Hermon High School - Microphone Yearbook (Hermon, ME)

Page 16 text:

HERMON FIRE DEPARTMENT A group of World War II veterans started talking about Hermon’s having a fire depart- ment. Finally a special town meeting was called, but the meeting was killed before it started. As soon as a moderator was chosen, a motion was made to adjourn the meeting until regular town meeting time. At the regular town meeting all the men turned out to support their cause. Mrs. Alden Griffin made a motion to give $1500 to build a fire truck and equip it. Also, at this meeting, it was decided that it be left up to the selectmen to appoint a fire chief. The man chosen was Charles B. Smith, Jr. He in turn appointed his assistants, who are George Bates and Myron Davis. They bought a ton and one-half Chevrolet truck, 1944 model, for $475. The parts for repairing it cost $40. All the labor was donated. A war surplus front end pump with 500 gpm. capacity was bought with $135. The water tank, now in the body of the truck, cost $25 and holds 500 gallons. The pipe and fittings were donated by the Bucksport Fire Department. All the lumber used was donated by local carpenters. The fire truck began to take its rightful form. A portable second-hand pump, 80 gpm. cap., with gasoline engine, was purchased, along with 500 feet of inch and a half hose, twenty feet of two-inch suction hose and a couple of nozzles. Merton Hillman, Chesley Webber, and Walter Pendleton made three ladders, and four new tires were bought. After all this was done only $150 had been overdrawn beyond the $1500 appropriated. This was considerably less than would have been paid out if Hermon had bought a new fire truck. A new one would cost at least $8500 fully equipped. More money had to be raised to pay back the overdrawn account. The Odd Fellows held the first annual Firemen’s Ball as a benefit. A rifle was raffled off at this ball, and the Eastern Star held a card party for the benefit of the firemen. A total of $600 was netted from the three projects. With this money they paid for the tires, paid back the overdraft, and bought nozzles, paint, chemical fire extinguishers, suction hose, strainers, lanterns, a new siren for the truck, another siren mounted on Herbert Snow’s barn as an area fire alarm, and paid for necessary repairs. Since the recent fire at Northern Maine Junction, local support has been much better, especially in that section of town. Because of the prompt action of the Fire Department, Lord’s store was saved. If the store had burned, at least three other sets of buildings would have burned. The loss in valuation to the Town of Hermon would have amounted to more than W times the cost of the present fire equipment of the Town of Hermon. After this fire it was realized that th° present system for fire calls was inadequate. A telephone call system was worked out by Howard Crosby and Lawrence Dwyer and cards were mailed out to instruct citizens what to do in case of fire. At the time these words were written the Fire Department had answered nine fire alarms, two false alarms, and one out-of- town call, where they were not called until the building was completely consumed by flames. The formation of the Hermon Fire De- partment under the direction of Charles B. Smith, Jr., is the first progress in this field in the recent history of Hermon. Editor-in-Chief

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The MICROPHONE 13 SENIOR PLAY First row: C. Thayer, L. Oyer, Mr. Owyer, G. Brown, B. Libby. Second row: B. Bartlett, R. Mason, R. Byers, B. Gordon, D. Keith, M. Kitchen. SENIOR PLAY The Senior Play, “Aunt Abby Answers An Ad”, was presented November 3 and 4, 1949. The comedy presented an amusing plot involving a dyed-in-the-wool old maid who hated men. She answered an ad in a Lonely Hearts column of a “Love Secrets” magazine, with hilarious results. The Cast of Characters Abby Ainsley, a dyed-in-the-wool old maid Loretta Dyer Lucindy Lovejoy, her maid of all work Joan Lindsay Horace Harter, her unwelcome suitor Guy Brown Anna Ainsley, her niece from the city Bevely Libby Lillian Lorraine, Anna’s girl chum Ree Mason Billy Barberton, engaged to Lil- lian Charles Thayer Bobby Barington, Anna’s boy- friend Beverly Gordon Mrs. Purviance, a tourist Nadine Moore Horace Hark well, a lonely widower Bichard Byers Essie Ebbersole, a tattle-tale Dorothy Keith Stage Manager Barbara Bartlett Prompter Mildred Kitchen Director Mr. Dwyer

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The MICROPHONE 15 THREE PLANES T. Valentine Parker gives us this in- spirational thought: “The mountains, tall and beautiful, make us think of high things —of God, beauty and worthy living.” How true this is! To reach a high standard we must look up and meditate upon high things, but to maintain the upper level we must keep looking up. In a chiropractor’s office I once saw a notice that ran something like this: “When you are feeling low both physically and men- tally, lift your chin a few inches higher, throw back your shoulders and quicken your step.” When one walks with his head down and his eyes centered on the dust beneath his feet, he has only himself for subject matter about which to think. He ponders over how cruel fate has been to him and how luck has completely failed him. He begins to'enumer- ate the disagreeable things that have hap- pened and ends up feeling the most miser- able and unfortunate creature that exists. This is the first plane. But how different is the person who lifts his eyes to that which is about him. He sees the active vitality and vigorous life that sur- rounds him. He sees the busy, comfortable, everyday life so full of common-place hap- penings which make life worth living. He is glad to be alive and a part of this busy world. Perhaps he may see one who is not as well off as himself. He may even pitv or sympathize with this one, and he realizes that there are those to whom fate has been more bitter, to whom fortune has been a little less kind. These who are content with their present environment are many and be- long to the second plane. But there is yet another! There are those who look above the everyday life, those who gaze up at the mountains and the infinite heavens. Somehow when one sees the end- less blue above or the innumerable stars, he is struck by an overwhelming sense of the greatness of this universe in which he lives. These are the ones who answer the challenge of the unknown, the call of the undiscovered. From their ranks geniuses emerge and great men break forth. It is these who count it a worthy task to lift a fellowman from the dust and desolation of despair to the beauty and majesty of the mountain tops, which reflect a higher and holier vision. Assistant Editor THE COMMUNIST The Communist is probably the best trained revolutionist that has ever existed. He is immune to any race, sex, or national- istic prejudice. He is an internationalist in every sense of the word. To the Communist, the cause is the fore- most thing. Every act of villainy is forgiven because it is for the cause. Even the capture and murder of a member of your family is all right because it is for the cause. The Communist will tolerate no difference of opinion from his own. He holds no moral or religious beliefs but the cause. The Communist in Russia is in a position of command. He need never worry about the lack of a job. Because he is trusted, he is promoted over the heads of others. Even the Communist cannot possess material wealth. His every move is watched by others, even as he is watching someone else. If he makes a wrong move, he is sentenced to death. Many people in Russia remain without entering the Communist party rather than enjoy the privileges and assume the obliga- tions that are attached. It is my belief that the struggle between the Communist and the Capitalist peoples will last for many years. The winner of the struggle will be the one that best provides for the needs of man. The United States to- day is fighting like an untrained boxer— leading a fast offensive, but saving no re- serve strength for the last bout. Are we gaining by spending one million dollars on a trial while the Communists spend one-fifth as much? Are we better pro- viding for the needs of man by sending Com- munist countries arms and supplies? Can we provide for the needs of man more fully than they are provided for at the present time in the United States? Trials and dec- lamations against the Communists should not be viewed as improving the situation. They are of such minor importance.