Gardiner Area High School - Quill Yearbook (Gardiner, ME)

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THE QUILL 9 He took on many noble deeds And saw our country finally freed, He wrote the most famous speech of all And saved our nation from a fall. And if I were to follow one Of all the presidents of our nation, Abraham Lincoln would be the oneg But I could never fill his station. - Richard Ayer, '51 STAGE FRIGHT The great day had come! I was to make a trembling debut on the public platform before a motley array of vociferous school- mates. The subject of my oration lay for- gotten in the cobwebby corners of my memory, but no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't brush aside the remembrance of the horrid, trembling fear which assailed me. The 9:30 assembly bell had rung. After having been arranged on the stage along with several seasoned victims, I sat stiifly on the edge of my straight-backed chair, fully expecting some hideous monster to leap at me from the yet unparted stage cur- tains. The several experienced members of our troop slid furtively to peep-holes in the curtain, out of which they cast appre- hensive glances at the auditorium which was being filled by a pushing clamorous onslaught of teen-aged humanity. Suddenly they scuttled back to their places. In my fear-stricken state of mind, I could hear the principal clear his throat - a bit too aud- ibly -to secure attention. I had only time to transfer a fingernail-gnawed hand to my lap before the century-old stage curtains lurched tipsily and opened. Our stiff, patrician principal, a member of the get the worst over with first school, smiled sanctimoniously at the massive sea of faces and pompously introduced the first speaker. The subject sounded rather boring, so I settled back in my chair. A titter of impatience ran nimbly through the audi- ence, and several motioning glances were directed towards our end of the platform. Huh? What? Oh! They were waiting for me! I had to speak first. I rose lumberingly, fearing my knees would give way any minute and proceeded cautiously to the center of the stage. At that moment I sincerely wished that the platform would open gigantic jaws and de- vour me on the spot. But the platform, although slightly rickety, had no intention of caving in now, after having endured several decades of trembling orators. Sud- denly the first words of my talk assailed my blank mind. Hesitantly I begang and as the titters faded into silence, I gained a little more confidence. Then, so quickly that I feared I had left something out, I reached the climaxg and after a final pun that no- body laughed at, with a deep sigh of relief, I settled back into my chair. Public Speaking? Nothing to it! -Ann Folke, '51 THOUGHTS I'm dreaming of a white Christmas, just like the ones I used to know, I think of snow flakes tumbling through the still air of early evening and children with two adoring parents huddled around a cozy wood fire thankful for what they have. Where tree tops glisten, I think of the unlighted tree with a shiny silver star at the very top, which to this family is as bright as the stars in heaven. And children listen to hear sleigh bells in the snow. I-Iere, I think of the children dashing to the window. They listen, quiet as mice, to hear the bells on the one-horse-drawn sleigh as it steals away into the silent night. x I'm dreaming of a white Christmas with every Christmas card I write. As I write Christmas greetings, once more my thoughts turn to the drifting snow and the humble country home. ' May your days be merry and bright, and may all your Christmases be white! I think of the children growing up and having homes of their own. With them goes this wish. - Mabel Ash, '50

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8 THE QUILL the corridors, into the study halls, into the minds of the teachers and students, down from the school, and along Main Street with a group of babbling young people, into the corner drugstore, out to the basketball games, into the school dances, and on into our homes. School Spirit is a living thing, and it is a thing that our school, Gardiner High School, has and always hopes to have. - Barbara Dessler, l52 RESPONSIBILITY IN SCI-IOGL Who is responsible for what we achieve in school? We ourselves are. Now is a good time to consider whether or not we are taking all the responsibility for our school work that we should. Let us all make sure that we get the most out of our work. Teachers give us assign- ments, and it is our reponsibility to master those assignments to the best of our ability. If there is anything we do not understand, we should go to the teachers for special help, as they are always willing to give it. It is very important that we give our atten- tion to the work in all classes. If we are absent from school at any time, we should report to the teachers when we return for make-up. We must not expect the teachers to look us up. We have many opportunities to accept responsibility in sports, dramatics, music and other activities in our school. If we take this responsibility upon ourselves from day to day, we shall be more successful in our school work. - Diane Robbins, '52 VOCATIONS The dictionary defines a vocation as the work, profession, particular state or business for which one is specially fitted for a life work. We who are in high school should give more than a little thought to this definition, because most of us will soon come face to face with the problem of what our vocations are- for what life work we are best suited. This is the time when we should decide, at least tentatively, what work we are interested in doing. We who have ideas in mind should read about those fields which appeal to us to ascertain the opportunities for entering them, and should talk to people who are engaged in those occupations in order to see the actual work- ing set-up. Those of us who seem to have no definite ideas about vocations should read about and become acquainted with all the different fields in which there may be openings, and we should talk to people engaged in many different types of jobs. For any of us who expect to be able to continue our education beyond high school, thought about vocations now will help a great deal because it will enable us to more intelligently choose a college or school and will prevent us from wasting time taking unnecessary courses once we are there. For those of us who intend to get jobs after graduation this realization of our own in- terests and knowledge of 'available opporf tunities will be of value in finding work in which we will be happy. - Jane Dineen, '51 UNCLE SAM Americans often ask themselves, Who is Uncle Sam? Ask anyone that question and what would you get for an answer? Some might say, Why, Uncle Sam is our country, our government, and our armed forcesf' Others might respond, Uncle Sam is the farmer, the men on the streets, the man in the oflice, and others who help to make up this country. I would say, Uncle Sam is you and I and the hundred thirty million other Americans who are willing to do something for their country. - Robert Nixon, '50 MY FAVORITE PRESIDENT There were many presidents in our land, And every one was surely grand. But the one I liked the best of all Was the sixteenth one that took the wall.

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10 T H E A 1950 FIRESIDE JOURNEY Come with me if our country you would quickly scan while cosily seated by your fireside. In Boston town we'll take time for a Tea Party of our own, and before we leave we'll surely have codfish cakes and baked beans too. Then Plymouth Rock we'll view with awe, remembering well that First Thanks- giving Day. On we go to Providence, a lovely city in our very smallest state. Roger Williams, we are told, made it famous long ago. We visit New York City, the grandest in our land. Here we see the Statue of Lib- erty shining forth the light of freedom. Long days it would take us to see all the wonders of this great city. Next, proudly we scan the Midwest's largest city, Chicago, the city of much wind. Many hours here we spend at the Natural History Museum. St. Louis, Missouri, so rich in historical lore, holds us spellbound. We are told that years ago trappers used to come and go on that old Mississippi shore. But on we must hasten to Detroit, the pride and joy of our state of Michigan. Here we well know is manufactured almost every make of car. Cleveland, too, we must not skip on old Lake Erie in our great state of Ohio. This many a year great ships have in its harbor come and gone. In Milwaukee on Lake Michigan's shore we feast on many fine dairy foods, while historical facts about them are unfolded to us. Much Indian lore here can be learned. We spend a little time in Minneapolis, Minnesota, where the beautiful story of Minnehaha and Hiawatha originated. CThis famous poem we all should read.j On, on we go, through Indianapolis, Indiana, to see that land so fair and grand where the Wabash River flows along. Now we are on the crest of Pikes Peak in Colorado, and towns and cities for miles around we view. At last, at last! We reach that great West Coast. On famous Puget Sound, in Oregon, Qs QUILL we stand and View with awe the mysteries of that vast state. Then, to see motion pictures in the mak- ing we gaily stop in Los Angeles and watch the stars of Screenland's fame. The brightest day we'd ever seen began at San Francisco's Golden Gate. The West we surely hate to leave, but other scenes ahead of us beckon and we speed along our way. Soon we are in the Lone Star State, Texas is so vast and great! CYou know the battle of the Alamo was fought here years ago.j Ere we realize it we are in the land the French and Spanish first did see-New Orleans - and just in time for the famous Mardi Gras. The beauty and gayety of this we'll never forget. Georgia peaches and cotton fields so white loom up in front of us, and yes, long our Gardiner boys do linger, gazing at the pretty belles of Tennessee. But time is switfly passing. Through to Florida vacation land we'd like to drift, still home is calling strong. In deep respect we pause to view our Capitol. Thankful are we in heart that Old Glory waves so proudly over this, our Land of Liberty. A quick stop in Philadelphia gives us sight of where the Declaration of Indepen- dence was signed by those farsighted men of old. But, when all is said and done, home is always best, and here we are again back in the good old state of Maine. -jane Whittier, '52 MY AUTOBIOGRAPHY I was born on a winter day among much celebrating and rejoicing. The announce- ment of my birth was published throughout the world. Although my youth and strength have passed away, I wish to recall for you a few interesting facts and changes which have happened during my life. My birth was not a matter of front-page concern. During my infancy society news was contained on one page of the paper.