The Oakes times. [volume] (Oakes, N.D.) 1906-current, 1919-01-16

The grade pupils this week and
last have been bombarded by a SER
les of Standard Tests. The results
of the tests indicate that most of the
grades are not quite up to standard
at this time. There is opportunity
before the end of the year to iron
out most of the weaknesses shown,
and the added time gained by length
ening out the afternoon will be de-
voted to drill work daily in the line
where it is most needed.
Miss March, the new teacher of
Domestic Science subjects in Miss
Angels place, arrived in Oakes Sat-
urday afternoon and began her regu-
lar duties in the school room Monday
morning. Mrs. Bellinger was also
back on the job in the third grade
Monday morning, recovered from her
bout with the influenza, so the
schools are once more running with
a full force of. regular teachers this
week for the first time since the be-
ginning of the new year.
Mrs. Otto Elmer substituted for
Mrs. Bellinger in the third grade all
but one day of her absence, Mrs
Jenkins coming to the rescue on that
one day.
Miss Barclay, the H. S. English
teacher, spent last Saturday and Sun
day in Cogswell, visiting a college
chum of hers from Hamline Univers-
ity who is teaching in the Cogswell
H. S. She had a chance to visit
classes and compare methods and OBJ
tain new ideas while there, for the
Cogswell high school to make up the
time lost because of the "fu' is run
ming on a 45-minute period schedule
days in the week.
The two days spent in our metrop-
oils to the east apparently re-en-
throned fashion and killed out the
"back to nature" idea that Miss Bar
clay had begun to advocate. At any
rate, her moccasins have not been
seen since the trip.
The Sophomore boys, under the
lure of the glory awaiting, one night
the first of the week organized a
Polar Expedition. The objective was
none of the Poles that beckoned Cook
and Perry. on to gumdropped fame in
the North, nor Shackelton in the
South, nor yet Paderewski in the
bloody East. 1t was the pole to
which was nailed that hated Fresh
man banner that had tapped in deri-
sion in their eyes every time they
had approached the school house for
more than two weeks. Determination
was writ in every eye and clenched
jaw that the pole, creased though it
was by Freshman guile, should not
slip from their grasp this time.
The midnight sun was not shining,
but in its place the midnight moon
was doing a fairly creditable job of
light-shedding when the Soph expedi-
tion creaked it's way over the snow
toward the objective. On the broad
and snow covered expanse of the
campus, that stretched tundratlike on
each side toward the distant igloos
of Grant Bush, Frank Root, and
Thomas Marshall, the band of ex-
plorers halted while Commodore
Rathman consulted his compass and
computed his location.
Latitude 46 degrees g 49,, longi-
tude SO degrees g. A" west, he was
heard to mutter. Then aloud, "My
noble men, if figures do not lie, we
should find the pole some 23 PAGES
from here, sou-'by-sou' east"
Suiting the action to the word, the
band moved in the indicated direc-
tion, and as evidence of the truth
resident in mathematics and mathe-
maticians, they beheld the pole, and
heard the Tapping of the despised
pennant. No grease nor lard nor
suet nor even 7O-cent butter lubricat-
ing the pole could have withstood
the rush of anger that ensued. Some
one skidded to the top, grabbed the
gonfalon, and the triumphant band
started homeward filled with elation.
But Shades of DR.. Cook, what were
those dark shadows that suddenly
sprang into being from out the snow
and ice? 1t couldn't be the Freshmen.
Nevertheless, it was, and mighty
host of them, far outnumbering the
doughty band of Sophs. The Sophs
fought gallantly in defense of their
leader and the prize, but at last
Captain Rathman surrendered the
banner
And now, both sides claim the ad-
vantage. The Sophs say that all they
wanted was to get that disgraceful
rag of the flag pole, while the Fresh
men say they wanted it down any
way, as it was becoming frayed and
dirty from flying SO long.
Woman's Club
Hostess-Mrs. J, M. Webb.