The Portland daily press., 1900-11-28
MAINE HAMS GENEROSITY.
Bartlett Doe to Help His Native
Town.
P.r,onsfield Academy 60 Have no Fees
or Room Rent.


vhere young men and women can attend
without paying tuition fees or room rent
The academy building has stood there
for many decades, bnt not until Bartlett
Doe, a millionaire. Of san Franisco, tooK
IL IN hand, provided an endowment Iuna
of 500 COO and built large dormitory
oanable OF holding 100 students, DID IL
become a free Institution,
The fund is placed with the Boston
Safe Deposit and Trust Co. Mr. LOG
saws the business is not quite completea
and modestly refuses TO so into detaiis
over the project,
But the academy at Parscnsiield has
been thoroughly renovated and the DOR
m,tory constructed ae cost OF over
SEC. GOO, which MIR. Doe paid. HIS con-
oeived the idea, directed the work, ana
planned the endowment,
With tho completion of the latter the
academy will be free to any young psrson
In the United States who yearns TOT
higher education than that accorded py
the common schools, and who Is not we'll
enough oil in the world s goods to pay for
tuition.
Prof. Ernst, formerly OF Dow academy
at Franoonia, will be the dean
MIR, Doe is determined that such per-
sons shall not be deprived of q chance to
advance their mental training with an
academic course. so he has endowed the
old academy In mis- native town that he
may witness the benefits Of free educa-
ton.
He hasn't lived there for over nfty
years and does not intend to return TO tne
old homestead where he was born eighty
wears ago, but the academy Will stand as
a monument to his generosity as long rs
the trust company lives,
Ii Is reported that be intends to endow
the town itself, SO the people can outiive
the fear of taxes, but MIR. Doe does not
admit that 1t is his Intention to 10 SO.
Parsonstisid is far from any city; re-
mote, desoIate and prolific in abandoned
farms and over 8 dozen miles from the
railroad, The academy Is at North Par
sonsheld, eighteen miles from East wake
field. M. IL, the nearest railroad station
A few miles from this side OF North
Parsonsheld, Bartlett Dos was born HIS
home was not elegant; 1t was the abode
of the settler century ago. The nearest
sohoolhouss was mile away. Young
Doe used to attend during the winter
mouths. That was all the schooling he
ever got.
He worked on his fathers farm until
mis- mind broadened and he realized the
meagre existence he must bear through
life II he stayed there, He left, one day,
and walked to Portland. There he learned
the sash and blind business.
When the gold fever swept the country
In 1870, he was one of the first to feel Its
heat in his veins. He went to California
on a sailing vessel around Cape Horn,
arriving at San Francisco, then but a
village OF miners. He began as carpen-
ter to amsss a fortune.
In a few years, with the help of his
brothers, who had joined him in the
meantime, ne was transporting frame
houses round the Horn These were
put up and sold at a profit.
When the war broke out the Doe broth
ers had tho most extensive door, sash and
blind factory on the Pacific coast.
At the close OF the war they were each
worth 81, 900, eco. They were Iioh in bust
ness and real estate. Their names were
among the first on bank directories,
Then time went on and this summer a
tall, spare man, erect, but showing the
ravages OF age, came TO PSrsonsdeld, 1t
was Bartlett Doe, the poor farmer lad,
who left the bare town among the Maine
hills But he WAS no longer poor. His
wealth would buy several townships like
P arsonsheld.
He saw the old academy going to de-
cay. He made note OF the farmers grub
bing among their rocky farms trying to
make living. He felt wealth of pity
for the barefooted boys in soiled overalls
chasing drove of aged COWS to pasture.
He watched the sunburned lassies In
calico gowns scurrying among the berry
bushes for product enough to exchange at
the little general store for new calico
dress.
He saw things-and remained silent. He
is a man of few words, but one whose ac-
lions talk. He went among his towns
people, but few of whom were his play
mates years ago.
He learned Of their affairs and helped
tins needy ones. He paid on mortgages
and replaced confidence. But he did all
this quietly.
He turned his attention to the Parsons
field academy. He thought OF his own
rugged life, made harder without the as
sistancs of an education. He caused the
ramshAckle old building to be renovated,
a new dnrmitory built with all modern
improvements. He stole quietly away to
Boston to endow the Institution where
boys and girls could. without cost Mt
them selves to begin life's struggles
without the handicap of Ignorance.