William Davis Hall '64, recently won first place in state competition with his Voice of Democracy entry. This is the first time a Maine West student has received this honor.

With the award goes a $400 grant, a free six‑day tour of Washington, D.C., and a set of encyclopedias from the Veterans of Foreign Wars who sponsor the contest.

Each year the Maine West social science department conducts an elimination program in search of promising students who are interested and able to express themselves on the topic of democracy. Davis, along with Mary Gembicki '64, and Jackie Piraino '64, competed for honors in the local contest.

"With the excellent quality of the essay and the fine vocal talent of the writer, Davis could well come up a national winner," prophesied Mr. Eric Edstrom, history teacher.

The general theme is expressed in a poem which precedes the essay ‑

"Freedom is a hard won thing;
It comes to those who try.
Some achieve it while they live
And others when they die."

It is the hope of The Westerner and the student body that Davis is successful with his essay in Washington.