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

Page 11 text:

Westbrook High School 9 Ranking high is another desire of the ma- jority of the pupils. Many are on the honor roll, and as time goes on many more are added to this list. If everyone studies, it not only gives him a place on the honor roll but also in- creases the ranking of the school with others. The personal appearance of the school should be kept up to the highest standard so that people would be proud to say that their school was the neatest of all others. The lawns should be kept clean from leaves and other waste. The floors of the school should be kept clean from torn papers and other such things so that if an official of the schools of the state should walk in and inspect the school, he would go back and tell the people what a good appearance this school made. VVhen tourists pass through a town or city they are always observant of public buildings, and if the school buildings are in a poor con- dftion, it helps to give strangers a poor opinion of the town or city, whichever it happens to be. Year by year one sees new buildings being erected throughout the rural districts in place of the old red schoolhouses that were a com- mon sight a decade or so ago, which goes to show that people are taking more and more pride in the appearance of their schools. Taken as a whole, pride is one of the high- est essentials to the welfare of a good. prosper- ous high school. C. C., '32. COURTESY One of the most trustworthy tests of char- acter is courtesy. It is the outward sign of the soul's nature. Courtesy is not something artificial. It springs from the heart. It is an expression of thoughtfulness for others. It is doing to them as we would be done byg and at its foundation lie the great moral qualities of kindness and self-respect. Nothing will so rehne the character as the practice of courtesy. It has a reflex action on one's own mind, banishing therefrom coarse- ness and rudeness. It implants there a delicacy of feeling and a sensitive sympathy that will End expression in beautiful deeds, in attentions that ease the way for others, in the doing of little kindnesses that most leave undone or despise, in tolerance and forbearance. VVho- ever aims to be truly courteous will have con- stantly before him a lofty ideal of conduct, a standard of perfection that cannot help but lift him in his attempt to attain it. Nothing, either, will afford so much protec- tion as courtesy. No one can insult a perfectly courteous person. Rudeness vanishes from his presence. Manners, the outward expression of cour- tesy, are sometimes called the minor morals , yet such is their importance in daily life that we cannot class them as minor matters. The word manners refers to the specific acts of daily life. It deals with small things as well as great. It implies obedience or disobedience to the proprieties as regulated by custom. Good manners are rooted in courtesy, which we have seen as an essential element in a Hne character. So desirable are good manners. so pleasing to others, and so conductive to suc- cess, that those of defective and even thor- oughly bad characters strive to imitate them in order to pass among worthy people and to keep a place in society. This side of character and conduct is one that should never be neglected. It is the part of benevolence and kindness to make all inter- course with others as pleasant as possible. No right-minded person will willingly add to the hatefulness and misery that already exist in the world. No self-respecting person will be otherwise than courteous to all whom he meets. So let us, as students of Westlnrook High, be as courteous to our teachers as we are to our own parents and friends. B. Q., '31,

Page 10 text:

' ' A The Blue ff white 8 individual from sucll physical development if properly harmonized, because it not only bene- fits the body but also prepares one for mental activity. Westbrook, as well as any other school, could well make use of a daily course in calis- thenics because teachers find it hard to teach a class that is restless and unable to concen- trate on its studies. In this case, it would both help the teachers and scholars greatly because a period of strenuous drill tends to refresh the mind. There are, of course, difficulties to overcome in establishing a system of physical training in VVestbrook. The greatest of these is the lack of a gymnasium, which we hope will be rem- edied by a new school building. However, many other schools Find it convenient to exer- cise in the classrooms or out of doors when the weather is mild. The subject arises, Why make it compul- sory? Mainly because it will reach and bene- fit the individual rather than a few enthu- siastsg furthermore, the benefits can only be realized when each pupil partakes in that which makes study and recitation more pleas- ant. Eventually, in the course of progress, Westbrook will have compulsory physical training, why not now? A Q '31 ..., . GUM CHEWING Chewing gum in public has always been a serious question, especially in the schools. Some people, it is sad to say, look upon the matter as unimportant. The ones who do so are openly showing bad taste. Fortunately, for the good of all concerned, this habit is becoming less prominent. It seems that many are beginning to realize that the habit in no way benefits them, and in many ways injures them. The habit has been known to grow to such an extent that a serious opera- tion is necessary in later life, due to the great amount of sugar absorbed by the system. This, of course, is exceptional. The habit is disgusting. A well-bred person no more feels justified chewing gum in public than he would walking down the street eating his breakfast, dinner, or lunch. Even a child chewing gum in public attracts unfavorable at- tention, not to himself alone, but to his parents. Unfortunately, the habit is even more objec- tionable when practiced by women than by men. The utmost care in regard to one's out- ward appearance may count for little or nothing when a girl is seen walking down the street opening and closing her mouth like a fish gasping for air. This question has also caused considerable trouble in school. When a guest speaker is honoring us with his presence, what impres- sion of the school must be formed when he sees fifteen or twenty mouths rhythniically opening and closing before him. This habit has ceased to be a joke. Every pupil should have sufficient self-respect and ordinary de- cency to refrain from chewing gum in school. The reason for one's failure to impress his employer may be because of an offensive habit such as this. It also takes away from one's reputation, and marks him as ill-bred and uncultured, without respect for himself or others. R. M., '30, SCHOOL PRIDE Ever since civilization started and schools were first founded, there has been a desire in the heart of every boy or girl to have his or her school ranked the best. Nothing can stir them to greater indignation than to have anyone speak slightingly of their school, especially if said speech is uttered by a member of some other school. There are various ways for scholars to show their pride, such as in ath- letics, ranking high in class work, and an up- to-date appearance of the school. As regarding athletics, those who try out for the teams have pride in the school, and if they find that they are not needed or are not physically fit for such exercise, they follow along with the school body and cheer their team to victory.

Page 12 text:

10 DEBATING AND PUBLIC SPEAKING Perhaps it is a little unjust to compare Westbrook High School with Portland High and Deering High Schools, and again, perhaps it will serve as an incentive if Westbrook High students realize that with a little effort, they could have those same things which other schools enjoy, for example, debating clubs and public speaking classes. Portland and Deering. as outstanding ex- amples, have debating teams that are widely known. Why doesnit Westlorook exert herself a little and have a debating club that will at least rival these other teams? It would take time, and it would take effort, but there is nothing in this world worth while that can be attained without effort. Why can't we have a real, live club with interested and energetic members seeking in- formation and experience in the art of debat- ing? Debating can truly be called an art, which many students and many men outside of school know little about. -Wliy can't we have a club with a definite membership, a definite meeting place, and a definite ambitiong a club that could debate and discuss interesting questions of this time and thus discover many things that would not ordinarily reach them through their regular studies. K Too, public speaking is certainly worthy of consideration. For a number of years, the course has been omitted entirely. Last year the class was started, meeting on Monday and lN'ednesday, fourth period only. This year the class was continued under the same conditions. Even if this class should become one of the afternoon classes, a few more members might be added to the present list. At present, there is but one boy member, which makes it rather difficult to'do much dramatic work. As a rule, boys usually dodge such classes as public speaking, for even the name seems to drive terror to their hearts. The class is not one of those so-called cinch classes, but it is not too difficult for any stu- dent, and many would find it to their advan- The Blue of-r VVhite tage if sometime they had studied such a course as this. There is another important factor in work of this type. The English teachers have at times endeavored to dramatize short sections of the literature read by their classes, and they have discovered that some of their students had real talent, while other members were nearly frightened to death by the mere thought of going before the class. Oral topics have been tried with a little success when they be- came compulsory, but many students were anxious enough to overcome this embarrass- ment and did not know how. VVe may find that on some occasion we will be the center of attraction, at some club meet- ing or at any gathering where a sudden speech is demanded. Can you picture the student who dares not to face his class with an oral topic. carefully prepared outside of class, before a sea of unfamiliar faces? Debating teams and public speaking classes do have advantages. VVhy can't VVestbrook High School try these two classes as real classes and not fill ins, and thus discover their true value while keeping herself up to date? M. V. B., '30. ASSEMBLY One of Westbrook High School's greatest problems is the time that we spend as a stu- dent body in the Main Room. There is room for about one-fourth the num- ber who assemble there, and the room is so crowded that it is very uncomfortable. We are compelled to sit with another person, if we sit at all, and then there are all of the Freshmen who must stand, besides members of other classes. VVith this handicap preventing our having assemblies such as other schools have, we really ought to try and help those who take part in the exercises by keeping as perfect order as is possible where so many gather for a short time. -