Bourne High School - Canal Currents Yearbook (Bourne, MA)

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8 CANAL CURRENTS and makes our living much more vital. When the body is thus toned up, effective learning is easier. We have tried to say as simply as possible that the funda- mental conditions necessary to effective learning are: attention, favorable attitude and pleasantness. James F. Peebles, Superintendent THINKING FOR ONESELF Do we realize how important it is for each one of us to do his own thinking, or are we always looking for the other person to produce plans and ideas which we can copy? I hope that we are all so advanced intellectually when we reach high school age that we know what thinking for ourselves is going to mean to every one of us every day of our lives. Up to the present time it has been quite easy for some of us to depend upon someone else for much of the reasoning that we could have done ourselves. I do not mean to intimate that following another’s advice is a poor policy. Far from it. Advice and suggestions from the right sources are always worthwhile to us all. What I do mean is that we should strive to develop a desire to figure out all our problems alone, taking suggestions offered to us only when we think them necessary. All of us possess a normal amount of intelligence with which we are truly able to develop good sound thoughts. Why, then, should we look to the other fellow all the time? Let us all be independent in this respect. If the habit of thinking for oneself is formed during youth, one has a good start in life. Margaret Hyllestad Editor-in-chief THE ESSENTIAL QUALITIES OF A LEADER There are numerous qualities which one must possess in order to become a leader. To win others to your way of think- ing, to lead in doing whatever task is set for you, and to lose as gracefully as you win will mark you as a true leader. I can think of two wonderful leaders. One is an American youth who is a member of the senior class at Harvard. He is

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CANAL CURRENTS 7 THREE ESSENTIAE FACTORS IN THE EEARNING PROCESS During the years spent in the teaching profession we have seen a number of boys and girls who have made good in school. As we recall their learning habits, there seems to be three most important factors for success in learning: namely, attention, fav- orable attitude and pleasantness. What is attention. There are two types of attention: active and passive, or central and marginal: but learning is only acquired thiough active attention, or the focusing of the mind on the material to be learned. One may be reading the words in a book, or listening passively to a recitation, or to the presentation of a lesson by a teacher, without learning at all. To learn, one must attend and the attention must be focused. Distractios must be put aside or overcome in order that intelligent attention may be given to the problem at hand. Attitude is a very important factor in the learning process. If a pupil has a favorable disposition toward the subject, toward the teacher and toward the school, learning becomes more effective. Dislike of the school, the teacher or the task, definitely works against progress. When a student has a favorable attitude toward the teacher and the job, successful learning is assured. A student having an unfavorable attitude works under a great handicap. In- terest and satisfactory incentives help a pupil in acquiring a fav- orable attitude. These attitudes may be temporary or perman- ent. Temporary attitudes are apt to become life bents or per- manent dispositions and affect all future learning. Be aware and acquire a favorable attitude toward study. Pleasantness has a definite relation to learning. A great psychologist states that pleasantness stamps in the mind the ac- quired knowledge. Pleasure leads to practice and through fre- quent correct practice comes progress. Attention, as we have seen, is necessary to learning, and feeling is necessary to attention. If we get joy out of our work, the learning is not only better and most lasting, but we also make future learning much more easy. Pleasantness aids digestion, heart activity, and nerve activity; whereas, unpleasantness is unfavorable and retards these essential functions of the body. Pleasantness aids all life-going functions.

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CANAL CURRENTS 9 captain of the football team, an officer of his club, president of his class, youngest member of the Davis cup tennis team, and a star in baseball and hockey. He has just won one of the highest awards at Harvard — the Burr Scholarship. There is only one more honor for him to win; that of first marshall of his class. This person is Barry Wood. The other leader is Mussolini of Italy. The way in which he leads his people and the control he has over them is wonder- ful. Though he has his faults, he has done much for Italy to- day at a time when her need was imperative. To get back to our ordinary, every day people, those who take part in sports, dramatics, and other activities in our school life are practically always leaders. A leader or anyone who wishes to be a leader should endeav- or to develop the fine qualities necessary for this position. He should study his own work, first, to discover the best way to get ahead there. Then he should study people about him, and learn how to become a “good mixer”, for this particular ability is per- haps the most valuable one a person could possess. He should be as optimistic, as possible, in order to help others along when tasks become difficult. And above all, he must forget himself. For only through unselfishness can we have a true leader. James Peebles, ’33 SPORTSMANSHIP Sportsmanship is one of the most essential factors in the lives of the people of today. If you abide by good sportsmanship you will always find yourself well liked and welcome everywhere you go. What is the meaning of sportsmanship? I believe that there are people who ask themselves this question today? Sportsman- ship means the will to play fair and clean; to be a good loser, that is to take a defeat in the same mood as you would take a victory; to always help your opponent instead of passing him up, that is if he is hurt or in a bad place. One could go on and give endless meanings which this one word conveys. Many famous coaches of athletics write numerous articles on sportsmanship or fair play. They attempt to drive this word into the minds of their men; because a team, whether it wins or