Williams High School - Messalonskee Ripple Yearbook (Oakland, ME)

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18 THR MESSALONSKTEE RlPI'l.l2 L ll il? E R K VALEDICTORY SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH IN DEMOCRACY During the past four years we have been concerned with intellectual, cultural and personal achievements while looking ahead to graduation from high school. Yet, it is with regret that we now say farewell to you, our schoolmates, parents and friends. Although we have encountered many prob- lems which to us were complex and difficult, we fully realize that henceforth our path- ways may be increasingly difiicult. We know not what the future holds in store for us but we are prepared to meet the challenge. We shall not break faith with you who have spent so much time and effort to train us. We have been taught to believe in demo- cratic ideals and will defend those principles to the best of our ability. Let me remind you however, that armed forces are not the greatest threat to a democracy. One great menace to our form of government is the lack of appreciation, on the part of the great masses of our people, of the wonderful opportunities we have, a lack of appreciation of the great sacrifices and achievements which have been made for them. I should like to have you consider with me the part which science plays in the preservation of a democracy. The spirit of 'scientific research has in- spired the highest ethical thought and action. It has increased the comforts of life, and added greatly to material welfare. The wonderful feats that science has given to humanity is little appreciated. It has developed so gradually that we do not stop to think of its influence on our environment. The great canals, the wonderful bridges and tunnels, the modern transportation and communication facilities, the beautiful cathedrals, the towering buildings, the re- markable strides in chemistry and physics-- all have been the work of science. Scientific research has knit this huge country from ocean to ocean and thousands of farms and factories owe their power to the discoveries of scientists. The story of science is a thrilling account of the efforts of men and women who have studied and labored that all of us might know more about ourselves and the world in which we live. It is the history of un- selfish struggle with intelligence matched against ignorance, a record of unending ex- ploration in the search for truth. Through science man has reached a re- liable knowledge of the properties of the world in which he finds himself, through applied science, or technique, he has suc- ceeded in making himself ever more inde- pendent of his environment.

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THE MESSALONSKEE RIPPLE 17 Our one N is Newell, Nancy by name. The first of this year To Oakland she came. O is for orders Which our dear teachers give. We all obey them Each day that we live. P is for Plaisted, Tommy to us. He'll do what he can And never fuss. P is also for Potter, A sweet little lass. When it come's to typing, She's at the head of our class. Q is for queen fs! We girls are these. Our boys' motto? - We aim to please. R is for Roy and Rolsignol, Two bright lads are there. They're very good in French class For which they have a iiare. S is for Seniors, A jolly bunch. We're always faithful When it s time for lunch! S is also for Spiller- A Sidney lass- A very good alto Of our Senior class. Next comes Mim Tobin- Our basketball champ- When Paul's not here, Are her pillows damp! U is for united As all seniors are. In our bond of courage We're constant as a star. V is for Verkruysse, We call her Marie. She's a very good dancer- Suits us to a UT. W is for Wallace, A good typist is she. When Robert was in Florida, Alone she had to be! W is for Wentworth, Eleanor by name, An excellent dancer- Who's headed for fame. Our last one is Wheeler, Harv when he's home. We girls aren't his style, So he travels to Rome! X is for Xenophon- A most brilliant man, Why couldn't we Follow him in our plan? Y is for You, Undergraduates, I mean. Take after us, And be as we've been! Z is for zeal, Also for zest, Students who work Will always pass tests. Rlxcuirl. F. I.o'runoi-, 'H .....,0.....i. CLASS ODE CTO the tune of Don't Give Up the Ship J Now we've reached the crossroads, Each to go his way, Striving ever onward, Do your part with all your heart each day. There's no one to help you When the skies are gray. It's up to you lofty seniors Starting out on your lifes' journey This Commencement Day. Life is what you make itg Try hard to succeed. Though your course be stormy, Perseverance is all that you need. To those we leave behind us We bid a fond adieu, Teachers, classmates, undergraduates, You who've made our school days happy, Good-bye and good luck to you. NANCY NEWELL, '4-1

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THE MIESSALONSKIZE RIPPLE 19 Science affects practical affairs and every- day life. Without it, modern cities would be impossibleg it transports people to and from their work, provides them with concentrated fuel in the shape of coal to heat their homes and run their factoriesg brings them refrigerated food from the countryside and even from distant countriesg gives them sanitation and pure water. Practical men now realize that the best method of getting an answer to a practical problem is to investigate it scientifically. As a consequence of this, the present period is a period of scientific research institutes. Such institutes exist for the study of chem- ist1'y, electricity, agriculture, aviation, coal- mining, fisheries, building problems, wool and cotton, refrigeration, steel, medicine, and countless subjects. Research experts show little fear that mankind is exhausting our irreplaceable raw materials. Take oil as an example, while it is a fact, that at the present rate of con- sumption oil for gasoline within the United States would be exhausted in about 30 years, there is enough oil in shale rock fat a some-- what higher cost of extractionj to last 3,000 years and there is coal enough for 2,000 years. The scientists are more optimistic than any other group in the country. They do not believe that civilization is perishing, that the Dark Ages are about to return. On the contrary, they think that mankind is on the threshold of a new and better existence. They feel, for example, that most wars at the present time are caused by the struggle for natural resources, many of which we already able to produce artificially in are the laboratory. The scientists believe firm- ly in democracy as the only way of life. To them the search for truth is of vital human importance, and they know that this is only possible when the winds of freedom blow. Science is a valuable soldier. In 1916 America had only 19 industrial research lab- oratories, but many priceless devices were developed in them. Today, with nearly 2,000 laboratories, a vast treasury of ingenious brains and intricate mechanism is already at work on our national defense. Newest in the aviation industry is the so-called plastic plane. Also in our labora- tories we are improving the supercharging of airplane engines to produce greater speed and power at greater altitudes. We have developed a searchlight so powerful that, in the beam of one of them, a newspaper was easily read in an airplane at a distance of 12 miles from the searchlight. If you wish to see where the research scientist is performing near-magic, turn your attention to the corncob. The labora- tory expert has brought the corncob right into the parlor in more ways than one. Such things as infiammable gas, book paper, fiber board, furniture, varnish, phonograph records, and a variety of household products are being made from the corncobs and stalks which used to decay in storehouses. All of these products now being made from corn waste didn't just happen. Each product has been the result of many hours of patient re- search and experimentation. Prominent economists have for many dec- ades, worried themselves over the unstable future of the American farmer. Who knows, perhaps his salvation lies in the factory. Perhaps the industrialist and the farmer may join hands to solve many an economic problem in the future. A generation hence the American farmer may find himself figuratively growing commercial products galore in his own fields-products that wili find their way into the parlors of our grand- children. Today America faces a critical period in the history of the world. Beyond the two oceans that wash our 'shores are men who scoff at democracy, jeer at the equality of and destroy pure cannot stand idly mankind, stifle religion, science. Men of science by while such things are taking place. It is the duty of science to protect democracy, for dictatorship means its destruction. Freedom of thought and of expression are of the essence of both science and democ- racy. Science thrives best where each man is given the opportunity to develop his own abilities. Democracy is the first line of de- fense against the stifiing of true research for the benefit of all mankind. Whenever