Biddeford High School - Olympian Yearbook (Biddeford, ME)

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THE CJLYMPIAN cgileftctfijf gDefpc1rl411e411Lf . . . TODAYSCHALLENGET lN'GOVER The year 1940 is in its infancy. Not many days ago, we ushered it in with gay celebrations. VV e said, Happy N ew Year! to one another, and our voices were loud and boisterous. VV e were very jubilant. VVhy not? Do we not have our health and our youth and our lives stretching before us, a thrilling panorama of promise? And do we not live in America? Do we not enjoy that great- est of all blessings, liberty? Yes, we were very gay---and with reason. Yet, under- lying the gaiety was a vein of sadness that we felt almost against our will. VVc know that there are other people in other lands who did not celebrate the birth of another year. For them. there can be no celebrations. They do not go about exchanging happy greetings. They do not even smile, let alone laugh and be merry. For they are at war, and war is a grim business. The thought of these millions of un- fortunate people-many of them children -has an insidious way of intruding upon the senses. and casting a blanket of gloom over the brightest moments. True. we are still in school, but we know what is going on. There is no government cen- sorship here. Newspapers and radio keep us well informed. lt is impossible to shut our minds to world events, and we must recognize the responsibility which confronts us, the youth of America, the future law-makers of this country. l.et us analyze this responsibility. It is not enough to realize that the world is in chaos. VVe must go further and find the cause underlying the present condition. In order to do this, it be- comes necessary to go back a few years to 1933. An Austrian paperhanger has just come into power in Germany, and strange things are beginning to happen. XVe hear stories so horribly fantastic, so QJAMERHLUQYUUTH: NMENT incredibly gruesome, that we refuse to believe them. Vtlho is this man Hitler? XVbat is all this talk about Nazis, concen- tration camps, and Non-Aryans? It must be exaggerated! Such things don't happen in a civilized world! The Ger- mans will not stand for it! We soon learned dinierently. Things were happening-savage, bestial things. And the Germans were standing for it. More than that-they were voicing their approval, The rest of the world shrugged its shoulders and said, Nothing to be alarmed about-it will pass. That was ten years ago. Since that fateful january thirtieth, when Hitler be- came Chancellor of the Reich, the world has seen many changes. Now Europe is embroiled in a war, because they learned --a little late-that a lllilfllllllll with a Napoleonic complex must be stopped. They do not laugh at him any more. There is no shrugging of shoulders, no saying. 'fit will pass. Over here in America, we watch the conflict with anxoius eyes. VVe are neu- tral. Our sentiments are with democ- racy and personal liberty. of course, but as a nation, we take no sides. And, as we watch, we are aware of a challenge- a challenge that we cannot and must not ignore. lt is up to us to build a struc- ture of truth a11d justice and democratic ideals that will be a standard for the whole world to follow. It will not be easy to accomplish this, but it mu be done. The first step is education. Vtfe must educate every American to appreciate the privilege of having an active voice in his government. The right to vote is not negligible, and should be treated as an honor, rather than as a mere annoy- ing obligation. Too often we hear some- H

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T H E O l. Y M P l A N ifnesi-ilu Norris There were 1-ll members of this class to enter Biddeford High School on Sep- tember ll. This was a day to be re- spectfully. but pleasantly. remembered by all ol' us. Officially and heartily received by the upperclassmen on October 11. at the Freshmen Reception, we wore the green, and responded to the other cus- toms of this annual event, a most con- siderate gesture for our welcome. On the first ranking period Honor Roll a long list of freshman names api- peared. Showing ourselves a 20,1 pe: cent class in standing for the second ranking period. there were twenty-eight honored. Gradually we have taken our places in the activities of the school. Several of our boys were in the substitute list for SOPHOMOR Now that we have shed our green hats and donned Sophomore sophistication, our number is 123. At the beginning of the school year we held a class meeting with Mr. Mc- Carn as advisor, a very dignilied class meeting with our new stateliness sitting proudly upon our shoulders. The follow- ing officers were elected: President, George Spirouniasg Vice-President, -los- eph Kenneallyg Secretary, Margaret Vtfelchg Treasurer. Paul Sullivan. Later another meeting was held and Eugene Amnotte. Pauline Lavallee, Bern- adette Pepin, and Lionel Provencher were named as a committee to choose class pins. At the same time, Edward Lane and John Poli were nominated to select a present as a symbol of our sympa- thy tor Mr. Marshall, one of our new teachers. who had submitted to a serious operation shortly after the beginning of the school year. The Sophomore class has been active in sports and other school activities this year. Donald jalbert is playing in the school orchestra. Bernice Brackett, Lu- cille Painchaud. and llflary VVhite sing in the Girls' Glee Club. l'2I football. The boys' basketball is played by two teams. namely. lXflaine Elllfl Colby, The names of those who made the girls' class basketball team are: Nancy Xkfilliams, Eleanor Sharkey, Theresa Sul- livan, Ethel Aguiar, Janice l-lartley. and Margaret Labelle. In the orchestra, sev- eral members of this class were accepted. ln the Glee Club. ten of us took part in the musical numbers which were so cred- itably presented in the program. Maine Schools On the Air. Mr. McCarn found two able representatives among the Freshmen for the Debating Club. Vile, the Class of 1945, hope to make the grade of high standing in scholastic credits at B. H. S. and to prove ourselves ready. willing. and able in the social and athletic interests of the Orange and Black. Fxc,xNcizs lkvmc E NOTES Bernadette Pepin and Genevieve Yege- shian are representing the class in the Debating Club. Football letters were awarded to the following boys: Paul Cabana. Lorenzo Roy. George Spirounias. and Paul Sulli- van. The cheer leaders from the Sopho- more class this year were Lorraine Reilly, Edward Lane, and Mike Cacciapaglia. The Sophomore girls have formed three basketball teams with the following personel: Bernice Brackett, Lorraine Buckley, Helen Carr, Lurena Kelley, Violet Lambert, Pauline Lavallee. cap- taing Dorothy Norman. Lucille Pain- chaud, Madeline Painchaud. Paulette Pa- quin, Bernadette Pepin, Elaine Stride. captain: Jacqueline Thibeault. lean Thompson. Ann Trafton. Alice Under- wood. captain: -lane lklalsh, lV1argaret VVelch, Priscilla Vllheeler. Mary White, and Genevieve Yegeshian. Half of our journey is near completion. Vile look forward to our Junior year, hoping that our efforts will leave .a praise- worthy mark on our school. ELAINE Srinoiz, i42

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THE OLYMPIAN one say, I did not vote in the last elec- tion-I did not have the time. Oh, well -l'm no politician. That is what peo- ple said in Germany, that is, prior to l933. Now they are saying-those who are still alive- Heil, Hitler! The second step deals with living in the American way. If it is a distinct privilege to help make the laws, it is an even greater privilege to help carry them out. The ideals set forth in our Constitu- tion should be before us every moment of our lives. inspiring us to be decent, happy, law-abiding citizens. Living in the American way means more than obey- ing the law, however. It means being tolerant, kind, and charitable. It is tragic, but true, that these three words have rather an old-fashioned ring today. The third step is the most difficult, and therefore the one we are prone to neglect. lf we desire to build a perma- nent structure for democracy. we must exterminate the termites. XV e must wipe out all un-American organizations. True, this is a free country, and everyone is entitled to tree speech. But there is no room for Bunds and Anti-this and Anti- that Leagues. lN'e cannot prevent them from existing, but we can spread a net- work of truth. even as they spread their insidious network of lies, and thus hght tire with fire. VVe want no isms in our land ot liberty. VV e want no menace to our happy lives. This, then, is the challenge: To make our country a shining inspiration to us and to the peoples of the world who turn to us for guidance since they have no other place to turn. Can we do it? It is no longer a question of ability. XVC llltlif do it. if we are to survive after this dark period. VVhen peace comes, as it some day must, and democracy triumphs over dic- tatorship, as with the grace of God it some day will, we will be able to say to tired, war-ridden people. Lay down your guns forever. lN'e will show you the road to 'lit'e, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness'. MORRTLL SHAPIRO, '-ll FORGET NOT YET Forget not yet the work we've done, The battles lost, the battles won By hours of study sadly spent- Forget not yet. Forget not yet Ben Ionson's tale, Nor that by Lovelace when in Jail. O udge not harshly! VVhen thou ,rt able, Please forget. Forget not yet the long essays, The cruel test, the hard earned praise VV e did not get,- Forget not yet. Forget not yet, oh forget not please H ow hard we struggled with all these. Our minds have ever been ElllllSS-- This, please forget l CLARA VVALLACE, '40 l44l