Deer Isle High School - Gatherer Yearbook (Deer Isle, ME)

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dents by this trip were given an op- portunity to see a play by one of the world's greatest playwrights. There is no doubt that these students will welcome any future contact with dramatics. It is a fact that the desire for new experience plays a large part in the process of our development. Some- thing interesting to do in our spare time is practically a necessity. What better way can we find for choosing a leisure time recreation than by trying out for ourselves a great variety of activities? What better place to find these activities than in our school, where opportunities exist for taking part in sports, music, dra- matics, even interesting studies. Many of these interests will be carried on into our grown-up life. From our spare time activities now will com-e our life-long habits of us- ing our leisure time, either to the least advantage or to the best. Norma Greenlaw, '51 Lorraine Poitras, '51 POST GRADUATE COURSE A post graduate course has many advantages. Much can be gained and little can be lost from such a course. Students who, during their four years of high school, were unable to take every subject that appealed to them are able to satisfy their yearn- ing. To some people, shorthafnd may be intriguing, to others, Latin may seem desirous, to still another per- son, trigonometry may seem interest- ing. Here is an opportunity to learn about that subject which appeals most. This course is available not only to recent graduates, but also to those who graduated quite some time ago. The course is especially beneficial to the latter, since new subjects have been added and improvements have been made with which they are not acquainted. The re-establishment of the commercial course has proved to be of much interest and appeal. Moreover, students who suddenly are presented with an opportunity to go to college can take advantage of the chance to review their subjects or make up needed credits. The post graduate course offers not only scholastic advantages but also numerous outside activities. For those who are interested in music, there is the chorus. In addition to this, a cheerleading section recently has been organized. Furthermore, the library, which has a wide selec- tion of fiction and non-fiction books, is available for .us-e. Now is the time to read those books that have been neglected in the past. Although participation in ath- letics where leagues are concerned is not permitted, nevertheless there are tennis, golf, and badminton at one's disposal. A post graduate course 'has much to offer indeed, not only along the educational line, but also along oul- tural and social lines. Clara Howard PPlI

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Editorially Speaking HOW DO YOU SPEND YOUR LEISURE TIME? Young people today are growing up in an age when life seems to be moving at a very rapid pace. Often, in fact every day, we hear the re- mark, I haven't the time! , when one person asks another to join him in some activity. Leisure time, there- fore, is at a premium: and yet there isn't one of us who doesn't use some part of his time for activities other than work. This means then that we must try to use such free time as we have to the best advantage. How are we to do this? How do we know what leisure activities are going to prove most satisfying and at the same time most valuable? It seems to me that here is where our school provides a wealth of opportunity for finding our own personal answers to these ques- tions. To begin with, there are some school subjects which open up new interests for many of .us. Typing, for instance, may be used for per- sonal correspondence, for which it is much faster than handwriting. Typing can be used in preparing special reports, and in keeping notes and records of club or civic work. Chemistry is another school sub- ject which offers an interesting ex- perience to many students. While you may not choose the chemical field for your life work, you might spend many hours in instructive and profitable experimentation. .cZIuf'lPI'Il The study of English has led some people to take up writing as a hobby. Geography and history provide a wealth of background material for stamp-collecting. Besides school subjects, we have many extra-curricular activities which afford fine opportunities for learning to use leisure time. Active sports are available at every season of the school year and to every person interested. Spring and fall, there are baseball for boys and softball for girls. In addition, tennis and golf have been started, thanks to the cooperation of the Country Club in allowing us to use their golf course and tennis court. Through the winter season, there is basketball. Usually two three-act plays are presented -each year by our students. These offer dramatic -training for all who take part, anw often lead stu- dents to a life-long interest in dra- matics. In line with this, a limited number of students, last year, were given the chance to go to the Uni- versity of Maine to witness a per- formance by the Maine Masque of Shakespeare's MacBeth. The trip proved so enjoyable that this year a busload of students was taken to Orono to see Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing. The enthusiasm shown by those who went was ample proof that the merits of the play were well appreciated. Many stu-

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IS PHYSICAL EXERCISE THE CHIEF VALUE OF SPORTS? One's first thought in answer to this question may well be that phy- sical exercise is the chief value of sports. And yet, on second thought, anyone will recall that physical and mental activity are closely linked. is not helpful at Physical strength Physical exercise all if used alone. and speed can be of littl-e use unless how that strength the brain directs and speed can bring the desired re- sults. In practicing for all forms of active sports, many exercises are performed with th-e idea of strength- ening the entire body and building up general good health. The more advanced forms of exercise are aimed at training special muscles to carry on the line of defense or attack which the player wishes to make. However, these motions themselves are of little value unless directed by a brain which can think quickly, make decisions, and s-ee at once the best way of carrying out these de- cisions. Here is where split-second judgment can mean the difference between gaining or losing a point. The type of response involved could hardly be called physical alone, since so much mental skill is used. Following another line of thought, it can be seen easily that sports play a large part in character building. S4 - lXfl'PIl The lessons in sportsmanship-that ability to be a good loser--are valu- able in our experiences in later life. Many everyday activities which are far removed from sports call for good sportsmanship and self control. The many hours of practice, the necessity of giving up some other forms of recreation in order to take part in group sports such as basket- ball and softball, learning to co- operate with your teammates-all these provide valuable training for meeting the problems of adult life. Social values, too, may be found in athletics. By participating in sports, you are given the chance to make a variety of social contacts you might otherwise miss. Going on trips with the teams, meeting boys and girls from other towns, entertaining them in turn in your own town, all give you a chance to make new friends and develop socially. This is something you will be doing all your lif-eg what better place to start than in schoolday sports? All things considered, physical exercise is only one of the many values to be found in sports. Mental training, character, and social de- velopment sefem to play a large part too. Beverly Eaton, '51