivian Lane

Treasurer

Mildred Dickenson

Secretary

LITERARY SOCIETIES Cunningham Julia Lee

Purdy

President

Frances Gannaway

Vice-President

Mary Rucker

Corresponding Secretary

Eva Rutrough Victoria Vaiden Vara Jones Katharine

Recording Secretary Treasurer

Censor

Stallard

Critic

Argus

Anne

Salley

Elizabeth Forbes

Louise Watts Elizabeth Moring

Emily Clark Louise Gibson

Empsie Shapard

President Vice-President

Corresponding Secretary

Recording Secretary Treasurer

Reporter

Censor

THE FOCUS

107

Athenian Mildred Dickenson

President

Irene Bridges

Vice-President

Corresponding Secretary

Caroline Burgess

Recording Secretary Treasurer Critic

Censor

Pierian

Linda

President

St. Clair

Helen Hayes Lois Claude

Vice-President

Corresponding Secretary

Recording Secretary

Lucille Chappell

Treasurer

Francis Spicer Janie Reid

Reporter

Grace Beard

_

Critic

DEBATING SOCIETIES Jefferson

Susie Watson

President

Mabel Tudor

Vice-President

Margaret Reynolds

Corresponding Secretary

Recording Secretary

Katharine Trent

Edna Lantz

Treasurer

Katharine Stallard

Critic

Ruffner

Frances Thomas

President Vice-President

Corresponding Secretary

Caroline Wooldridge

Recording Secretary

Gresham Annie Winslow McLain Thomas Hattie

Treasurer Critic

PROMOTION COMMITTEE Ethel

Chairman

Gildersleeve

Secretary and Treasurer

Grace Stover (It

includes the presidents of

all

the school organizations.)

THE FOCUS

108

DRAMATIC CLUB Mary Lancaster

President

Charlotte Baird

Treasurer Business Manager

Grace Stover

Property

Clara Stephens

Assistant Property

Mary Lindsay

Man Man

GLEE CLUB President

Lily Thornhill

Vice-President

Alta Barnes

Grace Stover

Secretary

_

.;

Treasurer

Helen Hayes

FOCUS STAFF Katharine Stallard

Helen Draper

Eva Rutrough Mildred Dickenson Harriett Purdy

Editor-in-Chief

Assistant Editor-in-Chief Literary Editor

Assistant Literary Editor

Business Manager

Victoria Vaiden

Assistant Business

Elizabeth Moring

Assistant Business

Edith Estep

Inda Miller Charlotte Wolfe

Kathleen Gilliam

Assistant

Manager Manager

News News

Editor

Editor

Exchange Editor Assistant Exchange Editor

ADV ERTl SEMEN TS

Let Us Prove to You THAT OUR ASSORTMENT OF

Coats

Suits

Dresses

Skirts

Waists

cTVlillinery

Shoes

Dress Goods Notions, Etc.

Is

the Largest, Most Attractive

and Low^est Priced in

Town

RAIFF'S FARMVILLE, VA.

The Leading Department Store

|

ADVERTISEMENTS

|

the Girls Drink at

cL/111

PAUL

T.

BOGGS'

SUCCESSOR TO

SANFORD'S //

you are looking for a friend you The most popular

will find her here

store in

WHITMAN'S CANDY

town

EASTMAN KODAKS

COLUMBIA GRAFONOLAS AND RECORDS

THE NEWEST CRANE'S LINEN

IN

LAWN

HIGHLAND LINEN

STATIONERY

OLD HAMPSHIRE LAWN

OLD HAMPSHIRE VELLUM

PAUL

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SUCCESSOR TO

SANFORD' 309

I

FARMVILLE

MAIN STREET

VIRGINIA

I

ADVERTISEMENTS

FARMVILLE, VA. Large, as well as tastefully selected, stocks of

MILLINERY DRESSES, SHOES DRY GOODS, NOTIONS WARNERS' CORSETS SUITS,

MUNSING

UNDERWEAR We make to

special effort

show large

lines

of

youthful models Merchandise that will

stylish,

—

please the College Girl.

Our prices are low, cause

we

be-

are a link in a

chain of stores. This enables us to buy to better

advantage.

Special showing of Fine Tailored Boots.

—

^All

Newest

Styles,

Widths. your foot.

all Sizes, all

Let us

fit

BALDWIN'S FannvUle, Va.

Lynchburg, Va.

Richmond, Va.

Durham, N.

C.

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ADVERTISEMENTS

"GET

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Registered Pharmacists

ratjite

Brug

Co.

Established in 1868

We

Confidence of the

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Nearly Half a Centur)^

FARMVILLE

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-:-

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|

ADVERTISEMENTS

We

Pride Ourselves on the Varietjr and Up-to-Dateness of our Stocks, Especially on the Quality" of

Everything

You Pay No Get

we

sell

cTVlore but

cTVlore for

you always

Your cy\loney

because you always get the Best.

When

You Think of a DRUG STORE

THINK OF

GARLAND &

McMOSH

THE

REXALL STORE I

ADVERTISEMENTS ARE YOU LOOKING FOR A DRUG STORE?

GO TO—

GRAY'S

A. T.

ON MAIN STREET

PHONE

56

A GOOD

PLACE TO EAT AND A GOOD

PLACE TO SLEEP CAN BE FOUND AT THE

PRINCE EDWARD HOTEL G. J.

CHICK,

Proprietor

FARMVILLE, VIRGINIA

ADVERTISEMENTS

GET THE BEST

IN

FOOTWEAR COME TO US FOR

Queen Quality

I

RICHARDSON & CRALLE

I

FARMVILLE, VIRGINIA

Normal School Supplies I

Make Wade's Your Headquarters CONFECTIONERIES, FRUITS

STATIONERY, CANNED GOODS OLIVES, PICKLES

Hot and Cold Fountain Drinks WAITING TO SERVE YOU

A. V.

WADE

|

ADVERTISEMENTS

VIRGINIA CAFE Food

of the

Best Quality

MEALS AT ALL HOURS

OUR SERVICE

307

IS

COMPLETE

MAIN STREET

Phone 229

FARMVILLE, VIRGINIA

W. J. HILLSMAN Dry Goods,

Notions, and Dealers in Ladies' Readyto-

Wear Garments

LADIES' FINE SHOES A SPECIALTY r

Agencies

]

"REGAL," "The Shoe That Proves" "THE SOROSIS,"

[FRIEDMAN SHELBY The teachers and scholars are

Solid Leather Shoes

invited to inspect our lines.

W. J. HILLSMAN

ADVERTISEMENTS

ROY MOOSE FARMVILLE

-

VIRGINIA

-

Special Pictures for Students

Kodak Finishing Promptly Done

CITY

AND COUNTY DEPOSITORY

Bank

Planters

of

FARMVILLE,

E. S.

SHIELDS,

H. C.

President J.

B.

Capital Stock

OVERTON,

.

Surplus (Earned)

Farmville VA.

CRUTE,

Vice-President

Cashier

.

.

,

$50,000.00

.

.

.

75,000.00

YOUR BANKING BUSINESS INVITED

I

ADVERTISEMENTS GET MORE FOR YOUR MONEY OATISFACTION IV T Service

More

^TYLE

AND

MORE VALUE If

you want the "Latest"

in

"READY TO WEAR" LADIES' SHOES and Everything

THIS IS THE PLACE

Style Headquarters

FARMVILLE, VIRGINIA

GO TO

The Pure Food

Store

FOR

Sugar and Spice and

Everything Nice

Chas. Buffff <$>^<$><$><$>^^>^'^><^>^$><$^^<$>^><^<$'<$>^^

&

Son

ADVERTISEMENTS

Peoples National Bank

^

FARMVILLE, VA.

MEMBER OF FEDERAL RESERVE SYSTEM

We

solicit

accounts of the Faculty and Students, Sororities and Normal School.

Societies of the

Your business

will be appreciated

prompt G.

M. Robeson, President J. L.

BuGG, Cashier

L. J.

and

receive

attention E. T.

W.

Bondurant, Vice-President

R. Butcher, Asst. Cashier

VERSER

& SON

DEALERS IN

Dry Goods, Notions Shoes FARMVILLE

VIRGINIA

The New^ York Store CAN BE FOUND ON

MAIN STREET

Dry Goods,

Notions, Fancy Goods LATEST FASHIONS

<â&#x20AC;˘>

ADVERTISEMENTS

R.

W.

& Co.

Garnett LEADERS OF

Fashion in Ladies' Tailored

and Millinery

Suits

Agents

for

famous

the

guaranteed

HOSIERY, the DREW SHOE and SUITS on the market.

Our aim

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to

want we will get

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:

If

the

:

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BLACK CAT best

MIDDY

we haven't what you

quick.

LET THE AIM OF EVERY TEACHER be to advance the material as well as the educational interests of the

of the best

communities

ways

is

in

which they work.

One

to teach the children to save their

earnings and become independent.

First National

Bank

FARMVILLE, VIRGINIA

<ÂŤ>

ADVERTISEMENTS

Barrow Coal Co. W. W.

BARROW

Proprietor

Splint,

Pocahontas

Virginia City,

and

Red Ash Coal Also Anthracite and Blacksmith's Coal

QUICK SERVICE

G. G.

IS

OUR MOTTO

GOWAN

Furniture and Floor Coverings FARMVILLE, VIRGINIA

PAULETT & BUGG Scissors, Knives, Clocks,

Watches

Flashlights

HARDWARE and STOVES

ADV ERTISEMENTS

W.

NEWMAN

C.

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MANUFACTURER

ICE

AND

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CREAM

FARMVILLE, VIRGINIA

My

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from farms

I

in

made from pure sweet cream,

direct

<|

one of the best equipped plants in the

T

is

State.

I

For sale by every progressive dealer Special attention to orders from

in Farmville.

Normal School

girls.

Block or brick cream made to order.

All cream

is

pasteurized.

Normal School students are invited to visit the Ice Cream Factory and see the sanitary conditions under which our Ice Cream is manufactured.

SEE THE BEST

MOVIES AT THE

OPERA HOUSE PARAMOUNT AND OTHER GOOD FEATURES Shows

at 4:30

and 7:30

P.

M.

ADVERTISEMENTS f

I

^

Attention of Future Teachers!

% ^ ^ X

garten Furniture and Supplies, Water Colors and Brushes, Draw-

X

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Supplies, such as Inks, Ink Wells, Paste, Pencils, Paper Fasteners,

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as

Write us for our complete catalogue before making your plans we carry in stock at Richmond an up-to-date line of KinderPaper,

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RICHMOND, VIRGINIA

Are You Hungry, If so,

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Gilliam's store

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W. GILLIAM

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Phone 160

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cTWisses Davidson

I

CLOAKS AND SUITS DRY GOODS and NOTIONS You

are cordially invited to inspect our stock

FARMVILLE, VIRGINIA

Main Street

Diamonds, Watches, Jewelr}^ We

carry a complete line of

NORMAL SCHOOL JEWELRY Your orders

solicited for

CLASS AND SORORITY PINS, RINGS

AND JEWELRY

MARTIN BROS. FARMVILLE // It Is

VIRGINIA

SODA WATER OR

ICE

CREAM

NORRIS or HUYLER'S CANDIES BASEBALL or TENNIS GOODS You

will find

them

at

C. E. Chappell

& Go's

FARMVILLE, VIRGINIA

<«>

W.

E.

ENGLAND

FIRST-CLASS CLEANING, PRESSING

AND

REPAIRING SHOP S.

THIRD STREET

N. S.

Work

Solicited

ONLY FEW STEPS FROM MAIN

I

ADVERTISEMENTS

I

Normal School

State

For

i

Women

FARMVILLE. VIRGINIA

J.

L.

JARMAN,

President

Graduates of accredited high schools admitted without

examination to Professional Courses.

HIGH SCHOOL DEPARTMENT PROFESSIONAL DEPARTMENT Teachers are trained here for work in kindergarten, primary,

grammar

grade, high school,

home economics,

and county demonstration work.

College Course leads to the Degree of Bachelor of Science in Education^

Expense for all

all

courses

is

the same, and students in

courses are eligible for the State Scholarship.

For Catalog, Address

THE REGISTRAR

I <$>

f I i

State

Normal School

for

Women

FARMVILLE, VA. 'â&#x20AC;˘>

ADVERTISEMENTS I

/ Farmville Steam Bakery

I | I % <>>

The Place

to get

Cakes, Candies and Pies

f

of the highest quality

«^ <>

The

best place in Farmville to get

SANDWICHES, OLIVES, PICKLES, FANCY CAKES AND CANDY for Birthday or other parties

and Special Occasions.

CARRY YOUR SHOES TO THE

Electric

Shoe Shop

WHERE THEY USE THE BEST LEATHER AND WORKMANSHIP

We Can

Fix

Them

<»

<S>«HS>'»4><?><$><»^><^><M>^><g>4>«^$^>^^

While

You Wait