05/15/2008
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Staff photo by David Leamingfrom the Kennebec Journal
ATTACK SURVIVORS BATTLE ON
Assessment scores reveal mixed results
Baldacci's weapon to fight energy crisis: 'Yankee ingenuity'
RANDOLPH Officials differ on expenses
Woman's body found in river
Richmond chef is top lobster cook
Hunt resigns as Cony boys basketball coach
O'Brien on 'big stage'
All of today's:
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from the Kennebec Journal
from the Morning Sentinel
FAIRFIELD State closes store Jim's Variety loses seller's certificate over sales tax issue
WATERVILLE Searchers find body
'Our lives will never be the same again'
State school officials encouraged by test results
Colby gives library $75K Gift will go toward renovation effort
RAIN DELAY HALTS DRAWDOWN
HERSOM, HUSSEY FACE A CROWD
Teams ready to go
All of today's:
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from the Morning Sentinel
At first glance, it appeared that he had sidelined his mother, Christy, older sister Lily and twin sister Edyth, while he put together his outfit for prom. But the three wielded much more power than that.
Side by side on a bench in the tuxedo shop, they formed a panel whose function ranged somewhere between judging and advisory, investigating the merits shirts with microfiber vs. those without microfiber, and weighing color and style. A third sister offered advice via cell phone.
"He makes the final choice," his mother said. "It's not up to us."
Other male students from area high schools browsed the tuxedo selection, but none had as much help as Albert Spencer.
Seth Farrington, a senior at Erskine Academy, took his selection up to the counter with his mother, Doreen Farrington. The China resident said his plans for prom were simple:
"Go out to eat. Go to prom. Have fun," he said.
The pair said that his mother had a limited level of input in the selection process. When asked about her role, she laughed and responded, "Paying for it."
"I've got one at Winslow, and one at Erskine," she added.
Albert's family, however, uses a team approach to preparing for prom. Being one of the youngest in a family full of girls, Albert could at this point give a class on putting together a prom outfit. The biggest thing is the girl's outfit; the guy's tuxedo is considered an accessory, and must match whatever she wears.
Albert's girlfriend, Alicia Bailey, plans to wear lime green, so Albert sought a neutral color for a tie. He chose gray with a black tuxedo. Then there are shoes; they can be shiny or flat, round-, pointy- or square-toed. At that point, Albert was leaning toward shiny and square.
His twin sister, who goes by "Edy," also 17, was full of advice for her brother, but had she made her own arrangements for prom?
"Yeah," she said tentatively.
"Oh, yeah," her mother interjected with a laugh. "All except the dress and accessories."
Edy said she had several options; she could borrow one of her older sisters' dresses -- it seems that over the years they've amassed quite a collection -- or else she might pick up one from a thrift shop in Waterville.
But that was for another day.
As the afternoon wore on, and as Albert and his advisors narrowed his choices, they began to grow restless.
"We've got to get back," Christy said. "We have to milk the cows."
The family has owned and operated a small dairy farm on the rolling green hills near Freedom and Albion for the past 20 years. The herd is small, about 20 head, but most of the Spencer children help milk them.
Later in the evening, Edy and another sister, Carolyn, came tromping out of the barn in jeans and boots, fresh from milking. The temperature was mild, the setting sun painted the barn and the yard in a warm light, but the swarming blackflies made standing outside unbearable.
Inside, Edy, who plans to attend her prom with a friend named Jakob Short, seemed closer to making a decision on a dress -- a dark blue one from an older sister with thin straps on the shoulders and tiny metal moons dangling from the skirt.
She modeled it in her bare feet, holding it up off the floor with her hands. It was too long, she said, and that presented a problem, because she does not wear high heels.
"I'm such a klutz, I can't wear heels; I would trip and fall over," she said. "I'll probably do what I usually do: Wear my shoes there, and then take them off and leave them under a chair."
One way or another, though, she plans to go to prom, and she plans to enjoy it.
"I feel like high school really isn't complete if you don't go to prom," she said.
"You get to see all your friends dressed up at once," Albert said. "You don't usually see that except at weddings."
Edy and Albert have since shared a birthday, having turned 18 on Wednesday. After high school they will continue their studies in college. Edy plans to study nursing; Albert will study culinary arts. Their prom is set for May 31. Other proms include SAD 48, May 17; Waterville Senior High School, May 24; SAD 54, May 24; SAD 39, May 31; SAD 3, May 31; Nokomis, May 17; Mt. Blue, May 17.
Joel Elliott -- 861-9252
jelliott@centralmaine.com
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