Farmington High School - Laurel Yearbook (Farmington, ME)

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.4' THE LAUREL 31 and kept in ignorance. Emergence from this condition was gradual, and slowly the rights of man were established and recognized. Our Constitution gave us the first free government of modern times. It established this great nation, the growth of which is unparalleled in the history of the world. All of us are proud of our system of govern- ment, and we vigilantly guard the freedom which it affords us. But many times we do not fully appreciate the value of the docu- ment which guarantees and protects this freedom. When we look at the political situation in many of the countries of the modern world, most of us breathe a thankful sigh that we are not slaves to an arrogant lord. In Italy a subservient people are under the dominion of one man, Mussolini. His will dominates that of millions. Germany, the ancient home of the fierce liberty-loving Germans, of whom Tacitus, the Roman historian, wrote and marvelled because of their sturdy love of freedom, that same Germany clicks its heels today at the command of Hitler. Russia, Iapan, Rumania, and other nations are in similar plights. Dictatorial military leaders are blotting out popular government on every hand. In this country as long as the Constitution endures and is supported by Americans, we will not lose our precious heritage of freedom-freedom to worship as we please, freedom to speak our thoughts, and freedom to print them. These things distinguish our government from the tyrannical systems of government which are rapidly taking many parts of the hitherto civilized world back to the Middle Ages. These guarantees of freedom, as I have said, are embedded in the Constitution. The framers of the Constitution in order to protect and guarantee the rights of man, which we take for granted, established a government of three branches: executive, judiciary, and legislative. Under the system of checks and balances the departments operate so that no one of them may seize the power of government and thereby destroy the freedom of the governed. Our repre- sentatives in the legislative branch are responsible to us directly. We vote for them, and if we are dissatisfied, we may turn them out of oliice. It is little wonder then that when large groups make their will known to Congress that it answers that will rather than the will of the executive. The executive carries out and administers the laws which the legislative branch enacts. The judiciary interprets the laws, and if any law is contrary to the fundamental law, the Constitution, the judiciary branch sets it aside as unconstitutional. If we, the people, wish to change the Constitution we may do so by amending it as has been done on twenty-one different occasions. One of the greatest threats to our present government is that of corrupt politics which is not confined to one party, but may be found in all. We know in many instances that men in public life have betrayed the public trust. They have used public oflices for their own advantages, ignoring that it is our money they are spending and that it is our interests they are supposed to represent. Corrupt political machines have gained power because we have remained idly by and have not voiced, or rather, not acted upon our dissatisfaction. If the conditions grow worse, some demagogue in the future will be able to take from us the privilege of self government. Now how may we as citizens combat the power of corrupt politics? ldealistic but practical countrymen believe that the influence of corrupt politics may be virtually stamped out by an alert and vigi- lant public. lmpurity in public life exists because people are apathetic and do not take an interest in the welfare First, of the com- munity, then, the state, and Finally, the nation. We do not Qpect that we can bring into being a Utopia within one generation, but we know that many of the imperfections of our society may be eradicated if we all become vigilantly awake and conform to our responsibilities. Under dictatorship laws are hurriedly en- acted without the slightest thought of the people's desire. The popular form of gov-

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so I THE LAUREL shoes on. She drew the water scenes and was trying not to ruffle the fins of the fishes. How it did rain that night, but I imagine it added to the sea effect. QStop at picturej Here's a picture of Barbara Robbins and Elden Hall taken after they won top honors in the Iunior Prize Speaking. Another school fair and our class won the prize for having the biggest sales returns. Last Chapel and Graduation exercises finished up the year, and we all hoped we would be doing the same thing a year from then. At last we came to the final year at F. H. S. Iac U Greenwood was our last member to be added to the Student Council. For three years we had looked forward to the day when we would become the sophisti- cates of the school, but when we finally arrived there, we didn't feel any different from when we were youngsters four years ago. More new teachers that year, they come and go as often as the grocery man. Miss Crozier taught Latin. Here's a quota- tion from Norman Sawyer. He said, Why didn't I take Latin four years? Miss Gellerson taught chemistry and tried hard to show us the difference between H-2 O and H-2 SO-4. Mid-years were growled over for the last time in F. H. S. And then came the final ceremonies of Commence- ment. We started it all with Last Chapel, at which time we all did a bit of struggling with the bump in our throat. Devotional exercises were led by Ieannice Robinson, and the address was given by Arlyn Whit- ney. Iune 11th we took the class trip to Bar Harbor and had our last good time together. The next day was the Baccalau- reate service in which the Reverend G. D. Moores gave us a very inspiring sermon. At the alumni-sponscfed Commencement Dance we danced our cares away for the last time as members of the high school. Then came the last two great events, the informal Class Day exercises and the Grad- uation. No one could blame our class marshal and president for strutting just a little, for he was leading a fine class through their last duties. Then with some very mixed emotions the class filed off the stage at the Alumni Gym, receiving their diplo- mas as they went out. QMusinglyj Yes, the Class of 'Thirty-eight was certainly a notable one. Let me think, what was it I was going to do before I sat down here? Oh, yes, that lecture. Well, I canyt settle down to it now. There are too many cob- webs of the past in my brain. Maybe some fresh air would sweep them out. Guess I'll go for a stroll, and then come back and do some work. Darrell Bryant '38. ORATION Essence of Liberty r RIENDS: For many of us graduation from high school is the termination of our formal education, though ending our systematic study of various subjects, we shall retain and enrich the general ideas which we have been absorbing under routine guidance. One of the ideals which have been instilled in us from the time of sub- primary education is that of respect, rever- ence, and love of this, our country. We have been taught and we firmly believe that the United States is now, and we hope and pray that it always will be, the cradle of liberty. Our popular government is a direct con- trast to the governments in existence before democracy was ever known. The ancients had their powerful kings of Egypt, rulers of Babylon, and Caesars of Rome. Medieval times produced tyrannical despots, and then out of the dust of centuries came the fiower- ing of democracy in 1775. It could be said that the seed of democracy was sown cen- turies before in Athens, and from the writings of Aristotle and Plato, the fathers of the new freedom, Montesquieu, Iohn Locke, and Rousseau produced the political philosophy from which Thomas Iefferson, Iames Madison, and other early Americans framed our Constitution. To fully appreciate the meaning of this important document we should always re- member that man for untold centuries groveled in the dust, was beaten into slavery,

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32 THE LAUREL ernment, such as ours affords the people a chance to vote indirectly, through their representatives, for their laws. This process is slow and therefore amendments and alter- ations are made slowly. When completed, these laws are those of, by, and for the people represented. This opportunity of self government is established in our Constitution. We must realize the responsibility that goes along with it because it is not the document alone, but the alert social and political responsi- bility of our fathers which has gone hand in hand with the great truths laid down in the Constitution that has brought to us blessings unparalleled in the history of the world. Let us make new resolves that we will keep the faith of our forefathers, will live as they would have us live, conscious of our responsibility to protect our government which, in turn, preserves for us our dearly cherished liberty. Elden Hall, Ir. '38. TT CLASS WILL E it remembered that we, the students of Farmington High School, Class of Nineteen Hundred and Thirty-eight, in the County of Franklin and the State of Maine, being of lawful mind and memory, but mindful of the uncertainty of life, do make, publish and declare this our last will and testament, hereby revoking all former wills by us made. Item 1. I, Norman Blanchard, do give and bequeath to that fickle-minded Iunior Sinskie the permanency of my amorous in- clination toward one of the fairer sex. Item 2. I, Richard Blodgett, do give and bequeath to the over-confident Bobby Foster my modest and bashful disposition. Item 3. I, Marjorie Craig, do give and bequeath to the disinterested and silent Maurice Hobert my habitual inquisitiveness and Huent gift of gab. Item 4. I, Iune Cunningham, do give and bequeath to Lawrence Paul my collection of absent slips. Item 5. I, Dorris Currier, do give and bequeath to the ever-heard Ruth Conway my soft voice. Item 6. I, Myrtle Foster, do give and be- queath to the quiet, lady-like Evelyn Stanley my boisterous nature. Item 7. I, Inez Gilman, do give and be- queath to the powdcrless Rita Marquis my generous supply of make-up. Item 8. I, Iacqueline Greenwood, do give and bequeath to the girls, famed pitcher, Bev Bradley, my numerous home-runs. Item 9. I, Leon Heminway, do give and bequeath to the midget, Richard Pinkham, my robust composition. Item 10. I, Arthur Libby, do give and bequeath to the helter-skelter Margaret Ham- ilton my moderate pace and speech. Item 11. I, Iohn Linscott, Ir., do give and bequeath to future Hbugologistsi' my con- scientiously acquired nature study collections and notations. Item 12. I, Hazel Lunny, do give and bequeath to the studiously disinclined Phil Hoyt my well-prepared lessons. Item 13. I, Constance McLeary, do give and bequeath to the indifferent Nickolene Iensen my boy craziness. Item 14. I, Madeline Moody, do give and bequeath to Stewart Whittier and Lorraine Ialbert my noonday meanderings with Deane. Item 15. I, Richard Morrill, do give and bequeath to my already close competitor, Robert Hogan, my pile of tardy slips. Item 16. I, Ernest Newton, do give and bequeath to the little sawed-off basketball player, George Morrill, my long legs. Item 17. I, Ruth Parker, do give and be- queath to the complacent Isabel Titcomb my ambitious nature. Item 18. I, Norma Phillips, do give and bequeath to the ever-slouching George Merrill my erectness. Item 19. I, Barbara Robbins, do give and bequeath to the grave-minded Richard Col- lins my role as comedian in public speaking.