Senior Pictures! Stop to think just a minute! Do you realize the problem the "Oracle" is up against to get out the June number? The biggest part of that problem is Senior pictures. These pictures must be in our hands by the middle of April. This means that every Senior must sit for his picture before April First! If your picture has not been taken by April First, it cannot go into the June "Oracle." Listen, Senior! Are you careless enough to be deprived of the crowning glory of your high school career? If you have not already had your picture taken, have it taken right off!

Duty Not Obligation: Who is there who does not wish that their home or the place where they must eat should be kept in a sanitary condition? Likewise, who is there in Bangor High School who does not prefer a clean, tidy study room or recitation room to a gloomy, dirty room, where everything is in a clutter and where it is impossible to find anything at any time? If we should enter a friend's house and find that there was no order or tidiness to the arrangement of the furnishings, would we not at once form an unfavorable opinion of the person as well as of his people? Of course there are exceptions to every rule, but exceptions are few in this case. Thus it is with all public buildings as well as homes. There are always a few people to whom duty does not appeal.

The Need Of a New Athletic Field! This year a problem, which has always been of most importance to not only our high school but even to the city itself, has been brought to light--that of the need of a new athletic field. As we all know a school or college is rated by four important functions: First, by its educational advantages; second, by the ability of its teaching force; next, by its social life; and last, but not least, by its standard in athletic life. Bangor High school is able to and does offer to her students educational advantages, which are at least among the best in New England. For instance, look at the excellent library, which contains more worth while literature than some of the public libraries of this same state. The ability of her teaching force commands a very high rank among the standards in New England. Her social life is not lacking. Banquets and receptions help along this line. But the last thing, which in many respects is lacking, is the athletics of this school.

Hang on To the Music Department: Why should the students of Bangor High School be deprived of a chance to increase their musical abilities, an opportunity to enjoy orchestral and band music? Why should they be unable to present at graduation and the Junior Exhibition a musical program? The conditions of the finances of the School Department is a disgrace to the city of Bangor. The loss of the Music Department of the High School, caused by the City Government's not appropriating enough money to carry out the entire educational program, will be greatly felt in the future. The Music Department must remain in Bangor High School.

Endow the Bangor Schools! A city of the size and reputation of Bangor should possess an excellent educational system. A majority of people in Bangor desire better and not poorer educational faculties. It is plain to all that education is a money spending and not a money making business. Someone was overheard to say that the city should not spend one-third of one year's total taxes on its schools as the schools did not produce any income. They do not produce a money income, but that which is better, intelligent citizenship, broad, resourceful minds, able to guide and direct the affairs of the community, thereby making it a better place in which to live.

1925: A class of future successful men and women is 1925. The largest class that on the opening day of school has ever entered the honored doors of Bangor High School. May this class, when its thirtieth reunion is held still cherish the ideals of their Alma Mater as do the graduates of the past! We take pleasure in welcoming you, 1925, as a friend and helpmate in further increasing the honor and reputation of good, old Bangor High. At this time we also wish you untold success, both in B. H. S. and in the years after graduation. Bangor High will always be your loyal backer and remember you and your achievements, and so, 1925, it is your duty to uphold her banner wherever you may journey.

With the present issue, Volume Twenty-nine of the Oracle is complete. During the year the Board has worked hard to exceed, if possible, the former standards of the paper. The 1920-21 Oracle Board will now say its farewell, leaving behind it another which, we hope, will continue the good work of improvement. We now wish to join the hearty thanks of the Board with those of the readers for the generous aid given by the literary and joke contributors during the past year and desire to solicit a continuation of this help for the coming years in order to make the Oracle a "bigger, better, brighter" paper than ever before. We, of the class of '21, herewith leave to your charity and gentle mercy, the--1921-22 ORACLE BOARD.

Prevent Accidents! How many people in the country realize that during the participation of the World War the number of American soldiers killed on the battlefield was 78,055 fewer than the number of persons killed by accidents in the United States? Although there is a long space of time betwen wars every day, perhaps every hour, in the year, someone is hurt or killed by an accident. The number of daily accidents both in industry, on the highways and in our homes is enormous. Devices to prevent accidents in all walks of life are sorely needed not only to prevent the sorrow and suffering but also to stop the great economic losses which necessarily result from an accident.

Better English in Written Work: While as a rule, if one is able to speak the English language correctly, he is doubly able to write it correctly, on the other hand, any poor choice of words or slight mistake in sentence structure is doubly sure of being detected. Written or printed matter remains in a condition to be referred to or examined long after that of the tongue has passed out of existence. Consequently, one can never be too careful in his selection of words or method of expressing himself, however trivial the published article.

Dramatic Number: This number of the Oracle is dedicated to the dramatic element of the school. The word drama means action and we feel, as you will upon reading the following pages, that the word has not been misinterpreted by our contributors. The paper as a whole, is an endeavor for action on the part of the school. We throw her into high and take the straight road to Action, but sometimes a social butterfly or a political bee gets into our carburetor just as we are touching "sixty" and it takes a crew of about ten mechanics from the Oracle board to get us started again.

Freshmen, Can You Match This? At the age of seven, Lord Macauley in 1807, wrote a compendium of the history of the world from the Creation. At the age of eight, Mrs. Browning could read Homer in the original. At the age of ten, Jane Welsh, being told that a girl who was able to read Virgil was too old to have a doll, determined to put it away. She constructed a funeral pyre, and having placed the doll on top, she recited the dying words of Queen Dido: "Vixi et quem dederst ansum fortuna peregi," etc.

College Life and Study: "Do not let your studies interfere with your college education," is the motto which adorns the walls of many a student's room and quiets his conscience upon coming in at a late hour "when good fellows get together." This frequenter of moving picture houses, grandstands, and corridors we call a "student" for want of a safer word, though it sometimes obviously does him an injustice. Even before entering college the ques-tion of study is faced. He hears accounts of initiations and celebrations. His chum's big brother tells him confidentially just what he must do in order to be rushed into the right fraternity. Everywhere is the spirit of the "good fellow" and the joys of the school curriculum are little discussed. With his mind set on going to college he reads all that comes to hand on the subject. The newspapers give details of the games and full length portraits of the heroes. They report night shirt parades, dances, hazing, smokers--anything but studies.

Bangor High a Class A School: It is now time for the Juniors and Seniors to be deciding upon the college to which they intend to go. In recent years throughout this entire country, a realization of the need of higher education has become strongly felt. Because of this the student bodies of all colleges have greatly increased. The college facilities have not been able to keep pace with this immense increase. Accordingly colleges have adopted measures for admitting only the most desirable class of students. To accomplish this many of the colleges formerly accepting high school certificates, no longer accept them but demand that the student shall pass satisfactory examinations.

Shortly after school began a new system was introduced, which was of great benefit to the Freshman class. Each teacher was assigned seven pupils of the tenth grade and instructed to inquire into their home life, ambitions, plans for future, hours of study, etc. Thus each student may be given help and advice throughout his school career. As far as we know, Bangor High is the only school in the state to adopt this system.

Our Twenty Ninth: With this number begins the twenty-ninth year of the Oracle's success and prosperity. May it have the same brilliant future before it as it has enjoyed in all years past! Moreover, now the begins the work of a new Oracle board. We are but humans and as yet extremely new to the work, the editorial chair seems rather large and the pen more or less of a novelty. We beg, however, for consideration and with the whole hearted support of the school hope to keep the Oracle in the place it has always occupied, among the foremost of amateur papers. Also we desire to impress upon the students that the Oracle is published by the school as a whole and not by the editorial board alone. The Oracle Box was originally built for a purpose.

The Oracle Past and Future: This number of the Oracle closes the work of the twenty-eighth--the 1919-1920--Oracle board. The board has had a very successful year and has worked hard to keep the Oracle up to former standards. Increased costs made this hard, but by a slight reduction in the size of the paper the difficulties were overcome. By practicing rigid economy for the past five months we have been enabled to present to the students of Bangor a June number equal to any that other years have given: we believe it is the best yet. Of course the Oracle board has not done all of the necessary work; the whole-hearted support of the Senior class and of the many organizations of the school meant a great deal--more, probably, than anyone yet appreciates.

Control of Maine's Federal Water Power: A bill that has recently appeared in Congress has caused considerable discussion in this state about the proposed Federal Water Power Commission. Just what the purposes of the bill may be is not quite clear to Maine people and they are demanding explanations. Of course, such a plan might be put into action but it is hardly probable. New Hampshire, Vermont and Massachusetts have the natural resources necessary to furnish electric power, and could undoubtedly care for their own power problems. Rhode Island and Connecticut are not so favored and might need outside help; but not from Maine, for a transmission line from the sources of power in Maine to the point of use in these states would be a gigantic undertaking, involving millions of dollars.

The Ex-Service Men: A Bangor minister, in asking his congregation to contribute to a European relief fund, recently, referred to a cartoon in the "Literary Digest." He said, "That cartoon is expressive of America's generosity; it shows a freight train; one car is labeled 'Millions for the relief of something in Europe,' another, 'Millions for the relief of something else in Europe,' and so on to the end of the long train." Insofar as he told of the cartoon he was perfectly correct, but he did not explain it all. In the foreground, watching the train, is an American soldier on crutches. He wears three gold stripes on his left sleeve eighteen months overseas. A placard explains the figure: "Discharged from hospital, unfit for work and without pay." Yes, the cartoon expresses America's attitude. The people of this country seem perfectly willing, not to say eager, to give money for the relief of Europe; but they do not seem to be willing to loan money for the aid of their own fighting men.

Daylight Saving in the East: Daylight saving has now been given trial for two summers in America. It has been met with a varying degree of enthusiasm throughout the country, the farmers in general and the Westerners having raised many and strong objections, while business men and tradespeople of the East have for the most part been heartily in favor of it. New York state has already adopted the daylight saving law and likewise Philadelphia, Springfield, Worcester and other large cities. Similar action is being promoted in Massachusetts, several bills being before the legislature, one of which is expected to become a law. With many of the large cities continuing to act in accordance with the present standard time and many making use of the daylight-saving summer time much confusion is sure to result. It is the general opinion that if, in spite of the farmers, cities continue to adopt the law, Congress will be likely to take action and declare daylight saving during the summer months for the eastern section of the country where the sentiment is greatly in favor of such action.

Maine's Centennial: This year Maine will celebrate the hundredth anniversary of her admission to the Union. A brief review of her history would not be out of place at this time. Maine was probably discovered by the Vikings when they sailed down the coast of this country, about the year 1000. The first English settlement in Maine was in the early part of the seventeenth century, about the same time as the settlement of Massachusetts.

The Forest Patrol: Although winter has not reached the halfway mark many of our school friends have already begun making plans for next summer. Out of all the many ways of spending the vacation, two seem to stand prominently. These special attractions are Devens and the Forest Patrol Service. The boys who attended Camp last summer have already spread abroad in glowing colors its many attractions, but there appears to be considerable doubt as to of just what the Patrol Service in Maine actually consists. Vague rumors have been set afoot telling of the enormous pay received and of the scarcity of work. The popular conception of the duties of a patrolman appears to be mainly that of sitting before an open fire with a telephone handy and upon receiving an alarm, in leaping upon a horse and galloping lightly to the scene of action. Just who it is that gives the alarm is a question usually omitted from the conversation. Perhaps an even more enticing picture drawn by the Forest enthusiasts is one in which the highly paid guard kneels in a light Old Town canoe and paddles leisurely along a quiet stream, occasionally reaching for his automatic and firing at a deer peering out from the brush, then drifting home to a supper of venison and corn cake.

The B. & A. Question: A heated argument between the heads of the Maine Central and Bangor & Aroostook railroads was the result of the recently proposed change of route in the Aroostook railroad line. The suggested route would run through Old Town and other towns in that section of the state instead of branching off to Northern Maine Junction; thus, according to Old Town's view, greatly benefiting the general condition of that city on account of the large amount of traffic necessarily passing through on its way to and from the vast regions of the North. Old Town is, moreover, the center of a large district having within a radius of about twelve miles a population of over 47,000. As the center of this district she considers that she has a right to expect to be an outlet of Aroostook county.

The Oracle: Few of the pupils of Bangor High School fully appreciate their school paper, this paper, The Oracle. Really to appreciate it one should stop and think. The Oracle, as you are continually being told, is among the leading school papers in the country. Do the students of Bangor High have any idea of the subscription prices of the other leaders? A comparison will show anywhere from fifty per cent. to one hundred per cent. higher prices. The Exchange departments of papers that exchange with the Oracle will give an idea as to the Oracle's standing among school papers in regard to its work. The low subscription price of the Oracle is due to two things, the support of its publishers and the support of Bangor merchants.

Welcome 1923: Once more Bangor High School welcomes a new class and once more it is the largest class in her history. 1923, you are now in one of the largest and finest high schools in New England. It is your duty to raise her standards in all things. Bangor High is among the leaders in every school activity. Without doubt she has the best military organization and the best band of any high school in Maine, and the latter, we believe, is unexcelled in the United States. It is up to you, 1923, to join with the other classes, past and present, of Bangor High, and make her name known everywhere, a leader.