I recognized the tree near the center just from the bark! We had them in my back yard, Locusts. The compound leaf is also a giveaway.

These children all look like they are just biding their time before they viciously rip someone apart and make their escape. Every single one of them looks like they could easily have rebelled against their parents, become juvenile delinquents and eventually career criminals.

The girl on the far right looks like a Bette Davis character with something devilishly wicked in mind.

They don't want to be there, and that's a fact.

Zoom in on the face of the girl farthest to the right, lying on the grass. Obviously a child of the devil.

They know by the time you see this photo, they'll be dead.

Hurry up and take the picture already! We're missing our chance to ride the ponies!

Now hear this ... now hear this ... all female personnel shall wear white bows in their hair while rusticating. That is all.

After writing a caption with the words "professor" and "pupils" we are reminded of the cross-eyed professor who couldn't control his pupils, and the first time we heard that one, we laughed so hard we kicked the slats out of our crib. But seriously folks, these kids obviously do not like bugs, grass, sunshine, dirt, wind, fresh air or being exposed to the elements so who in this family had the bright idea of everyone getting dressed up in suits, dresses and hairbows and spending time getting down and dirty? Okay kids, we are in the great outdoors. Are we having fun yet?

I don't think I've ever seen a gaggle of facial expressions that stands in such stark contrast to the idyllic setting. Both of the boys who are gazing directly at the camera look like they should have voice bubbles photoshopped over them that read, "What the hell are you staring at?"

The rest of them all appear to be looking off in the distance at some potential imaginary foe, while the teacher is saying something to the effect of "Mark my words children, they're coming to get us, and they'll be here soon."

If this were a depression era photo of people in tattered clothing, standing around a crumbling shack, the looks on their faces would be understandable and deserving of our sympathy. In this context however, they resemble characters in an ominous scene from some Gothic horror film in which either real or perceived demons are lurking in the woods.

Here's the story
of an old professor
who was ed-u-ca-ting
seven lovely kids.

They were eight folks
living on the Island,
yet they were al-ways mad.

Their faces, manner of dress, poses, etc. leave no question about their social standing. Get them young and train them right. A shiver just ran down my spine.