Camden High School - Megunticook Yearbook (Camden, ME)

Page 6 text:

THE MEGUNTICOOK BOARD Seated tleft to rightJ- Minetta Johnson, Patricia Magee, Philip Wentworth, Nellie Ames Standing left to rightl- Charlotte Lunn, Esther Pease, Edward Burke, John Williams, Frances Dailey, Sidney McKeen mean to a serviceman. Most people think that if they write a few lines once in a while that they are doing their part. This definitely is not true. When a man suddenly leaves civilian life to go to a training camp, he undergoes a great change. He gets lonely and homesick. He wonders what is going on back home and if everything is all right. He thinks a lot and is apt to get moody and des- pondent, especially if he gets only a few letters. That is why we must write as often as possible. And I don't mean spasmodically. We should have regular times for writing and never skip. If any- thing we should add a few. The greatest problem of most people is: What kind of letter should I write? Your letter should be happy. cheerful, and optimistic. By this I don't mean to let him think that the folks at homo are a 'Ubunch of feather-brained idiots. Let laim understand that we know there's a war on, and that we are doing all we can to support it. Many, however, write a letter that is filled with woe, com- plaint, and pessimism. These letters make the men worry and take their minds from whatever they are doing. This, we know, is not right. What, then, shall we write about? Tell him what you are doing everyday, where you go, etc. Tell him any humor- ous incident that has occurred since last you wrote. Tell him news about his friends. Often he has no other way of knowing about them. Certainly he has no time to keep track of all of them, but

Page 5 text:

SI' e jnegunticoo The school first, personal honors last PUBLISHED BY STUDENTS OF THE CAMDEN HIGH SCHOOL Seventeenth uqnnual Edition CAMDEN. MAINE JUNE, 1944 MEGUNTICOOK BOARD Editor-in-Chief ......... Philip Wentworth, '44 Assistant Editor... ......, Esther Pease, '44 Assistant Editor ........... Patricia Magee, '45 Business Manager .......... Edward Burke, '44 Assistant Business Manager. .John Williams, '45 Boys' Sports Editor ....... Sidney McKeen, '44 Girls' Sports Editor .......... Nellie Ames, '44 Art Editor .......... .... F rances Dailey, '44 Alumni Editor ..... .... M inetta Johnson, '44 Exchange Editor .......... Charlotte Lunn, '44 EDITOR'S NOTE We should like at this time to thank sincerely those who have assisted in as- sembling our magazine. We also want to thank the business men of Camden and the surrounding towns for the cooperation they have given us by their advertisements. We would greatly appreciate your patron- age of these merchants. We hope you will enjoy our magazine. -CHS- A SUCCESSFUL POST-WAR PEACE? I'm sick of war! How many times have you heard these four words before? You have not only heard them but said them yourself. Vol- umes have bden written to keep our morale high, our courage strong, but enough can not be said to the youth of America to make us realize the impor- tance of today. Make today count for tomorrow! should be our motto. The urge of 'teen age boys now in high school is to get into it, to leave dreary school work, to see action before the war is ended. They might argue, Isn't it our patriotic duty to join the armed forces? Of course it is, but it is also their patriotic duty to be re- sponsible for our post-war problem. A few shrug off the question, What will you do after the war? with the carefree answer, Let the future take care of itself. But will the future take care of itself unless it has help and guidance today? It would indeed be an unprogressive world if we, the youth of today, did not get our high school diplomas and were unable to obtain further education. Who will run our government after this war? The men now in office cannot live for- ever. They cannot carry on their should- ers the care and affairs of State with the strength of Atlas or with the longevity of Methuselah. There must be young men to replace them, young men with ambition and originality. The post war settlement must be a lasting agreement between countries. This war must be the war to end all wars! If we are not successful in this peace planning, in an- other twenty or thirty years war lords will again gather around a table and make plans for the destruction of civil- ized people. Youth of America, do your part, stay in the fight, learn all you can while you can. Build tomorrow today!! Philip Wentworth, '44 -C HS- MAIL FOR MORALE Perhaps you are wondering why it is necessary for any one to write on this subject. It is vitally necessary. Few peo- ple realize just what a letter from home or from that certain someone can

Page 7 text:

THE MEGUNTICOOK 5 that doesn't mean that he isn't interested. If you are in school, tell him about your and activities. He went to and will be in sympathy school work school once with all the musts of school life. If he is a sports fan, you can write an especially good letter. Everybody likes a good, friendly argument, and the best way to keep it friendly is to write your views rather than express them orally. Tell him your opinion as to what teams are best and who is going to be cham- pion boxer. Ask him about his life at camp. If he is allowed to tell you anything about it, he will. A person away from home likes nothing better then to have someone to tell his troubles to. You can be that someone if you will. These are only a few of the many things that fill up a good letter. Write often to the members of your family and to your friends who are in the service. Mail means more to them than anything else in the world. Don't let them down. Write a letter now, another as soon as you can, and keep on writing-often. Minetta Johnson, '44 -CHS- SATAN'S INSTRUMENT OF DESTRUCTION The following is the prize winning essay written by Patricia Magee for the Tem- perance Essay Contest between Camden and Rockport High Schools. Alcohol-Satan's instrument of de- struction! Yes,-it sounds horrible, doesn't it? But it is the truth, neverthe- less. What a tragedy it is indeed to look upon the misery of the so-called human wrecks of life, to see the devastating effect of alcohol, and to know, had it not been for the use of this drug, they would have lived a happy, normal life, free from untold suffering to themselves and to those with whom they came in con- tact. Why did they do it? It is said that in times of sorrow these weak people yield to drink, knowing for the moment, at least, their minds will become as in a fog, and their sorrow will vanish. Also, there are those who are by na- ture timid and desire to gain courage by this means. They indulge in drink-they like the exhilarating effect-the confi- dence it gives them-they drink more and more-and before they realize what is happening to them they have devel- oped the habit and have drunk to the health of the one who lies in the heart of the wine. But when the fog lifts, their grief is greater than before, because they know all too well what destruction they have wrought, how they have weakened them- selves, and are filled with bitterness and self-condemnation. Many have overcome this weakness and thus have won back their self-re- spect of their fellowmen. My admiration for these people is great. Youth of America-it is your privilege and duty to set the example for the great spiritual world to come-a world in which peace and love are the domi- nant factors. It is a great challenge. Let's all do it to the best of our ability, and above all, with love in our hearts for our fellowmen. Patricia Magee, 45 -CHS- PRAYER AT SUNSET As the sun goes down behind the hills And the twilight takes its stand, Let's breathe a prayer of gratitude For our boys in a distant land. Sunset with all its magic At the close of a long weary dayg Sunset with all its splendor Helps to guide us on our way. Let's say an evening prayer at sunset, That hour when the day is done. Let's pray that with each tomorrow A new victory may be won. Geneva Knight '44