Remember the party line? My grandparents had one, on their rotary dial phone. Remember rotary dial? The party, or shared, line meant they and someone else had different rings to answer. I think theirs was two short rings and the other person's was one long ring.

The most interesting, and inconvenient, aspect was we could pick up the phone to make a call and possibly be hearing the other person talking on the phone. In that case, we would hang up and try again later to make the call.

Now, phones go in pockets and pocketbooks. It is a different world and institutions including schools are adapting. Wiscasset's are, as Phil Di Vece reports this week.

Time will tell how it goes. There may be a learning curve for staff, students and families. And some may suggest tweaks. But for the sake of safety, privacy and learning, it is good the schools are addressing this 21st century topic.

This week's positive parting thought: Every snowstorm we get now might be one of the last ones this winter.