Madison High School - Bulldog Yearbook (Madison, ME)

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.- lr 4 I , ,rw V , tw 1- --uf :fee N A1 Some misguided soul, whose identity must remain unknown, once observed that there are three sexes in America: men, women and school teachers. Traditionally the teacher has been thought of as a peculiar kind of virtuous and unreal personality, akin to a clergyman. In the past the teacher was to set a good example to the students and, on a smaller scale, to the whole community. Recreations and diversions which were found inviting, pleasant, and socially acceptable to adults of any small town were strictly taboo for the teachers. Al- most every phase of their life, from mode of dress and manners of speech to moral behavior, was subject to public investigation on standards of propriety considerably higher than those to which the rest of the community was expected to comply. Conditions are gradually improving. Today the women teachers are allowed more freedom in their mode of dress. All teachers are permit- ted more Qbut I do not say how much morej personal private life. Present-day teachers are well-trained and skillful in their handling of children. The old ideas of stern discipline 'i and training the mind have passed. There is a new educational thinking and with it should come a new social position for the indi- viduals responsible for this new system. It is still very common to find fairly well-informed adults poking fun at new educational ideas. These same adults still hold the out-dated con- cepts of teacher behavior. However, teachers in America from the kindergarten to the university are becoming a more nearly normal group in appearance, personal conduct, interests, and ambitions. The average community has by no means wholly approved of this change, but in spite of the opposition, the teacher is gradually being cast in a different role. Perhaps at some future date she will be regarded by all as an equal member of the human race! Ethelyn Fletcher Ferguson '44 World Upon My Shoulders Tomorrow I hoist the world upon my shoul- ders. The world is gargantuang I am afraid. Yes, I am afraid - for I have heard murmur- ingsg I am afraid - for I have heard rumors. The destiny of tomorrow lies in the hands .J ,li of our youth. Last week an orator shook his linger violently at me. I squirmed uncomfort- ably, and I shifted my gaze. Yesterday it was in the headlines of newspapers. I was startled, and I became depressed. Today the radio is dramatizing it. I shiver, and I feel insecure. Destiny? I? What do they mean? Destiny - I -I who only yesterday kicked a ball across a muddy held with my body and soul? I who cheered stoutly for my victorious opponent when my heart was bleeding for my fighting team? I who threw a spitball to distract the brain out front? I who wore a necktie to charm the girl I loved? I who scribbled pic- tures when English got a bore ? Destiny-I? Destiny - I always thought that was big stuff, Stuff for Roosevelts and Trumans, Marshalls and Eisenhowers, Fords and Rocke- fellers. Then why do they point their fingers at me? Why do they make me uncomfortable in my seat? Why do they expect me to hold the world upon my back? Say . . . do you suppose that Eisenhower ever got muddied in a football suit? Don't you think that perhaps Henry Ford cheered hoarsely for some team? Maybe Harry Tru- man played hooky to mend some fishing tackle. Destiny . . . it's great stuff. World, here are my shoulders. And tomorrow I won't turn back! Miriam Kochakian '45 Along with forty-eight others I graduated from M. H. S. in 1946. During my four-year stay in high school I took an interest in the BULLDOG, serving on the editorial staff in my junior and senior years. In comparing the quality of the BULLDOG with that of similar school yearbooks I have found the M. I-I. S. publication always equal or superior to the others, and I believe that under the direction of successive editorial staffs and supervision of the faculty its high standards have been ably main- tained. Possible improvements would involve only minor, insignificant changes. Among its best aspects are the large number of clear group photographs, a liberal amount of students' original work, a rather complete cov- erage of all sports and activities, the added natural touch of informal snaps, and the school calendar. The overall organization also seems to be entirely satisfactory.

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iTIN ANNIYER SARY in China today than at the height of Iapanese domination. The greatest difference, however, it seems to me, is in the personal feelings of the American people. Today we have a much more acute sense of responsibility. Our foreign policy has not always been wise, nor will it always be in- fallible, but it has seemed to maintain the initi- ative in the past year of cold war. In 1949 we must maintain that awareness of world problems - we must keep the initiative in RussoAmerican relations. With a spirit that forces you to consider Madison as a part of the world and not only a portion of Maine, you men and women will have gone a long step ahead of this writer's thinking in '39, If you apply well the lessons learned since '39 a new era of world peace may yet evolve - and the members of the Class of 149 may well be instru- mental in shaping and keeping that long sought for goal. Doctor Robert A. Bearor '39 The past several weeks I have thought in vain upon some theme to write for your book. It seems impossible to find anything that could be of interest to you who are now ready to go out on your own. You face a hard world at a critical timeg it will be hard for you to make decisions and de- cide upon your future. I say take the world as it is, face it and don't ever hesitate to take a chance if it means a chance for you to get ahead. As long as it is honest, give it a whirl, you'll never know the answer till you try. Good luck to all of you and the best of every- thing to you. Scott Iohnson '40 Sergeant Benjamin White, 1941 Editor, was killed in action in World War II. To Be, Rather Than to Seem I With apologies to the state of North Carolina for using this, their motto, At first, when I sat down to write this article for the 1949 Yearbook, I hoped to put into dynamic words some unique and powerful idea or thought. On the contrary, however, I turned to a plain and unadorned subject - a subject, the principle of which, all of us would do well to accept and live by. To Be, Rather Than to Seem applies to very nearly all of us. Ever since childhood for various reasons we have tried to appear to be that which we were not. A little boy seems to be unafraid of a heavy thunder storm, but actu- ally he is quaking in his shoes. And so on through life until we reach the adult stage and this period often times is the worst mask-wear- ing deceptive stage of all: we like to appear to be anything but what we really are. What does this camouflaging get us? Nothing! Our masks always develop holes and we are found out in the end. They only way to enjoy true friendship is to BE yourself. The greatest crime resulting from this fool- hardiness is our becoming increasingly dishon- est with our very selves. A sad portrait of a man indeed!! Therefore, in order To Be, Rather Than to Seem, start being painstak- ingly honest with yourself. For, to quote the famous passage, To thine own self be true and it must follow as the night the day, thou can'st not then be false to any man. Perry Harding '42 Autobiography After graduating from high school, I served for 33 months in the U. S. Army, 27 of which were in England, France, and Germany. After receiving my discharge, I was employed by the Service for a few Massachusetts Hospital months prior to entering Tufts College. I am now in my junior year chemical engineering. At the present time I am a member of the of the Army, Tufts and am majoring in Enlisted Reserve Corps Chemical Society, Tufts Student Chapter of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers, the Tufts-Iackson Off-Hill Club, and the staff of the Trav-Hiller, a monthly publication of the OH-Hill Club. I am also a student affiliate of the American Chemical Society. Malcolm E. Magill '43 After graduation in Iune of 1944, 1 attended Colby College for two years, registered as a pre- medical major. In August of 1946 I married Stanley Ferguson of the class of 1941. Stan and he at- I lived in Bangor the next year while tended Higgins Classical Institute. He is now a freshman at the University of Maine ing in Physical Education. We have William, born in Iune 1948. major- a son,

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,,,., TIN ANNIYERSARYh For improvements I have no concrete sugges- tions. Possibly the poems adjoining seniors' photographs might be eliminated, and substi- tuted for them might be more pertinent infor- mation about the students, such as nicknames and ambitions. Additional humor might ap- pear in this issue to create more direct appeal to the student body. I congratulate former BULLDOG staffs on their performance and I wish to the present staff every chance for a bright, successful publi- cation of the M. H. S. BULLDOG. Robert L. Harding '46 We live in a small town. There is little sign here of racial or religious prejudice in our town. Many of you will be leaving here and meeting people of all races, and religions from all parts of the country and world. You'll find prejudice and intolerance sneaking in about you. You'll hear, That kike would gyp you out of anything, or What can you expect from a nigger? Before you realize it, these phrases that you hear will build up in your mind until you too, are prejudiced, unless you think ration- ally rather than emotionally. Rather than run- ning people down for something that is more our fault than theirs, try fighting this segrega- tion. fYou'll forgive me for saying we and they and thus not practising what I prcach. j One of my girl friends told me of an incident in her childhood. I'd like to tell you. Sylvia was only six years old. She had just moved to a new section in Brooklyn. She knelt by her mother crying as if her heart were broken. Mommy, she sobbed, as only a child of six can, when can we move again? The kids won't let me play with them here. They said I was just a dirty Iew. Why do they hate me? When can we go away? That girl has never forgotten it. Now she has an inferiority complex which she tries to cover up by being superficially gay, by trying too hard to impress people, to make people like her in spite of the fact that she is Hebrew. Many say that she's just another overbearing lewf' ls it her fault that her personality is warped-or the fault of the children who made fun of her? The children didn't know the meaning of what they said. We aren't born with hate, they heard only what their parents had said and repeated. In this world is there not enough hate and destruction without the addition of racial and religious intolerance? What does it matter if his skin is black, white, yellow, or red, or if he sits cross-legged to eat with sticks, or if he kneels or lies- prostrate to pray to a God of his own choice? Surely, in spite of all the sarcasms you hear, with your rugged New England individualism you can help overcome some of this prejudice that is so prevalent in the world today. Gloria Franklin '47 Your College You students who are planning to enter col- lege should give yourselves enough time to in- vestigate those colleges which interest you. The right choice in the beginning may save you many of the troubles and headaches that beset college freshmen who are misfits. You would do well to ask yourself the following questions: 1. Do I want to attend a small college or a large college? 2. Would it be better for me to attend a col- lege in a different section of the country? 3. How much individual help and attention shall I probably need? 4. Does my prospective college enable me to receive that help? 5. Is the college's scholastic standing as high as I would wish? 6. Am I offered a thorough course in my chosen profession? 7. I-Iow competent will my instructors be? 8. Will the competition force me to work my- self to capacity? 9. Will my financial status permit me to stay at my chosen college? Do not be frightened by the size of a college. Size means nothing. Often more individual instruction is offered in a large institution than in a small one. Above all, choose a college to fit your own personal needs. Norman Weston '48