Oct 26 25 OGDEN HIGH SCHOOL NOTES THE JOY THAT SHOULD BE THE TEACHERS If an Agassiz finds pleasure in digging among fossils in order that he may interpret the great story of prehistoric life; if a Thoreau by Walden pond is delighted with his studies of bugs and beetles; if a. John Burroughs on his little patch of ground in the valley of the Mohawk, glories in his life among the birds and bees; if a Luther Burbank is enraptured with his work of transforming a worthless desert cactus into an edible fruit, or in producing a sweeter rose or a fairer lily; if these and other workers whose names are legion, revel in the love of their work—then by what terms shall we designate the joy that should, be the teacher's, who works not with mere fossils, nor with bugs or beetles, nor with birds, bees or flowers, but with the child who is at once the most complex, the most plastic, the most beautiful, the most wonderful of all God's creations. Yes, it's a great thing to teach school, it's a wonderful thing to be a teacher. THE CONVENTION. The teachers returned from the convention and resumed their labors today with greater faith in their work, with increased enthusiasm, and a determination to do better work than they have ever done before. This being true the convention was abundantly worth while to the teachers and we believe the Friday holiday will do the pupils no harm. FARM MARKETING. "Farm Marketing" hardly sounds like an appropriate topic for a discussion at a teachers' convention, yet Mr. Sapiro's addresses on that subject were the outstanding features of the convention and no teacher in the state will say that the talk was inappropriate. Mr. Sapiro convinced all that the welfare of the nation depends upon the securing to the farmers a fair price for their commodities; that the standards of living on the farm must be raised; that the ideals of America demand more attention to the economic, social and aesthetic situation among the farmer producers. Mr. Sapiro feels that this can only be brought about by a scientific process of cooperative marketing of farm products, and we feel that he carried his point with the teachers of Utah. "SPECIAL WEEKS" Superintendent Orson Ryan of Logan told in an interesting address at the convention of the increase of "Drives" and special "weeks" in the schools to the point of their becoming a real menace. He said there are now over 100 "special weeks" for schools, despite the fact that there are only 36 weeks. He recommended that the "special week" idea be buried with its face downward so that in case of resurrection it would only dig itself deeper into the earth instead of rising to the surface. His talk was well received by the teachers. STILL UNCERTAIN. There is still some uncertainty about the playing of the Ogden-Box Elder game. Ogden has extended an invitation to the Box Elder people to play the game at Ogden on Thursday, November 5, and it is quite possible that the invitation will be accepted. The matter is now being considered by the faculty and student body at Brigham City. TOO MANY ABSENCES. The matter of absentees on a day preceding a holiday is receiving the attention of the teachers and school authorities and parents today. The attendance on Friday is never quite as good as it is on other days. There is usually a heavy falling off of attendance preceding any holiday as is instanced by the attendance of Thursday last. The practice of staying out of school on such days is regarded as most detrimental and injurious to school work; it is an evil that should be overcome, for it lowers school standards and lessens the efficiency of work. All students should be firm in their determination to make the most possible out of their school work and this can only be accomplished by regular attendance and faithful performance of duty. WHY I AM A SENIOR. When, in the course of human events, a student has "lucked" through his first year, stumbled through his second year, and bluffed through his third term, he arrives at that beatific period of seniority, the goal of his schoolboy dreams. Even though he may have achieved this honor more through luck than hard study, it matters not; he has arrived. From this dizzy height he can look down upon the struggling but aspiring mass of freshmen, sophs and juniors with scorn or pity according to his nature. He may not know all the factors that have contributed to his success, but in his inmost soul he feels that his forceful personality, his brilliant intelligence, and his forbearance with the shortcomings of his instructors have had much to do with his gaining his present position. Only his innate modesty and shrinking reserve keep him from telling the world how good he really is. Never again in his life, in all probability, will he feel so competent to run the universe. "Step softly, friend, disturb not his bliss. Never again will he feel like this." (Apologies to anyone who feels offended.) AUTUMN COLORING. I must have some Gypsy blood in my veins, because I like the colorful autumn better than any other season of the year. I enjoy riding when the green leaves on the trees and bushes have turned to deep russet, flaming scarlet, or brilliant yellows. The flowers take on richer tones, the glistening gold in the golden-rod, the royal purple in the asters, and the crimsons and other beautiful oriental colors in the zinnias. The sky looks more intensely blue. In autumn the most wonderful sunsets occur when the sun sinks like a bail of fire into the lake. Nature, like a skyrocket, gives one great it flare of brilliant colors before she dies. ELIZABETH STANFORD. OGDEN HIGH SCHOOL NOTES I need not shout my faith. Thrice eloquent, Are quiet trees and the green listening sod. Hushed are the stars, whose power is never spent; The hills are mute, yet how they speak of God! —C. H. Towne. NAVY DAY. Today is being observed as Navy day, which has been set apart by state and nation. The purpose of the day is to acquaint all citizens with the purpose, aims and objectives of the United States navy. We are fortunate in having as our speaker at assembly this afternoon Admiral Zeigemier, who was assigned to Utah for the day, speaking in the Salt Lake high schools this morning, Ogden luncheon clubs this noon, and Ogden High school this afternoon. Special music is being furnished by the high school quartet, which will sing, "Boys of the Old Brigade" and "The Flag Without A Stain." ROOSEVELT REMEMBERED. During the advisory period this morning each group spent a few minutes considering the life and achievements of Theodore Roosevelt, whose birth anniversary falls on this date—October 27. We presume, though we do not know, that this day was selected as Navy day on occount of its being President Roosevelt's anniversary. Theodore Roosevelt was, as we all know, a staunch defender of both army and navy and was always a thorough-going believer in preparedness. PLAY READ. Miss Reva Beck read the school play, "The Seven Keys to Bald-pate," to a large and enthusiastic group of students Monday evening. It appears that the contest for parts will be keen and lively. OUT TOMORROW. Tomorrow morning during the advisory period the report cards for the first term of 1925-26 will be given out. They are to be taken to the parents for signature and returned to the advisors on Thursday. POLLYANNISANS. The world is just beginning to look upon the bright, hopeful side of things. Events that formerly were looked upon as disasters are now seized as good advertising material. How about these: "A real estate movement on an extensive scale." California, concerning the Santa Barbara earthquake. "The best illuminated territory in the country," the northwest during the great forest fires. "Running water in every home." The Mississippi valley during the flood season. "The melting pot in actual operation." New York's subway jam. GAMMA KAPPA. The regular meeting of Gamma Kappa was held Wednesday evening after school. Jean Warner, Emerson Thatcher, Reed Aimes, John Griffin, Nolan Taylor and David Camp, all new members, were introduced to the club. Nolan Taylor gave a reading, and Maurine Peck a song, both of which were much appreciated by the club. The boys met after the regular meeting to plan a party to be given some time this week or the girls. We wonder what kind. of a party this will be, and will probably be kept wondering until the event. Show your stuff, boys! Ruth Craven, Reporter. HIGH HONORS. Students were much pleased on Sunday to read that Helen Tollefson, '25, had received another prize, a $200 prize in a musical contest at Northwestern university. There are 800 students in this department and consequently the winning of the contest is a distinction and honor of the first magnitude. GAME FRIDAY. On Friday next, Ogden plays Grantsville at Ogden at 3:30 o'clock. This is not a league game, but will prove interesting as Grantsville has a very good team. Student tickets will be good for this game. As an inducement for others the admission fee will be reduced to 25 cents. DON'T LIKE ENGLISH. The "don't like English" vogue is likely to go out. Students are finding that that once they become interested in English, that it becomes increasingly more fascinating and they begin to wonder why they ever disliked the subject. Again for the small group which still insists on disregarding the subject there are pitfalls aheal. Some universities are now offering "Dumb bell" English for the benefit of all students who give evidence of having ignored the study of English in high school. Not only this, a charge is made or the course and no credit is given for it. HOW INTERESTING. Salt Lake City, Utah. October 24, 1925. Mr. A. M. Merrill, Principal Ogden High School, Ogden, Utah. Dear Sir: At the meeting of the board of control of the Utah High School Athletic association, held Friday, October 23, 1925, your school was reinstated in the Utah High school Athletic association as full-ledged members. This action was to rescind that of the board at its meeting last December. Yours very truly, C. OREN WILSON, Secy.-Treas. U. H. S. A. A. L. B. GOOD WRITING. O. A. Kennedy's article in the Sunday Examiner concerning school board and high school problems, was recommended to the students in English classes to lay as worthy of study from the standpoint of theme writing. The development of paragraphs by repetition, by contrast and example, by illustration, by concrete examples, etc., subjects now being considered by English classes, are all aptly illustrated by Mr. Kennedy's article from the standpoint, both of subject matter and treatment, the article is worth while. COMMUNICATION Editor, Standard-Examiner: Is it permitted to criticize the public schools? The question is asked because it does not seem to be done and also because it might possibly be a good thing. Also, because the writer is about to ask a question which may be regarded as a criticism. Criticism is of two kinds—constructive and destructive. It is the effort of the writer to keep his comments in the former class. It is hard to object to a policy, a theory, or a fad, without of fending, or appearing to attack, the. people who are advocating the policy, or theory, or fad, but such is not the intent of this communication. All public officials and employers are supposed to have policies, and theories and fads. Surely one may inquire about a policy, for instance, without appearing to be personal. The public schools occupy rather a unique position among tax-levying bodies. We hold two elections to pick out our mayors and city commissioners and once every two years' we spend the greater part of the fall picking out the men who are to conduct the affairs of the county for the next two years. But when the school election comes the soft, pedal is put on. We are told to leave all politics and personalities out. The school elections are "non-partisan," with the result that very few candidates offer themselves, and very few voters ever go near the polls. In one ward at a school election held a few years ago only 12 votes were cast and yet the man elected was to serve five years. Contrast that again with the city and county elections. Consider also that the five men who are the city board of education have the same power to levy taxes that the three city commissioners or the three county commissioners have, and they do levy about the same amount of taxes. The city school board handles in a year practically as much money as Ogden city or Weber county. They have charge of more public property and have more people on their payrolls than either the city or county commissioners. Their policies, theories and .fads, affect directly the lives of 10,000 pupils and through their power of taxation practically every person in the city. When a city or county official offends we wait until the next election and then we turn him over a barrel, so to speak, and administer the electoral paddle freely and liberally. But it is different with the school board. The members of the school board are elected one at a time and serve for five years. If the citizens should ever start in seriously to reverse the policies of the school board it would take three successive annual elections in as many different wards to