Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1922-03-09
VOL. l
THURMONT HIGH SCHOOL
Are Our Literary Societies Worth
While?

The Philokalean and the Delta Sig
ma, the literary societies of Thurmont
High School rank among the best high
school societies of the State. This is
a matter of no small Importance, rather
it is something of which we can justly
be proud, especially so since some high
schools cannot boast of even a poor
literary society.
The literary societies of Thurmont
High School were organized in 1919.
In these three years much has been
accomplished, much has been learned.
1t is the hearty comment of all visitors
and new teachers that we have well
conducted, interesting societies. This
is due partly to the fact that interest
in our societies is not lacking, and
partly to the efforts of the members of
both societies.
What do the literary societies mean
to the graduates of our school? They
constitute the greatest connecting link
between the graduates and the high
school, greater even than the Alumni
Association itself. We might take the
graduates of 1921 and the graduates
prior to that time, for example. On
all special occasions the graduates of
1921 are always here when it is pos
sible for them to be ind that is quite
often. Now why is it that since we
see the members of the class of '21
here so often we never see a graduate
of class prior to that time? 1t is not
because they graduated one, two, or
more years before this for they never
have visited the school any oftener
than they do now. No, this is not the
reason. The real reason for this diff
ference in the attitudes of the gradu-
ates toward the High School is because
the graduates of FL still have an in
terest in the school. They are still
members of the Philokalean Liteary
Society. They are always welcome
and are made to feel so by the men,
bers of the society. The graduates
from prior to 1921 have no interest in
our school common to the students now
here. They are not members of our
literary societies and they naturally
do not concern themselves very much
about what is or isn't being done in
the High School. But it will not be so
with the graduates of this year or the
years to come. These graduates will
still be members of one or the other
of our societies and they will have
personal interest in the school for the
sake of the societies.
A literary society is one of the most
educational features of the High
School. The experience gained there
from is very essential in many phases
of our life work. 1t is practically the
only place where boy or girl can
learn to speak in public with ease. OF
to express his thoughts on the printed
page. We get little of this training
in our class work but not enough to
amount to anything. For this reason
every school should try and try hard
if need be to establish one. The Lit
erary Society should be classed with
the rest of our English work, the most
important part of our high school ed
ucation.-
The Literary Societies are also
sometimes responsible for bringing
out the genius of some apparently
stupid pupil that might otherwise lie
dormant, and never gain recognition.
For it is not always the boy or girl
who excels in the regular school work
who is able to speak or write with the
greatest ease. You can never tell who
the good speakers and writer's are UNI
til you try them. And why not make
use of the good that is in US? What is
the gain of having talent for doing
some special kind of work if that tai
ent is never developed, if it is neg
lected and allowed to die uot for want