Mount Desert High School - Skipper Yearbook (Northeast Harbor, ME)

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A SECRET REVEALED When the new, ambitious young minister, the Reverend Mr. Buck- minister, arrived at his new parish in the 'small village, he was very curious and eager to learn just what kind of people he had inherited as a parish and just what would be expect- ed of him. There wasn't too much to be told, the parish had carried on for the past twenty-five years in much the same way, with little change. Will Jones, nearly seventy, had been su- perintendent of the Sunday Schoolever since anyone could remember. Will Jones had taken the offering in church ever since anyone could remember. Come to think of it, Will Jones had also been treasurer of both Sunday School and the church ever since any- one could remember. Mr. Buckmin- ister decided Will Jones was the man to meet. He learned he was also cashier of the one and only bank in town. Upon meeting Will, the new minister, taking a mental inventory, decided it was time for a change. When he went home, he told his wife his project was redecorating the church from beginning to end. Itin- volved not only new paint, new lights, and new organ, but also replacing some of the moveable two-legged fixtures, beginning with Will Jones. Yes, he had found Will a friendly, kindly, likeable old soul with one of those faces that seem to reflect spiritual goodness. But when anyone tells you he's been Sunday School superintendent for thirty-three years and expects to round out forty, it is time that something should be done, particularly when you find that the Sunday School is being carried on as it had been when Will was a little boy in knee breeches. However, as time went on, this well-meaning young man found it was easier to formulate his plans than to carry them out. After all, all the parishioners, though the number was much smaller than it should have been, were quite happy under the old leader- ship. Everything went along in an easy kind of way without any bother to them. Besides, who in the world wanted to be superintendent of the Sunday School? That meant getting up on Sunday morn- ing. Also, it had been rumored often that the janitor sometimes didn't ar- rive, whereupon that service fell to the superintendent. When Mr. Buck- minister inquired into that, Will tried to quiet any rumor by explaining Ben was getting old and sometimes wasn't able to get there, but that he needed the job. From the financial point of view they couldn't very well take this away from him. That was dropped until old Ben started ringing the bell on Saturday instead of Sunday and starting the furnace anytime dur- ing the week. The tolling of the bell was a bit confusing to the community, and starting the fire was a little hard on the church budget, and even Will agreed it might prove disastrous to the church some day. So it was de- cided Ben would have to be retired and Will would take over. This was indeed puzzling to Mr. Buckminister. He de- cided Will was greedy and a miser. He had to admit he had no idea whom

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sharp pain as the wolverine sank his teeth into his shoulder. He plunged his knife again and again into the wolverine as he fought for life. Fin- ally, the wolverine fell limp. Jacob discovered that his shoulder was numb and his left arm was broken. He knew if he did not get warmth or food some- how, he would soon freeze to death. Therefore, he got to his feet and start- ed to stagger towards his cabin. Jacob fell and stumbled many times on his way home, but finally made it. The cabin was dark as he approached, but the dogs were barking loudly. It was very cold as he went into the cabin, but he did not bother to light a fire, he just crawled into his sleeping bag and went to sleep. The next morning Jacob felt very stiff and his arm was badly swollen. Jacob managed to turn on his short- wave radio which had a sender and a receiver. He turned on the sender and called a flying doctor who said he would come to help him. He somehow felt better after that and although he had lost his rifle he knew that wolverine would never hunt another animal nor steal from his traps. Yes, trapping would be much better in the future. Steve Coffin '58 THE SAD SURPRISE As our story begins, we find Mrs. Hilton talking with her neighbor, Mr. Green, who is working in his garden. She is talking about the girl who lives down the street, the bad girl who drinks, had wild parties, and does all the things that nice people don'tdo. I'm telling you, that girl ought to be run out of town. She is a disgrace to our community and is setting a poor example for our children. No- sooner has she said these words when she sees her young daugh- ter running down the hill to meet her. She starts to cross the street at the foot of the hill and does not see the large truck rushing toward her. The driver sees her but not in time to stop. The mother screams but can do nothing as she sees her child meet what is sure to be instant death. Sud- denly from the sidewalk near the child comes a girl running to push the child to safety not a minute too soon. Then she stumbles, and she herself falls before the on rushing truck. Mrs. Hilton runs to her child and embraces her happily laughing and crying at the same time. Who was that dear brave girl who gave her life to save my child ? Her neighbor shakes his head sad- ly as he covers the poor mangled body of the heroine. That was the 'bad girl who lives down the street. ! Ellen Gonzales '54

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he could get to take the janitorship, but why should the cashier of the bank have this pittance they paid? Miserly! He'd never heard of his doing anything for the community in a charitable way . . . . . . and another thing, the slipshop way the finances were handled! Never any real accounting for the funds. Will handled them all, and everyone had accepted the figures he had given them without question. Mrs. Buckminister came home one day, after making her rounds, with astounding information. She had discovered this village had its share of poverty, but when she inquired about charitable organizations, she found there were none. The people felt few improvements could be made. When the needy got to rock bottom, the grocers seemed to take over and no one went hungry, the old cobbler didn't do good enough work for the elite, but he took care of the less fortunate, cheaply and well enough. The young minister had been there six months and there were no notice- able changes. He was hiding his time. Accounts couldn't go unaccounted for indefinitely. Some day he would burst like an atom bomb in that little com- munity. QA Sunday morning dawned bright and beautiful. Time for Sunday School found the children in their places at the church. The teachers were there, but no superintendent. Where was Will? Come to think of it, they didn't believe they'd heard the church bell. One of the teachers rose to the occa- sion and carried on the ChurchSchool. After it was over and just before the service began, the place was filled with an atmosphere of awe. It seemed impossible but it was true. Will Jones had suddenly passed away that morn- ing. As time went on, his place in the various church offices were filled by men to the liking of the minister. Will had been looked upon as indispensable by his friends, but they were learning no one was indispensable. The min- ister was proving his point. , But one day someone looked in on Old Ben at Home. What? He was there with no food, no money. What had hap- pened? Then the mystery began to un- ravel. Will had done the janitor work but had given the money to Ben. Gro- ceries stopped being delivered to the needy. Will had been ordering them and paying the bills. Children could no longer go to the old cobbler and have their shoes mended. Will was not there to make up the deficit. So that was the secret of what the min- ister had fingermarked as miserly? That was the reason Will had never owned a car. That accounted for the fact that he'd worn the same shiny threadbare suit ever since anyone could remember. Will had been taken for granted. No one had ever done anything for Will, and only a few knew Will had ever done anything for anyone else. This little village had a rude awakening. Somebody was going to have to get to work. Jane Brown '54