Samuel D Hanson School - Crescent Yearbook (Buxton, ME)

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, THE CRESCENT 7 for Uthe best defense is a good offense.n Too much cannot be said about the undermining and abuse of our democracy for we have a great many nfifth columnistsn here in our country at work. I believe that some sort of check should be placed on our civil liberties during the present crisis, to protect our great Democracy -- America. Edna Moulton'4l War Consciousness The American public has become war-conscious! For over a year the national newspapers, weekly and monthy magazines and radio have so greatly emphasized,in the form of articles and speeches,our great American heritages, the curses of Fascism and Nazism and the horrors which follow in the wake of war that in truth Mr. and Mrs. Citizen are practically eating, living and sleeping war. Articles from American correspondents in Germany, from suffers in the European countries conquered by Hitler's vast nwaramachinen and tales from those who have seen the inside story of this immense undertaking, have brought us face to face with unquestionable terrors of the Nazi regime. Only last month Jan Valten's nOut of the Nightu was claimed to have caused more controversy and hate toward a country's principles than any other book written since Harriet B. Stowe's nUncle Tom's Cabin.n What are such books and articles doing to us, the reading public? Making us hate is the immediate answer, hate for the principles and ideals for which Nazism, Fascism Communism and other -isms stand! What is all this hate doing for us? Nothing, we are gaining absolutely nothing, indeed, it will inevitably make us become hard and cold toward our fellow mon and toward the world. Hate brings with it bitternes, cynicism, and revenge, once it has wrapped these tenaeles about us we are helpless. Can it be that we believe that this hate is being felt by Hitler and his allies or that it will in the least stall his cruel and unmerciful deeds? It is hurting us, our high ideals and lofty aims, far more than his. Instead of all this useless hating, why not turn our thoughts toward the principals of the great democracy in which We live? Certainly the thoughts of a country in which we all have equal rights, in which their is freedom, liberty and justice for all will wipe all hate from our hearts. Let us remember that instead of a dictator we have a president, whom we have privilege of choosing, that instead of some few direce tors we are able to make our own lawsg that instead of the judgment of one and only one we have the opportunity of a fair

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DT ji M Democracy In America Democracy in America today is being greatly undermined and our freedom and liberty which only America gives is being abused. Should not some of our civil liberties be taken away during the present crisis? Freedom of speech is a great privilege which only a demo- cracy can give, but is not there such a think as nworking a free horse to death?n In this land of freedom, anyone can say anything he wants to against anyone, the governor, the president or the government. In what other country can anyone do this? Surely not in Germany or Italy. Today, a Nazi or Communist in this country can say what he wants to, but are not they they carrying it too far in stirring up riots and strikes in the de- fense projects? They certainly are, but how far can the free- dom of speech go before it encroaches on civil liberties? I recently heard the answer to this while listening to nThc People's Platformn. It said that anyone could say anything he wanted to unless it resulted in riot or mob violence. Into academic freedom is a good place for Nazi and Commu- nistic people to work spreading their propaganda. Today, this is too liberal, for this thing could easily be done, and has been done in other countries. It would be a terrible thing if this should happen, for the Nazi and Communist teachers would be very clever in the way they went about it, so as not to ex- cite suspicion yet fulfill their aims. If they could get a hold on the students, it would be disastrous for the young people in school today will be the future of our nation tomorrow. ' Another liberty we should all sacrifice during the present time is labor striking. No true American would really want to strike on defense work, for we are building up our country against possible attack and also building supplies to send to help our fellow democracies in Europe. Recently, all one hears on the radio is about the strikes in different plants, Ford plants, Bethlehem Steel and others. Some have lasted nearly ten weeks. The workers should even be glad to work more than a thirty or forty hour week until our defense program is completed. The peace time conscription is another civil liberty which we have accepted in order to defend our country against anything

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8 THE CRESCENT trial and justiceg that instead of hunger, misery and suffering we have food, happiness and comforts. Is is not possible that after looking at our problem in the light that this hate will be erased forever in the ever- increasing appreciation of our great American democracy? Carolyn Woelcock'42 Motion Pictures In The School This changing world of ours has seen many steps in the fields of education and many have resulted from scientific inventions. One of these which I would like to bring to mind is a common term today, nVisual Education.n By this, is meant the bringing in of materials which can be seen by the students and one outstanding method is the use of the motion picture machine. Last spring a Bell-Howell projector and speaker were pur- chased for the high school by money raised by the school, the Samuel D. Hanson Fund and by an allowance on our silent machine. As to the obtaining of films many free films have been re- ceived from numerous larger business concerns in the United States. Some have cost us a small rentallcharge while those presented to the public in the evening have been more expensive. The free films have been mainly educational including the fields of science, manufacturing, agriculture, home improvements, mine research, vocational guidance, historic places,along with othenawhioh pertain to our classroom studies. The evening production have included such films as, nThe Last of the Mohicansn, nLittle Menu, nJane Eyren, nRobinson Crusoe , Oliver Twist. It has been necessary to charge a small sum in order to meet the rental and shipping expenses. This past year a glass beaded scrcen,which adds much to the productions as the vision is new much clearer, was bought from funds raised by the students of the high school. There is still a larger problem which needs attention, namely, ventilation. In order to darken the room black curtains are hung at the windows thus allowing no circulation as there is ventilation system in the building. Not only is some system need- ed for the showing of pictures but also during the regular school session it is difficult to control the temperature. Either it is too hot or too cold and when the windows are lowered, especially during the winter months, thc students sitting at their desks are subjected to draughts which as a result produce undesirable health conditions. William Manning'4l