Freedom Academy - Echo Yearbook (Freedom, ME)

Page 6 text:

EDITORIAL Within a few weeks scores of High School Seniors will stand upon the threshold of a new era in their lives. They will be graduated from the secondary level of education and be confronted with three turns in the road of opportunity. One road leads to higher educa- tion-college, or a business of your own, one to normal average life g and one to the rut of slums and filth. The first road is narrow-it's rocky and exceedingly steep. But, up at the top! Oh! Up at the top we catch a glimpse of fertile green fields, with grass Waving in the gentle breeze and trees with fruit growing abundantly! Brooks and streams gurgle happily. The sky is blue, not a cloud in sight and the beautiful, rolling, purple hills laugh in the warm sunlight. From these observations we can sum up the whole procedure. The narrowness of the path indicates that few people ascend it. It is steep, hard to climb, and, if you slip, you may fall and be dashed against the rocky surface. You might not sur- vive. The green pastures and smil- ing fields above symbolize only one thing-success and the fullness of a rich and happy life. Perhaps it wouldn't be worth the chance. After all, there are those terrible rocks. Well, perhaps the middle road would entertain a better life. We see it as a straight, paved roadway, offering no steep climb, no rocky terrain. The trees, fruit, grass, and streams are limited, although there are a fair number. The roadway dis- appears over the horizon. What are those beyond, storm clouds? From these points we interpret that the running would be smooth. Of course, we understand from the limit of resources and beauty, that it can never hold the richness of life that the furtherance of education can give. But, just think of what would happen if you slipped on that rocky path. Those storm clouds to me are the penalty for success or failure along this road. Of course, there's no hard climb, so, if you worked hard, those clouds would probably blow away and you could continue to live the same sort of life thereafter.

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FACULTY lst Row, Left to Right, Mrs. F. H. Johnson, Jr., Principal Earl W. Higgins, Mr. George W. Littlefield. 2nd Row, Left to Right, Mr. Donald Lupolt, Mr, Charles Cosgrove. Mathematics and Science--Mr. Earl Higgins, Principal Ricker Junior College-1935-1936 Colby College-1936-1939-B. A. Degree University of S. California tSummerJ 1940 University of California at Los Angeles-19429 Meteorology A. A. F. University of Maine Extension-1951 1942-1944 Air Force 1939-1942 Teacher Coburn Classical institute 1946-1949 Principal, Erskine Academy 1949- Principal, Freedom Academy Agriculture--Mr. George Littlefield University of Maine-1950 B. S. Degree Legislature-1940-1941 Farmer-1937-1952 Teacher Freedom Academy 1951- English, Languages-Mrs. F. H. Johnson, Jr. Western College for Women-1909-1910 University of Wisconsin-1911-1914 B. A. Degree, 1914 University of W. Va. Extension-1928 University of Wisconsin Extension-1932-1935 University of Maine fSummerJ 1942 Teacher-Manitowoc High School, 1914-1918 Teacher-S. D. H. S., Milwaukee, Wisconsin 1918-1919 Private Teacher-1920-1942 Teacher, Cony H. S., Augusta, Maine-1942-1944 Substitute Teacher, Cony H. S., 1944-1951 Teacher, Freedom Academy 1941- Commercial--Mr. Donald Lupolt Bliss College, Lewiston, Maine-1947 Coast Guard-1942-1945 University of Maine fSummerl 1948 Teacher-Pembroke H. S.-1948-1949 Teacher-Freedom Academy-1951- Social Studies, French, Athletic Coach-Mr. Charles Cosgrove, Jr. Navy-1945-1946 University of Maine-1951-B. A. Degree-1951 Teacher-Old Town H. S.-1951 Teacher-Freedom Academy-1951-

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Now the third road. Undoubtedly, this one would be easiest. The road is slippery, leads downhill, curves and disappears behind the barren mountains. Obviously, this is the easiest. It's easier to travel because it is slippery. You would proceed swiftly until you rounded the curveg after that, who knows? It might be a land of milk and honey, or it might be a desert. You could never climb back that slip- pery road. Here is your clue. Observe that the road leads DOWNHILL. There, High School Graduate, are your three opportunities. Will you take the first and, perhaps, win a life of success and hapiness? Will you take the second and be satisfied with a normal average life without the richness and fullness of further education? Or will you merely stride along on the slippery road, never knowing where it leads but always sure you'l1 get by anyway because it's slippery? Remember, you can't see beyond that curve and it leads downhill! No one will lead youg it's YOUR CHOICE. Some of us are going to try the first path. Which will you attempt? Life is a grindstone that polishes some people and grinds others. Editor in Chief Dick Shibles '52