Ashland High School - Echoes Yearbook (Ashland, ME)

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A feeling of inexpressible terror filled me and my heart felt anguished and heavy. I knew in that instant what I had witnessed, the probable fall of our Democracy. Then I remem- bered the actors back-stage. I tried to push aside the curtain to reach them. I wanted to cry out against what I had seen-but the curtain would not move. It was as if some unseen evil force was working against me. As I tugged upon the curtains my finger- tips felt wet, as if bloodied by the contact. As I strove to pull aside the curtains, the faded cloth which once was our flag, became loosened and I pulled it from the draperies, and falling to my knees, I held it clutched tightly to me as I asked God for His help in preserving our Freedom and for the protection of America against tyranny. Then, as my prayer was being brokenly uttered, the draperies fiut- tered aside and around me, all the actors knelt in silent prayer. Slowly, softly, the harsh music died away, the stage resumed its original ap- pearance, the faded cloth once again displayed its gallant colors in the chosen emb-lem of our Free Nation, The United States of America. I turned towards the audience. and their radiant, smiling faces displayed their courage and loyalty to their country-you see, these were the American People. INIARILYN BERRY '52 MY DOG, LADDY One day when I came home from school there was a great surprise waiting for me in a little box in the kitchen. It was a three-weeks-old German shepherd pup. I squealed with delight when I saw him. The pup was very small so I de- cided I would bring him up to be a very fine dog. I named him Laddy. I fed him his meals from a bottle and he soon became very fat. When he was about three months old I started teaching him tricks. He learned to go after a stick, shake hands, and roll over on his belly for a bone. I bought him a rubber ball that he liked to play with. By the time he was a year old he was a big healthy dog. In the morning he would go out to the barn to watch my father milk. When I came home at night he would be at the gate to meet me. He always helped bring in the cows. I like to fish in the little brook in back of the h-ouse Cwhich you can also swim in! and he always ac- companied me. He was great com- pany. He went for long walks with me through the pastures and woods on our land. We had so much fun together, Laddy and I, that I never once thought about losing him. But one day I came home from school and there was no Laddy to meet me. My mother broke the news to me. Laddy had been killed when he had suddenly gone blind while in the road. We have another dog now but he will never take the place of Laddy. SHARON R. BELL '54 GETTING HOME AFTER MIDNIGHT Did you ever have the experience of getting home around one o'clock when you should have been in before 11:30'? Oh! So many things run through your mind! Now, where have you been? What are my parents go- ing to say? But the greatest question is, how am I going to get in. Well, you decide to make the best of things, so you are off for home. You try to ease your mind with the thoughts that maybe Mom and Dad are sleeping soundly enough not to waken, but could there be such luck! As the car slowly arrives in your yard, your dog starts barking for a period of ten minutes. All hopes are lost now. But you again regain cour- age and start to enter the house. VVhat makes the door stick?

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THOUGHTS ON GRADUATION I. Graduation day is drawing near Soon my friends and I shall part. I'll bid each one a sad farewell With precious memories in my heart. II. Four years we spent together Years that are now in the past. All the happy and cheerful days In my heart will forever last. III. SL-me days, the way was rough and hard At times, there seemed no end. We turned not back but struggled on And reached smooth road again. IV. And though I shall hate to say good- bye To my friends at A. C. H. S. I must go out into the world To make use of the knowledge I possess. V. So good-bye to happy days in the past And teachers and friends I love dear. Ne're again shall we all be together After graduation time, this year. POLLY MCNAMARA '51 THE AMERICAN DRAMA A beautiful, artificial rose glow hovered about the stage, reflected from the rose shaded foot-lights. An enormous grand piano was in the upper right hand corner of the plat- form, and at the opposite side there was a heavy, black velveteen curtain, covering the exit. The American flag fluttered over its rich surface, while the flag's shimmering stars reflected the glow of the lights into the dark background. I walked softly down the quiet hall and seated myself in the front row. I waited for what seemed an eternity and then I heard a slight rustling and the light tread of foot steps, coming from behind me. I turned and ob- served that the seats around me were rapidly filling. I looked at the people for a long time but I recognized no one. They seemed like creatures of a dream, absolutely without facial features and I thought surely I was losing my mind. I turned again towards the stage, resigned to my fate. Just then a group of actors came on the stage to portray a scene in the early coloni- zation of America. While the players enacted their parts, the pianist ac- companied them with patriotic music which swelled encouragingly through- out the silent hall, but the audience never stirred. The colonists were followed by im- portant characters who helped make our Democracy. As each of these played his role, the pianist tirelessly played music, obviously inspired by the acting. Suddenly the appearance of the stage changed. The rose lights turned a darker shade and the stage was bathed in a blood-red aura. The flag quivered mysteriously then remained still. The stars slowly faded from it and the stripes bilended together as one leaving a solid square of red material with no design. The pianist began to beat madly upon the keys and a moan arose from the faceless audience.

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Guess probably you'll have to push a little harder. Oh, dear! There's a chair against it, which goes sailing across the floor. Already there had been enough noise to arouse anyone, but you pro- ceed cautiously. Now to get to the front room. Ooops! The dining room door is closed and you had to bump your head on that. Didn't miss the dining room table, either. A bumped head and a bruised toeg many a word runs through your mind, but not one is uttered. If only you're able to reach that light in the front room now! Of course after a series of hitting chairs, which seem to be deliberately mis- placed, you stand where the light should be-but much to your dispair you knock the light from the stand, causing another loud crash. Oooh! But is your temper rising, degree by degree! It just seems as if everything happens to you! Guess you'd better get to bed and forget the whole thing, so you re- move your shoes and with them in one hand and coat in the other you proceed up stairs. Not a word is said by anyone. Two more steps. You're going to make it yet. There you go again, stubbing your toe, the same one that you bumped in the dining room. Now your in for it. It isn't long before you're in dream- land, only to be awakened by your father calling Breakfast ! Oh, the dread of going down to face them when you hadn't kept your promise about getting home. But what do you hear? Your father asks you why you came home so early because when he went to a dance he usually stayed until the end. Who can blame you for being rather disgusted? Such is life. MARGUERITE COLBATH '54 WINTER Winter time is my favorite time of the year. During the time when snow is on the ground and the rivers and lakes are frozen over, there are many sports in which one may participate. Some of these are, skiing, skating, sliding and snowshoeing. When the time for winter sports rolls around my heart pounds with excitement. Nothing thrills me more than coming down a mountain side at express train speed on a pair of skis. Skating is another of my favorite sports. When I have a pair of skates on and go whirling around on the rink my spirit feels as free as that of a little snow bunting. The many fig- ures that may be performed on a pair of skates is amazing. It always fasci- nates me to watch a really good figure skater. Sliding down hills has a thrill all of its own. I think there is a no more pleasing sport than a group of young- sters on a sliding spree. The wind whipping at my face brings the color to my cheeks and excitement to my blood. All of these sports have their slight casualties, when one happens, merry making is forgotten, for the time be- ing, but if the person or persons are not seriously injured we soon start in where we left off. Yes, winter time is my favorite time of the year. CLYDE BODGE '53 SISTERS' RIVALS Today is Saturday and I have worked for hours trying to clean my room. I put a clean linen stand cloth with lacy edges on the bureau and arranged everything to suit my own taste. All my books and magazines were stacked neatly in a pile in my little stand on which I kept my phono- graph and records.