In addition to Varity and Junior Varsity sports, students at Cranbrook School for Boys also participated in Club Athletics.
In the 1932 The Brook (the school’s yearbook), it states: “The fact that inevitably there has to be a large proportion of the student body left over from varsity teams has fostered the club system. By dividing the whole school up into the three factions of Fountains, Towers, and Quadrangles . . . every student is able to take an active part in athletics and thus enjoy competitive games.”
And, each of the three factions had a flag! Here are the flags of the clubs, stored alongside other Cranbrook School Cultural Properties.
The flags are very large, over 13 feet long and 7½ feet high. Pretty heavy to wave around! These wonderful photographs were made by James Haefner when we photographed all our Studio Loja Saarinen rugs.
The club system did not last very long at Cranbrook School for Boys. Looking at the copies of The Brook, it seems to have been gone by the 1940s. Perhaps some spirited students from Cranbrook Kingswood Upper School might revive the faction system? If so, we are ready to help with your flags!
– Leslie Mio, Associate Registrar, Cranbrook Center for Collections and Research
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Cranbrook Kitchen Sink 
I seem to remember Spartans and Atheniens in the late 40s and early 50’s.
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That was sixth grade at Brookside…
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I recall Spartans and Athenians for Lower School (1st and 2nd form) in the late 50s and early 60s. Fountains and Towers were also active for day school boys during that period.
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