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Thornton Academy
438 Main St.
Saco, Maine, 04072
(207) 282-3361
STORY BY KATHERINE MICHAUD & ELIZABETH DURAN
PHOTOGRAPHY BY ELIZABETH DURAN
DESIGN BY KRISTLE KATON & KIM PROVOST
Paused on the worn stripes of a Beach Street crosswalk, is a man of small stature with big responsibilities. His gloved hand holds a stop sign limply by his side as he waits for the pitter, patter of tiny feet to approach for assistance across the congested road. The man is Ralph Sands, a dedicated crossing guard in the Saco community. Since Saco folks often see him standing at the same spot, a casual observer may never realize how far his life has truly stretched.
Sands' early childhood began with trips to his grandparent's house in Aroostook County, where he gained a strong sense of discipline from potato picking adventures. From sunrise to sunset, he picked potatoes, only to make 25 cents a barrel for his backbreaking labor. The fields were cold and dirty, and even the house didn't always offer warmth.
Sands recalls, " It'd be warmer to go out and dress in the barn, where the animals are... I slept in the crib a few times in the barn." It was hard work, but offered invaluable memories of his grandparents. He fondly remembers his grandfather as being a fair, yet strict man, who was honest and wise to tricks. Smoking corn silk behind the barn, young Sands was careful not to get caught, or else he faced the wrath of the cat o'nine tails. "It hit you once, but marked you nine times, that was a cat o'nine tails," he said, " If you got caught, you wouldn't sit down for a couple of days."
A softer image in his life was his warm-hearted grandmother, who like most grandparents, spoiled her grandchildren. "I loved her, she was awful good to me. She died when I was young, and I miss her. Even today I go put flowers on her grave every year," he says savoring the bittersweet memory. Through these interactions he received a strong foundation of respect and discipline, yet also much love and affection. Such experiences are only the beginning on a long road which helped shape the friendly, satisfied, and indiscriminate man he is today.
Yanked from school before completion, he was put to work, which provided needed income for his single mother and seven siblings. He continued providing an income for the family until he turned eighteen and was drafted into the service.
Soon he found himself overseas and in a different world, thrown into the thick of WWII. His entrance to Europe was through the White Cliff's of Dover, "a beautiful sight." The remainder of his youthful years spent in war ravaged Germany, however, were not as beautiful. He experienced firsthand the worst of humanity. "When I left Munich, the last time I saw Munich, it was sad, I felt bad for the people there," he said. According to Sands, "A lot of it was terrible, terrible." Yet despite the negativity within the situation, he remembers the good times just as well.
A lighthearted man, he enjoyed his companions and the beautiful scenery. For many others the war is a memory they wish to suppress, but for Sands it offered a new perspective on life, the importance of peace and acceptance of other cultures. Before heading overseas to rid the world of discrimination, Sands was confronted with similar battles at home.
Thinking back to the first time he left base during his military training in Little Rock, Arkansas, Sands vividly recalls an unpleasant run-in with southern racial inequalities which occurred while boarding a bus with his friend George.
"I look down at the back of the bus and there was an opening down there, and I sat down, [but] my buddy George stood up. The black lady next to me said, 'you can't sit here.'
'I don't mind sittin' there', but the minute I opened my big mouth they knew I was a Yankee. They says 'well you can't.'
'What do you mean I can't? You're as good as I am, I'm not prejudice.'"
After threats from the bus driver and urgings from his friend George, Sands proceeded to the front of the bus. Though it may have appeared that segregation won the fight, it was really Sand's victory. He left the experience with his belief in equality strengthened and more strongly opposed to discrimination. To this day he believes in being fair and giving everyone a chance, "There's good and bad in white, black, purple, red, I don't care what color. You have to be good to people. Some you can't, [but] you don't shun 'em, you talk to them even if you may not agree with what they say."
Traveling world wide has left Sands with a respect for life, relationships, and equality. The lessons he's received combined with an outgoing personality makes Sands the dedicated crossing guard he is today. He loves his job because he loves the children, "Besides", he says with a chuckle, "I can't hang around the house all day. The old lady would kill me."
The school bell rings and the usual sounds of children's laughter and chatter flood the air. Sands springs into action. He looks both ways before crossing, holds his sign up high, and leads the children across the road. This man protects the youth, and his stories are reminders of how far a crossing guard or community member's life can stretch; much farther than the Beach Street crosswalk.
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