Machias High School - Margaretta Yearbook (Machias, ME)

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THE MARGARETTA ll we called my father's attention to it. After hesitating a minute, he told us that it was sugar cane burning. He knew himself that this was war. When we returned home, our radio was going full blast: programs were inter- rupted every few minutes. This was it. Pearl Harbor had been attacked by the Iapanese. Iapanese planes were circling Fort Shafter and near-by places. Being only three miles from Pearl Harbor, we could get a good view of bombs floating down by the hundreds. My father then reported for duty in Schofield: and to reach his base, he had to drive right through Pearl Harbor. What were we to do? Immediately all families at our post were ordered to seek shelter in a large electric power plant. which would serve temporarily as an air- raid shelter. There we spent three days and three nights, frightened and not knowing what to expect next. Food and clothing were brought by the soldiers during this time but very little of the food was eaten. Many prayers were said while we waited patiently for the outcome. The fourth day came and we were told we might go home. Every night we were alerted by air- raid signals warning us to go to near-by tunnels and to await the all-clear signal. Many a night was spent with our clothes still on from the day before in preparation for leaving for shelter. In order to be up instantly when the alarm went on, we took our bed covers and mattresses and slept on the floor. This went on for two months. School at the time was still running but we did not dare leave the post to go to the city. Tunnels were built in every yard for pro- tection. February rolled around and many fam- ilies were given the opportunity to go to the states if they had relatives there. Due to the fact that my father's family lived in Maine, he thought it best for us to come for fear of another attack. We left on February 17, 1942, on the Lurline and arrived by train on March 7, 1942. All I can say is-that was one experi- ence that I shall never forget! ALMA CHADWICK '51 OUR CONSTITUTION - ORDAINED BY FREE MEN, SUSTAINED BY FREE MEN. Prize winning essay in American Legion Contest. Since the Pilgrims landed on Plymouth Rock in 1620, we have fought for freedom and what we thought was right. What made the Pilgrims start out on that terrifying journey in August, 1620? You know the answer as well as I. They wanted Freedom. Freedom of Religion, Freedom of Speech, Freedom of the Press, and Free- dom of Assembly: those are what they fought and died for: those are what we are fighting for today, and future genera- tions will Hght for them. As long as the Four Freedoms exist, they will be fought for by Americans. It was difficult for our forefathers. Some gave up the fight and returned to their homelands, but there were others who dreamed and planned of what would come. Many of these people did not see their dreams come true, but gave up their lives striving for these dreams. First, there were the Indians, who had lived for centuries undisturbed. They did not like having white people crowding them out. Second, was the Revolutionary War. That was the greatest fight for American Liberty. In that war we first won our freedom. Few people thought we could

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If LITERXRY MY TRIP TO GIRLS' STATE The Machias American Legion Aux- iliary sent me to Farmington in 1950 as a delegate to the Dirigo Girls' State School of Government. We arrived at Farmington State Teachers' College on Friday, Iune Six- teenth. Each girl was assigned to one of two parties: The Whigs, who were the Conservative party, and the Tories, or Radicals. Every girl had a badge which identified her as a citizen of the county of Honesty or Courage, and the town of Iustice, Freedom, Democracy, or Loyalty. Friday evening there was an informal get-acquainted hour. followed by the formulation of parties, caucuses and con- ventions. On Saturday morning we heard a lec- ture on town government. This was fol- lowed in the afternoon by model town meetings, formation of town warrants and election of ofHcers. Saturday evening we attended a lec- ture on county government. On Sunday morning everyone attended church. In the afternoon we heard lectures on Maine state finances, the duties of state officials and the significance of primary elections. Great stress was laid on the failure of so many citizens to vote in the primaries. which are of equal or greater importance than the final elections. On Sunday evening there was a com- munity sing fwe had music and recreation every day, followed by a timely lecture on the dangers of Communism. The primary elections were held on Monday after the campaign speeches of the candidates for Girl Governor. The candidates spoke on points men- tioned in their party platforms, such as abolishment of the Governor's Council, an increase in the amount of money allotted to the Education, Health, Highway and State Parks Departments, and the changing of the time of all state and national elections to November. On Tuesday morning the state and county elections followed political pep meetings and rallies. A highlight of the week was our trip to Augusta to attend the inauguration of our Girl Governor, Ruth Swanson. Here we saw Blair House, the Hall of Flags. Fort Western and the Treasury Depart- ment, where we touched a pice of paper worth two million dollars. The House and Senate convened on Wednesday. The Governor and her council met to pass, veto, or suggest changes in bills presented and voted upon in the Legislature. In the evening we attended a banquet and enjoyed stunt night. On Thursday we were homeward bound. I hope that I will prove worthy of the honor given me and that I will do my part to justify the faith of America in her youth. ALMA MERRILL '51 DECEMBER 7, 1941-ATTACK It was a warm, still morning in Fort Shafter where I lived. My brother and I, still in bed clothes, followed my father to the car. We were bound for the bakery. As we were riding through Honolulu, big, black, ugly smoke clouds and fiery flames were piling high above a large sug- ar cane field. Knowing not what it was,

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12 THE MARGARETTA win. They asked each other, How? We were a new nation, untried, without an army, navy, or enough supplies. Only one thing stood in our favor. We were fight- ing on our own ground. It was men like George Washington, Thomas jefferson, and Benjamin Franklin, who believed we could gain our freedom, who carried us through. Finally on july 4, 1776, the Liberty Bell rang out announcing to the people of Philadelphia the signing of the Declar- ation of Independence. It is hard to take a group of people with different interests, living in different parts of a country, carrying on different indus- tries, and bring them together to work for a common cause. How much more diffi- cult then must it be to band together a group of states! Though the earliest attempts to unite the American colonies failed, the fact that each attempt came nearer to success spurred on the Coun- try's statesmen, and led at last to a glorious success. The Articles of Confederation were tried and failed. Since this gave Con- gress no power, each state could do as she pleased. The individual cared nothing for the weak government represented by the Articles of Confederation, All he was in- terested in was his own state. Soon it became apparent that something would have to be done. In 1786, some of the most brilliant men in the land met at a Philadelphia meeting, known as the Federal Convention. Washington, jeffer- son, Franklin, james Madison, and Alex- ander Hamilton were there. It is well that such strong-minded men attended because they had important work to do. The sessions were stormy and progress was slow but each agreement reached brought the men a little nearer their goal-a practical government for the United States. Those men accomplished in a few weeks what has governed the people of the United States for more than a cen- tury and a half-The Constitution of the U. S. Then came the problem of getting all the states to adopt the Constitution. Within two years nine states had joined. Soon afterward the other four states joined and all thirteen states became a single nation. Long years after the Atlantic Ocean had been crossed and the Atlantic Coast of the United States built its civilized and progressive country, the adventurous spirit of the pioneers lived on. Westward their descendents went leaving the com- fortable cities and towns of the East, to advance through forest, and deserts, over mountains and across rivers, to push the frontier ever farther into the wilderness. This great western migration was sure to have important effects on the new nation of the United States-and it did. From a little group of thirteen states spread along the Atlantic Coast of North America, the United States had grown into a mighty nation of forty-eight states, extending across the entire continent from the Atlantic to the Pacific. It took suffer- ing. and sacrifice, and daring, and im- agination to gain under a tremendous strain. How it was done, and how the investment has yielded a golden harvest, make a most inspiring story. Within two years the Constitution was amended ten times. These Amendments are known as the Bill of Rights, and guarantee certain privileges to the citizens. Now came the struggle of proving our- selves to thc other nations of the world. This was not easy. It took bravery and a fight to gain the respect, and honor of these nations. However, this respect was not long in coming. We proved ourselves equal not