Something went awry when the photographer gave the “Cheese!” cue to this motley crew of 1960s Rumson kindergarteners. It looks like they got a whiff of Limburger rather than Nufatchel to fuel their scowling little grimaces.

Scowling happens — sometimes in the most unexpected ways. Let’s face it with a little furrowed brow frown. The class act can get a little ghastly when posing is an unpolished first, unlike the carefully buffed Mary Janes for picture day.

Sometimes back to school means first time in school, especially if it’s the 60s when pre-school was pretty non-existent. And sometimes the kids in the class just aren’t so happy about that first — even if it’s several weeks into the start of the first ever school time for them. At least that’s what this picture worth about 5,000 words says. Either that or they really did get a whiff of something foul in the kindergarten school air.

It was the 1964-65 school year and these tykes, some of whom are still in the area, definitely didn’t have much to smile about, or so it seems, yet they settled in and sat right to preserve this classic scowl moment in posterity.

You do have to wonder what the heck was on their little minds when that camera snapped this shot. Nap time overdue, perhaps?

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