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

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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. -

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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,

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Westbrook High School ll Several times, unnecessary remarks 'and noises are made by those who do not stop to think of how much disturbance they are caus- ing. It is not school spirit to try to distract everyone's attention from the speaker of the moment by our own foolish actions. It doesn't seem as though it is necessary for our principal to have to caution us as to our behaviour whenever We have a distinguished speaker in our midst. We are old enough to be in high school: surely, we are old enough to practice the best manners that we have at hand. Perhaps this is one reason for our useless entreaty for a new high school. VVe do not seem to appreciate what we haveg therefore, we would doubtless feel the same towards an- other and better auditorium. Assemblies need the help and cooperation of everyone, so let us do our best the next time we are called together as a body. C. P., 'ISL APPRECIATION For the success of this 1930 edition of THE BLUE AND WHITE, we must offer our apprecia- tion and heartfelt thanks to the following per- sons for their splendid cooperation: The members of the entire Editorial Board for the fine, prompt service they have rendered. The members of the assembly who have pro- duced articles for consideration. The SJ D. VVarren Company for the kind gift of the required paper. Mr. Henry S. Cobb for his careful attention given the printing of the publication. The faculty advisers, especially Principal Philbrook, who have indispensably aided the editors in choosing and preparing the material. Our financial backers, the various interested advertisers and purchasers. Any person who has, in any Way, contributed to the production of this edition. D. W. L., '30. MgG? xQ,k Ill E ! ME? aaa , . I gi gg! JC -g A, ha, ., -. I WA! rf' 3 a '