Leilehua High School - Ka Leilehua Yearbook (Wahiawa, HI)

Page 88 text:

ESSAYS First Prize NANCY TUPPER, lunior BLUE HORIZONS . HAVE YOU ever met anyone who is content to stay calmly at home, never won- dering what is just around the corner? There are some such people, though fortunately for humanity these are very few. A person devoid of curiosity, in my opinion, is like a piece of unbuttered dry bread. Don't you, when you visit some new place, wish you could stay there long enough to nourish that ever hungry imagination of yours? For instance, if you are visiting a distant city, wouldn't you feel cheated if you stuck to the beaten paths, and saw only what every other tourist does? It seems to me that some forces, invisible, but none the less strong, draw me to unfrequented little shops, Where often the dust is so thick it makes one think the proprietor must pepper his goods every morning instead of dusting them. But ask yourself, doesn't something bought from that little shop give you as much, if not more, pleasure than an extremely expensive nicknack from a gigantic department store? Even if you aren't fond of travel, or you can't afford it, there are Blue Hori- zons practically at your back door. lf you are a city dweller, try observing the people around you, and you'll be surprised at the many different types you will find. If you don't care to study character, study your associates' physical char- acteristics. See how many people you can find with hair as dark as charred paper, or as bright as the gololenrodf' Or, if you find that dull, try noses. Dur- ing numerous dry lectures, especially at school, l have often amused myself in this way. Look around right now, and see how many different types of noses you can find. One's nose might be at such an angle that his proboscis seems to be shaped like a parrot's, another might have a peculiarly shaped broken nose, and still another's nasal passage might be so flat as not to seem to be present at all. Bythis observation I do not mean that you should be so obvious as to make the people around you uncomfortable, or that you should make fun of these people you are observing. Others are possibly conducting an observation of their own, and you may be the object of much mirth. ln this case I believe you should obey the Golden Rule, and then let your conscience be your guide. Many persons probably object to this callous study of their friends. There- fore, if they wish to study animals they may take the so called lower order. ln this class the persons living in the country have the advantageous position in the study of domestic animals, as they are in their natural environment. Now we come to the advantage of the city over the country. The city possesses a zoo, wherein various strange animals are kept, but as their real natures cannot be studied, we encounter another disadvantage to the nature student. Once one has started these studies they become more and more interesting, and many amateurs have made themselves proficient in judging. Insects are something anyone can study if he is so inclined. These small animals are so continually around, however, that we rarely consider them more than we do a troublesome stone. The lives of insects are extremely inter- esting, and it is amazing to note that some, ants especially, have many traits that are much like our human ones. To anyone who does not desire to hunt for living specimens to study, or has not the money to travel, there are books. Of course, books are read by nearly everyone now, but it is sad to say that the good ones are touched by only a few rare persons. If one knows what he wants, he can derive much pleasure from stories. If fiction is desired, one may be carried into far away lands where make believe is true, and the impossible usually happens. Travel books are Cflontinued on page 875

Page 87 text:

POEMS First Prize FRANK L. MILLER, Sophomore THE GULL As the gull soars through the air on high His greyness seems to match the sky. He skims the water with lightning speed, To the slapping waves he pays no heed. Suddenly he is gone from sightp In the deep dark sea he stops his flight. He appears again-and with a swish Takes to the air with a silver fish. Second Prize RAYMOND D. WATSON, Senior THE STORM The sun had set in glows of blood-like red, The purple mountain tops were bathed in flame, But naught foretold the storm until it came, A monster fierce and reared its angry head. Before the path the lightning paved, men fled Nor stopped and sought swift thunder's mood to tame, And all the wild world over death lay claim To life, and none were left to count their dead. Dawn came and found a trusting world be trayed. But time began to heal the land again And life renewed itselfy the deathless urge To live, create and grow once more remade With strong, sure touch the earth, the sky! and men Lived on with hope in spite of storm and scourge. Third Prize PACIENCIA BALINGIT, Senior KOLEKOLE PASS The roadway winds about the mountain side A huge grey serpent creeping towards the sea. Each mountain top looms upward with great pride Enclothed in green and kissed by clouds so free. The sun is glimmering on the soft blue waves- Enchanting scene and lovely to behold. While here and yon, there may be some old caves 'Whose walls some former happenings enfold. By God's own hands this famous pass was made Though modern tools of man have changed it moreg Still yet the dismal past is clearly laid Upon this Sacrificial Rock of yore Part of Hawaii's history is bound With this old-aged rock which moderns found. Honorable Mention IUDITH KUNIHIRO, Senior HOPELESS The morn is swiftly drawing nigh And yet no triolet is mine, My snow-white papers calmly lie: My pen writes not, my heart doth cry, And though I pray for help on high No thought comes down to make my line, The morn is swiftly drawing nigh And yet no triolet is mine.

Page 89 text:

ESSAYS Second Prize IERE SMITH, lunior ON SURFING THE OTHER NIGHT, while I was sitting at home chatting with some friends, the following remark was made: It seems certain to me that all island people are distantly related in some way. The person that remarked thus was referring to the nostalgia displayed by travelers whose homes are in Hawaii Nei. Fur- ther proof of his statement was made when he told us of a letter which he had received from a true son of Hawaii who is away at college. The most important cause of homesickness seemed to be the fact that surfing was not to be had there. Surfing, as you may know, was originated by the old ,Hawaiians-real chil- dren of the sea. It was the principal avocation of these people, and they were taught from childhood to master what they considered the art of arts. Each member of the family was afforded the wood for a surfboard, which he had to fashion himself. To the average individual, the ability to ride a board in the simplest possible manner, lying down, will come after about six or eight months of faithful prac- tice. Since this is a sport really typical of these islands, every visitor should make an attempt to learn it. The first thing the beginner must master is the ability to hold the wave 1 that is, to keep his board well in front of the wave without getting too far in front. He will find at first that he will slip off his board or that it will turn un- expectedly and he will slide off the back of the wave, sidewise. If he is lucky enough to get well in front of the wave, he will probably pearl dive 1 that is, his board will dive towards the bottom and in doing so will throw him off. As time goes on, however, the surfer-to-be will learn to stay in the wave and, perhaps, to stand up on his slippery toboggan as it slides swiftly shore- ward. He will learn the best spots in the wave, and also which way he must slide across the wave, left or right, to get the best ride. In addition to this, he learns the courses and strengths of the various currents. Later, he will endeavor to ride larger and faster waves, and perhaps if he is lucky he may be able to ride the Queen Surf and Castle Surf at Waikiki, Surfing has today become a tourist trade, much to the disgust of many true lovers of this ancient art. Men who have surfed since childhood now turn to surfing as a means of earning a livelihood: large hollow and pieced surfboards. polished and painted in gay colors, are imported from Los Angeles factories and sold at great profit. In the place of the clumsy boards made from the wood of the koa tree, these shiny new steeds ride the surf at Waikiki. Nevertheless, in spite of these modern additions, to anyone who knows the islands, surfing is still the sport of sports. To me, as to others who love the islands, surfing exemplifies the true spirit of Hawaii. fCoutinued from page S67 easily acquired and acquaint one with foreign lands and customs, with no expense on our part-unless our book is overdue at the library. Books for all phases of life are easily found, and most of them are enjoyable. By Blue Horizons therefore, I do not mean that point where the earth and sky seem to meet, but the point where knowledge blends with the unknown. When we go beyond those horizons, we go to new places, study new things, and can even transport ourselves from past to future. Practically all we need is patience and a good imagination to supplement any dry information and make life more interesting.