The Republican journal., 1882-02-16
The East Maine Conference Seminary

In 1853 the writer entered as IA student at the
+. NJ. c. Seminary at Bucksport. In the inter-
vening twenty mine more or less cventfu years.
spent in distant places and more than twenty of
them in an engrOssing profession, the scenes
and incidents of student life have been mainly
etfaced from the recollection. Little more re-
mains than an abiding nse of the kindly spirit
unvarying courtesy and great forbearance Of all
connected with the Seminary, and of the hos
pitatv and friendliness of the good people of
Bucksport. A list of the students of that date
would no doubt recall to mind the companions
of the class rooms and in outdoor sports. As
it is. | remember but few by name, though the
characteristics of quite Il number are impressed
upon my memory. How many survive and
what has been their future i'll life. know not.
At this time the tall brick boarding house was
not blfilt, and the students Were domiced in
private houses. climbing Oak Hill to attend re-
citations. In the summer the ascent of that
breezy emnence was not unpleasant, and in the
fall when the squirrels chirped overhead in the
tall oak-trees, and the acorns We're dropping
upon the carpet of fallen leaves, there We're
temptations to lnger by the way; but i'll winter
time it tough work. and many Il student
has had his ears nipped by Jack Frost ere he
reached the portal of the Seminary. If all were
as fortunate as the writer in their boarding
places. the students of those days must have
carried with them through life most grateful
recolcctons of Buck>port homes. Certainly
nothing could have exceeded the kindness of my
host and hostess, Mr. and Mrs. Stevens. Naught
WAS left undone that could minister to the
comfort and happiness of the student adj
mitted to their household A. the writer
ranked among the Younger studcnS-thcrc
were some who had nearly if not quite reached
mans estate-he cannot be expected to speak
authoriatively concerning the studies. etc. But
il is no doubt true that as whole the students
were fairly attentive and that their amuscmcnts
We're of an innocent kind. such as playing ball
and other outdoor games, and sailing little boats
in the ponds and river. There was one student.
resident of Buck>port. who had Il positive
genius for building and rigging these toy craft
swift, buoyant and rakiSh, they outsalrd all com
pettorS. On arrival of the mails the post office
WAS a rendezvous for many of the students.
1t occupied onr half of Il building adjoining the
Robinson House, and next door was shop
where among other things moaS>es candy was
sold. \ boy goes unerrngly to mola>Srs
candy as fly TO a sugar hOgshrad and the stu
dents pennies naturally gravitated over the
counter James Emcry'S store. then in a small
building nearly opposite the present Emery
block. was an attractive place TO some Of Us.
On one side We're books, and on the other side
among the clocks and watches. Mr.. Emery used
to employ his leisure moments in painting in oil
coor>. marines and landscapes 1t was his ar
t>tic eve which revealed in the block of wood
the graceful figure of sportsman which his
brother Rufus wrought out for the figure head
of Il Belfast vessel. But it is time something
WAS said of our instructors, and happily some
verses by student of a previous term have been
preserved. They need, perhaps word or two
Of explanation. "Grave and good Knox was
the principals next comes Prof. Steele; Miss
johnson the good was the chief lad i teacher:
Miss Baldwin the fair the music teacher and
Miss Lowlrr the kind" an assistant teacher,
L. NJ. G. SEMINARY.
On the banks Of the Penobscot, Il green slopng
Which the OAK and the maple IN beauty adorn
And with branches proui waving their splendors
in auspiriou- majesty stands this temple Of fame
Ills here religious instruction is given
And we are all pointed the straight path to
And led around pitfalls and over steep rocks
And placed on firm footing by grave and good
lis here we arc taught all the whercfores and WINS
OF difficult questions that may chance to arise,
And all icy mysteries begin to annea
Before the magic wand of steele
lis here taught to persevtrc
And let no small obstacles interfere,
And we feel in a calnler and happier mood
After hearing the voice OF Miss johnson, the good
It's here music is made to resound through the
And in softest melody on the ear fails,
And in deep organ tones floats away on the air
And sinks To reposc, by Miss Baldwin, the fair.
III, here we are taught to treat each as friend
And mutually the rights of each other defend
BY the very kind heart and well cultivated mind
And lovely example of Miss Lowder, the kind.
It's here the stranger is kindly received
And of burdensome thoughts his mind is relieved
BY the kind gracious bearing and ovial glee
And sociable chatting of the students free
The next term Miss Baldwin was succeeded
by Miss NewhalI, who taught music drawing
and painting, and had the class in rhetoric The
boarding house in connection with the semi
nary WAS then (ls54-5) opened under the man
agcmcnt of Mr.. and Mrs. Randall. There was
il regular bill OF fare for each day in the week
which "A student put into rhyme, but the rhymes
and the items of the table are among the forgot
ten things. That bread and butter had a promi-
nent place in our diet is certain, however. and
that there was more or less grumblng goes
without the saying. Each student had the care
of his or her own room. and the imprudent lads
could be seen on winter mornings half clad and
>hiNering. around the pump, awaiting their
turns to fill their water pitchers preparatory to
making their toilets for breakfast. Studies We're
pursued in the rooms and the classes were sum-
moned to recitation by the seminary bell. The
mas>in% Of so many students together in the
boarding-housr was the means of developing a
good deal of mischief, no doubt. This is rather
plainly hinteda ma composition of that date,
by member Of the rhetoric class
THE STUDENTS.
Who Is it that creep round so sly