Oak Grove Coburn High School - Oak Leaves Yearbook (Vassalboro, ME)

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OAK LEAVES strongest and noblest characters, and their influence is one of infinite cour- age and inspiration to all who know them. In the third way, as in the other two, our influence is usually uncon- scious. If, however, we are thorough in our Work and if our attitude toward both the joys and the disciplines of life is true, we may know that whether our paths lead to exalted places or whether they lie along humble ways, we have given full measure in each day, and we may say with Pippa, All service ranks the same with God. ELIZABETH MARTIN. I , 13

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OAK LEAVES the child's song stirs the young patriot to action. As night draws closer, Pippa passes by the palace where the powerful but unscrupulous and bold Monseigneur is moved to follow the night. Although the weary little girl is not conscious of it as she drops to sleep, yet she has had far-reaching influence and her service has ranked high with God. Pippa had one dayg we have one life. How are we to use our days? As Pippa expressed what she was, so we express what we are and our influ- ence goes forth for good or ill. Behind all our institutional life is the power of personality. What lies behind such institutions as Mount Holyoke and Wellesley Colleges? It is noble womanhood in the persons of Mary Lyon and Alice Freeman Palmer. What lies behind our political freedom? What brought the Constitution of the United States into being? Was it not the strong characters of noble men and women? What lies behind Christian- ity? Is it not the matchless character of Jesus Christ? We cannot express what we are not. Our first duty, therefore, if we are going to influence others, is to build strong, beautiful characters. How do we express our characters? There are laws which govern our influence upon one another. Pippa expressed her personality through song. We may not be talented in that way but there are three powerful ways in which we all exert an influence. One of the general ways in which we influence others is by our attitude toward life's joys. This is also true even of nations. The things in which the citizens of Rome, for example, found their excitement, reveal their character. The same is true of other nations, our own included. If our tastes are low, the influence which we convey is low. Persons who delight in unlovely pleasures, not only become unlovely themselves, but they tend to debase others. If, however, we find our pleasure in things which really ennoble human life, our influence upon others is ennobling. In the second place, we influence others by the attitude we take toward life's tasks. If we are careless in this respect, we influence others to be careless. A thorough and generous Workman inspires others to thorough- ness and generosity. If we develop a high regard for each day's task, we shall convey the sacredness of duty to others. In the third place, our personality is expressed by the way in which we meet the difficult things in life. We girls, going out from Oak Grove, are among a vast multitude of girls graduating at this season from secondary schools. Neither they nor we can expect that life's way will always be smooth in the days to come. As our parents have had to meet difliculties in life, so must we. Everything, so far as our influence upon the world is concerned, will be determined by the way in which we meet these difficul- ties. A cowardly attitude on our part will tend to weaken others. A brave, courageous spirit will tend to strengthen them. This is why the real heroes in life are so inspiring. Our attitude toward the difficulties of life may be the hardest test of character. Persons conquering obstacles become the 12

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OAK LEAVES A WISH OF LIFE Oh! to have lived Life's cares and pain: Oh! to have known Of its sunshine And raing oh! to be Hardened to love's Bitter strifeg oh! To just know Life! Life! Life! NATALIE SMITH. SPRING 1.-Lpologies to William Herbert Carruthj A mist on the Kennebec River, A smoky sky of gray, The dead brown grass of the meadows, And the blackbirds winging their wayg And all over mountain and valley The glories of Nature ring, Some call it just a season, But others call it Spring. NORMA LUCE. -l-..1.....i- WRITTEN FROM PARIS !With apologies to the author,-being a very personal letter from an Oak Grove girl who has been studying in France for a year at the University of Nancy, written on Palm Sunday,-and published without her permissionJ As for Paris, I just love it! Not that I've seen more than a glimpse of it yet, for the sights are tantalizingly scattered all over the immense city, one here and the next at a far corner. Since it's useless to try to see every- thing at once, and silly to see so much that half of it doesn't sink in, I've been taking it slow and easy with time to really feel as well as see Paris. My first three days have given me an immense amount as far as variety is concerned, that much is sure, from the frankly risque to the most awe- inspiring: lectures at the Sorbonne, including one by the famous Daniel Mornetg the Folies Bergeresg The Louvre-a first glimpse to be followed by days of studyg tea at the American University Clubg dinner at a Chi- nese restaurant, where we actually ate with chopsticksg a morning wander- ing through bookstores and along the banks of the Seine where book mer- chants have thousands of volumes exposed in cases perched on the wallg 14