THE "DO" APPEAL

What is an Extra-Curricular Activity?

"An Extra-Curricular Activity is a legitimate activity of the school not otherwise provided for."--Dr. Fretwell.

The creative spirit is one of the essentials of sound living. Clubs give boys and girls a chance to "do."

The real purpose of club activity is to enable the individual to be increasingly intelligently self-directive. The program of the High School is so arranged that there is a favorable chance for students to practice the qualities of a good citizen with pleasure and profit. Whenever possible the extra-curricular activities grow out of the curricular activities, and return to enrich them, e.g., language clubs, the school newspaper, intra-mural and inter-scholastic athletics. The basis for any club is to teach people to perform better those desirable activities that they will do anyway.

Main values of Extra-Curricular Activities:

1. Training in some civic--social-moral relation.

2. Socialization--(shy child is helped).

3. Actual experience in group life-(encourages pupils to work up to their full capacity).

4. Training for citizenship in a democracy.

5. Training for leadership--(more obscure pupils may become leaders).

6. Improved discipline and school spirit.

7. Health.

8. Recognition of interests and ambitions--(pupils discover constructive use for talents).

9. Recognition of adolescent nature-(student has more chances to taste joys of success).

10. Vocational training-in this instance, the records of our High School graduates disclose the following:

Vocations Entered

Journalism	Theatre	Designing	Social work
Nursing	Library work	Aviation	Sports
Salesmanship and Advertising	College men and women	Skilled musicians

Extra-Curricular Activities

Te-Hi News	Senior Art and Craft Club	Active Atoms Club	Glider Club
Hi-Way Annual Business Staff	Band and Orchestra	Drama Clubs	Red Cross Council
Library Council	Athletic Teams	Assisted in preparation by German, French, Latin and Math Clubs

And Many More

Membership in activities is open to all on a basis as objective as possible. There is freedom of choice as to pupil participation, with a point and teacher guidance system to encourage and control participation with moderation and balance. The collection of dues is discouraged; but each club must assume responsibility for its own finances. Parliamentary law is practiced at all business meetings; and visual trips are part of the regular program of each group.

There are fifty clubs in the high school; and approximately seventy-five percent of the student body 'is engaged in these activities. About the same percent of the faculty assist with the sponsoring without additional compensation. Student activities bear no direct relationship to low scholarship. As a rule, the student with high intelligence carries the heaviest program, is most active in extra-curricular activities, and receives the highest marks. 

Are there "fads and frills" in our school system?

When you hear a person criticizing a school because of "fads and frills," you will invariably find that the objection is to a particular course of study. In the mind of the critic, a "fad and frill" is an activity in which his child is not interested; and an essential subject is considered one that his boy or girl likes. It needs but a casual reference to our change from wagons, lamps, and ice boxes, to automobiles, electric lights, and mechanical refrigerators, to dismiss the idea it is impossible to prepare the child of this generation by limiting education to three basic subjects: reading, writing and arithmetic.

The problem is to select from the many things which are offered, those that will best fit the needs of the children living in a particular community. Teaneck, as the reader will agree, does not require classes for foreign born, nor does it need a trade school. On the other hand, it must provide a wide selection of subjects, and must provide more than the average opportunity for those desiring to prepare for college or commercial pursuits. The progressiveness of our citizens demands that the children shall be equipped to keep abreast of the times. There are no "fads and frills" in our school system!

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