West Paris High School - Nautilus Yearbook (West Paris, ME)

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AN EYE 'ICWAKD THE FUTUESE Probably many of the seniors are asking themselves ques- tions like, HShall I continue my education?n Hwhere will I seek employment?U HCan I support myself?H These are just a few of the many questions that will un- doubtedly face us as seniors. We are coming to one of the most important steps in our lives and, yet, it is only the beginning. The past four years have been spent studying at West Pa- ris High School, with a great deal of guidance from our par- ents. They will soon hand us this great responsibility. What will we do? Maybe some of us will try getting off the easy way, as we have done at school. Others will get off on the right foot by putting their whole heart into the job. That is the way we should do, no matter what the job may be. As Mr. Reid often tells us, UAs long as the job you pick is honest, the quality makes no difference.n Hwhatever we do we shall do well,n is a good motto to carry us through. I myself would like to be a clerical worker, as I sin- cerely enjoy this type of work and feel that I can succeed in this field. Lany of my classmates have different interests upon which they wish to build. Ho matter what profession they enter, I hope it is profitable, as well as enjoyable to them. Surely we all want the best for ourselves and we must ex- ert plcnty of effort in order to attain it. If we start on the way with this thought in mind, we all should succeed.flup-.H Q , l y 1 F. r ffsxx f,r XjEQfS my 5 E eanor Proetorgp54 -' A 4',' ' 1 -'.Q- ew 2' I I Viz .U .ISP mv. 'tafgwgp .gps ' ' .4 gf LL. .,-5,,'swfa Qian iv 7, f X ,I I Q., F, ,I l

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THiS TEEN-AGE 'IOBACCO MAMA There comet a time' in every young person1s'life when he suddenly comes face to face with the most tantalizing situa- tion his youthful mind has yet encompassed--the chance for smoking his first eigaretteJ At last, as the thrill of that first puff subsides his curiosity is partially satisfiedg but, --he must first attempt to inhale, Then as he stands coughing and clasping his hands to his seemingly bursting chest, a small inner voice suggests he wait just a while longer before trying that again, Very few of us, Ifm sure, could deny having experienced a Hfirst cigarette,H One might even consider it a part of growing up, But the newness wears off and after a while we lose our childish eagerness te smoke, From then on it is usually a case of preference: a preference influenced by such factors as your conscience, parental influence, what the Ugang is doing,Nnsecial prestige, or more commonly, the desire to be grown-up, Today more and more teen-agers are beginning to take pref erence contrary to adult approval. The current fashion is to smoke so everyone smokes te he in style, And why not? protest 'the youth, Host of the adults smoke, and I guess if itls og K, for them, it's O. K. for us,U Sounds logical, doesnlt it? Well, not exactly, The error in this line of thinking is the fact that smekind isn't O. K. for adult circles and its popularity does not necessarily prove its worthy Theucase with nest adults is that they have formed the habit, and it is easier to continue smoking than to bother to break the habit. The young people, not havinn been burn with a cigarette in their mouth, find it necessary to originate the smoking habit, Good sense, however, contradicts teen-ado smoking for this is the time of growth and adjustments, of vision and of learningg thus great is the r need for a healthy mind and body Our minds and bodies are young and full of life, spirit, fresh A ness, and potential ability, Why then, in the springtime oi life, in the freshness of youth, do we persist in puffing away a part of the potential energy within us before it hardly gets a chance to operate? Anyone can advise, but '1. zhether one smokes or not will depend on the person himself, It is not a matter to be taken lightlyf Who knows, a little thought on the subject new may add a few years to your life later on. Margaret Perham 154

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mouafon vom-1 Perhaps you have heard about the uprising of students in the New York school system--how they broke windows, tore up books and attacked teachers, This happens not only in New York, but in every other state as well. Nearly every day you read in some newspaper how boys or girls have stabbed or attacked some other child to Uget even.N The reason?--comic books, misleading movies, T, V., influence by misfits in society, or just because they don't want to be left out of the gang, Of course, these are not the only reasons for juvenile delinquency, It could be because of conditions at home. En- vironment is a very determining factor in the actions of a child. It stands to reason that if a child is from a broken or unpleasant home and receives no attention, he will seek re- fuge where he gan get it, without the proper guidance he may follow the wrong course of life, It is not only up to the parents and teachers, but also other adult acquaintances to prevent these drastic things from happening. Now let's attack the parents. In many homes both the husband and wife work. when school is out the boy or girl doesn't have to go right home from school but is free to run around with the gang. After supper they sometimes tell their parents where they are going, but end up somewhere else, If the parents had any control over the child they would know where he or she is at all times, There is very little difference in the problem in school, If a teacher lets the students get away with something the first day of school, he has no control over them for the rest of the year. Certain things which they can't get away with at home, such as Usassing,U they try on the teacher. It seems to me that' if the student had any respect whatsoever for the teacher, he wouldn't sass and call him names, Here we are back to home environment, We can't deny that we have a great problem on our hands, which way to turn is a controversial matter, Irene Millett '54