Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1880-10-12
PARIS CENTENNIAL.
A SUPPLEMENT TO THE CENTENNIAL IN
PARIS, MAISE, IN 1879.

when Elder Hooper died that they only
knew him as a preacher in his old age, anu
did not know how much the town OF Paris
was indebted to him for its schools ahd
other early institutions and improvements
which made IL so much more prosperous
and popular than the adjoining towns Tor
twenty five or thirty years after Its moor
poratiou. Most OF the first inhabitants OF
the town had grown from children to men
and women before and in the time OF the
revolutionary war when they had no public
schools in the country. There were few
who had the privilege Of studying IN
private school some OF the first rudiments
OF learning beside Elder Hooper. In the
Carpenter district there were his wife,
the Rawson brothers and Mr.. Partridge
who could read and write and use the four
simple rules In arithmetic, while large
number OF the first settlers had To make
their mark and have some one write their
names. Mr.. Partridge said, when urging
the parepts TO have a school before any
thing else, that he had just learning enough
TO see the great need of more, aud that lac
should If he prospered, give his children
good education. But Squire Carpenter OPP
posed their having q school until they
were able 10 have school house and pay
the teacher. Elder Hooper come there
to see II they had a school and decided at
once that Mr. Partridge's barn was good
place for a school, aud ii WAS fitted up ~
this way: they sawed blocks from the logs
In the wood pile, stood them cndwise on
each side of the barn hoor, then took
boards from the grain loft in the roof OF
the barn aud fastened them to the blocks
with wooden pins; the seats lower on
one side for small children, and chair for
the teacher and small rough table for
books, - the third part and the Maine
spelling book. Mrs. Polly Chase taught
the first school in that district in that barn;
she was afterwards lawyer Howe's wife,
then OF Paris, soon after of Brldgton. The
next winter the school was taught by Il
gentleman by the name OF Hutchinson.
The second summer Mrs. Betsy Chcslcy
taught In the same barn and Elder Hooper
when he made his occasional visits IL he
did to all the schools, told them they
had a nice place for school They had
To commence early in the spring and have
4 vacation at the time of hayins and har-
vc,ting and finish In the fall. The second
winter Luke Chase taught in the house aud
they had what they called very grand
exhibition in speaking pieces from the art
of Reading Squire Carpenter did not Ike
To have u school until they had school
house, but lis wife thought differently and
with the help Of bachelor brother, gave
her boys a good education, all that were
willing To study, and they realized the good
ola mothers care in after life | think; each
of them except the one that died when -
Hebron Academy had the honor of repre-
scouting the districts whore they lived 90
the State Legislature in the early settle
mcut of the state. | have lcft my first
object which was to show you Elder
lloopcrs influence on the ir>t inhabitants
Of Paris. In di>tricts where there were but
few children he insisted on their having
schools either In barns blacksmith shops,
or in their houses, IL they had more than
one room. In that way h. did more for
the parents and children than they gave
| him credit for at the time He had lis
pecniariiics but his kind hcartedneNs aud
earnest desire for the good OF those around
him gave them no opportunity to note them
AS the inhabitants Increased he thought
they could build church, AMI said Unjust
be large enough % accOmm1dlte their Snn-
day meetings and their meetings for town
business, likewise for the meeting OF the
county court for that would be the shire
town. Mr. I,iah Fuller was sent . Port
land or Boston % make 4 draft for one Of
suitable size. When he exhibited the drait
Elder Hooper and others objected 10 build
Ing II so large, but Mr.. Fuller had made the
draft aud was not willing to change it, and
e was built after his plan and served the
town for their meetings aud Independence
celebrations for number OF years, n well
a. 4 court room for the county. Elder
Hooper gave the lot for the church and a
very handsome common In front of 1t 10 the
Baptist church. As there was no other
church near think the pews were nearly
all sold. Nearly all the families at Stowelf>
Mills owned pews, and Capt Henry Rust,
the senior, aud others in Norway owned
pews there, and several families in Buck
field owned pews. People 10 those days
were very punctual TO attend church.
There were Congrcgationalist, Universal
list, Methodist and Free Baptists beside
his own church. Elder Hooper, for SO he
was called ut all times, was rather tall
spare man, had large lips, and was a very
plain looking man; was called very
homely man except his eyes which were in
telligent and penetrating and showed his
true character. He had likewise u very
harsh, unpleasant voice, but when he had
introduced his subject and began TO preach.
all his inhrmites vanished and his hearers
anxIously followed him through all his
metaphors aud comparisons. He never
wrote has sermons; sometimes had few
notes or heads on slip of paper His
greatest care in all his sermons was TO in
struct and enlighten his hearers, or To show