The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1900-08-10

was then the principal, l found IN 1he
Village two churches, the First Congrega-
tional and the Methodist. There was also
a meeting house which was called inc
Free church which was open to AL oOher
denominations. There were also four
Free Win Baptist churches in the town.
at Little Falls, then called Gorham Fac
tory, at White Rock, at Fort Ill., at
South Gorham. My impression is that at
that time services were sustained in all
these churches and think still are in
most of them. The Fort Hill church, by
the death and removal Of its MEMBERS
CEASED to exist many years ago. It's meeG-
ing house was sold and moved to the VII
lage. From the churches Of the town
have gone forth influences that have
served much to enI1ghten the world and TO
ennoble and elevate the hearts Of those IN
whose midst they were placed. With the
CONGREGATIONAL church, always the
wealthiest and most influential In the
town, am much more familiar. During
the one hundred and fifty years which
have passed since its settlement in the
year 1850 of the first pastor, Rev Solomon
Iombard who remained in the pastorate
fourteen years, there have been includ-
ing the present pastor, fourteen ministers
settled over this church. / believe that
the longest Of these pastorates was that
OF Rev. Caleb Jewett, who was seventeen
years with the church, closing his pastor
ate in the year 1900. The shOrtness Of the
pastorates OF the Congregational church
in Gorham, especially connected with the
fact that many of these pastorates were
cut short by disagreements and discus
sions, force us to the conviction, that,
highly as we may justly esteem and re-
verence the godly and learned-la believe
that all of the pastors have been men who
received collegiate education, able,
sound In doctrine and faithful in their
services-both ministers and people, like
all other human beings have not been
and are not perfect or wholly faultless.'
Mr.. w. w. Woodman, for several years
the successful teacher OF the high school,
spoke for the schools OF the town. cit has
been well said, he stated, ''that the New
England school and town house have
known each other too long to be thought
/ of as separate factors in our civilization.
They were placed together in olden times
and have never parted company. The
table was never spread In New England
community without seat being reserved
for representative of the school. His
presence was never a strangers presence.
1t is easy enough for any critical educa-
ton expert to fit through a few rooms Of
a school house and pronounce the system
imperfect. But why do we find these
same school boys and girls twenty years
later successful IN all lines and doing
better things than the world has ever seen
done? The most powerful and perma-
nent cause is the steady Increase of the
common school 81 stem. The cost is some
times a matter of complaint. Gorham has
always recognized the truth that eduoa-
tional interests should not be allowed a
second place. AS the school districts are
abolished, there should be efforts made to
collect all of the books so that they can
be preserved. One OF the most entert ain
ing and useful things that could be COM
piled would be a biographical record OF
the superior schools Gorham has had since
its incorporation. Gorham has been8 loyal
TO it's best traditions of the past. It's
ideal has been to support a system of
schools so attractive that every parent
might be persuaded to use it for his chill
dren. From outward appearances one
might suppose that the chief object of the
schools was to furnish knowledge. Yet it
is not this that we should be most thank
full for. 1t is thai mysterious something
called inspiration. All Of the success in
school life depends on the material in the
pupil"
After selection by the band Mrs. Ada
Cary McKenney. one of the famous Cary
ST STEERS long a great favorite in
| Gorham, rendered Home Sweet Home, -
being joined in the chorus by the audi
ence. Mrs McKenney was applauded to
the echo and responded to an encore by
singing the last verse of this hymn
Mr.. John A Waterman then responded
to the town houses. He said that those
who were at all familiar with Gorham
needed no introduction to her pub lie
buildings. The stranger may have noticed
marked with some curiosity, upon COM
manding sight, somewhat back from the
north side of the street in the western
part of the village, large, well proper
toned wooden building, substantial in
/ appearance approached by broad flight
OF steps and having a wide front portico
adorned with shapely pillars. Although
in architectural design and detail it may
not be that OF a modern built forum and
in spite of the fact that tablet plainly
states that it is the Free Meeting House, |
the inquirer is nevertheless respectfully |
Informed that it is the town house. The
meetings Of the early proprietors of the
town were held in private houses. The
first town meeting in 1865 was held in
the First Parish meeting house and for
many years afterwards the meetings were
held either in the church or the school