Class of 1963 Selects Official B. H. S. Ring: As its theme for this year, the Oracle makes use of the new Bangor High School ring selected by the class of 1963. The selection of the official school ring marks the beginning of a new tradition at Bangor. For years to come this same ring with the appropriate class numerals inscribed will be the symbol of B. H. S. students. Another milestone was passed during the senior year of the class of 1963. In October of 1962, school and city officials took part in the ground-breaking ceremony for the new high school. The building to be completed in April of 1964 and the official ring selected by the class will give Bangor High a new countenance; the undaunted spirit the school has had throughout its long history will receive added impetus.

Oracle Spotlights Sound: "Let the world sing with the sound of our hands and the music of our hearts." Zoom! Off races a B-52 into the blue from the runway at Dow Air Force Base, strategic lookout in our country's defense system. Crash! Down crumbles the old Union Station making way for a new area of life, the shopping center. Whee! Over the new interstate hundreds of cars speed daily on a super highway, which is, in the near future, to span the nation. These are the sounds of a changing Bangor--the noisy trademarks of our times. This year the Oracle tries to capture the spirit of our school and community through a new media--the media of sound.

Foreword: "Better to be small and shine Than large and cast a shadow." Meet Joe Sharpe, a familiar figure at Bangor High School. He's the kind of person that people call a "good kid" or a "nice guy." Joe turns up at All Bangor Nite, goes to all the games, and gets his homework done most of the time. Once he was a Student Council representative. Joe's not an athletic hero, class president, nor a top scholar; but he is the manager of the football team. His friends can count on him to help them struggle through Junior Ex. and to lend them a dime when they're down to their last four cents. Joe "shines" with his own individuality. He and other students like him are the ones who really make up a high school class.

Foreword: 'Tis education forms the common mind; As the twig is bent, the tree's inclined.--Pope. This quotation, the motto of the Class of 1960, indicates the idea behind the choice of "TREES" as the theme of Bangor High School's 1960 Oracle. Just as the strength and productivity of a tree is dependent on its environment as a sapling, the usefulness and character of a person depend on surrounding conditions during youth. Even so, the program of study, extracurricular activities and sports, and social opportunities of Bangor High School have contributed to the growth of its students as citizens.

Foreword: Education and experience light the way towards community progress. 125 years of progress... years that have meant prosperity and security to thousands of enterprising workmen and businessmen alike, years that truly merit the recognition that they are now receiving on this, Bangor's Quartquicentennial, years of progress which we of the Oracle take as our theme. Bangor is a combination of two forces: practical experience that enables the sails of progress to be set high aloft and education that provides the knowledge necessary to the steering of a straight course to the attainment of the goals established. We have taken as our symbols for these two forces Paul Bunyan, a legendary Bangorian who represents the raw lustiness of the far-sighted pioneer who, through dint of hard work, soon placed Bangor in her "place in the sun" as the lumber capital of the world, and Hannibal Hamlin, a true Bangor native, who gained the vice-presidency under Lincoln, and who represents the knowledge, culture, and foresight that are essential to the continued growth of a dynamic community. We take as our symbol of the industrial and economic advances of Bangor, the Standpipe, an outstanding landmark of the "Queen City of the East."

Foreword: "... in the end the truth will conquer." John Wycliff. The staff of the 1958 Oracle has chosen as its theme the ancient lamp from which the Greek gods emitted the oracles that gave knowledge, understanding, and foresight to those who would consult them. These oracles were never-failing bearers of truth. Thus, Bangor High School and its faculty can be a lamp of truth which gives forth knowledge, understanding, and foresight, the three basic purposes of education, to those of us who seek to take advantage of a free education.

Foreword: Knowledge lendeth light to see truth. Down through the years man's goal has been the attainment of knowledge. Parallel with this aim has been the quest for truth. Only by an unceasing search for knowledge can the feigned be separated from reality. The aim of true education is enlightment the stepping from the darkness of ignorance into the light of true knowledge. Education is not only book-learning but also the wisdom which is gained from actual experience. Thus, having completed only part of our education, we, the class of 1957, still have before us, the light of knowledge, gleaming faintly in the distance. To exemplify this light, we selected the sun for the theme of the 1957 Oracle. The Oracle will serve as a reminder of what has passed, but the sun, glowing brightly in the sky, will keep ever present in our hearts the desire to advance into the future.

Foreword: The ultimate goal for a high school student is the attainment of graduation. Graduation means not only receiving the long awaited diploma, but also donning, with quiet dignity, the symbols of a scholar--the "cap and gown." We, the class of 1956, have chosen the "cap and gown" as the theme for our yearbook, because to us these symbols represent the highest academic achievement that any of us has yet received. We have, at long last, earned the right to wear the robes and mortar boards. We have earned the right to step across a platform, shake a well-known hand, and receive a document that confirms the fact that our scholastic endeavors have not been in vain. As you read the Oracle, we hope you will remember our class motto, "A cap of knowledge insures a gown of success." The cap and gown is a symbol of an end and of a beginning for every student the end of the Childhood road and the commencement on the Adult way.

Foreword: To the Graduating Class of 1955 a bridge represents the span of knowledge lying between failure and success. In the following pages of this issue of the Oracle, the reader will notice that the staff of the Oracle has made use of a bridge and its symbolism as the theme of the sixty-fifth yearbook of Bangor High School. The symbolism of the bridge as a step forward is made more significant to all when one realizes that during the past year, the city of Bangor has completed a new bridge spanning the Penobscot River and joining the cities of Bangor and Brewer. The completion of the bridge represents another milestone of progress in the annals of the city. Although the cost of the bridge is great, this structure, as a toll bridge, will soon pay for itself; and like this bridge, education, too, costs much in time and effort; but the returns in interest are manifold. In exchange for the original investment of time and effort, education pays dividends in knowledge, culture, and general moral, physical, and aesthetic self-development.

Foreword: A star is the symbol of highest achievement. It is representative of hard work and valuable time spent to obtain a polished product. We have chosen the star as the theme for our yearbook because it portrays our beliefs. Bangor High School is the star of the high schools in Maine. The students of B.H.S. have worked hard to achieve their end a successful high school career and each deserves a star for his contribution to the school. Our yearbook is one of the greatest publications in the history of the Oracle. It is the star of yearbooks. As you read the Oracle, we hope that you will be consciously aware of our theme, and that our star will gleam brilliantly for you a symbol of achievement.

It's the month of June, 1953, and the Queens have it. Queen Elizabeth II of England was crowned on the second amid colorful pageantry in London, England. Ten days later in the Queen City of the East the class of 1953 graduates from Bangor High School. Another big event occurs during June; the sixty-second consecutive June Oracle is published. In the following pages the reader will see the symbol of royalty, the Queen's crown. It is the symbol of Elizabeth II and the symbol of the Queen City of the East--Bangor, Maine. As Elizabeth the Queen has come from a long line of distinguished rulers, this issue of the Oracle is one in a series of widely known and respected books. The Oracle Board has done its best to make this publication one of which the graduating class, the school, and the Queen City of the East can long be proud.

Foreword: After long and careful consideration of a suitable central theme for our yearbook, the Oracle Board has decided that the Bangor Ram has been too-long neglected. From the symbol of our athletic teams, the little fellow has now come into his own as our literary symbol. On the following pages, his face will greet you often. He's a cute, rolypoly guy, but it was not for that reason we chose him as our central figure. He represents something important to us, today's youth. He is the symbol of strength, of pluck, and of sheer determination. He stands for the kind of do-or-die stubbornness, of gentle toughness that we will have to have to make a going concern of our world. We hope this yearbook will measure up to the expectations of all, and that the little ram who cavorts between these covers will mean as much to you as he does to us.

To the Class of '51: The class of 1951 is presenting itself for the last time as a unified body. For three years the class has functioned as a single unit and during the last year it has been foremost in the minds of the pupils, faculty, and parents. Now we are going on, leaving behind the sometimes happy, sometimes troubled days of our high school career. What the future holds for us no one can tell. For some it means college, for others it means going out to meet the world and to earn their living, and for still others it means preparing for marriage and homemaking. No matter what the future may bring, the class of 1951 will be an integral part of the American way of life, for we are The Students of Today--The Citizens of Tomorrow.

Project Completed: At last, after several years of planning and work, Bangor High School has a set of new, shining trophy cases. Situated directly in line with the main entrance, the trophy cases greet all entrants into the school with a ringing declaration of Bangor High School's honors, both past and present. Long a sore spot in the school, the trophy cases are now a thing of beauty, to be admired by students, faculty, and visitors alike.

To the Class of '50: The curtain has fallen on the first act, the act of youth. It is now up to us to determine the plot and select the cast for the second act. Perhaps in another fifty years, when the Class of 2000 compiles its yearbook, it will look back a half-century to the mid-century class. What will they find concerning our class great men and women successes? Or will they find that we, the Class of 1950 enacted a prosaic conclusion to our life's script. We must decide now how that final curtain will ring down, for "Here Endeth, Here Beginneth."

Concord Through Cooperation: We, the class of 1948, have chosen "Concord Through Cooperation" as our motto. We have grown up in a world in which men have forgotten that they must work together in harmony if civilization is to progress. In their individual greed and personal lust, they have lost sight of the fact that man is a social animal, dependent upon his brothers for his well being. During our years in high school, we have studied many academic subjects in the classroom, but, whether on the football field, the basketball court, or the debating platform, we have learned a lesson that is as important as any of the others the lesson of teamwork. As we go forward into the adult world, we carry with us this knowledge of cooperation. We intend to employ it in whatever way possible so that we can do our part in making cocord through cooperation a reality.

On August 14, 1945, Wor'd War II ended. The guns were silent and Americans everywhere rejoiced because their boys had won the battle. But these Americans failed to realize that there was a war that was raging on the homefront, and has not been won even yet. This is the war that is being fought against the common foe of every man, woman, and child--the war against the dread white plague, tuberculosis.

Youth Today - Leaders Tomorrow: We, the graduating class of 1947, do realize the grave responsibility our graduation into the world at this time implies upon us. The world is marked by confusion. In this day and age, man has arrived at the point where he must choose whether he will use his tremendous advancements in science and knowledge for his betterment or his destruction. His choice lies in the success of world union, and the success of world union depends upon the efforts of man. The answer to the problem of finding worldly peace and harmony cannot be achieved by one man or even one nation; nor can it be found in one day or even one year. It will take time, hard work, and real faith on the part of each and every human being to bring the peace the future promises. We who are the Youth of Today must be the Leaders of Tomorrow.

To the Future, Peace with Progress: We, the graduating class of Bangor High School for the year MCMXLVI, have set our sights high, very high, indeed. Since Adam, man has groped blindly for the dove of peace; he has always failed to keep the prize within his grasp. From the discovery of fire onward, humanity has sought to better its lot only to discover each invention, each advancement, meant a more rapid rate for human extinction. These are not pretty facts; rather, ugly truths. Yet, we are not afraid; we have our eyes open, wide open. When man does achieve peace, there can only be progress. So, it must be our goal to gain a durable peace. Freedom from conflict will be ours when tyranny the world over is destroyed, exterminated by the rejuvenated masses who prefer freedom and prosperity to slavery and ruin. That is the answer, a challenge to the youth of the United States, because it is their spirit, their willfulness and vigor, which will accomplish this task as surely as the same spirit hewed a nation out of a wilderness and defeated mighty aggressors. Therefore, we, the graduating class of Bangor High School for the year MCMXLVI, are ready, in fact anxious, to go forth into the world. With the past to draw upon, and with the present to guide us, we are determined to meet the challenge to the future, Peace with Progress.

In this, the fifty-fifth edition of the B. H. S. "Oracle," several important themes have been followed. As usual, the spirit of Christmas has been portrayed; however, diverting from the "Christmas tree" and "Santa Claus" conception, we have stressed the sober realization that Christmas, 1945, signifies peace, an uneasy peace which cost no little sum in human sacrifice. So, too, the "Babe of Bethlehem" made the supreme sacrifice for the betterment of his fellow men. Another topic which we, the "Oracle Staff," have emphasized, is the excellent extra curricula program of Bangor High School. It is our firm belief that very few high schools in the United States offer such a comprehensive alinement of activities for the everlasting benefit of the students, you and me--benefits which will best fit us for American citizenship and for world fraternity.

We have chosen work as the shibboleth for the Oracle June, 1945. The graduating class has witnessed the close of an era the close of the European war. We have felt the imprint of war deeply impressed upon us during our years of high school; the end of a phase of it marks the end of a chapter in our lives. The completion of the second phase of the war marks the beginning of a new era. We leave B. H. S. to take our places as citizens of the world. We solemnly vow that we will work untiringly, unselfishly, and unceasingly to make it a world of peace.

To Combat Indifference: So that B. H. S. students may be more fully aware of recent events of national and community scope that directly affect them, the Oracle has turned over a section of its spring number to clarifying these issues. We do this with the hope of overcoming am alarming feeling of indifference concerning them. We present two very important pro and con features. The first deals with the issue of compulsory military training for boys and girls of eighteen. It includes six unbiased opinions of student representatives from each class. The second feature concerns the pro and con arguments for lowering the voting age to eighteen. These articles were written by students who have been studying this problem intensively as a part of the debating curriculum. These two comparatively recent national developments directly concern students all over the country. It is essential, therefore, that the many-sided issues involved and their results be thoroughly understood.

Season's greetings around the world...France...England...Egypt...Brazil...Australia...Americans are scattered all over the globe; many are spending their first Christmas away from those they love. This is the story of these men told by them in letters they themselves have written home.

Dedication: It is with solemn prayer that we dedicate this June, 1944, Oracle to the boys of the class of 1944 at Bangor High School who have left the class to enter the armed forces. There are sixty-odd boys who have gone and will not be present at graduation. We feel this loss acutely and can only hope that those boys have given their best elsewhere, in whatever duty has been assigned them. We were proud of their records as students at B. H. S. We are proud of their service records in the armed forces. We know that those boys from B. H. S. will continue to do as well in the future. In this year of invasion we offer a prayer for all of them, wherever they may be. To them in a spirit of pride and confidence we dedicate this Oracle for June, 1944.