Madison High School - Cauldron Yearbook (Madison, OH)

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Foreign Exchange Student enjoys her year at Madison. I am Madison's first foreign exchange student. My home is Bristol, England. As a student ambassador of my country, I hope you have received as good an impression of my country as I have of yours. I came over on a program called the A.F.S. — American Field Serv- ice, which began in 1914 in France during World War I. The American Hospital there gave its aid and contributed ambulances while American students living in France volunteered their work with them for the French army. At first they only fought on the battle fields in the North Front, but as the organization expanded they worked on all the fronts. It again became active in World War II, working not only in France but in Burma, North Africa, and Italy. Soon it was realized that as these different nations worked together they established understanding and respect between themselves. After the war it was decided to con- tinue this international feeling of good will by bringing foreign students to America, whereby personal contact, this understanding and respect could grow; helping to promote world peace. In 1947 only 17 students participated in this program, this year however, over 3000 foreign students came to America from 59 dif- ferent nations, and altogether 29,172 young people have taken part, or are now taking part in these A.F.S. Scholarships, so you can see why I am proud to be a part of it. England is only 400 miles long and in places less than 200 miles wide. I live in the South Country, down in the Southwestern peninsula. Bristol was at one time a very important part, but its shipping industry has declined and she trades mainly in tobacco, wine, and chocolate and now also airplanes. I come from a family of five. My father is a Valuation officer in the Civil Service, and my mother is a housewife. I have two brothers, Adrian, who is 21 and studying to be an architect at Birmingham University. Nigel is the youngest and at 13 atte’ds Bristol Grammar School where his days are filled with football, cricket, and other sports. Now I also have an American family to love, too, and it is through the help and understanding of my two families and all my friends at Madison, that my year has been such a happy, wonderful, memorable one. Basically there aren't too many differences between England and America. However, when I first came, I noticed particularly marked difference in houses. English homes are mainly built of brick or stone placed closely together, and inside not so many amenaties and less central heating. Your homes are mainly wood of colonial architec ture and with large gardens or yards as you call them. Our gardens are smaller, more compact, and filled with bright, delicately scented flowers. Our old country lanes are shaded by stalwart, ancient oak trees which overhang the green hedges and rich green fields. When I arrived I was amazed at the size of your cars, and I must admit, fascinated, too. However, I was also scared until I became accustomed to the driving on the other side of the road. Food is slightly different too, a few examples are — the very highly seasoned foods of America, which I enjoy, and your delicious corn-on- the-cob, which isn't grown in England. Whenever I used to see pictures of America it was invariably enormous skyscrapers, the like of which England has not yet produced. However, I was quite disappointed to find that these are confined to New York City only. A very marked difference is the hectic pace of living, Americans seem to keep; but however speeded up, fundamentally so many things are the same: hobbies, entertainment, believing the same faiths, and speaking-more or less, the same language, and most important, Ameri- cans laugh at the same things as the English. The schools are quite different as the educational aspects are incompatible. At home, school is more disciplined and there is much more respect for the teachers as we always have to stand when they come into the room, and call the men-sir. However, in American schools one is treated as an individual and an adult. Like Americans we work hard, have our ups and downs and make wonderful friends. I will miss all those friends I have made in Madison very much when I leave. How proud I am to be Madison's first A.F.S. Exchange Student. I wish all the AFS'ers you may have (and may there be many) have as successful a year as mine, and to you, all the best of luck in the future. —Hilary Bell Hilary enjoying a dance with Denny Lowe. 5

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Teachers receive their apples on “Apples for the Teacher Day. Staff photographer, Paul Boomhower, discuss his latest pictorial efforts with Steve Glawitsch.