Thomaston High School - Sea Breeze Yearbook (Thomaston, ME)

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THE SEA BREEZE 7 typwriting, shorthand, and office practice. These subjects are very important for one entering the business world. We also have Manual Training for the boys who are interested in tools and carpentry. This is only a beginning on the work, but it teaches the student the handling of tools and gives him an opportunity to make things. Not much can be done, of course, in the short time given and with limited equipment. n Vocational Guidance has become more important in recent years. The State Department has now established a vocational branch in sup- port of this, and this high schoolgis doing its part. This has been done by having speakers come here who, during an assembly, could tell about their vocations. This gives students whose future is not planned, a chance to get an idea for some vocation that interests them. The reason for vocational guidance is so that boys and girls in high school may decide for themselves what work they would want to ' choose for their vocation. It is an objective to have some place where boys and girls can be given an apprentice job as part of their high school training. Rank according to the amount of work done would be given. If he or she liked the work and was adapted to it he would know that that was the work which he should do. If not adapted to the work or if the student did not like the work, he would now have an opportunity to find something different. This has al- ready been tried in several schools with very satisfactory results. It is a plan that should be given consideration. All in all, vocational guidance is necessary, Some schools can- not offer as much as ours, but jobs can be planned and work towards them started if only a little guidance is given by the school. E. HA. '42 OURY AMERICA The most important and famous building in America stands in a quiet square of Philadelphia. It was here, one hundred and sixty-four years ago that our Democratic nation was born, declaring all men equal This building was then called WThe Pennsylvania State Housen but ii is now called Wlndependence Hall.H Independence Hall was already old when our nation was born. It was built in 1735. Here on July 4, 1776, leading citizens of our country signed their names to one of the most famous documents ever written, This document was the NDeclaration of Independence.W It stated the form of government our democratic Americans wanted. Thomas Jefferson, one of the greatest statesman of all time, had written this document. Together with John Hancock, John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, and other lawyers, merchants, farmers, and soldiers who made up the Congress, he signed his name. The Liberty Bell, hanging in the tower of Independense Hall rang out the news to the people of Philadelphia. The firing cannon carried the word around the city. Swift horsemen carried copies of the '

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' f THE SEA BREEZE 8 declaration to all the colonies. Today, Liberty Bell no lonaer swings in the tower. It is dis- played on the main floor of Independence Hall. A broad crack spreads across its surface. Now it can only be tapped lightly on special occasions for Americans to hear. Yet its messave is as clear as ever. This is the message carved around the top when the bell first rang in 1752. It is a verse from the Bible: WProclaim liberty throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants thereof.W 1 Independence Hall is visited yearly by thousands of tourists, who see the Liberty Bell but not the Declaration of Independence which is in the Library of Congress in Washington, D. C. F. J. 'bl OUR WARS 'Twas through the Revolutionary War We won our independence, But in 1812 the war was for, A useless struggle of resemblance. The Civil War between the States Left a feeling of resentment, And still the first World War relates Its horrors, but no contentment. The turmoil now again we hear, That war abroad-across the ocean, Does it mean that America dear, Is to be drawn into this commotion? F. J, 'bl AM RICA As o'er this free old country land, Our banner, the flag, flys high, Do We its meaning understand? The soldiers and why they die? To save a country good and great From ruin and despair These are the men whose lines they take These are the men who care. Ba Vo 'LZ