Castine Eighth Grades Volunteer as Pages at State House in Augusta

By Larry Stillwell, Social Studies Teacher

    Castine's eight eighth graders got an inside look at the state legislature in Augusta on Monday, March 27, when they spent the morning volunteering as honorary pages in the Senate and House of Representatives.  Soon after each body convened, the students were introduced and applauded by the legislators before they got down to the fast-paced business of carrying notes and distributing papers among the lawmakers.   In an atmosphere punctuated by the slamming of the gavel and the rapid murmuring of many overlapping voices, they scurried from seat to seat in their respective chambers, Among the proposed laws and amendments they heard discussed were those concerned with wrongful death lawsuits, workplace smoking laws, pesticide control, assistance for Maine military families, Maine election laws, and (in the only extended debate of the morning) a proposal to create a pilot program of charter schools for at-risk students.  The Castine students also sat in for awhile on a caucus of the Senate Republicans, where they were applauded once again and where one Senator, learning that this was Castine's entire graduating class, exclaimed, "See, that's why small schools are so important!"

In the State Senate

By Matt Meany, Allie Floyd, Taylor Paine, and Noah Codega

    "BANG!" went the gavel.  The four eighth graders form Castine jumped; the senate session had begun.  As we settled back in our seats, Madame President Beth Edmonds asked us all to stand for a moment of prayer.  After that was done we all said the Pledge of Allegiance.  Then one by one Madame President called the honorary pages down to the middle of the floor.  We took our new seats at the front of the room, where we could see all the senators.  Soon papers were flying, people were talking, seats were swiveling, and we were scurrying to pass notes back and forth from senator to senator.  Beforehand, Derek M. Grant, the assistant sergeant-at-arms, showed us what we needed to do.  While we waited for the next note or document, we sat listening to the fast-speaking senators and the loud banging gavel.  During the recess we attended the Republican caucus, where we heard their opinions on six different bills.  When we returned to the senate the two parties debated and voted on many bills.  Soon, after delivering our last papers, we were called out and received our certificates from Mr. Grant.  We headed home, worn out but excited by a day unlike any other.

In the House

By Chloe Taub, Kelsey Snapp, Molly McEntee, and Chris Lilly

    " . . . One nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all."  And with that, the eighth grade's day at the Maine State House was off.  "We would now like to introduce our honorary pages of the day: Kelsey Snapp, Chris Lilly, Chloe Taub, and Molly McEntee, visiting us from Castine, Maine."  Applause.  The four of us were serving the House of Representatives as messengers.  Our job was to collect and deliver important messages to and from the representatives of the many districts of Maine.  We spent a couple of hours at this as the house seemed to rush through a variety of bills.
    As our duty as pages came to an end, we headed off to sit in on a Republican caucus.  After hearing our fair share of arguments about smoking issues and what position the G.O.P. was going to take on other bills, not to mention quite a few Republican jokes, we decided to check out the senate.
    We listened to the senators debate the pros and cons of passing a bill proposing twenty charter schools be founded around Maine.  There was a distinct difference between the atmospheres of the two houses.  While the House of Representatives had a very serious and slightly chaotic feel, the senate was much smaller, quieter, and more relaxed.
    "Bang!" the gavel hit the desk.  "Session adjourned," Madame President said.  "We will reconvene tomorrow at 9:30 sharp."  Our day at the state house had ended but we walked away with a renewed sense of respect for democracy, as it is so important in these troubled times.