Fryeburg Academy - Academy Bell Yearbook (Fryeburg, ME)

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THE ACADEMY BELL 13 looking again we find that there is no end to childhood, only the beginning of youth. Thus it goes down through the ages. Next in consideration is a mountain trail. The beginning is just like walk- irg on level ground. for the slope begins very gradually. ln fact. it is so simple tliat you th'nk, My, this is easy! I'll soon be at the topfl llut that is a great mistake. For at first slowly, but finally very quickly, the trail begins to get steeper and rougher. Sharp rocks are strewn over the path and the roots of trees jut out into it at unexpected places to trip you disastrously. The trail be- comes still steeper. You stop to rest frequently, saying to yourself, This is1i't going to be as simple as I thought, but l guess I'll soon be theref' Perse- verance and the determination to reach the top prove to be good incentives for climbing. At last you arrive at the high- est peak. XVhat! you exclaim, star- ing ahead, there no end to this trail? However, after the first glance around, you become oblivious of all else but the glorious panorama spread before your eyes. Azure skies, huge, blue moun- tans with their peaks and ravines, and far away a glimpse of the valley with its farms and villages. Certainly it is a sight well worth the long, hard climb. Before you start back, take another look at the trail. Isn't there really any end to it? Vtlhy, so there isn't! 'It just continues and merges into the trail that leads downward on the other side. Now, I come to the best trail of all- the trail that we as a class have traveled for four years. lt has been a long trail, but we have passed quickly over it. Let us make a short resume of it. We were rather timid as we started because the path was strange and we did not know what new dangers might be awaiting us around the next turn. or what pitfalls might be underneath our feet. But nothing direful happened to us, and as we passed along the way we walked faster in proportion as our confidence increaseld. Obstacles were constantly being thrown in our way, but by dint of hard work we overcame them. XVe became stronger and braver with every step we took. The difhcult places were always broken up by easy pleasant ones before they became irksome. The temp- tations were many, but we passed them by without yielding, As seniors we have continued our triumphant march, sweeping all before us till we have reached this final victory-what seems the end of the trail. llut even as there was no end to the other trails which I have mentioned, so there is no end to this one. Rightly were these exercises named Commencement, for that is what they are, the commencement of new things, the dawn of a new life. Honorable Trustees, it is to you that we owe the privilege of attending Frye- burg Academy-a privilege that we have enjoyed for four years. Before we leave we wish to thank you for the op- portunities you have offered us, for the interest you have manifested in us. Speak- ing for my class, I thank you and bid you farewell. Teachers of Fryeburg Academy, you have labored long and diligently with us, trying to infuse a little knowledge

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I2 THE ACADEMY BELL The chimney's rough and rudely made, The doorstep gray and old. The ancient windows there let in The rain and wind and cold. No sign of splcndor's seen within, No walls with paintings hungg But it's suggestiveness of peace Glows like the morning sun. Its Floors are rough and gray and bare. From countless treading feetg But, as to birds their humble nest To me it's a retreat. Beyond the pomp of palace line, Or mansion, stately, tall, Beyond all others, humbler far, It's yet the best of all. :la Far liner than the richest place Or ancient hall of Rome, To me ,it's dearer than the rest i Because it's home-my home! 4 And there aloige I'll happy be, My cares will pass away, And there in joyful blissful peace Await tle end of day. There all the sorrow, grief. and care Witliin me day and night Will fade away like stars at dawn VVhen comes the morning light. RAYMOND COTTON. VALEDICTORY. THE END OF THE TRAIL. The End of the Trail seems to me a big subject when I begin to realize that there are all kinds of trails, but the more l think of it, the more I believe that none of these trails really end. Let us conslder a few of them and see if this is not true. Life is the big trail. the broad highway along which we travel from childhood. The entrances to many smaller trails dot the sides of it and are visible to us as we pass by. lVe have the liberty of ex- ploring any of these, of choosing any one that we like. But we find to our surprise that each one evidently lea back to the main trail with its obstacles to be overcome and its pleasant places to be enjoyed. So we journey until we reach the end of the trail, across which a veil is drawn. There is no escape from the trail at this point. XVe must pierce the veil, beyond which lies Eter- nity. Some of us will do it with fear and trembling. others with confidence. But there is no need of fear, for the end of life is but the beginning of a bigger, broader trail where we shall start anew. All stages of life are the same. Take childhood, for instance. This is a short but beautiful trail. Tall trees border the sides of it: velvety green grass grows beside itg a delicious perfume floats through the balmy air. issuing from the iranv Howers of delicate shades and tints which are sprinkled through the grass on either side: beautiful birds with bright pfumage trill and warble as they flit from branch to branch: above, not a cloud mars the serenity of the blue heavens. Everything is calm, peaceful and lovely. Below, there are no jagged stones in the path for the little feet to stumble against as they toddle along, neither are there any sharp turns around which lurk unknown dangers. True, an occasional storm-cloud looms up on the horizon, but it is not often a very large one nor does it stay very long. The journey down this trail is over all too quickly and the end is soon reached. But wait! Is it the end? No. Upon

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I4 THE ACADEMY BELL into our heads. You have been very patient and helpful. XVe have always felt free to come to you :for help, know- ing that it would be given gladly. You have watched over us and tried to make the way as smooth as possible. Now we are going out from under your care and we want to tell you how much we appreciate the help and inspi- ration you have given us. Undergraduates. we, the Class of 153253, are leaving Ifryeburg Academy forever, and we bequeath our places to you. You will step into them and fill them capably. we feel sure. VVe are handing you the torch and you must carry on in our stead. Above all, be sincere in everything you do, persevere in your work, and you will have no regrets when you leave. And now, my classmates, I turn to you. Today is our day of days, our greatest day, for it is in all probability t e last time that we shall all be together. VVe must make the most of it because before we rialize it will have slipped from us and we shall be waiching the sun rise on tomorrow with its glorious p1'om'se. Tonight will see us scattered to the four winds of fate, and if per- chance any of us meet again it will be under different circumstances. Even after these exercises are over the part- ing will begin, and so we must grasp each golden moment as it flies by and p'ace it in our treasure-chest of memo- ries. Dear classmates, shall we ever forget the days we have spent together in old lf. A.? No, as long as memory lasts, even though we never see each other again. each of us will always think ten- derly of the good old times at F. A. Although it grieves me. the time has come when I must say farewell, Gladly I would talk on and on and keep back the dread moment, but it is inevitable. It must come! And so farewell to you, my classmates and comrades! As we go forth into our new life, each in a dif- ferent direction, each to a different vo- cation, let us make a solemn vow never to forget the class of N123 of Ifryeburg Academy, what it has been in the past, what it is in the present, and what it will be in the future. LILLIAN SWAN. OUR FRIENDS, THE BIRDS. All forms of nature are interesting but none appeal to me more strongly than b'rds. They are useful, teach many lessons and add greatly to the joy and beauty of the world. VVho does not feel a thrill of pleasure when he awakes some morning after a long dreary winter and hears the bluebird singing in the tree tops? Qr what could furnish greater entertainment than to watch the Purple Finch wooing his mate? I have seen this gaily dressed suitor with wings spread, crest lifted, cir- cle round and round his lady-love, sing- ing his sweet song resembling that of a canary, as he waltzed and bowed, try- ing to win the admiration of his plainly- dressed and rather indifferent compan- ion. How dull would be the woods and fields were it not for the bright colors and joyous songs of the cheerful little birds! Longfellow said,