Colophon: Towson High’s Award-Winning Literary Art Magazine”

Many students have heard this quote from the announcements at least a few times during their high school career, and if you’re like me you’ve probably paid no mind and brushed it off time after time. Now that time of year is around again, and many will find at least some mention of the literary magazine from either a teacher, classmate or the morning announcements.

For most people, that’s it. They don’t bother to look further into who is behind the Colophon publication, what Colophon publication represents, or why the Colophon publication is even around to begin with. Hopefully, by the end of this article I’ll uncover what Colophon is about and why it’s worth your time. Let’s get down to business.

Have you ever seen a crisp paper ball soar through the drafty airs of the Towson High library, making its way through not just one 3M security gate, but all three 3M security gates? That’s a big feat in and of itself, but on April 24^th, 2017 at approximately 1:24pm an act of much greater magnitude happened within The Heart of Towson High.

Mr. Freeburger, a member of the “Big Three” team of head Colophon editors lined up his angle, cocked his arm back and let that paper ball rip. One hoop, two hoops, three hoops cleared. Just when I thought the gravitational velocity was pulling the ball down to an inevitable floor hit, a scene took place. It was a scene that would be burned into my mind with angelic flame of skill, determination, and triumph: believe it or not, that paper ball landed cleanly into the trash can in front of Mr. Ickes’ desk.
What a fool I was to doubt the ability of Mr. Freeburger. For a moment I feltashamed, embarrassed even. But before I could move a muscle of my naïve tongue, the man himself calmly asked me, “Did I make it?”

With a voice trembling in the presence of such power, I meekly answered “Yeah, it went in.”

The library was empty. Empty – except for two souls: The Colophon editor and his spectator. I realized in the quiet serenity that the Colophon editor who I accompanied has two important features:

1. He is a being that is capable of performing tasks most, like myself, can only dream of.
2. He is a man. He’s a man that feels, a man that hurts, and a man that sympathizes.

He’s just like the rest of us, and that is perhaps his best feature. He gives hope to the average Joe. He is a product of tenaciously hard work. If you want it, you can go get it. Nothing is out of reach.

To know The Colophon publication is in the hands of such a man is a great comfort to me and I hope the same is true for you. To conclude, the three questions asked at the beginning of the article should be revisited but this time using the newfound understanding from the article:

Who is behind the Colophon publication? None other than Mr. Freeburger himself along with the other two thirds of the Big Three – Mr. Bussleman and Mr. Belt

What does the Colophon publication represent? It represents hard work, dedication, pride, tenacity, and the list could go on. A great creative collaboration is the product of what its leaders put in, and Mr. Freeburger puts in each and every characteristic listed above.

Why is the publication around to begin with? The answer dates back over half a century. Towson students needed a medium in which they could express their feelings and in 1966 they took their idea to the teaching staff. Eventually they got the support they needed and put in months of dedicated and hard work to get the first edition up and published. That same mentality lives on today. In fact, it’s the cornerstone of the Colophon year after year.

Why is it worth your time? Listen, if you still don’t think it’s worth your time after reading this article you’ve got some major soul searching to do.

The Colophon is on sale right at this moment for $10. It can be bought using cash in person from Mr. Freeburger in his office within the library, or online for the same price using an order via the official website.