In case you have been living in a hole for the last year, you know that few days pass when we don't use the word protest in our daily conversations.

Some of us can still remember the years of the violent Vietnam war protests of 1968-1970, those following the assassination of Martin Luther King, and the time Ohio National Guard fired into a crowd of anti-war protesters at Kent State University, killing four.

This summer, our beloved nation has endured a series of racial and social protests.

We watched, just three weeks ago, in horror as a political rally in Washington, D.C. morphed into a raging mob. They stormed the capitol, trashed our nation's political cathedral, sent legislators cowering in hiding, and cost the lives of five, including two police officers.

That incident led to the second impeachment of the former president, but that is another story for another time.

Here in our corner of the world, geography has protected us from the realities of these protests, not counting Linc Sample's homemade billboard.

Until now: Last week, the front page of my favorite newspaper, the Boothbay Register-Wiscasset Newspaper, featured a group of protesters demonstrating a proposed action by their local government.

In a photo Editor Kevin Burnham splashed over five columns on the top of page 1, the colorful shot depicted a half dozen or so grade-schoolers and friends protesting on the island of Southport (population 630). The object of the protest had nothing to do with "isms" or lives mattering, or war, pandemic, or corruption. The lively group showed up with homemade signs saying “Save The Pond.”

Six weeks ago, the town's selectboard discussed draining and filling the pond near Southport Central School. “They discussed the pond at a selectmen's meeting, but no one (from the general public)was there,” said protest organizer Tracy Hall. The little pond, dug out years ago to provide a water supply for the town's volunteer firefighters, was no longer needed as their hydrants are now hooked up to the Boothbay water system.

The selectmen said they were concerned for the children's safety, fearing that one of them might fall into the water. It is about eight feet deep at the center and up to four feet deep at the edge.

Selectman Gerry Gamage, who is also the fire chief and performs a series of other civic duties, told the Boothbay Register that one of his wintertime chores is to check the pond to make sure the ice is thick enough for skating. He lets the kids know it's OK by running a yellow flag up the town's flag pole.

In addition to safety, there is a problem with cattails.

It seems the iconic water vegetation tends to populate the edges of the pond, interfering with the skating. Several years ago, the town pumped out the pond and dug out the cattails and other plants. Of course, they grew back as soon as the water was reintroduced.

The selectmen decided to fill in the pond and construct an artificial skating rink.

Hall, who uses the pond as part of her weekly nature study class at the school, said she got a call on Sunday, Jan. 17 at 7:30 p.m., as she was putting her daughter to bed.

“(The caller) told me the town was going to fill in the pond in the morning. I couldn't believe it, and I got on Facebook and put the word out," said Hall, who added, "the kids love the pond. It is filled with lots of critters they can catch.”

The next morning, a crowd gathered at the pond at 6:30 a.m. "The kids had made signs. I called Gerry, who is a good man and a good friend, and he promised not to fill in the pond promising we would talk about it at the next selectmen’s meeting on Wednesday,” said Hall.

The next day, Channel 6 reporter Don Carrigan interviewed the protesting kids and Gamage. The school, which has 30 kids in grades K-6, later showed the tape in class to discuss local government and the right to protest.

The selectmen then met outside in the town hall parking lot with about 40 islanders. They listened for about a half hour until everyone got cold. Then they agreed to put the pond project on hold and pledged to name a committee to study it and the cattails. The children and their supporters were pleased.

It was a win-win situation for all sides.

On the day our nation remembered the life of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Southport's children learned a firsthand lesson about American democracy.