Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1900-03-20
the OLD MOUNTAIN DISTINCT.
SOME "REMINISCENCES OF ITS SCHOOL
House xNp EARLY TEACHERS.
NEW YoRx. MARcH ~. 1900.

| NEW YORK, MARCH Is, 1900.
Last week received through tn
kindness Of some one the Lewisto
Journal Of March Sd, 1900, which had a
article, "Psris Landmarks Of Interes
just Now" Being much pleased wit
II, and also one Of the nrst going 3
school In the new school house mention
ed as the brick school house In th
Streaked Mountain District, though
perhaps few corrections In the articl
might not be out Of place and might In
terest some Of the few like myself stil
living.
The exact date Of the year Of It's build
ing Is not remembered. However, II u
not more than seventy years, judging b!
the age Of this writer. who WAS borI
June ID, 1923, and well remembers at
tending school two summers In lsrg'
northwest room in Des. Caleb Prentiss
house, which had been prepared for q
school room and was called 1.-THE schoo
room" for many years; also that wen
to school In Dea. Warren Besse's house
my first winter school. Captain Ezrs
rubbs taught. II was said that his new
house was warmer than at Dea. Prentiss'
Mr.. Cushmsn pleased Us little tots by
saying we might help him build by Civ
ing him the bricks, which We did as be
called our different names. When II
was too high and there was danger OF
the bricks falling on Us he said we had
done all we could. We all loved Uncle
Ebep, as we called him.
The house was as much too small then
as IL Is too large now. The winter terms
numbered sixty. The very small chill
lren did not 90 winters. Children were
At that time thought too small before six
years old to 20 TO school at all.
The house was very cold. Though the
large blazing logs kept II warm about
heat TO the back seats.
/ well remember Zenas Maxim and his
brothers, Ephrsim and Benjamin, Ms
teachers-Zenss one winter term, Eph-
rain three, Benjamin one, think. do
not remember about the ball being
thrown into the fire. but can imagine IL.
lie must have picked IL up rs he would a
chip and said nothing. We all loved
Ephraim very much.
We had some excellent teachers there.
The ladies from out of the district were
Miss Julia Prentiss, Miss Angeline Her
ring, and Miss Charlotte Cushman Of
Hebron-all good teachers and Chris
tsins; In the district, first Polly Prentiss,
in time, Augusta Prentiss, Miranda
Besse, Betsey Maxim and Polly Besse.
I'll good teachers. The later teachers
10 not know, as was out Of that dis
trict. The male teachers thst are re-
numbered are Zsnas, Ephraim and Ben
jsmin Maxim. Isaac Harlow. VIM. Deer
ing, Ho-atio Prentiss, who, 1 think, was
the first buried In the cemetery opposite,
then Miranda Besse. A brother OF each
set out the trees which were little sap
lings sc the time.
The Isaac Maxim family must have
gone TO Wayne before the house was
built as l do not remember them. G. NJ.
Z. King fitted for college at the academy
at Hebron, smother dear old school.
Ernest King Was not the son Of Alonzo,
hut OF G.. NJ. p. King, and grandson OF
Alouzo. The grandfather and father OF
DR.. Alden Besse never went TO school to-
gether, or either OF them Ia the brick
house.
The land on the north side Of the Gene
terry belonged to Mr.. Cushman when the
school house WAS built. After his death
Henry o. Besse bought Il, and moved the
house 10 South Paris on Gothic Street,
where Il WAS the house OF Stephen Kim
al for years. Julius King bought the
land Of him, and now Des. Carroll King
has It.
OLD GRANDMA.