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

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O A K L E A v E s WORLD POWER PRESENTS MEDAL TO OAK GROVE Although it has been well known for some time that the French Depart- ment at Oak Grove has been doing brilliant work, yet it was a thrilling surprise to all of us when we realized that the Republic of France had select- ed Oak Grove among all the private schools in New England upon which to bestow a medal. We had been told that there would be distinguished French guests here on January nineteenth and Oak Grove wanted to honor them by presenting a program entirely in French, but all .the time we felt a little bit of mystery in our preparations as we Worked on Les Femmes Savantes and the speeches we were preparing. As th-e day drew nearer Mrs. Owen told us there was a secret which would please us very much and then she invited us all to the banquet with which the ceremonies were to begin. Among the guests of honor were more than twenty representatives of the French government and Cercle Francais. The banquet was formal but with all the vivacity of our French friends, we shall never forget the dining room that night by candlelight with its international and intensely interesting atmosphere. Our guests gathered again at eight o'clock in the Assembly Hall where Mlle. Guilb-eau welcomed them and the Oak Grove Chorus sang La Marseil- laise. M. Harold Dubord, National Committeeman and friend of Ambassa- dor Andre de la Boulaye, described in gracious terms the work of Oak Grove which had merited this honor by a world power interested in promoting friendly relations with the United States and its best institutions. He spoke in part as follows: For fifteen years I have watched this school on its beautiful hilltop above the winding Kennebec. I have seen it grow under the quiet but far- seeing leadership of Principal and Mrs. Owen, until it led in its own State and established such a wid-e reputation for scholarship, culture and charac- ter development that discriminating parents have sent their daughters not only across the length and breadth of our great country but also from for- eign lands to be trained at Oak Grove. The French Department has been unusual and brilliant for more than ten years. Because of the high quality of both the class and extra-curricula work, because of the excellence shown by Oak Grove students in inter- scholastic competition in French, because of the record of its graduates in four of the famous universities of France, this medal, with the honor which it symbolizes, is awarded to Oak Grove School in the name of the great Re- public of France. M. Jules Savarin delivered an address with the vivacity and noblesse of a French gentleman. M. Rossiter Marcou charmed us by two solos. M. Auguste Bocquel, lecturer and artist, expressed his admiration of Oak Grove in French of literary beauty. The students of Mlle. Guilbeau then entertained for the enjoyment of the guests of honor with a group of French songs, and addresses in French 7

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OAK LEAVES cf -1 It 11' -. 121 ' ' ill' . il 1 ww 1 Hiram 1. ll 1,..V ' 1 1 .I 'rl' I q ' F ',f.1l A . Q r v J 'I will .3 li. 353 95' . X 'S.vz- :ll Sf' f I1 p 'QK' '. 1.111 il, U . ezr A I Ness 5. 1,5 , gk if sly. I. he iw -.M iz? .. .1 .NVAEFVI xzxrwzgk . . ,W Q71 A 'll ir f 1 1 A Rini. .'l.,l' A I i 'ilw' 'fit Hifi' . ,' I I A :ll VOL. XXXVII Vassalboro, Maine, June, 1934 Number 1 EDITORIAL STAFF Edilor-in-Cbief SUSAN CHANDLER, '34 Auiimnl Edilori' STELLA CARVELL, '54 CHRISTINE WATERHOLISE, '54 Bu,1ifze.111' Mamzqw' MURIEL O'BRlON, '54 A.111'i.1'!unt Mamzgeri PHYLLlS UMIJHREY, '54 FRANCES STOBIE, '55 JEAN WILKINSON, '56 Alblvlic Editor Ari Edilor KATHRYN HODGKINS, '35 FELIClA RECCHIA ,715 Alumnae Editor BEVERLY POWELL, '27 Clam Editor! 195-1 Hiz1.1zN l.EWIS 1956 VIRGINIA BASCOM 195-1 FRANCES M11.LER 1957 MARIE JOSEPHINE CARVETH 19.15 PA'1'R1c1A QU1MBY Ju11i01- Dept ETHEL WENTWORTH All comxnunications should he addressed and checks made payable to Manager of OAK LEAVES. Price of OAK I.12Avns, 32.00. OAK LEAVES has always been favored by many kind patrons who adver- tise generously in our magazine year after year. We have always appre- ciated it, and we are more grateful than ever, in these times of economic distress, to the staunch friends who are continuing their support. We also realize that some who have felt compelled to suspend ,such favors will be only too happy to resume them as soon as business improves. We also appreciate the generosity of our teachers who have contributed to our funds, the cooperation of scores of students who have submitted so many more articles than we could print, and the unselfish devotion of Mrs. Owen who has again given time and strength as our faculty adviser. 6

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OAK LEAVES by two of the students. Some of our French students with a. real feeling for their parts appeared in Moliere's famous comedy Les Femmes Savantes . It was a very wonderful evening for us and we are still quite breathless with all the honor that has come to us, but at the same time we are also working very hard in order that we may continue worthy of the medal which has been presented to us by the Republic of France. WHAT IS YOUR ANSWER? Whether or not a person is a good student, careful Workman or a suc- cessful member of society depends upon his response to this question: Is he interested in what he is doing? The answer of the successful man is always Yes but the failure invariably replies, No , There are two interests which everyone should cultivate in order to be useful to society and neces- sary in his position. He should b-e animated by a dominant urge which will forever demand the best of him as well as his best for others. He should also have a genuine interest in the world in which he lives so that he may find the relation of his duties to the tasks in the World and their relation to forming a b-etter society. 8