Plymouth High School - Pilgrim Yearbook (Plymouth, MA)

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The Principal Speaks The French have a proverb which translates roughly as follows: It is easy to be wise for others, but it is not easy to be wise for one's self. I suppose we might express that more pungently in our own idiom:- We find it easy to tell another man how to run his business although we may not know how to mind our own. And in present-day life because the government through relief pro- grams, social security, school lunch programs, and subsidies to farmers, milk producers, shipbuilders, air-line operators, etc., provides for us so many of the things which formerly we expected to provide for ourselves, our self-reliance is weakened and our much-vaunted spirit of independence considerably diluted. All too many our people are quite contentedly con- ditioning themselves to accepting government handouts, they not only are unable to mind their own business, they don't even seem to want to. And yet every boy possessed of a spark of manhood wants to stand on his own feet-and the same can be said of every self-respecting girl. All except the weaklings want to stand erect, beholden to no one for favors. What protection then is there against this insidious weakening of our national character ? Are we to turn into a race of chiselersl'? Can we stand up before any self-respecting nation-even the Russians-and take pride in our achievements when underlying it all lies the rot-and we know it - of the cheap practices that the weak-willed, slippery-minded, morally blind, shyly dishonest have worked out to take advantage of the social legislation set up to aid and protect the truly unfortunate? CNO one can have any serious quarrel with the intent of this legislation-but all of us must guard against the abuses it makes possiblej And it is the insidious temptation within ourselves that I'm talking about-not what someone else does, but what you or I may do. For the ultimate bulwark of all law is the conscience of the individual. And so it is that conscience becomes the only real protection against national decay. We become a race of chiselers only if you and I and our friends stoop to chiseling. As a people we lose our self-reliance, our typically American spirit of independence, when you and I seek in govern- ment hand-outs those things which we should by our own work supply for ourselves. A decent pride, an honest self-respect, can grow only out of a good conscience, and a decent nation evolves only from decent citizens. EDGAR J. MONGAN

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Dedication Signs are indicative of respective trades: the barber has his striped pole, the optician his pair of monster glasses, and the druggist a huge mortar and pestle. At Plymouth High School Mr. Roland Holmes edits the yearbook. We like to believe that this book is the result of our work and effort, but we know full well that it would never become a reality without Mr. Holmes' guiding hand and constant encouragement. It is to him we dedicate this PILGRIM, this Hsignl' which gives to those who pass by quickly some idea of the activities which are ours. This record of our school life will be carefully treasured by all of us. But more important still are the many signs which Mr. Holmes has given us as we journeyed through the years. These most people do not see because they do not hang before a shop for all to see, but are hung securely inside the hearts of us all to whom he means so much. We often stop to think how much we owe Mr. Holmes, and how much we depend upon him. The many pupils gathered around his desk prove how great a part he plays in our lives. As adviser for the PILGRIM, he sometimes has to be firm, but we know that it is his wise guidance that aids us to our success. He helps us to be more self-reliant, more able to work with others, and better equipped for the future. We shall remember the personal interest he has taken in every one of us, and the time he has given freely. We shall remember and cherish his kindness, his sense of humor, and his firm guidance through troubled waters. In gratitude we fondly dedicate our PILGRIM to Mr. Roland Holmes. K. S. E.

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PILGRIM STAFF Editor-in-chief-Karin S. Engstrom Junior Assistant Editor-Barbara Warnsman Sophomore Assistant Editor- Claire Vancini Business Staff-Roger Weaver, Manager Philip Canevazzi, Asst. Manager, James Goodwin, Christopher Hussey, Patricia Brady, Philip Sherman, Marie Hasz, Peter Miller, Robert Miskelly Art Staff-Joyce Brenner, Editor John Ledo, Elizabeth Bobb, Jeanette Brenner, Robert Kuhn Photography Staff - Cecelia Lillich, Editor Carol Melahoures, Asst., Sally Arons, Mary Bradley School News - Janice Kingman Senior Statistics-Edward Borgatti, Editor John Vancini, Jacqueline Weston, Lorraine Freitas Senior Features-Carol Connelly, Editor Claire Connelly, June Wood, Marie Hasz Boys' Sports Editor-Ira Carlin Girls' Sports Editor-Audrey Verkade French Editor-Nancy Maloni Latin Editor - Wallace Crowell Science-Math Editor - Charles Branagan Typists-Patricia Gellar, Delores Almeida, Lemieux Joyce Pederzini, Elizabeth