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

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W f is 5 2619 5 W 2 lqwvviif w Q4 sw- aa wwskesgf Il' 2 2- if 'M pg 57 if 5.2, thas: 0 H6192 CONSERVATION ETHELYN SMITH, l38 Trees have played a very important part in the development of our country and the preservation of our lands. It was from these primeval forests that our forefathers built their homes, secured their fuel, and made their tools. The accumulation of fallen leaves and decayed timber from the forests made the soil so fertile that we have be- come one of the greatest agricultural nations of the world. These same trees have also enabled us to build up a large lumber industry that has furnished the raw materials for the manufacture of a great many wood products. In addition to all these, the forests conserve the soil, that is, they keep the soil from washing away with the heavy rains. Therefore, in view of all these aids which the forests afford us, should we not be willing to do our bit by the wise conservation of our timber lands? Certainly, we all agree that without the forests the world would be a very dreary place in which to live. However, because of the immense quantities of lumber used each year and the various destructive forces, such as insects, tires, and diseases, the for- ests are rapidly disappearing. At present, our forests are being used up and destroyed about four and one-half times as fast as they are being replenished. When the first settlers came to these shores, about 900,000,000 acres of land were cov- ered with forests. Today, only one-fifth of that expanse remains. As there is usually an explanation for every- thing, there are a great number of reasons for the extensive consumption of our lumber each year. The major demands are railroad ties, tele- phone and telegraph poles, mine props, paper and pulp, wooden fence posts, pencils, buildings, fur- niture, ships, and many other needed things. These items are replenished each year in great quantities, moreover. In addition to the usage of the forests for our many industries, destruction by forest fires, severe storms, and diseases take their annual toll. Sad it is that much more timber is destroyed each year by Fire than is put to use. Statistics state that in a recent year approximately 92,000 fires burned over an area as large as the State of New York. Many of the fires are caused by carelessness, usu- ally of campers and tourists. There are also many species of insects that attack the trees, destroying thousands of acres of valuable forests every year. ln one respect, trees are as human as people, in that their health is affected by diseases. When the diseases in trees progress to such a point that the work of the roots, stems, and leaves is lessened or interrupted, the trees sicken and die. Diseases such as blights, rusts, and bracket fungi cause great losses among certain species of trees. The chestnut blight alone has killed nearly all of the chestnut trees in the eastern part of the United States. Therefore, since there are so many destructive forces beyond the control of man which lessen the supply from the forests each year, we should do all that we can to cut down on the amount of timber which is needlessly wasted each year. lt has been estimated that approximately two-thirds of a tree is wasted between the time that it is cut in the forest and the time that it is converted into a finished product. This waste is found in not cutting the trees close to the ground, leaving nu- merous slabs and brush around to rot, and throw- ing aside many useful pieces at the mills. Although the average high school student may not be able to do much to prevent the waste of our trees from these various sources, he can do much to aid in cutting down the loss of many valuable trees from fire each year. We can be certain not to leave campfires burning or to throw matches which are lighted among the brush and underwood. Every fire means a loss of wood

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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS In behalf of the Senior Class of '38 wc, the Editorial Board of this BLUE AND WHITE, wish to take this space to extend our sincere thanks to the following for faithfully supporting us this year as in former years: To the S. D. VVarren Co.. who very kindly donated the paper for this book. To the advertisers and subscribers. To Henry S. Cobb, whose cooperation is such a necessary factor to the success of our journal. To members of the faculty and Mr. Philbrook, who have given many hours of their time to make our yearbook a success. To all who have helped in any way in the publi- cation of this BLUE AND VVHITE.

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'V H N 10 araaf- whether in the city or in the forests. It takes millions of dollars to replace the lumber lost in buildings and furniture destroyed in tires each year. Therefore, we should be careful in the use of fire. A point should be taken to make every week Fire Prevention Weekn and American Forest VVeek, for there is nothing closer and clearer to our national well-being than our forests and the products which we derive from them. However, in addition to the fact that we must do our best to conserve the forests which we already have, we must replace the trees that are taken from the forests each year by necessity. VVe must organize a reforestation program so that the trees will be planted like the crops on a farm. Our government has already laid the foundation for a national forest policy by providing for the cooperation between the government and the vari- ous states in the work of conservation and re- forestation. In spite of the perplexing problems facing our government, there are few more im- portant than the question of the preservation of our forests. The youth of modern America must always be ready to mold public opinion to the extent that our government will carry on the great work that it has already started. The future of the United States depends largely upon the suc- cess of this movement. We must not become a nation without trees. WHAT KIND OF BOYS DO GIRLS LIKE? FLORENCE DRINKWATER, '38 What is the most important thought that enters the mind of any average girl of today? There is no need for me to give you the answer. Everyone knows that it is boys, Now, what sort of boys do girls like? That is a question that each girl should answer herself and I will give my personal opinion of a good example. I shall call him Raymond. Raymond is a boy who has respect for his father and mother and, certainly, if he can be good to them he will be the same to his wife and children. He even treats his sisters and other girls as well as he does his own boy friends. That is more than I can say of some boys who are near me every day. In appearance, Raymond is neat enough for any girl to be proud to be seen with. He has a clean and healthy mind and a good character. That has much to do with winning a girl's affection. I sup- pose that if any boy reads this he will say Ray- mond is quite a sissy. But, girls, do you think so? No! What a boy needs is many more helpful suggestions like some of those that I have given. If any of you boys want to argue, we girls are waiting. SEE AMERICA FIRST ETHELYN SMITH, '38 The one ambition of travelers, whether they are experienced travelers, travelers through read- ing, or travelers only in imagination, is to go abroad. Oh, to see Paris in the spring-the Louvre-the Alps--Normandy in apple blossom time-the Riviera, and all the famous places pic- tured in geography books, or in travel pamphlets, or heard about from the fortunate ones who have visited these places! Little do we realize how beautiful our own country is and how surprised at all its beauty we should be if we only followed the slogan-our national slogan- See America First. There is little opportunity for one to forget this slogan if he has once-only once is enough- expressed a desire to See America First. I know. I cannot for the life of me understand why steamship lines, railroad companies, and health resorts advertise in well-known magazines if they to answer their advertise- prefer paying-customers or real trips and not imaginary I to know? There was no the traditional lower left- do not expect people ments. CFerhaps they ones who contemplate ones.j But how was Statement inserted in hand corner to the effect that Only those positive of why, where, and how they intend to take the above stated trip need apply. If only things had been clear! One day, while idly turning the pages of a magazine, I came upon a full-page advertisement