Martinian November 1944

Martin High School Newspaper

This paper was among James McGlothen's personal items when he was killed during WW2 in Luzon islands. A note written on the paper from his mother said, "Here is the school paper you ask for, please be careful, love mom and family". James was drafted into the army while attending Martin High School He was a member of the ball team.

Martinian Staff
Editor-in-Chief....Maxine Laferty
Associate Editors....Clifford Martin and Virginia Ann Hewlitt
Business Manager.... L.C. McCloud
Circulation Manager....Bobby Walker
Faculty Advisor....Mrs. Wicker
Printing Advisor....Miss Francis
Illustrator....Kathleen Crum
Reporters:
Sports....Joyce Dermont
Clubs....Sylvia Hale and Esther Halbert
Alumni....Kathleen Qualls and Betty Lou Keathley
Grades....Rosemary Biliter
Freshman....Irene Martin
Sophomore....Geneva Hunt
Junior....Glo Turner
Senior....Eulah Gray Ratcliffe

Thanksgving

by Dorothy Thompson

They say the Pilgrims, long ago, began Thanksgiving Day. Because they felt they'd like to show their thanks a special way. They came across the ocean to a place they didn't know. Tey found the different kind of rain and learned to make it grow. They found some stranger neighbors, but the Indian folks were kind. They learned to do without the friends they had to leave behind. They had a lot of trouble, but they knew that they were free. So they were thankful, which is a contented wat to be. We're thankful for some newer things like cars and rdios. Yet friends and food and freedom--We're stll thankfullest for those!

It has been officially announced that we are to have a holiday vacation the 23rd and 24th of this month. That means we have all four days to eat too much, get sick, recover and return in.

The Lowly Teacher

A twenty-one gun salute should be given to every teacher who has stuck to her job during this war. The fine work our teachers have performed cannot help but be a big factor in our ability to wage war on short notice. Billions of dollars have been spent in recent years in school houses, play grounds and equipment. We have said, "our children are going to have the things we have missed," and rightly so. The center of attention must always be upon the girls and boys. the youth of tomorrow. Too mant patrons stop with this picture and fail to recognize the importance of the teacher in the scheme of school affairs. Yes, the lowly teacher eceives condemnation rather than praise, scorn rather than appreciation, but her important task must go on. The public to a great extent has failed to realize that teaching is an important, essentioal service without which our children could not have the things we missed. The education of the child, the public admits, is of the utmost importance. Then, why is it that the public persists to hold such low esteem for the teaching profession? Instructors have often spent years in preparation for their jobs---and, yet, many of them have been forced to find employment elsewhere because the public has failed to meet its obligation. Our teachers are often told what to do, how to wear their hair, how long to wear their skirts, how to vote, what church to attend, and, after whittling them down to the proper dimensions, then they are starved. The slaves should be freed and paid a living wage for a job well done. They should be permitted to keep their personalities and enthusiasms. Let the public build them up instead of tearing them down. Let them demand respect for their long hours of labor. When this day comes there will never again be a shortage of teachers.

Halloween Carnival

The annual Halloween Carnival of Martin was held in the gymnasium Friday night, October 27. A crowd of approximaely 800 attended. Amusements were bingo, nail driving, penny board, fortune teller, fish pond, spook house and basketball. Sandwiches, candy and pop were sold by the Home Economics Department. The climax of the Carnival was the crownig of the King and Queen, L.C.McCloud and Betty Lou Keathley of the Junior Class, and Prince and Princess, Irwin Salisbury and Annabelle Peters of the seventh grade. Runners-up were Charles Crum and Phyllis Click of the Senior Class and Betty Branham of the sixth grade class. A dance was held in the grade school auditorium after the crowning of the Royal Family. The net proceeds, approximately $600, will be used in buying new equipment for the school.

Tomorrow's Seniors

As this issue goes to press, there are eighty freshman enrolled in Martin High School. As usual, the freshman get all the criticism but no praise. Of course, these freshman are "green" as all freshman are. As long as they are freshman, they will be green. We are quite sure that the sophomores, juniors, and seniors have experienced the same embarrassments as the current class. Some of the more experienced students have said, "There are more freshman than humans this year." Much of the advice given to the freshman would be applicable to two-thirds of the other students. Some freshman have not yet mastered the art of avoiding work, but they will lern it. A freshman will have little trouble in high school if he will do these two things: do as good as possible and treat the teachers like human beings.

Thanksgiving Day

Over 300 years ago the Pilgrims celebrated their first Thanksgiving Day. They were very thankful for their crops being successful and for their blessings bestowed upon them in that year. They were also thankful for their homes in the new land in which they could worship God in their own way. Today we should be thankful that we have been able to keep this land free from enemy invaders and have safeguarded our rights. We can be thankful that our government is a democracy and the American people do not have to yield to a dictator. Now, in this year of 1944, since this country is at war we should be more thankful than ever for this great land in which we live. America, the home of the brave and free, where youths are willingly sacrificing their lives for its preservation.

Poets Corner

Of all sad words of tongue or pen, The saddest are these: "I've flunked again." Turn backward! Turn backward! Oh, Time, in thy flight, And tell me one thing That I studied last night!

Eyes and Ears

The wedding bells seem to be ringing very loud this year. Joyce Smith has already answered their call and Alice Barnett just won't give up. Pauline Caudill hasn't been fishin' but just the same, she's got Sam Ed and Helton Hall both on her line. Flash! Flash! James Conn has a girl. She's from Allen--but it's not his old flame Mary Westfall. Burns and Roy Ratliff must have new addition fever. First Burns came down with it and now Roy is trying awfully hard to get A.B.S. to wear his class ring! Geraldine Frazier is making eyes at L.C. McCloud. Could it be that she wants the bell rung early, or is it just love, love, love. What went on on that dark bus all the way to Ashland and back I just couldn't write on paper, but just to give you an idea--Virginia Ann Hewlitt slept on James "Casanova" Conn's shoulder; Tom Tieche tried to console two girls at the same time; Charles crum thoroughly enjoyed himself and his two friends; Eugene Frye spent his time begging Joan Young to sit with him. That will give you some idea of just how things went. Honestly, I just couldn't get a bit of sleep. Wonder why T. J. and Betty Lou haven't een getting along so good lately. Could a girl from Maytown have anything to do with it? I wonder what it is that Gus has that all the girls go for? His latest, a little blond, is really spellbound.

CONTINUE TO PART 2 OF THE MARTINIAN