Palisadian., 1919-12-27
School Christmas
At Cliffside High
A Great Success

was presented at the Cliffside Park
f1lgh School on last Friday as the
close of the school session of 1919.
The exercises began at half mast
twelve p. M, and were witnessed by q
number of friends and parents of the
in the program.
A selection was played by the high
schooi orchestra very pleasingiy and
then a song by the whole school and a
selection by the junior high school
glee club, Good King Wencelaus" in
which the king was Helen Finch in
costume and the page, Louise Dyer.
Dorothy Thomas recited, that good
old stand by, 1.-The Night Before
Christmas" which no well regulated
Christmas can do without any more
than it can dispense with "Silent
Night which was later played by the
orchestra and which is always beauti-
full
Two more songs, by the school as a
whole and by the Glee Club, and a
well told story, Little Piccola" by
Sarah Orenbach, completed that part
of the program and then the long
awaited play was presented by some
of the junior high school for, as Mr..
Burns, the principal who presided, ex-
planned, the junior high school had
long desired to do something to enter
tain the seniors, and now they had
done it,
The scene was a toy show and the
IN 1al rn oIyI h.,
ed, as the curtain rose, singing a
merry song as he finished making a
toy rifle and then began to oil his
dolls who stood or sat around in very
realistic manner in the shop.
The process of oiling, the squeak
of the arms or heads, and the later
easy movement of these members as
he put them in position was perfectly
done and very interesting, and one
would have thought the dolls were
"only dolls and nothing more" so
splendidily did they take the parts,
but Immediately after the departure
of the toy maker, for bed, the fun be-
gan to say more than that, and all, in
squeaky doll voices, uttered their
plants, and desires to become real
boys and girls.
Suddenly fairy, Kathleen Houri-
gan, appears and with her magic wand
endues them with life for an hour and
they began to dance, in one group,
another played Jacks, boy and girl
shared an apple in which the Jack in
the box, Willie Drew, also shared, al
though he was the one exception in
the fairy's gift of real life, but he
didn't need it for he was the disturb
ing and humorous element in the doll
world, always popping up with a re-
mark when the toy makers back was
turned, and very much like a true
Jack in the box he appeared, too.
The soldier dolls played ball, and
every one was having a great time
when "Tackhammer" appeared (Peter
Mano) amazed at the scene before
Captain Dick, (Junior Sears) then
drilled his toy soldiers in fine mill
tary style worthy of emulation by
soldiers of larger growth, and this
was followed by charming solo
dance by the always graceful little
Mabel Cocoran, the French baby doll,
who terminated her steps in her big
millinery box
The Gymnasium dolls, Helen Ia
briskie and Flora Fiali, gave a fine
gymnatic demonstration, whose grace
and high jumps showed practice and
training.
The Peasant doll, Catherine BerIs)
had given perfect rendering of a
mechanical doll walking, at the be-
ginning of the play, and the finale,
after the toy maker awoke (as he
thoughD was the sudden appearance
of the Jumping Jacks, in front of the
curtain, where they did the difficult
and seldom seen stunt of walking
clean across the big stage, on their
hands, with feet in air, these acrobatic
performers being Edward Richcreek,
James McKenna and Harold Dietler.
The other youthful actors and
actresses who took part were Beatrice
Stetka, Spanish doOl; Madeline
Schrannek, Anna Benz, Irene Whalen,
Virginia Fessler, Flora Fiali, Helen
Zabriskie, Adele Zabriskie, Helen
Raas, Louise Dyer and Mabel Corco-
ran as dolls of different nationalities.
Audrey Lucas as a French doll in eve
ming dress (who despite that grace
fully jumped rope), Edward Presin
Hans Heidern, John Kelly and George
Nagel, the punches" and Stanley
Stetka, Raymond Meade, Fred Brad
den, James Nicholas, Charles Mac
Lachlan, Quentin Stannek, William
Crispen and Joseph Moreng, the
soldiers.
The performance was greatly APP
preciated by the audience and great
credit is due to the English Depart
ment who gave it, in charge of Miss
O'Hare and Miss Erb assisted by Miss
Ball, the physical training teacher.
The DprfOrmancp WAS given for the