Farmington High School - Laurel Yearbook (Farmington, ME)

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THE LAUREL 29 debating, art, dramatics, and sports. One should choose carefully his outside activities and work for a well-balanced school course. I would speak to the sophomores about their relationship with the freshmen. I don't want you to get the idea that I am opposed to hazing. I still recall very vivid- ly the initiations that took place when I was a boy and I still have a paddle that has graced the seat of many unfortunate fresh- men's pants. When you are picking sub- jects for your hazing activities, why not pick on the local boys whom you all know rather than on those who are strangers. It is very hard for them to become acquainted, and it would be much to your credit to help them make acquaintances rather than give them a poor impression of the school and students. Hazing should bet done under supervision, so that it will not be carried too far. To the juniors I would bring a word of caution about becoming too cocky. You should remember that there is always some- thing new to be learned, that is if you go to the right place to use the words of a favorite radio comedian. ' And so we come to the end of the help- ful advice given by the genial Mr. Greene. If your slumbers are slightly disturbed dur- ing the night, I imagine that humble voice has accomplished its purpose. Charles Chapman '36. ADDRESS OF WELCOME-CLASS DAY ARENTS, teachers and friends of the class of 1936: We welcome you to our Class Day exercises. We want you to enjoy with us this day which is the begin- ning of the ceremonies we have been an- ticipating these four eventful years. On this occasion we have a mingled feeling of happiness and sadnessg joy, for the suc- cessful culmination of our twelve years of education-sadness, for the realization that this is one of the last meetings which we shall have as a unit. So we gather here in all seriousness, mixed with a bit of humor and good fellow- ship, to pay homage to you who have helped us through our school years. Had it not been for your unfailing interest in us, we might never be privileged to stand before you today with our work in high school completed. In our school activities we have shown our individual characteristics to one an- other. Some of our peculiarities and in- terests will, no doubt, be presented through means of the humorous portions of the fol- lowing program. Probably fond mothers and dads, doting aunts and uncles, and ad- miring friends will be rather surprised at some of the revelations, but remember it's all in fun. So on with the fun! ' Robert Tyler '36. 'rar N CLASS HISTORY-CLASS OF 1936 HERE I've studied all that history, and all that I have left are the last two questions at the end of the chapter. Think I'll leave them until later. Oh, well, I'll just glance at them. 23. What is history? I looked that up a few days ago. The definition I found was History is a record of events including all human activities. It also gave a good quotation History has triumphed over time. Eternity only tri- umphs over it. 24. Name three modern historians. Well, there are J. H. Robinson, H. G. Wells and David Muzzy. H Speaking of historians, I ought to get my Class History written. Guess I'll run over the four years and jot down ideas as I go along. I think I can find my data from my diary and my mem box. fLooking through diaryj Must have entered around the first of September in '32-oh yes, right here Sep- tember 12th. Started high school-our class biggest yet to enter. A

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28 THE LAUREL Johnny, come back here. VVhere do you think you're going? This from the father. johnny in a very dejected manner returns reluctantly to his seat. Leaving right in the midst of my little speech, the father sputters. What kind of courtesy do you call that? That brings up another matter I must speak to you about. I noticed when I visited your school yesterday that one boy, Cuvier Colburn, the second, I think, jumped out of his seat and started to leave, just because the pass- ing bell had rung, and the teacher was still talking. I hope you don't do that, Johnny. Even if the bell has rung you should wait to be dismissed by whoever is conducting the class and not rush out of the classroom just because you hear the welcome buzz. As the father stops to relight his pipe which had gone out during the last splurge, Johnny nods knowingly. What do you suppose he can mean by that smirk on his otherwise placid features? The father, look- ing up suddenly, catches Johnny in the midst of a very vigorous nod. Under his father's stern glance, johnny's eyes fall to the floor and a deep flush creeps up the back of his neck. Tell me, why is it that whenever any- one's back is turned the tendency is always to do something one shouldn't? I remem- ber one group in my school days--let's see, there were Gerald Little-field, Annie Voter, Mary Magoni, and Virginia Trum- bull--who, whenever they thought the teachers weren't looking, carried on very entertaining conversations. I recall too that Agnes Metcalf was very fond of chewing gum. Whenever someone felt the need of exercising his jaws, Agnes could be trusted to produce the necessary implements. I hope you are always right out, at least, in the things you do. I well remember the uncanny ability one of my English teachers, Mrs. Bryant, had of detecting those who boasted of having learned the gum-chew- ing art. So I was told, the roguish son re- plies. Tony's father told me about the time when you were caught- 'That's enoughf, the father hurriedly interrupts. We'll say no more about it. After a moment's silence during which johnny tidgets uneasily in his chair, the father asks, How does it happen that you and Dean got the same marks on your writ- ten work for yesterday's English? Now, don't ask how I found out. I supposed you were above cribbing. I don't mean cribbing only during tests, but on all written work that you have to do. No one is hurt but yourself, and you should realize that by now. t'I'll bet you got Mother to help you whenever you had a tough assignment like that one, the son replies to that argument. Johnny, we'll leave your mother out of this, says the father, growing a little hot about the collar. Suddenly johnny sits up in his chair as a sharp, piercing whistle is heard in the dooryard. He looks apprehensively at his father for a moment, and then his face lights up as an idea comes to his mind. Father, he says, didn't you tell me to always be punctual in keeping appoint- ments? Why, yes, of course, the unsuspecting dad replies. Well, Johnny says with a crafty gleam in his eye, I made a date with Dick to- night for 7:30, and it's 7:29 now. All right. You may go, the father re- plies, smiling at the manner in which his advice is being used by his son. I At this point we depart hastily, but silently, from the Greene mansion. If we were to ask the philosophical father for some specific advice for the different classes, we might expect something like this: I should advise each freshman to be as much of an all-round person as his in- dividual talents will allow. Excellent chances are given to both boys and girls to test their ability in the fields of music,

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30 THE LAUREL For my history I could tell them about the teachers. Mrs. Bryant who was our home room teacher and the one who would tell us not to say ain't 'cause ain't ain't right 3 Mrs. Miner who was to drill us in the conjugation of Latin verbsg Mr. DeWever who was going to enlarge our knowledge of Q-I-2 equals 5 and get us all mixed up with x's and y'sg Miss Kane who planned to give us plenty of Civics and Economic Geographyg Miss Howard who was going to see that we were taught all our dates fin history, I meanjg Miss McLeary who was to teach some of us the art of drawingg Miss Perkins who was to point at us with her baton if we did not pay good attention in Glee Club, orchestra, or chorus, and, last but not least, Mr. Dinsmore f Dinnie later onj who, al- though not a teacher of a freshmen subject, was to guide us through the labyrinth of learning and help us to become boys and girls of whom F. H. S. would be proud. Dinnie not only had to guide our minds but also our wandering footsteps. Our feet just wouldn't walk in the right direction. I guess Norman Hinkley took the cake g he was always in the wrong place! flooking at next datesj Nothing particular here. fturning a few pagesj Here's an essential fact. Friday: Elected class officers: Presi- dent--Hollis Howattg Vice President- Dorothy Howattg Secretary-Mary Ma- gonig Treasurer4Barbara Atwood. Now what comes next?--the Freshman Reception must have been our next mem- orable event. I wonder if I still have that green bow we girls had to wear fthe boys were all decked out in green tiesj? A Ciinds green bow and reminiscesj That certainly was a gala night. All of us freshmen were very ceremoniously taken through the receiving line and then very unceremoniously made to lower our dignity fif freshmen can have suchlj by playing such childish games as Drop the Hanky. However, the punch and cookies which fol- lowed were ample reward. flooking again in the boxj Here's a nifty red car. Where did it come from? I remember now! I got it from the grab bag which we freshies had at the annual school fair. Norman Hinkley was our jolly Santy with a pack of grabs slung over his shoulder. fpulling paper from boxj I wonder what this is? Oh, an old paper which says Mid-year Exams-'33, How well I can recall the first ordeal of mid- years! We greenhorns certainly were scared and the remarks of the upper class- men were not at all encouraging. Exams were soon over, but we all resembled quak- ing aspens when the marks came out for the first half year. fturns a few pages of diaryj This looks interestingg it's a joke Rich- ard Morton pulled one day in history class when we were speaking of the radical yellow journals . Richard: Miss Howard, were those ' yellow journals ' Red papers? And here's the end! Friday: Marched all day practicing for graduation tonight. I guess freshmen just can't keep in step, but soon we'll all be ' silly ' sophomores - hurray! Now what should come into my sopho- more year? I remember we had three ollicers. President-Robert Tyler Vice President- Carleton Robinson Treasurer-Erma Mosher In the sophomore year the students gained a new teacher, Miss Som- mer, who planned to teach them a better typing system than the hunt and pick method. The students who wished to be Frenchmen become acquainted with Mlle. 'Tarr this year. fturns back the pages in diaryj There's where we got back on the new K' freshies for all the humiliations we went through last year. new class commercial