Middletown transcript., 1895-12-28
A1.FnEE $. wnIeur.

The many friends of the late Prof. A. s
! Wright will read with interest the follow
/ ing sketch of his life which recently ap
J peared in local paper of his ative state
which pays worthy tribute to his memory,
He was born in Lewiston, Maine. Feb,
II, 1881, and died in Norridgewock, Nov
26th. 1895.
From his par ents. Dea. Timothy and
Susan R. Wright, he inherited many ster-
ling qualities. In his boyhood he suffered
from throat trouble that threat ened to end
his life and that left him in a delicate
state of health. On this account he was
spared those labors that usually fall to the
lot of boys reared OH a farm. In his early
youth he taught school in the neighboring
towns with marked succ ess. When a lit
tie past twenty he went to Maryland to en-
gage in teaching. Two of his older brothers
were already there in the same business.
He pursued teaching in Maryland and
Delaware for sew eral years and at the same
time studied law. He returned to Maine
and was admitted to the bar. He then
married and settled in his native city for
few years when he again returned south
and resumed the teachers vocation. In
| 1873 he married his second wife, Ellen
Francis Taylor of fNorridgewock. They set
tied in Port Penn, Delaware, where they
remained three and one-half years and
then removed to Middletown. in the same
state where, associated with his wife he
spent more than ten years in the same
school. Here in Middletown, he achieved
a measure of success that would have satis-
fled spirit even more exacting than his,
which is saying much. As the Principal
of large public school, that he built up in
place where only "Select schools" had
fourished. he found room for the play Of
his restless energy and his superior admin
istrative ability. Middletown at that time
contained large number of practical, in-
telligent business men, who saw with de-
light so many OF the youth of the place
fitted by the thorough training given in
school, for positions of honor and useful.
ness.
Perhaps the richest fruitage ofhislife, more
than one-half of which was spent south of
Mason & Dixon's Line, was secured during |
the decade spent in Middletown. The spell |
that bound him there was never broken. |
After he left he often received letters from |
his former pupils gratefully acknowledging
their Indebtedness to him. In 1884 he re-
moved to Norridgewock, Maine. This step
was deeply regretted by the people ofMid-
dletown but several reasons compelled him
to take it. He had business interests that
needed his presence, the aged mother of his
wife was anxious for them to return, and
he had repeatedly been solicited to take
charge of the High School in town.
This position he accepted and held for
four years. The warm place he held in
the hearts of his pupils were often mani
tested, and never more so than on the day
of his funeral by the presence of many of
them, AMI by the exquisite floral tributes
presented by twenty.eight of them.
MIR. Wright was man of shrewd, prac-
tical sense, clear logical mind. and warm
A deep sense of justice lay i'm.
bedded in the very roots of his nature;hence
whenhe suffered from the injustice ofothers
be feltit keenly. He delighted to assist those
IN need of friendly advice or counsel and
many case of doubt and perplexity has
been solved by him to the great relief of
hose helped. To people less fortunate than
himself he willingly lent helping hand
,ven at much personal inconvenience.
In the social intercourse of his family
circle Mr.. Wright found rest, freedom and .
intense satisfaction.
o, how sadly is lie missed in that home {
le loved so well! The funeral occurred
Nov. %, and was attended by friends from r
Boston and Melvin, Mass. and from Greene,
oakland, and Norridgewock, Me. e