Et cetera : The Braille School Corner – Article 1

It seemed fitting for the first article in this series from the annals of the Iowa Braille and Sight Saving School’s student newspapers, to have something published in one of the earlier editions from the 1930s.  This is from the “Trail Blazer” – Columbus Day 1936.

The School Newspaper

Every school should have a school publication.  There are many arguments that can be presented in favor of having a school newspaper.  There are always events happening in which every student and teacher should certainly be interested.   Many of us pay little attention to things that are going on about us.  This “don’t care” attitude results in the lack of school spirit.  It is the purpose of the school newspaper to awaken the interest of the student body by making known the activities of the various organizations of the school and the happenings past, present and future.

The school publication affords an adventure in high school journalism and creative writing.  As things happen in our school they readily become the subject of interesting composition.  Themes, letters and stories are handed in to the teacher from time to time.  If these themes receive recognition by publication, the students are given an incentive to find new adventures in the field of creative English.  

Our school life passes so quickly that we often forget the many pleasant times that we have.   How interesting it is to go back and review these interesting times that we have had together.  The school newspaper affords a written record of our school life that we may look back with pleasure over these happy times that we spend here.

From the Who’s Who section

Miss Wyman

Like “Young Lochnivar” Miss Wyman comes to us out of the West to take Mr. Young’s place as director of this year’s orchestra.  Born on a Nebraska farm she has climbed the dusty road to fame, first in a rural school near Omaha, then high school and college at Yankton, SD.  She directed the orchestra and glee club at Whiting for the last two years.  Her orchestra competed against and nearly defeated our orchestra in last year’s State Music Contest.  (Her Girls Glee Club won the Class C Division of the State Music Contest for two consecutive years.)  She has no particular hobbies as she is primarily interested in the “sound effects”.  Her literature includes such weighty material as “Uncle Wiggley’s Bedtime Stories” and the comic section of the Des Moines Register.  From members of the orchestra we find that she is a “clever director”, a “swell leader” and “she knows her stuff”.  Do we like our teacher?  Precisely!