Westbrook High School - Blue and White Yearbook (Westbrook, ME)

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Westbrook High School that freshmen present French rather than Spanish for entrance. The Spanish language and literature have nothing that the French does not possess in still greater degree in cultural value and human interest. In fact, Spanish literature is singularly poor compared to French. Neither does Spanish history present any of the great liberal move- ments which have been a characteristic of the French, and which at times have lighted the spark of freedom all over the world. Of late years the study of Spanish has been stimulated by a more active trade relationship between the United States of North America and the states of Central and South America, where Spanish and Portuguese are the tongues chieliy spoken. The use of Spanish by Westbrook High students, except to secure points toward graduation is so remote as to make it practically nil. On the contrary the situation here is such that the study of French is of the greatest importance. It not only meets the demands of the college requirement in modern language, but it also has an important commercial value, for many of the stores in Westbrook find it desirable to have at least one clerk who is able to speak French as well as English. It hardly seems wise to continue to educate boys and girls in the 5 intricacies of a foreign language that they must go at least a thousand miles to hear when there is a very present opportunity to speak another for- eign language right in our own city and with our own friends and neighbors, not only for purposes of business but also of ordinary intercourse. This, it should be remembered, is the language to which our colleges give most attention and accept most freely. Latin and French are firmly rooted. Spanish has yet to prove -itself. In Westbrook its omission from the curriculum makes for econ- omy and sound scholarship. APPRECIATION The Editorial Board and the students of W. H. S. wish to express their heartfelt appreciation to the many who have kindly aided them in pre- paring this issue of the BLUE AND WIIITE. We are especially desirous of extending our thanks to the S. D. Warren Co. for the gift of the paper on which the BLUE AND WHITE is printed: to the many friends who so generously have given us advertisements, thus making our magazine a financial success, and to Mr. Cobb, whose interest and diligence have gone far toward the success of the BLUE AND WHITE. l QW 42? . s S ' s. -.EE if - Qiw 'TI' 60 ,Yi -- :el 1 E 'f I 3. - - ' F: . 4 as T Y 4 . . ,I :- f gy X -. , I gg 1 -se l --2--tr YZ kg , fl 4 -S? ni , Q -25 2 if 2- r? ,-fa. -4' u 'ri ei , ...N V v -lu , ' I A. X 1 M

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,Ri , I Y 3 l lZDlTOBIAlS l f I llxzx ' l--gal, A I AG'-' u '-'XNRi '.. 4, 9 3.1 I i l a g' N IT' -I I . A I X . kr ' 2 . JFS l Q, K ,A XY ' , ' ni 162,117 7 -Q Q......1 This issue of the BLUE AND WHITE is dedi- cated to John A. Tuttle, who brought to a close last june a long and useful term of service in the Forest St. Grammar School. Few teachers can hope to be more loved than was Mr. Tuttle by the hundreds of boys and girls who profited by his instruction, and who enjoyed the privilege of his acquaintance. VVith him teaching was an artg it was never a labor, and his pupils benefited accord- ingly. Under some teachers instruction is irk- some, under him it was an inspiration. In many ways he was an ideal teacher: he knew his books and he knew his students. He was kindly and genial in the class room, but knew when to be severe. He dealt out such even-handed justice that the offenders themselves admitted the fair- ness of his decisions and felt no rancor. In all his years of teaching in Westbrook it seldom hapt- pened that a pupil promoted by him to the high school without conditions failed to make good. He understood his boys and girls, and was an accurate judge of their capacities. The members of this school unite in wishing him many more years of happiness and usefulness, and rejoice that so many of them know and love him. DEBATING The lack of interest in debating in Westbrook High is greatly to be regretted. Two years ago the school was represented by a well organized debating club, which held regular meetings and had some very interesting and instructive debates. Since then, however, the many other activities of the school have occupfed the attention of the stu- dents and little time has been given to debating, except as required in class work. In many schools the debating club or team is a very important organization, and much time is spent preparing for debates between club mem- bers or with other schools. Westbrook High is proud of her athletic teams and her school play. Can we not also be represented in one of the college debating leagues conducted by Bates and Bowdoin? These two institutions annually ar- range a series of debates between high schools, each school having an affirmative and a negative team on the question to be argued. Great en- thusiasm has been aroused and splendid debates have resulted. There is no reason why VV. H. S. can not have membership in one of these leagues. Many of the students have ability in this line. and our teams could make as good showing as those from other schools. The Westbrook Public Library is well supplied with debating material, and in Miss Lord and Miss Harvey we have two teachers who have had valuable experience in coaching debating teams. The colleges also assist by sending coaches when they are desired. SPANISH IN THE HIGH SCHOOL It will be noted from an examination of the course of study given elsewhere in this issue that Spanish has been dropped from the curriculum. This leaves Latin and French as the foreign languages now offered, one ancient and one mod- ern. In a School the size of this these two are enough. There is no demand for Spanish except in rare cases so infrequent that it is not advisable to retain it as an elective subject, provide a place for it in the schedule, and be under the necessity of keeping a teacher on the faculty competent to teach it. Colleges almost without exception prefer

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6 it ,llIIIIIIIIIIIIIlIlIUIlIlllIlllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllIIlllllIllIlIHIlIIIlIlllllllllllllllllllllllllll HIIIIIllIUIIIIlIWIHMlllMIIIIIIIII!IIIll!HIIIIIIIlIIIIllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllIIlIIllllIIIIIIIIllIlllllllllllllllllllllll , 9 ' School cmcl Glass 9NQJtes The Blue fr White R rs, V x IIlIllIIIIIIIIIIIlIlIIIllIlllIlllIllllIllllIlIlllIlllIlIllIlIlIllllllllIllIlllllllIllIlIlIIIIllllllllllllllllllllllll lllllIlIIIIIIIIIlllllIIIIIIIIIIIIIIllllIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIlllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll j ig I i 4: During the fall term the students of the high school had the great privilege of listening to an inspiring address by the Hon. William D. Up- shaw, Congressman from the Fifth District of Georgia in the House of Representatives. Mr. Upshaw is widely known, not only as an orator and a lecturer, but also as an author. His best known book is entitled, Clarion Calls from Capitol Hill. His address was given under the auspices of the Christian Civic League and was much appreciated by the entire school. The annual prize speaking contest, held -in the Warren Church on January 29, 1925, was a de- cided success, and was greatly enjoyed by the large audience present. The prizes so generously offered by the Stephen W. Manchester Post of the American Legion were presented to Frances Richardson and Robert Bancroft, who were se- lected as the first prize winners. The judges were Miss jean Welch of the Deering High School faculty, Mr. H. H. Towle, representing the Amer- ican Legion Post, and Rev. R. A. Macdonald, both of this city. Great credit is due Miss Marion E. Lord for her efficient and successful coaching. The program follows: WEsTBRooK HIGH SCHOOL PRIZE SPEAKING CONTEST Warren Church, January 29, 1925 Selection from Tannhauser, Wagner High School Orchestra Men Who Cannot Be Bought, Samuel Smiles Linwood E. Lagerson The Mourning Veil, J. L. Harbour Margaret D. Smith Tribute to Lincoln, Ernilio Castelar George W. Freiday, Jr. March of the Heroes, Zarnenick Freshman Trio-Norwood Macdonald Elsie Goodwin, Evelyn Randall Michael Strogoff, Jules Verne Ernestine G. Hanna Abraham Lincoln, Henry lVatterson Charles A. Canning The Rejuvenation of Aunt Mary Frances Richardson The Black Horse and His Rider, Geo. Lippard Anthony J. Waite March from Aida, Verdi George Freiday, Jr., William Wilson, Kenneth Morse, John Hay The Little God and Dicky, Daskarn Margaret L. Titcomb Toussaint L'Ouvertuer, Wendall Phillips Robert R. Bancroft The Heart of Old Hickory, Will R. Dromgoole Doris A. Drisko Selection from Faust, Gounod High School Orchestra Decision of Judges Presentation of Prizes by Stephen W. Manchester Post, American Legion X The American Legion of Westbrook, which so loyally supports the High School activities, of: fered as a feature for National Education Week two silver medals, one to the girl and one to the boy who should write the best essay of not more than one thousand words on one of the following subjects: QU The Necessity of Schools, Q23 Illiteracy, a Menace to our Nation, Q3j America's Duty Toward the Uneducated, and QLD Religion, Morality, and Education Are Necessary for Good Government. The competition was confined to the Senior Class, and of the forty-three essays submitted a committee of teachers selected as win- ners Margaret Sutermeister and Ellis LeBeau, who were presented with the medals at an as- sembly held for that purpose. The school is indebted to Mrs. Mildred I. Chap- lin of this city for the daily copy of the Christian Science Monitor which is sent to the High School. This is a newspaper in the best sense of the word which confines itself to legitimate news items, domestic and foreign affairs of national and inter- national interest, literature and art.