Potter Academy - Wreath Yearbook (Sebago Lake, ME)

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After about two weeks of working, Johnny tried out his car on the highway and knew right off that his car was built for speed. One afternoon as Johnny was just out cruising around, all of his friends with hot-rods went past him like a shot. Johnny laughed to himself and thought, Won't they be surprised when they find out what's under this hood. He pressed down on the accelerator and the car crept up to a speed of 75 M.P.H. All the time he was gaining on his friends and at the speed of 90 M.P.H., he went by. Then he looked in the mirror to catch the surprised look on their faces. Of course, since he was the most popular boy, all of the other boys were jealous and tried to get the best of him. So the hot-rod game began to get dirty. Eve ry night after school the boys would go out and race. Their'motto was: Anything To Win . Jack Cole, a boy who was always jealous of Johnny, was driving side by side with Johnny's car. Everyone knew that Jack would go by the motto. While the crowd was gathering Jack suddenly cut over and crowded Johnny's hot-rod onto a soft shoulder. The car rolled over and over down the embankment and of course this hot-rod accident ended in a death--Johnny's. All parents would feel the same way as Johnny's, that they hadn't done right by him to make him lie to them. As time went on the cornmunity started to discuss having a safe place for the hot-rods to race. Among these people were Mr. and Mrs. Wells. The next year those people had raised enough money to build a safe place for them. Certain rules of safety were set up and the boys had to go by them. At the gate entering the race track there was a sign saying John Wells' Memorial and directly under this was written Dangerous Fun Made Safe . June Douglass '52 The King of Kings The world may have governors, presidents, vice-presidents, but who is it that really gives life to everything? Who is it that gives people senses to live, speak, taste, touch, who heals the sick, who forgives our sins, provides for us, protects us, encourages us, strengthens us? Is there anyone who cannot answer me and know that there is someone ? Though He may not be seen by you, you may know His presence, and are you grateful for each day, each moment for a chance to help Him, to worship Him, to even think of Him? Who is this King of Kings ? The very life and spirit you need to live by, and for. He is everyone's King, the Lord of Heaven and Earth. This is His world and we are His people. He governs us, I-le's our president, our rtgler and our law-giver, His laws are to be obeyed. Our every- thing we own He has given us, our beautiful world and all good things come from Him, Our King of Kings , Geneva McLaughlin '51

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Uncle Henry at a Basketball Game Uncle Henry was an old hermit who lived in the back woods. His son was just out of college and was taking Henry to a basketball game. Now Henry, being a hermit who always stayed in the back woods, had never been to a basketball game before. They drove to the door, got out of their carriage, walked up to the box office and asked for two tickets. When Uncle Henry heard the price of the tickets, he was about ready to go home, but his son finally got him to stay, telling him he would pay for the tickets. Just as Uncle Henry entered the hall, he saw this huge thing coming right for his head, but he man- aged to jump out of the way in time to avoid being hit. Henry asked his son what that thing was that had just come so close to killing him and his son told him that was the basketball with which they play the game. Well now, seeing that there was a large crowd that night, old Uncle Henry couldn't seem to find a place to sit down, so he found a place to stand whe re he thought he would be safe, Uncle Henry figured he was going to have a hardjnightg first he was almost killed by the basketball and now he could not find a place to sit down. Well, they finally started the game, but Uncle Henry could not understand a thing they were trying to do. It looked to him as if they were trying to see who could get killed first. They would throw the ball up the floor, then it would come flying back and it didn't seem to him that either team was getting very far, Uncle Henry said he couldn't see which side was getting ahead and he didn't care, he was so tired of watching them. After the game, Henry said he never wanted to see another game in his life, that he wanted to go back to the woods and live in peace. Edward Richards '52 Dangerous Fun lt was the 25th of September and the sun was shining. Everyone was happy except the people of the small town of Westling. The Westling Journal had just been printed and the paper boys were out delivering the morning edition. The headlines read, John Wells, Westling High Senior, Killed Suddenly In Hot-Rod Accident . This all came about when, one Saturday afternoon, a few of the Westling High pupils decided to go to their first stock car race. The boys were much concerned in the races and like all boys decided a few days later to form a Hot-Rod Club. This idea was opposed by many of the parents, especially John Wells', After a few weeks some of the boys had their cars built over into hot-rods, and every afternoon they would go out on the main highway and race to see who had the fastest car, Johnny was voted the most popular boy in Westling and because of this the boys used to tease him because he wasn't allowed to build a hot-rod. After a few weeks of teasing Johnny convinced his parents to let him have a car, only with the one condition that the car wasn't to be turned into a hot-rod. He got his car the next day and his father was much surprised that he picked out an old battered '35 Ford. He thought that most boys who wanted a car would want a newer one without any dents, but this was Johnny's choice so his father bought it. Every afternoon Johnny used to come home from school and work on his car, His parents thought nothing of this because every boy with his first car likes to work on it and see what makes it run. During the time that he was rebuilding his car the boys made fun of his old junk be- cause it wou1dn't run and because his parents would not let him at least try to build a hot-rod

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The Old Dun Mare The old leader raised her head and smelled the breeze. Impatiently she pawed the ground. Something, somewhere was wrong. After alittle while she returned to her feed- ing, but she remained very restless. Every few minutes she raised her head and smelled the wind. An hour passed, two hours, and as the day wore on it became unbearably hot. The sky was bright, and a haze seemed to float over the sun. The herd sought shade and found it in the foothills of the mountains. A canyon forked and went to each side, the two streams almost parallel and a little distance apart. The horses fed peacefully on the dense foliage that grew on each side. Towards the end of the afternoon the old leader led the herd back to the feeding grounds. At night the mountains were not a very safe place. The wolves and Cougars were very thick and bold. Many fine horses had been pulled down by these blood- thirsty creatures. The leader was a wise old dun mare. She had been a leader for many years. Now she was getting old and often when she awoke in the morning her bones were stiff and sore, due to the dew of the night. Her position was threatened by a young roan stud. Several times he had charged at her and by her extreme strength she was able to defend herself. She knew that sometime the thing that she feared would happen. Sometime she would be caught off guard. Just now, however, her mind was not on the roan. The sky was no longer bright. A dense haze seemed to hang over the ground. It was rather difficult to breathe. The old mare, was completely baffled. Never before in her life had she experienced anything like this. The stifling air was all about them. Suddenly the wind changed. Immediately the feeding ground became a hot smothering place, where it was practically impossible to breathe. The herd stamped and coughed. The old mare neighed and began to drive the herd to the mountains. By now the air was filled with a roaring sound. The terrified herd plunged wildly to the left and right. Cleverly the old mare kept the herd together and drove it on, now bitting a stub- born cold on the rump, now leaping at a group of foolish mares. Straight towards the fire she drove them. Then she turned abruptly to the right, Somewhere along here she knew the canyon was narrow enough to jump. She also realized that the situation was becoming des- perate. The horses objected to her ste rn discipline, though without it, they would all have burned to death. The horses coughed continually in the stifling air. The flames were plainly visible now, and coming closer. The air was like a furnace. At last the mare reached the spot she was looking for. One by one she forced the horses to jump. Several times she bit fiercely some stubborn colt. One terror-stricken young colt, after seeing it's mother dis- appear on the other side, whinnied shrilly in panic. Then it leaped wildly and missed the other side by inches. It plunged downward to the swirling waters below, When the others had crossed the mare turned. The roaring flames were a short dis- tance away.. She turned hopelessly to the canyon again. She knew that her exhausted body could never reach the-other side in safely, yet she could not remain he re. She' gathered her- self for the spring which she knew would end her life. Suddenly she felt an enormous weight in her side. She turned to face her new antag- onist. It was the roan stud. He had chosen this time when the old leader was exhausted and weak, to win his leadership, She leaped aside just in time to miss his next onrush, and kicked desperately. Several times this was repeated. Meanwhile the fire was getting closer and closer. It was just behind them.' Easily the roan stud cleared the canyon leaving the exhausted mare streaming blood. Her side heaved and her nostrils flared. An enor- mous weight seemed to press on her chest. She stood there gasping, too weak to move. Suddenly and merc ifully the bank on which she stood gave way and crumpled beneath her weight. She plunged downward to the depths of the foaming pool below.