What a Life
by Clifford Goldsmith

THE STORY: The principal characters are Henry Aldrich, who just can't memorize the dates in history, who tries to sell anything he owns in order to raise two dollars to take his girl to the dance, and who in desperation “borrows” answers to his examination, only to be found out; Barbara Pearson who is gloriously happy and desperately unhappy over the prospect of her first formal dance; George Bigelow, Henry's enemy, who almost gets him into real trouble; several teachers, including Miss Pike, Miss Johnson and Miss Wheeler; Mr. Nelson, assistant principal, who straightens out Henry's problem; not to mention Henry's mother who insists that the boy go to Princeton, though his talent is for drawing.

Henry just can't get through his head the book learning he is supposed to absorb, and this is what involves him in scrapes both serious and amusing and once makes it look as though he had stolen the school band instruments.

However, Henry's problem is solved through the sympathetic help of the assistant principal and everything turns out for the best after all.