Gilman High School - Gilmanac Yearbook (Northeast Harbor, ME)

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THE REGIONAL HIGH SCHOOL PRO: Will we have a regional high school? There has been and will be much discussion for and against the new regional school, and one of the most important factors of the discussion will be the expense of building it. Of course the costofthe building itself will beinproportion to the valuation of the property, regardless of where it is finally located, and is usually figured on the basis per pupil of capacity which is estimated at the cost of between one thousand and ten thousand dol- lars per pupil. Operating costs would be no more and possibly a little less than in the present small scale schools. Most ofthe Island towns are in great need of new and larger school buildings. For several years Northeast Harbor has been working on plans for a new high school. Southwest Harbor is in need of a new and larger elemen- tary school and the present high school building could very well serve for the elementary grades. Bar Harbor, likewise, would use its present high school building as an elementary school. Inalarge area school of this type we could divide into a jun- iorliigh school and a senior high school. H'l1'fC? we cotld have a large g'y'nna:1i'.1..:1, which could be divided intotwo sinallcr gymaasituns, one for the girls and ine for the boys. Also, there would be .fi large sci- ence laboratory, rooms for art and rusic, public speaking and dramatics, and a comprehensive course in industrial arts and other specialized subjects. 0 CON: In the last few months there has been considerable discus'- sion on the merits of a Mount Desert High School as compared to a Regional Island School. I should like to point out the objections which I think would be paramount against a proposed Regional school. If such a project should go through, what will become of the land which the town has pur- chased for fifteen or eighteen thousand dollars? What about the money which we have spent on plans, architect fees, and other acpenses? Why, after seven years ofplanning for a new Mount Desert High School, should some of the townspeople try, to stop it, now that we are all ready to build? Could it be that these are the same people who have tried to prolong this project, even as far back as when we were purchasing land for the School site? In line Mount Desert High School the people have the opportunity to raise or lower the budget to fit the conditions. This would notbesoin the regional school, as this :matter would be deter- min ed by the Trustees. If the Trustees were men who were con- cerned wi th the big taxpayers' pocketbook then the result would bevery:..1:atisfactory to a great many peopl e. The records of Gilman High School Alumni who have gone to institutions of high learning are sufficient proof that a small school can provide an adequate education. I think that this town needs a

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I G I L me N 'U-U Qv 1 U ' q .aa-H I, ,541 11:1-!,g i I 7 N'Lf'! X . 4., fi I JQXX I A 4 K3 . H I W l 4 K -4'.f ' I KA h 'P - 4, 5 W in ' A M I TJM I V ' I GUIDANCE I W I I it When the average student fin- ishes high school he is faced with a very serious problem. In the next three or four years he will probably be preparing him- self' for his life work. Just what does he want for alife work? How will he prepare himself for it? I think the question Just what does he want for a life work? is the most difficult. I believe there are very few boys and girls just finishing high school who really know, without question, what they want from from life. I believe many boys and girls could get help and ad- vice on this question from a so- cial worker trained in vocational guidance. A boy has to keep in mind that what he chooses he will probably do for the rest of his life, and that he will have to draw enough money from his work to support himself and a family. The question 'How will he pre-- pare himself for the work he chooses? is definitely one that he should have some help and ad- vice in answering. Perhaps he knows that the vocation he has chosen will require college train- ing. If he knows that much, he still has to choose the school from which he can get all of the education and experience that is necessary for the work he chooses. He also has to think about money. How much money will he have to go to school on, and how much can he work and still have time for study and recreation? Perhaps the student has chosen a vocation in which no education beyond high school is required. However, I feel that all students should go to school for at least a year or two after graduation from high school, if they are financially able. My reason for saying this is that that extra year or two of school will improve his personality and his ability to get along with people. It will give theundecided student another year in which to decide the im- portant questionof just what his vocation will be. MARY CUNNINGHAM 'Lia The more aman knows the more he is worth, -Robert of Gloucester

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CContinuedl A wider athletic program could also be carried out, including perhaps football, track, and even swimming, none of which are now available for either the North- east Harbor or Southwest Harbor schools. In mybelief a regional school on this Island would promote much better sportsmanship among the students and adults of the dif- ferent towns, develop a more ardent school spirit, and an increased desire to learn and take part in all activities. Even if it were possible to bring the curriculum of the small school to the standard of the area school, the expense for the individual towns would be much greater, also competition and challenge among a larger group of students is always helpful. The matter of transportation for the pupils of such a school is another big problem, but can be solved, I'm sure. The buses could pick up the high school students mtheway to the central school and carry the grade school pupils on the return trips. This interest in area schools started less than ten years ago inthe State of Maine. One area school has been organized already and another is about to open. Six other locations are invest- igating the possibility of such schools. H Letfs have our regional high school the next on the list. ELEANOR MERCHANT 'LQ CContinuedJ building of this size for such things as dances, meetings, and other public functions, not only forhigh school students, butfor grade school students and the alumni as well. In such a build- ing you could have indoor sports such as tennis, badminton, and others. It would be extremely unfair to expect the parents who have children in the grade schools to wait for a regional school when they can have the benefits of a new school in a few years. I think the educators are unfair when theytry to convince us that wecan have a regional school in the very near future. Another reason for favoring the Mount Desert High School is that the students are more closely associated with their teachers and fellow students. I don't think you will find the different cliques that you would in a larger school. In the sports department of a larger school there could be of- fered a larger choice to pick from, but can each child be given as much individual attention as inasmaller school? I think you would be taking away a great deal of responsibility and leadership from the boys and girls by com- bining the three schools into one team or one group. Why haven't the other three towns made any concrete statements concerning the regional school. Is it that they aren't interested? Why doesn't the Regional High School Committee find out if the different towns are financially able to borrow a sum of money sufficient to build a building proposed by the state educators?