Fryeburg Academy - Academy Bell Yearbook (Fryeburg, ME)

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g THE ACADEMY BELL 9 baseball, and track. They also have competition outside and in many cases very keen rivalry exists. School Spirit has been much better this year than in previous years, but even at that HF. A. could and most as- suredly should have much, much more. ESTHER PETERSON, '29. THE DOUGHNUT TREE Not far from the town school on Portland street in Fryeburg is a big elm tree, shaped in a queer form. It has grown near a narrow sidewalk, and stands directly in front of a big old-fashioned white house. Mr. Towle, one of the trustees of Fryeburg Academy, owns this building, but does not live there very much of the time. The tree of which I was speaking has a huge limb that has grown into the shape of a doughnut. The tree is one of the natural curiosities of Fryeburg as it is very unusual and unique in its growth. The limb is not far from the ground and it has become necessary to support it by an iron rod to keep it from losing its shape. Many people who come to Frye- burg go to see this tree, and it is known far and wide as The Doughnut Tree. It has been the subject of many newspaper articles, and anyone who has not made a visit to this interesting old tree should find time to do so. ELLEN WILEY, '32, COMMERCIAL DEPARTMENT The Commercial department this year has progressed greatly under the supervision of Miss Smart. During this last year many typing awards have been given for speed and accuracy in typewriting. There is a great deal of credit due these students, because winning an award requires con- centration as well as accuracy and speed. Frances Heard deserves special mention because she has earned an award although she has taken typewriting only this year. The following have received awards this year: UNDERWOOD ROYAL Rate per Rate per minute for minute for 15 minutes 15 minutes Ruth Eastman 42 Ruth Pratt 45 Frances Heard 34 Ruth Eastman 40 Leah Mclntire 32 Nettie Keefe 40 Nettie Keefe 31 Leah Mclntire 36 Thelma Rowe 35 Marian Gilman 34 Emily Mulford 31

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8 THE ACADEMY BELL Non-fiction is usually a biography or an autobiography of a person's life which is, of course, based upon fact. You say that you like something that holds your interest? Well, isn't a person's life filled with stirring episodes of various kinds, far too many to attempt to relate? If a person started to read one of these books with the determination that he was going to like it, he would soon derive as much and even more pleasure than from fictitious stories. After one has read many novels and stories of romance they begin to seem the same to him, and he grows tired of them. In comparing people's lives, no two person's lives are the same. Let us take for instance the biography of Herbert Hoover and the autobiography of Charles Lindbergh. How dif- ferent the two men are! yet, are the histories of their lives uninteresting? What author is there who would spend hours upon hours of his time writing the story of a man's life if he knew that that man was not famous or had not led a fascinating life? JAMES E4 GUPTILL, '30. AN APPRECIATION DF ATHLETICS Too much cannot be said concerning extra curricula activities. Many students appraise these pursuits in terms of their own personal fame, just as we all value material things in terms of money. However, most students re- gard these activities from a more healthy view-point. They regard them as a means toward broadening their minds, and as a possible preparation for later life. Another group is concerned merely for the satisfaction they receive from being of service to this school. The most important factor of success in activities, be they scholastic or athletics, is getting out early. This factor is by far too often ignored. No matter how remarkable his physique, no matter how alert his mind, no boy can hope to make the varsity team, his first term at it. Therefore, this advice should be direct- ed to the under-classmen, who can by getting out early make the team in their favorite sporty and it behooves all students, in view of the broad appeal and ever broader field of exploitation, who are mentally and physically sound, to try their brand at other activities than those demanded by the school course. Fryeburg Academy affords for the girls field hockey, volley-ball, basketball, and track. There is enough outside competition to make all of these sports both profitable and interesting. For the boys there are football, basketball,

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gn H10 THE ACADEMY BELL Litc-:raru OXFORD COUNTY Oxford County extends about one hundred miles in length upon the western boundary of the state and was originally the northern parts of York and Cumberland. Great Ossipee River has made its southern limit and Canada its northern, and New Hampshire its western. It has now thirty-four towns and eighteen plantations and parts of plantations, covering an area of about seventeen hundred square milesg the northern portion is mostly unsettled. The county is well watered by the Androscoggin, Saco and their tributaries, and in the northern part are the large lakes, Umbagog and Mooselocmeguntic. It is traversed by the Grand Trunk Railway. Paris has always been the shire town. From this town five of Maine's governors were chosen: Hamlin, Lincoln, Perham, and Paris. Oxford County is usually the leading sweet-corn area of the state and takes first rank also in apples, with 305,000 bearing trees. Beautiful lakes and mountain resorts are along its western border, which touches the foothills of the White Mountains, and in these surroundings many boys' and girls' camps are located. Considerable lumbering is done, also pea-canning in the vicinity of Fryeburg. The activities of practically all of the thirty-four towns center about taking the raw materials from the great for- ests and turning them out in high grades of paper, paper bags, postal cards, etc., and numerous products that are made from wood. Rumford is one of the greatest sources of power in New England. Here the waters of the Androscoggin fall one hundred and eighty feet within about a mile. About 30,000 horse power is available. About 13,000 horse power is easily developed by the Rumford Falls Light and Power Company. Rumford has the largest population of all the towns in Oxford County. Norway and Paris occupy another fertile section of Ox- ford County. Paris Manufacturing Company is located in South Paris, whose products are to be found in nearly every home in this part of the country. Paris is divided into four picturesque villages. Lead- ing industries and products in Paris are: Spool stock, wood