Pranksters of Ethan High and Their Mischief Manual

Attending a small public high school in Ethan, SD, was a unique and memorable experience, especially because of the close-knit community and the way we found creative ways to pass the time. With a limited student body and fewer formal distractions, we students often turned to harmless pranks on our teachers to inject some fun and humor into our daily routine. Whether it was switching classroom clocks to confuse everyone about the time, placing funny notes on the teachers’ desks, or orchestrating subtle yet amusing disruptions during lessons, these playful antics brought us together and created lasting memories. The teachers, though occasionally caught off guard, often laughed along, making the atmosphere much more lighthearted and memorable. These simple moments of mischief highlighted the charm of growing up in a small town where everyone knew each other, and creativity was the best way to keep boredom at bay.

One of the most memorable pranks involved Mrs. Oster, a history teacher renowned in our community for her remarkable ability to engage students without ever consulting notes. Many of our family members had the privilege of being her students, often reminiscing about how her classes felt less like traditional lessons and more like fascinating narratives. With her deep enthusiasm for history and impressive memory, Mrs. Oster would skillfully narrate detailed accounts of historical figures, events, and cultural changes, making the past come alive. Her gift was not only her broad expertise but also her knack for pulling down one of the maps hanging above the chalkboard and accurately indicating various cities and regions without glancing at it. This particular skill set the stage for one of the most unforgettable and playful pranks carried out by the upperclassmen.

During their lunch break, some Junior boys decided to add some excitement by secretly attaching a nude centerfold from a magazine onto one of the classroom maps displayed at the front of Mrs. Oster’s room. The placement was cleverly chosen—right in the center of a continent where Mrs. Oster would inevitably point, ensuring all students’ attention would be drawn there during her lecture. We waited eagerly for weeks, hoping that the centerfold would finally be noticed during our class. When that moment arrived during our World History lesson, we found it incredibly difficult to keep a straight face. As Mrs. Oster discussed World War I, pointing to various locations on what she thought was just a map, completely unaware of the provocative addition, we could no longer contain our laughter and erupted into loud hoots and giggles. She glanced at the map, blushed intensely, and ripped the image of Debi Nicolle Johnson in half. This innocent yet daring prank instantly made the mischievous teenagers who had altered the map into local legends.

Another memorable prank that lingers in my mind involved Mrs. Berlin, my high school English teacher, a truly unforgettable personality. Her hair was almost perpetually untidy, and her clothing style tended to be rather dowdy, showing little regard for fashion. Yet, it was her keen mind and sharp wit that made a deep impact. She had a knack for delivering sarcastic comments that cut through typical teenage bravado, amusing about half the class while leaving the other half slightly unsettled. Although she appeared rough around the edges and frequently told bawdy jokes – usually poking fun at literary pretentiousness – her passion for teaching was undeniable. Mrs. Berlin had an extraordinary talent for bringing Shakespeare and contemporary poetry to life in unexpected and captivating ways. Through her distinctive mix of humor, irreverence, and sincere dedication, she helped my friends and me develop an appreciation for English far beyond what any textbook could offer.

On a bright autumn afternoon, my friends and I embarked on a playful quest around Mitchell, gathering various real estate signs with the intention of creating a humorous surprise for Mrs. Berlin. Collecting the colorful signs promoting different properties felt like an adventurous scavenger hunt, turning an ordinary day into one filled with collaboration and mischief. After amassing a substantial assortment, we discreetly placed the signs all over our teacher’s yard, transforming it into an unexpected “real estate hotspot.” We eagerly anticipated her reaction at school the next day; however, mysteriously, all eight signs vanished before Mrs. Berlin ever saw them. We had imagined her surprise mixed with mild irritation upon discovering the “For Sale” signs dotting her lawn, but when we finally questioned her about the prank, she insisted she had seen nothing. The swift disappearance of our prank and its failure to shock our teacher served as a funny reminder that some jokes don’t unfold as intended, yet they still become unforgettable stories to laugh over later.

Mr. Jones, our science teacher, was yet another memorable figure at school – not merely because of his round physique and notably hairy torso, but also because of the surprising tales that surrounded him. Although his outward appearance was less than attractive, he considered himself quite the lady's man. Frequently, during lessons, he would assign us work and then mysteriously leave the classroom, only to be later seen conversing with Mrs. Larson on the stairwell near the music room. This sparked rumors that they were involved romantically, fueling countless whispered discussions and speculation. With Mr. Jones absent from the room during these moments, we found ample opportunity to pull pranks.

Our first of prank involved attaching risqué anatomical additions to the classroom skeleton, causing surprise and laughter when the next group of students discovered bright, cut-out paper parts taped onto the otherwise purely educational bones. Another prank saw us snatching the football playbook from his desk drawer and hiding it inside the wall cupboard, which led to frenzy during practice as Mr. Jones struggled to remember the various plays. Meanwhile, one bold prankster secretly added a few drops of hot sauce to Mr. Jones's coffee, providing a spicy morning jolt for our teacher and leaving us with a prized story to share for years to come.

The mischievous antics we directed at our different teachers perfectly embodied the essence of those long-past school days – a combination of admiration for their expertise and a fondness expressed through lighthearted pranks. Reflecting on those moments, the jokes were much more than mere humor; they became treasured memories ingrained in our community’s identity, illustrating that even amid the most serious lessons, laughter and playful rebellion always found a place. As we left those classrooms behind, the enduring stories of Mrs. Oster’s steadfast calm, Mrs. Berlin’s vanishing signs, and Mr. Jones’s anatomical skeleton remained with us – timeless narratives celebrating friendship, youthful defiance, and unforgettable educators.