Rockland High School - Cauldron Yearbook (Rockland, ME)

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LITERARY I l

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6 THE CAULDRON THE PRESENT-DAY SITUATION The Class of 1939 will be graduated into a troubled world. With each civil- ized nation on the crest of another great war 'between democracy and dictator- ship, our eighty-five students, future citizens of a democratic nation will be thrown into the turmoil. Our education has been received without the harassing struggle of ac- quiring learning as in some foreign countries. We aren't taken from our parents at early ages, ours is a country with freedom of speech, freedom of press, and freedom of religion. When we should be enjoying ourselves, all of our boys are not in military schools learning to be fodder for hundreds of machine guns and gas bombs because some dictator has a greed for more ter- ritory or because some particular min- erals are to be found only in alien soil. Our United States of America is a free land where we may enjoy life to full extent, away from the rumblings of the battlefield and let us pray that we may stay that way to protect our youth -citizens of tomorrow. lllaude Johnson SPRING CLEANING The first warm days of belated spring are bringing more than flowers. Once again the meadows and woodlands are becoming tinder boxes, ready to flame by combustion or a carelessly thrown bit of fire. The danger is greater this year, with our woodlands still full of fallen trees blown down by the hurricane. That was disaster enough. Let us not bring on a worse one. Within a few weeks New Ifngland will see the start of the 1939 tourist season. There is every reason to be- lieve that in volume and spending power this year's flow of visitors will be great. The section cannot but benefit by the drawing power of the New York World's Fair. Belated spring weather has tended to slow down our annual spring cleanups in many places. The next fortnight, however, should see the Hsprucing up that is annually associated with spring. A little paint here, a little attention there can do much to put ourselves in the mood for a new season and enhance our appeal to visitors. Maxine Perry

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8 THECAULDRON A SUDDEN SHOXVER Literally out of a clear sky a few rain- drops sprinkled down on the dirty up- turned hand of the girl beside me. Tihey left their mark in the form of clean little spots. In just a few seconds the full force of that sprinkled system up above was turned on, and we were caught in one of those sudden summer showers. As each of us began to run for shelter the intermittent flashes of lightning and the roar of thunder seemed to speed us on our way. From my place of shelter in a small cavity in the rocks I breath- lessly watched the progress of the shower. lt was really a wonderful, although fearful, spectacle. The dark threatening clouds following each other across the sky, the bright terrifying flashes of lightning on their way earthward, and the rumbling of the thunder together with the pounding of that torrential rain was enough to make anyone's heart beat faster in fear. Little rivers were pouring down from cracks in the rocks. Some of the smaller trees and 'bushes were nearly bent to the ground under the force of the rain. Tiny plants and moss had been uprooted and were floating down the hillside in those little streams of water. Soon, almost as suddenly as it began, it was over. The friendly sun and blue sky were back again. The green trees and grass fairly sparkled in their clean- liness. The forest smelled so fragrant that we just stood there and breathed deep. The rocks and boulders were like mirrors with the thin film of water still on them. The peaceful quiet was broken only by the distant rumble of the thunder from the retreating storm and the occasional chirping of the happy birds. It was indeed a veritable fairy- land. As l stood there I realized what a blessing these showers could be. They wash the earth free of its dry heat and dusty they cool and refresh the air, they give life to the green plants and trees that beautify the landg and everywhere they help to keep the earth neat and clean. Erleen Cates - o --i A STORY Some young persons were walking, some time ago, in the Wood of Boulogne when they saw an abbe singing at the foot of a tree. They drew near and surrounded himg the abbe at once stopped short. The most forward of them spoke. and said that, attracted by the charms of his voice, they had come there to listen. The singer excused himself-they in- sisted. He refused againg the speaker then lifted his cane and threatened to lay it across his shoulders if he required any further entreaty. The poor abbe, seeing there was no reasoning with these gentlemen, set about his part, and sang, as one may imagine very ill. Do it again, Sir, said the s okesman l up of the company. You will sing better the second time. ln short, they made him rehearse half of the songs he knew, after wihich they left him, with many compliments on his