South Paris High School - Chronicle Yearbook (South Paris, ME)

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THE CHRONICLE 29 tured without difficulty, as he was com- pletely surprised. That night we read in the paper how nine year old Bobby Drew and his dog, Shiner, had captured an escapee. Be- low it told all about the incident. One week later Shiner and I received awards and medals for bravery. Shiner also got some dog food. Poor Shiner has been dead for eighty years or more. If you come over again sometime, Donnie, I'll tell you another story. I'll bet Donnie went back again, don't you? N. Bradbury, '55 RAIN AND TEARDROPS I walk quietly, solemnly through the light spring rain. A deep cloud of thought shadows me. I feel alone yet surrounded by friends. The rain re- minds me of the thousands of people, the sad people of the world, crying be- cause of the loss of a son or husband, be- cause of the loss of their homes or coun- try, because of the starvation, the cold and the strife. All of these tears fall to- gether in the silent, constant drip, drip of the rain. But when the sun shines and the rain can only be seen in small pools, everything changes. A beautiful rainbow hovers over the world. Wor- ries and heartaches are forgotten, and all the tears are dried. M. Verrill, '54 TRUMAN IS DEAD Truman is dead! It happened yester- day at ten o'clock in the morning. Of course many people who loved him are mourning, but many others are glad that he is gone. Other people don't know, and some just don't care. Poor Truman didn't live a very hap- py life. So many people made fun of the things he did. My aunt even said she couldn't stand to be near the slimy creature. Most of the time he simply lay and sunned himself. People said he was very lazy. I guess he didn't do much for the country. Oh, by the way, if you're interested, poor Truman was my pet turtle. F. Shaw, '54 I WONDER The rain drummed monotonously on the window as I sat in front of the crackling fireplace. I was glad to be inside. Having nothing to do, I went into my fathers' library to get a book. Not knowing which book to choose, I closed my eyes and picked one. The black cover had no name on it. Strange as it seemed, I had never seen this book in all the times I had been in Dad's library. The book was dusty and had a strange odor. Curious, I took the book back to the fireplace and began to glance over the first page. The first sentence drew my attention, for the girl in the story had the same name as I, and she, too, was reading a book in front of the fireplace. I glanced up at the weird, dancing shadows cast by the flames on the walls. I looked back at the book. The girl in the story heard a strange noise, like the clanging of chains, coming down the hall. Suddenly I froze-what was that strange noise I heard? It sounded like chains clanging from the hall! Beads of perspiration stood on my fore- head, and my stomach muscles froze

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28 THE CHRONICLE That is why the ten-second lane was made. When the number of players was reduced to five, it became a high scoring game. The omission of the center jump after each basket made the game faster. Various offenses are used in basket- ball. One of them calls for three men outside, one man in the pivot and one man floating under the basket. The Paris High School team uses the fol- lowing offense: one man on the outside, called the playmakerg one man in the middle, called the pivot, one man un- derneath the basket, who is known as the float or sucker: and two wing men on the sides. The most effective defense is the man to man defense. Basketball has changed a lot since the days when peach baskets were used for hoops, but the game is as enjoyable to watch, play, or listen to as it will ever be. B. Snow '53 ilill- THE GIFT OF LIBERTY Few of us appreciate our most won- derful gifts. For example, consider the gift of liberty. How many people real- ize what it is and what it stands for? Men are fighting and dying for it ev- ery day. They are fighting for us, the people of the country, so that we may have and enjoy a free and peaceful way of life. We are fortunate indeed in having freedom of religion, press, and speech. Any day this could be changed, and later we would be sorry we had not taken advantage of these wonderful gifts. Any one of us is willing to live in this country and use the opportunities which are offered, but few of us are willing to take a little time for civil de- fense, Red Cross work or anything else that could aid our country during this crisis. The people of this country are too confident. True, we have won every major war we have fought, but one does not win every time. If we are to have a successful future, the people must work together for the preservation of the gift of liberty. G. Downing, '53 A BOY AND HIS DOG Great-grandfather, telling about the exciting times of his childhood to little nine year old Donnie, began this story: Well, Donnie, today I'll tell you how Shiner and I solved a mystery. When I was about your age, I had a puppy called Shiner. 0ne morning the dog and I went to the woods to play. My mother told us not to go because a man had escaped from a local asylum. Al- though we knew better, we went just the same. Toward noon, after about three hours of walking, we came upon an old shack. When I saw smoke com- ing out of the chimney, I was frightened, for this place hadn't been in use for years. Slowly Shiner and I sneaked to- ward the building. We peeked in the windows and saw a strange man who fitted the very description of the es- caped inmate, as he had a scar on the left side of his cheek and a crooked nose. Hastily, I searched through my pockets for paper and pencil and wrote a note. I then sent the dog home to mother with the note under his collar. After what seemed a long time, I saw mother and some policemen coming to- ward me. The escaped man was cap-

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30 THE CHRONICLE into a knot. I tried to get up, but my legs wouldn't move! I smelled the same strange odor that I had noticed on the book, but it was coming from the hall. I looked around for the book and it was gone! Then I saw it in the fireplace on the fire. It was not burn- ing! Everything went black, and the next thing I knew mother was laughing be- side me. She said I had fallen asleep. I realized that it was only a dream. The book I had been reading was beside me. I opened it. The edges of the book were burned, and the pages were blank! I still wonder . . . B. Crooker, '54 l l..- . America. Progressive mills and crystal lakes, Huge cities and nestled villages, Wide prairies and snow-capped U l'YlOl1Ilt8lI'lS, Happy people and crowded forests. Progressive mills with machinery and gear, I l k Crysta a es, blue and clear, Huge cities, noisy and tall, Nestled villages, quiet and small, Wide prairies, flat nd old H 3 . Snow-capped mountains, worn out and old, Happy people, some lanky and lean, Crowded forests, sweet smelling and green: America. N. Block, '54 NEW GIRL IN TOWN Why oh why, did we have to move to this horrid town. Janet threw her- self on her pretty pink spread and wept. She was so lonely here, and it was only the beginning of the summer. Perhaps if school had started, she would have met some young people of her own age who would have made friends with her. She thought back to her happy, carefree life in Middleton. There had been par- ties, dances, clambakesg and she had had so much fun. Most of all, there were her friends, but they were two hundred miles away, and for Janet the world had never been bluer. The family had moved there three weeks before, and she still didn't know anyone in town. After a while the tears subsided, and a cheery voice from downstairs inter- rupted her thoughts, Janet dear, will you please go down to the drugstore and get some ice cream for supper? Well, at least it is something to do! Janet sighed. I might as well take a stroll downtown. Maybe I'll trip over someone and we'll get acquainted and- Oh, what's the use! She went to the mirror. Her eyes' were a bit red, but a little cold water would remedy that. She ran a comb through her hair and dabbed some powder on her now shiny nose. Oh, what does it matter how I look, she thought furiously. No one will notice me anyway. On the way downtown Janet looked about the quiet streets. It was really a pleasant looking towng neat houses lined the streets and spreading shade trees bordered well-cared-for lawns. Sometimes it almost seemed like Middle-V ton to her. Two houses down the street from hers, she noticed a slim, blonde girl just entering the house. She reminded her of her best pal, Bunny. and Janet felt another twinge of loneliness. She entered the drug store and ord-