The Volunteer, 1930
One decade later, the 1930 Volunteer reveals a school humming with the energy, activities, good deeds, and good humor of its students.
Sophomores, juniors, and seniors each have individual photos along with a note on their participation in clubs, sports, and organizations. Additionally, each entry notes when students entered Peabody; of the 71 graduating seniors, five started in Kindergarten. Group photos are included for the Elementary school, 7th, 8th, and 9th grades. Team photos show participants in their uniforms and are accompanied by a written summary of each season's highlights. PDS’s various clubs and organizations get similar treatment; it is entertaining to see students poking fun at each other – and themselves! – with gentle good humor and cheeky cleverness.
Some of the traditions begun in the 1920 Volunteer continue: faculty members are pictured individually and are identified by their names and the classes they taught; the Last Will & Testament of the Senior class remains, but has evolved into a fold-out, extra-long, legal-seeming document (a tradition that will continue for the next few years); a senior has again penned an earnest Class Poem. All in all, the 1930 Volunteer captures the daily life of a vibrant school community in its pages.
It’s interesting to see the meaningful traditions PDS is already establishing. For anyone who knows USN today, perusing these pages will feel familiar; though hairstyles have changed and knickers are out of style, students in 1930 are busy, involved, and participating fully in the life of their school – just like USN students today.