Every morning wearing my fleece, blue coat and my old, pink backpack I would run onto the playground and laugh with my friends until the bell rang. The fresh morning air filled us with energy as we jumped rope and ran back and forth across the playground. The same faces I saw every morning for as far back as I could remember surrounded me. When the big bell rang above the school, we all walked single file though the blue doorway and down the halls to our classroom. The walls were colorful and covered in words we were learning. My teachers were always waiting with a smile in the doorway. All the backpacks piled onto hooks, each one I could match to one of my classmates. I sat, quietly fascinated in my work and the people around me. At lunchtime I would carry my pink lunch box to the cafeteria and grab a milk on the way. At the same table every day, my friends and I would sit laughing and telling stories. Then we would parade outside. I met up with the girls in my neighborhood, and we compared our days so far. When the big bell rang for the second time each day, again we formed a line flooding back into the school. In the afternoon we read to each other and worked independently; meanwhile, we watched the clock closely as the hands slowly crawled toward three o’clock. Finally the intercom filled with the friendly voice we all knew and loved. She called for all walkers and pick ups to go down to the main office. I jumped up with my fleece coat and my pink backpack and made my way at a fast and exciting pace, just less than a run, to the end of the hallway where my mom was standing, waiting to greet me.
One hot and sunny afternoon, the birds were singing loudly and the trees had large green leaves flying in the breeze. Instead of reading and working by ourselves, we did a scavenger hunt as a class. It was the day we found out what team we would be on next year at the big middle school. After seven years of excitement together, we were being separated and mixed with hundreds of other kids. Everyone opened their Easter eggs and inside was a slip of paper. From a quick glimpse we all knew what teams we were on. Chaos broke out as everyone compared their teams. Quietly I asked a few of my closest friends, the slip of paper inside their eggs all said the same thing, Katahdin, mine said Sugarloaf. I was suddenly scared, even more than before. Next year would be very different, I didn’t want to leave.
Inside everyone was cleaning out their desks and cubbies, paper was all over the floor. Backpacks were exploding as they tried to contain the past year. Floating around the classroom were the leftover balloons from the celebration earlier that week. They bobbed from the hands of energetic children, but not me, I was distracted. This wasn’t like every other last day of school. At the end of this summer, I wouldn’t be coming back. That day when the intercom came on everyone but me paraded out of the room with a colorful balloon trailing them. They were all excited to take on the next chapters of their lives. I wasn’t sure. Once I left the classroom, everything around me would be unfamiliar. The same happy faces would no longer surround me every morning. It was time to leave, time to take the next step. As much as I wanted to stay in the same place I had been for seven years, I walked out of the classroom and down the halls carrying my pink backpack.
When the large green leaves started to turn orange I walked across a new and unfamiliar campus. I got lost a few times. I interacted with new people. I had a lot more homework and stayed up later. I learned about things I never knew existed. I am no longer the little girl who wears the blue fleece coat and the bright pink backpack to school every morning. Now my backpack is a shade of blue, it is filled with notebooks exploding with information, books discussing difficult topics, and AP essays half written.
From 1692 until now all over the world, morality has been a trending topic. Death is inevitable, but over time, death has become more prominent. Not because there are more people in the world, but because there have been more murders. When viewed through the lens of the end of life, morality from then to now has declined overtime. From The Salem Witch Trials, to the Holocaust, to the ongoing crisis of the War on Terrorism are prime examples of how the morality of our societies today has gotten declined.
The Salem Witch Trials occurred in 1692 and at that time were the most immoral actions to happen back during pre revolutionary war times throughout what is now the US During the Salem Witch Trials “More than 200 people were accused of practicing witchcraft—the Devil’s magic—and 20 were executed. Eventually, the colony admitted the trials were a mistake and compensated the families of those convicted”(smithsonian). Twenty people executed is bad and there was a possibility for 200 more dead. Murdering people for no reason, but because a psychopath wanted them dead is as immoral as it gets. Even back then people knew that it was wrong, and did nothing about it because they wanted to save themselves. Being scared to stand up for others will lead to an accusation on you, which will land you in trial and accused of being a witch unjustified is extremely immoral. According to The Crucible by Arthur Miller Danforth states that an ordinary crime, “how does one defend the accused? One calls up witnesses to prove his innocence. But witchcraft is ipso facto, on its face and by its nature, an invisible crime, is it not? Therefore, who may possibly be witness to it? The witch and the victim. None other. Now we cannot hope the witch will accuse herself; granted? Therefore, we must rely upon her victims—and they do testify, the children certainly do testify. As for the witches, none will deny that we are most eager for all their confessions. Therefore, what is left for a lawyer to bring out? I think I have made my point. Have I not?”(Miller 93). This shows that people during this time were even scared to testify because they believed if the did, they would be accused of also being a witch, then most likely hung too. Being scared to do what is right, because you would most likely be on the hit list, and also twenty people being killed, and 200 accused because of someone’s hidden agenda is immoral. Twenty people dead is bad, but overtime other world events have happened which are actually less moral than the Salem Witch Trials.
From September 1, 1939 – September 2, 1945 World War II occurred, and was one of the most tragic events to ever occur on Earth. “Hoettl recalled how “Eichmann … told me that, according to his information, some 6,000,000 Jews had perished until then — 4,000,000 in extermination camps and the remaining 2,000,000 through shooting by the Operations Units and other causes, such as disease, etc.”(Haaretz), Six million people dead, for no reason, besides the fact that Adolf hitler wanted them dead. Sadly this six million people killed were not the only ones during this war, The Holocaust accounts for only a percentage of those that were killed during WWII. There were others killed trying to save those Jews, and other killed trying to preserve the concentration camp in which the Jews were being killed. This entire Holocaust started because Hitler believed Jews were the worst thing in the world. He rounded up as many Jews as he could and killed them. Not only did he kill random people, he specifically chose a group of people, who ultimately had no choice to be, and killed them, which happened to be the Jewish people. When they were in the concentration camps they would be mocked, but also tortured. Imagine working everyday having no control on what you do, people telling you what to do, and if they feel you are doing something wrong, or the just feel an urge they can just kill you and believe that there is nothing wrong with it. Having your lives messed up getting scooped up by random “murders” knowing that you are most likely going to die and being tortured before being killed is extremely immoral for it to happen to one person. But this happened to six million people, six… MILLION killed because one group of people felt like killing them. Not only were there six million people killed, there was most likely around one million others in these concentration camps before they were liberated and the remaining people were saved. Going from twenty people killed and 200 unjustly accused to six million people killed and one million that were on the path of being killed shows that morality in society has decreased. The Holocaust is one of the most immoral things to ever happen, but in today’s society there is something that is causing thousands of people, to die and by the looks of it there is no chance that it will stop anytime soon.
Terrorism has been an ongoing issue since mankind has been around. In fact, the first terror attack recorded occurred in the Roman Empire, which means it happened between 27 BCE-14 CE. Over the past decade or two terrorism around the world has had a larger impact on society today than it did back during Puritan times. The most known terrorist attack is the attacks on the World Trade Centers in 2001. In this one attack which took place in less than a day A total of 2,977 people were killed in New York City, Washington, DC and outside of Shanksville, Pennsylvania” (CNN). This happened because a group of people felt as if it was right to murder innocent people because they believe their god, Allah, said they should. Using god for reason to murder 2,977 people is immoral as it gets. The attacks in 2001 may be the most well; known terrorist attacks, but from 2006 until today terrorism has been an ongoing problem around the world. Terrorists are killing innocent people because they believe they should, and that it is the right thing to do. About 235,769(statista) innocent people have been killed from 2006- till now because of terrorism. That is not including soldiers or terrorists fighting a war. Just civilians. Killing random people because they believe they should is significantly more morally wrong than having 17 innocent people killed.
Overtime the morality in the World has severely decreased, from having 200 accused and twenty murdered to over six million killed. In both of these cases these acts were carried out by one main person for the Salem Witch Trials it was because of Abigail, and for the Holocaust is was because of Adolf Hitler. Then to know terrorism, today terrorism is getting bigger and there has been more acts of violence, and is still an ongoing issue today, and will most likely continue for a long time so there is no answer for how many people will die because of acts of terrorism. That is why overtime throughout the entire World mortality has decreased.
Citations:
CNN. “September 11 Terror Attacks Fast Facts.” CNN, Cable News Network, 4 Sept. 2018,
Hi, my name is Dazhen Chen from China. I am interested in math and science subjects, but I am not the kind of typical Chinese student that only knows how to play math tricks. I am also interested in history and literature. Besides, I play soccer, ping-pong, swimming, badminton, and snowboarding. Junior year is really challenging with Ms. Waterman and Mr. Ftorek plus Dr. Swenton, but it was still a great experience struggling with our friends. I hope you will enjoy all the pieces that reflect a corner of myself. Thanks for visiting my blog.
Hi my name is Bayleigh Patenaude, and I love to play field hockey and softball! I am brand new to Hebron Academy this year! I love to read and write, and one of my favorite classes is my Honors American Literature. I made the Honors in the fall term, and High Honors in the winter term. Aside from my academic life, I hike, kayak, swim, and enjoy the great outdoors of Maine! I love to quote Vines and joke around with my friends, and I love to have a good time, and I’m a pretty cool person to be around.
Hello world, My name is Joe Bevere III or JB3. I am currently a junior at Hebron Academy and I am 18 years old. I love hockey, baseball, music and a good time. My favorite class here at Hebron is Mr. Middleton’s history class because we talk about current events and I enjoy being informed on what’s going on in the world. Overall I’m a nice guy and treat other’s with respect and I’m nice until its time not to be. I have recently met a boy named Alek Vukadinov from Bulgaria who has opened my eyes up to his culture and the European world. Enjoy my blog.
Hello, I am Kenny Mills from North Reading, Massachusetts. I have been at Hebron Academy for two years now, previously attending The Rectory School for two years prior. During these four years, I have enjoyed participating in various athletic, art, and academic activities. I have captained many teams and was the lead in the musical Susical. I have also been able to achieve highest honors throughout my academic career as well as winning a school-wide writing contest and recently being inducted as a Cum Laude member. I enjoy science fiction and writing about the impossible.
Hello, my name is Alek Vukadinov. I am from the capital of Bulgaria, Sofia, and I am 17 years old. I am currently a junior at Hebron Academy. Earlier last year, I was accepted into a student exchange program called ASSIST, and as a result, I am currently writing this introduction from the USA. I enjoy playing soccer and ice hockey the most out of all sports. For academics, I really like math, which is why I am also on the Math team. I am looking forward to my return to Bulgaria soon; however, I must admit that I will miss my friends in our Honors American Literature class.
My name is Ellena, I love to swim, sail, and spend time outdoors. I enjoy writing about my friends and family, and experiences that I have enjoyed. I recently read a novel written by a man who used to live on the farm next to my house, it described the drastic changes that have happened over the last 100 years in my neighborhood and town. I worked hard editing a narrative I wrote about one of my favorite activities at one of my favorite places, sailing at Taylor Pond! I won honorable mention in the scholastic writing awards for that narrative, Check it out below along with some of my other essays!
Hello, my name is Daniel McHugh. Currently I am Junior at Hebron Academy. I am also currently 18 years old. And I am from a small town South of Boston. I enjoy playing hockey as well as baseball. My favorite subject at the moment is World Religions with Mr.Ftorek. I would consider myself a friendly individual, as well as a hard worker. Next year I plan on staying at Hebron for my senior year. I enjoy meeting new people from different parts of the world. For example, I met this Bulgarian Bulldog named Alek and I find it interesting learning about his culture. Thanks and I hope you enjoy.
