Mechanic Falls High School - Pilot Yearbook (Mechanic Falls, ME)

Page 28 text:

26 M. F. H. S. PILOT education with them, firm in the belief of its ultimate necessity and strongly set in giving their children that which might have been denied to them personally. The educated man was respected. How dif- ferent from the earlier English idea that he who possessed knowledge was a direct emissary of the Devil and a dealer in the Black Arts! With the rise of national wealth the high school rose in importance and at- tendance. The three R's idea of edu- cation was found to be wanting as meas- ured against the requirements of the day, and new ideas became inculcated into the curriculum, and, enriching it, became per- manent, such as some of the experiments carried on at Gary, Indiana. Changes at Hrst were made slowly, for popular thought ran in but one deep rut, and it was the men of vision who were forced to cope with the problems which were arising. As new theories were proven, others came forward, until the modern high school can offer a student in four years that which was once considered a college education. Modern education can prepare a student for college or certain lines of business, science, or mechanics. Today, when competition is so fast and furious. in this, a business world, the jack-of-all-trades has no place. To attain a stable and lasting success one must specialize upon a chosen line and follow it. The basis of specialization is educa- tion,-education of a high order. That is what a high school in this country must give, along with the elementary schools. which mould and make smooth the way. An industrial and commercial nation in these times must be educated to survive the fierce financial tempest and weather poor business conditions. An educated nation is a machine which automatically repairs itself. When a country presents a citizen with an education it is making an investment, the returns of which out- grow the actual principal. Educated peo- ple work out and understand intelligent laws. progress is more rapid, inventions increase, disease and sickness are con- quered, and nation-wide understanding is accomplished. An educated nation wars against that evil genius of mankind,- war. In this alone learning earns its pur- chase price. The individual benehts from contact with other enlightening people, who understand and appreciate the higher and liner things of life, a raised standard of living, and a higher morality. There is no question of these advantagesg they are self-evident, and the past history of this country wil bear this assertion out. It is readily admitted, however, that there are weak points in the structure of the present school system. For one thing, books could be passed upon by a com- mittee, not only state, but nation-wide, and a uniform schedule of school books he arranged. l believe a bureau should be established which would direct edu- cation in this country in a more united manner. At present there are no two schools of really equal standards to be found for the reason that there are dif- ferent sets of rules in each school and different books used. The schools of Maine compare favor- ably with the schools of any other State. and the expense of Maine schools com- pared with those of the rest of the Union is much less. This may be carried to extremes, however. just as Massachu- setts has gone to the further extreme in paying twenty-three out of every twenty- live on public schools. It cannot be denied that some of the Massachusetts schools

Page 27 text:

M. F. H. S. With an encouraging slap on the back Carl replied, Good for you, Old man. Then, as he had arrived at his home, he bade Frank good-bye and went thought- fully into the house. On entering the kitchen he saw his mother, who was seated by the window, reading a letter which she held in her hand. As Carl entered she looked up and said, Oh! Carl! I have a letter here which I have just received from my cousin in New York. She is inquiring about a boy who is living here in town, and who is a state charge, but to whom an Uncle, who was living somewhere out west, has left all of his money. It seems that the Uncle was a recluse, but had made his will. The lawyer who is set- tling the business has located the boy and is about to notify him of his good for- tune. Who can the boy be ? Oh! Mother l exclaimed Carl, I hope it is Frank Clark. I walked home with him tonight and he is so sad because the boys shun him. On arriving at the place where he boarded Frank opened the door and went quietly to his room. On the table was a legal looking envelope. He picked it up and tore it open. The color faded from his cheeks as he read its contents. Then after scanning the page. he slowly walked to the bed and sat down. Can it be possible that I, Frank Clark the outcast, can be the heir of one hundred thousand dollars? I must go over and tell Carl. Mrs. Blake and Carl were still sitting in the kitchen when Frank passed the window. Carl opened the door and Frank caught him by the hand. Carl, old boy, you were my friend when I was poor, now will you be my friend even if I am rich? Read this, and he thrust into PILOT 25 Carl's hand the letter that had brought happiness to him. E. BOYKER, '37 MAINE EDUCATION AND ITS NEEDS When man first swung his axe in the wilderness of early America for the pur- pose of building a school, he laid the cornerstone of the greatest educational system in the world. VVhether he knew it or not, that pioneer was shaping the fate of a nation, and every ringing blow of his axe was a stroke in favor of world enlightenment. From the time of that unknown down to the present day is a far cry, but the work goes marching on, and we can afford a moment of silent thanks to an unsung hero of another sort. who started education on its path in the wilds of the New VVorld. 'l'hrough the years the trackless forests and plains of North America developed into a fair and flourishing nation. with education accept- ing a full measure of credit. Today people have come to realize that it is to the best interests of the nation to make education a paramount issue, and such is now the case. The standards of education in the United States are the world's highest, and school equipment is of the best. Years had to pass before our system reached its present state. and they were years of doubt, uncertainty, and apprehension, as the young nation struggled for a firmer footing in its Hght for existenceg but despite war beyond her borders and the throes of an intense internal upheaval which threatened to disrupt the Union, education held up its head. When wagon trains crawled across the prairies of the great West, the sturdy pioneers carried

Page 29 text:

M. F. H. S. lead in educational circles but one won- ders if the importance of education in this particular instance has not been over- stressed. We must look to the future, far be- yond those times when prosperity is at a low ebb, and see the requirements that will be presented, so that we may change our school schedules to agree in training for future demands. On the basis of past history, life will be much more in- volved and competitive in the times to come than the present, which makes it appear that the part of the schools of America, and among them those of Maine. will ever grow in importance. Let us see to it that those who come after us shall be able to carry on, driving loath- some Ignorance with the silver sword of Knowledge to the farthermost corners of the earth, leaving it a better world for humanity. HUGH RIDEOUT, '34 A VOICE FROM OUTSIDE Ohl Let me come inside of the lofty walls, called a soft little voice outside the school house. A hushed silence came the noisy students on the inside. Who could it be that wanted to come into the Brain Shop, as they referred to school, for they only looked upon OVCI' their it as a place of meeting and having fun with the different ones there. T hey worked only when they really had to and then just enough to get by. Let me in, again called the little voice. I wonder who it is, said Mary. Shall we let whoever is outside enter? asked Betty. fSure, they all chimed together, If they want to come into this place let them in. . PILOT 27 Tom opened the door and said, Come in, my friend, but no one could be seen. All the others began to laugh saying, The joke is on you, Tom. When the door was closed the same little voice said, Thank you, very much for letting me in. I have tried for a long time to gain admittance but no one would let me enter. The students looked around but no one could be seen. Mary said in a timid voice, who are you and why do you hide P Oh! l am the unseen spirit here to renew your interest in education and to help you in your future life and I know I am welcome here for you all want to be well known in the future. Am I not right? spoke the little voice from the outside. You are welcome within these walls. Unseen Spirit, since the Education of America must go on. D. FRENCH, '34 WHAT IS A HOME WITHOUT A CHILD? A young boy of sixteen years walked slowly down the alley with his dog. Thoughts of his mother who had long since departed for another world rushed through his mind. Visions of her and his father rose in vivid pictures before his unseeing eyes. The boy was on the verge of starva- tion but he kept walking wearily on try- ing to find some place to rest. Suddenly a group of boys ran past him and one dropped a bag. Rex stared at the boys and at the bag. He then stooped, picked up the bag and started to cry out to the boys to stop and get it, but at that mom- ent a policeman's hand grabbed him by the arm and a grutf voice said, I've got you, you little rascal. Don't think you