Dexter High School - Signet Yearbook (Dexter, ME)

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12 THE SIGNET CONSERVATION OF MAlNE'S FORESTS Are all of us doing our part to conserve our forests? Do we stop to realize the value of our forests, and that they are being greatly reduced every year by fire, and the carlessness of man? Should we not do our duty to conserve them, when they are our most valuable resource? If all of us would do our part to save them, our troubles would cease. We should never cut the young, growing trees, but take the old and broken down ones, until all the old trees are gone. When cutting wood, we should always leave the small trees for our future forests, and where there are no trees, we should set out some. We must not cut down trees, and leave them to rot, but use them for something needed. If we, the people of Maine, wish to save our forests, we must begin now to do our part, and to persuade others to do theirs. Don't leave it all to someone else to do, but do your part. , Norman McKenney '27. BEAUTIF YIN G DEXTER One of the questions that is uppermost in the minds of the people of Dexter today, is the question of keeping this town clean and free from rubbish. To do so, requires the cooperation of every individual, not only the men and women, but also the boys and girls. i , A We high school students realize that it cannot be accomplished in a short time, but that it requires a large sacrifice on our own part. We know that we are careless and untidy, sometimes, and partly responsible for the general untidiness of the town. We realize that people point us out, as the cause of part of the town's slackness. We know all these things, but we also know that the time has come for us to assume responsibilities of our own. We have come to realize that it requires a greater coopera- tion between the people of Dexter, and the students of N. H. Fay high school. Therefore, let us students, the future generation of Dexter, resolve to avoid carelessness that tends to lower the stand- ard of the town. Do not throw paper or rubbish onto the streets or lots. Do not let your gardens, fiower-beds, and lawns get untidy, or choked with weeds. Above all, do not let certain people of Dexter do most of the work. Instead of hanging back, let us co-operate with them, and stand back of them, in making Dexter finer, cleaner, and a more beautiful place in which to live. Richard Ramsay '27, OBEDIENCE TO LAWS How many of us ever stop to think what the nation would be like, if there were no laws? Of course it is true there are few of us who do not break a law at sometime or other. Take the speed law for instance. If we have a new car, we naturally want to see how fast it will go and unconsciously we go faster than the limit. Or if we go out in the woods on Sunday, we may take a gun along. And then, perhaps, we catch more fish than the law allows us. But you say these are only minor laws and hardly anyone is ever punished for them. Suppose we do get by, will we not break greater laws next time? And then think of the nation. If one person can break a law and get by with it, another can. Do you want other countries to think your own country a lawless nation? Of course not. Then let us obey its laws. Be- gin with the minor ones, they are the ones that count. Then other people will follow our example. When every one assumes his responsibilities we have a fine, peace- ful nation, inhabited by quiet law abiding citizens. Horace Hopkins '27,

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l EDITORIALS - l 7 EDITORIAL BOARD Editor-in-Chief, ------ - Elton True '26 Assistant Editor-in-Chief, Richard Ramsay '27 Literary Editor, - - Virginia Clark '26 Assistant Literary Editor, Charlene Rollins '27 Local Editor, - - Eleanor Hasty '26 Assistant Local Editors, - Irene Felker '27 - - - - Elizabeth Brewster '27 Joke Editor, - - Eleanor Herrick '26 Assistant Joke Editor, - Gladys Higgins '27 Athletic Editor, - - Ludgar Higgins '26 Assistant Athletic Editor, Eugene Champion '27 Exchange Editor, - - Ruth Frost '26 Assistant Exchange Editor, Christina Dulac '27 Alumni Editor, - - - Isabel Marsh '26 Assistant Alumni Editor, - - - Beatrice Titcomb '27 BUSINESS STAFF Business Mgr.. ---- - - - Carl Moses '25 Assistant Business Mgrs., - - - Hildon Brawn '26 - - - - Carleton Bucknam '27 - - - - Joseph Mountain '27 Nathan Bucknam '28 - - - - - - - Everest Dyer '27 CIVIC RESPONSIBILITIES In these days we hear more and more about our civic responsibilities. We all have some. Our parents should vote, should see that the best men are put in ofiice, yet in the last Presidential election only 50'4 of those eligible voted. Only 50W of the voters accepted their civic re- sponsibility. What was the trouble with the other 50M ? They had not learned their civic responsibilities at home. Today these duties are taught in school. Those in the primary classes are taught to keep the schoolhouse and grounds free from waste paper and other rubbishg they take pride in doing so. Now, the older people are forming societies to beautify the towns in which they live. They are assuming one of their civic responsibilities. We as students have civic reponsibilites that are in their way as important to us as those of our parents ought to be to them. Care of our school books is one of our re- sponsibilities. We should see to it that these books are in as good condition when we are through with them as when we first re- ceived them. We also have the care of our schoolhouse and grounds. It is our respon- sibility to keep them looking well. Do we live up to our responsibilities as we should? Elton True '26.

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THE SIGNET 13 OUR DEBTS Every man who owes money feels that he must get that debt off his hands before he can face the world squarely. Every boy and girl who attends high school is in debtg all are in debt to their country, their town, their school, their home and even to them- selves, and like these men they must pay their debts before they can face their fu- ture. You may ask, How shall we pay this debt, and how shall we know when we have finished paying our debt? The answer is this: Acquire the highest rank possible and keep a good reputation both in studies and conduct. You are responsible for the fu- ture progress of your country and town. If you have paid your debt in high school, your father will not be loath to leave this great responsibility in your hands. Therefore, pay your debts that you may face your future squarely, prepared to do your work, whatever it may be. Nina E. Quimby '27. SPRAGUE'S JOURNAL A matter of interest to history students and those who are interested in the history of Maine, has come up recently. Thi ques- tion is whether Sprague's Journal of Maine History will be continued in the future. Mr. Sprague who died last week in his ofiice at Dover-Foxcroft, started this jour- nal several years ago and it has always been very popular with those interested in the early history of Maine. It has been used very profitably in secondary schools. Some like our own, merely subscribe, while others use it in class work. For several years the state school department has urged a more extensive use. This journal contains biographies of prominent men of early times, true ac- counts of early controversies, such as the OF MAINE HISTORY Northeastern Boundary Controversy, and much interesting and valuable data on other topics. All these articles are written by people well versed in their subjects through study and research. Because 'of this:-Ame can find in this journal authentic accounts of our state's former activities. In fact one sometimes finds in these magazines the only true, complete accounts written in readable form. Therefore not only historians but all of us should hope that this small quarterly magazine, the most lasting part of Mr. Sprague's lifework, will be continued in the same way in order that our state history may be preserved in a form which all can study. Charlene C. Rollins '27. DETERMINATION The dictionary says that determination means resolution or purpose. Determina- tion, however, is something more than resolution, for anyone can make a resolu- tion, but the next thing is to keep it, It takes determination to stick to a resolution. Determination isn't something that is given us but it is something we must culti- vate. It is easy enough to have determina- tion when the sky is blue, the sunshine is bright and there is absolutely nothing in our pathway. It isa different story, how- ever, when the sun is hidden from view by a heavy mist, which envelopes the earth, and just ahead of us is a steep mountain of diiiiculty, doubt or fear-then it takes all our will power to say I am determined to keep on. Everyone has heard the story of the battle of Verdun and the words They shall not pass have gone down in history as words of determination. Even when the soldiers were tired and hungry-almost ready to give up the fight, the words made them realize their responsibility and by sheer determination they finally won the battle. In everything we need determination to win our battles whether we are teachers or students, day laborers or the president of