Camden High School - Megunticook Yearbook (Camden, ME)

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to ,is xx XX rc-X f 24 ATHEMEGUNTICOOK Qfi f i , l Li . , .,., NSWX 6 , BAND First row: Helen Payson, Patricia Kelley, Milton Christie, Helena Poland, Dwight French, Betty Thurston, Frank Stearns, Maurice Payson, Kathleen Dority, David Crockett. Second row: Harland Robinson, Halsey Murch, Paul Christie, Gcrdon Bass, Lucile Drinkwater, Albert Bennett, Jane Robbins, Richard Shaw, Arlene Edgecomb, Jenness Keller. Third row: Ruth Littlefield, Alfred Eaton, Jack Grinnell, Charlton Ryder, John Dority, Parker Laite, Elaine Spruce, Mary Jane Thomas, Lucille Talbot. Fourth row: Barbara Harding, Dirk Brown, 'Charles Dudley, Lindin Christie. Jerry Burkett, Christine Plaisted. Camden, held in the Community Building in Rockland. The band members were happy over the Way in which their music was received by the crowd of basketball enthusiasts present to witness an exciting game. The concert band has presented programs for the American Legion County Convention in the Camden Opera Houseg the Rockport Seaside Wonderland' Carnival, and the Mu- sic For Springtimen program for the Camden Cancer Drive, in the Opera House. Special mention should be made of the latter, because of the at- tractive and colorful setting as planned and arranged by the commit- tee who invited the band to present their concert program. The bright spring flowers, backed by evergreens, which banked the pit and boxes in front of the stage, along with the crimson and gray uniforms and the glisten of the polished instruments of the band on the stage, presented a picture long to be remembered. Frequently, when only pit music is desired, a small ensemble group of in- strumentalists from the concert band is formed and plays for such occa- sions as the Senior and School Playsg Graduation and the annual senfior production to raise funds for the Washington Trip, which this year was t'ShoWboat . The personnel of these ensembles is not necessarily the same each time, but varies, and consequent- ly gives opportunity for more l'ess-eX-

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THE MEGUNTICOOK 23 ss ,geiil XQQI ,ss M 7 , , ,W 7 y W W W 5 IW, 4 5 2. My as 6 :Z Q-,aff ff 21 4 W, Zfiriffab' W! Q 4? Mya!-4' 9 4 6 f 2 2 sf flllllil W A I FRESHMAN RECEPTION The seniors didn't even give those poor innocent freshmen time to get settled before springing the Fresh- man Reception on them. There was no hazing this year. The poor dears just wore name cards, bowed and said 'tHail, Mighty Sen- ior, and learned the school song. On Friday night, September 16, practically everyone at C.H.S. gath- ered at the Opera House to see the well-planned initiation. Everyone was a good sport and did his stunt well. Not only the freshmen were initiated but also all the new upperclassmen. The Grand March followed, led by Senior President Fred Hale and his freshman partner. As is customary, all seniors escorted a freshman on the March. Refreshments were served and dancing climaxed this eventful eve- ning. The freshmen were now a true part of C.H.S. HAYSEEDERS' BALL The second annual Hayseeders' Ball was held October 21st at the Opera House. Old clothes and dungarees were the costumes for the evening. Music was furnished by Moody Bro- thers' Orchestra, which played waltz- es, foxtrots, and square dances. Re- 7 7 freshments were sold and a good crowd attended the event. It is hoped that in the future the Hayseeders' Ball will be an annual affair and the classes will have as much fun and success as the class of '50 had in putting it on. THE BAND The band, which lost thirteen play-- ers through graduation last year, has many new and less experienced mem- bers. Those selected for membership are from the instrumental classes of the regular school program, and have had a successful try-out experience over a period of time with the school band. The Knox County Teachers' Asso- ciation extended an invitation to the concert band to play for their conven- tion at Rockland High School on No- vember 10, 1949. Many favorable comments were heard from the teach- ers at the conclusion of the program. At noon a group of bandsmen fur- nished music during the luncheon held in the gymnasium of Rockland High School. For the second successive year the C.H,S. Band has been pleased to have the opportunity to render its support to its basketball team in the play-off, to break the tie for first place in the league between Lincoln Academy and

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THEMEGUNTICOOK 25 perienced players to perform in small- er instrumental groups. At this point, the present and alum- ni band members, along with the di- rector, wish to pay special tribute and say a lasting tThank You to Mr. Charles C. Wood, to whom this 1950 yearbook is being dedicated. Mr. Wood has long been a constant friend of the Camden High School Band, regularly attending all public perfor- mances in Camden, and in numerous ways showing his interest and giving them encouragement. As has been his custom for many years, Mr. Wood in- vited the Band and the Commandery men to his annual Easter Breakfast, followed by the march to and from the morning service at the Baptist Church. In the mail on Monday morn- ing following Easter this year came a check of appreciation to the band from Mr. Wood, in special recogni- tion of Easter 1950. The concert and marching band, as usual, will participate in the auditions and parade at the Eastern State Mu- sic Festival in Augusta on May 13, and the New England Music Festival at Rutland, Vermont, on May 19 and 20. It is hoped that the results will be as favorable this year as in the past, and that the band may continue to maintain its First Division Rating. The marching band will participate in the Memorial Day parades in Cam- den and Lincolnville. Because of the fact that, during the course of a school year, so many of the school activities of necessity de- pend almost entirely on the gener- osity and loyalty of the members of their home community for financial support, it was agreed early in the year that the band, for one school or- ganization, would not attempt to raise any money this year by means of public concerts or campaigns for funds, but would make its public ap- pearances only by invitation from local organizations or persons, and for special events. VOCAL MUSIC AND THE SCHOOL CHOIR A plan is now in the process where- by more opportunity for participation in vocal music activities will be off- ered to the boys and girls in the school as a whole. During the past two years, a shift has been underway from a large school chorus of unison singing to a smaller, more selected grouping of voices for the purpose of developing more and better part-singing. The al- lotted one forty-minute period per week for vocal music, if used for the large chorus group for general sing- ing, has eliminated in the past, the opportunity for the developing of more specialized vocal music for those interested. It was the original intention to off- er more general assembly singing to the school this year to counter-act the elimination of the general chorus, and still give everyone who wished an opportunity to sing, but with so many activities of the school going on within a week, plus so many neces- sary break-ins from the outside to the normal weekly school program, gen- eral singing has had to be at a mini- mum, unfortunately. In order to designate the more specialized vocal music groups this year, the term School Choir has been adopted. From this group of 67 mem- bers in the School Choir, three spe- cialized singing groups have resulted: The School Choir, the Boys' Choir of 24 members, and the Girls' Choir of 43 members. Due to the fact that many boys and girls, even though they may have the better voices, often so strongly prefer not to try out, because of nervousness, when individual voice try-outs are re- quired, the individual members this year were selected by a Committee of Listeners . This committee in- cluded the director of vocal music. None of the vocal groups have par- ticipated in public performance this year, but already have definite plans for next year.