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

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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.

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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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THE QUILL 11 Comic strips and sports events rated only one brief paragraph. At my birth, Maine was a land of livery stables, hitching posts, and muddy roads. Motor vehicles have brought vast changes to our way of life. School days of my childhood were very different. Old school districts have been abolished. Education no longer sticks to the three R's, but extra-curricular subjects add to the efficiency and happiness of the pupils. Among my acquaintances are famous writers such as Edward Arlington Robinson and Edna St. Vincent Millay. Kenneth Roberts is probably the out-standing Maine author of fiction whom I knew. Maine poets and playwrights have been numerous, and Maine literature has become best selling material. I have observed that fire and flood, the worst in generations, visited Maine, but she has recovered and built anew. Many saw- mills on river-banks have disappeared, but the water is being used to generate electricity for even small communities and provide power for industrial plants. Gasoline has played a big part in revolutionizing industry, agriculture, and transportation. Marked changes have been made in the political set-up of Maine. Direct primary law came into being. Women voters now out-number men and occupy key positions. In my youth, the mother's place was in the home. The shipbuilding I knew as a youth reached a grand climax in World War II. Bath Iron Works and the South Portland yard turned out destroyers and merchant ships. As I look back, it is with pride I recall the events of my life. Who am I? Could you guess if I told you that the fifty years of my life are at an end? Yes, I am Father Time of the last half-century. I wish to bequeath all of my experience to my heir, 1950. May he have a prosperous and peaceful life! - Lois Lackey, '52 IT'S COKE TIME The bell rings. School is out and all the gang is headed toward the drugstore. The door opens, then bangs shut. This goes on almost continually until they all arrive. The six stools covered with red leather are taken. Boys and girls are waiting almost three deep for a seat in order to get their after-school lunch of cokes and crackers. Troubles are hashed over and some are getting help on the next day's lessons. Plans are being made between some for a movie. The boys have a date with the cue and eightball. The basketball team is praised and criticized. Bets of ice cream sodas are being placed on the Cony- Gardiner game, and so it goes. The clock has swung its arms around until it's four o'clock and time to be getting home. Good-byes are said and off they go by twos and threes. So ends another day at the Manson and Church Drugstore. - Patricia Roberts, '50 A MEMGRABLE GAME It was a day in early November, And the sky was dark as night, When our team would clash with Brunswick, And our boys with them should iight. We left Gardiner quite early And cheered most all the wayg Our very hearts were with our boys On that important day. The game began - with cheers and songs - Our men went out to play, And play they did throughout the game, A long and bitter fray. We lost - but everyone declared Our men were not to blame, And after all it's not who wins, But how we play the game. - Pamelia Dick, '52 ANIMAL FRIENDS Life at five in the morning would be ex- tremely dull for me if it were not for my animal friends along my paper route. No other friends would be able to show so much enthusiasm at the sight of me at any hour of the day. . Y