The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1903-08-06
FAST SIDE SCHOOL DAYS.

and in Square-riggers.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE JOURNAL:
The obituary of Capt. Frederick A.
Gilmore of Belfast in recent issue OF
The journal brought to mind some
"reminiscences Of my youth and early
manhood. Captain Gilmore was my
schoolmate, classmate, shipmate and
lifelong friend. We were both raised
in the city of Belfast; he in the eastern
part, on the shore road from Belfast to
Searsport, about two miles from the
town, or Beach, as it was then desig
mated by the old people (see William
sons History of Belfast; while | first
saw the light in the western part of the
town near Belmont Bar, in the back
tier of lots The boys of this part of
the town were considered by the boys
of the Beach and East Side as slightly
verdant, by reason of our not being
familiar with the smell of flats mud
and unused to CLAIMS as a steady diet,
anu Wtlt CdilGu A'SAS
was nearly always feud between us,
and when we met in any numbers at
the circus. on the Fourth of July, or on
the bridge to catch founders, there was
generally a fight We out-homers had
a wholesome fear of the village and
east side boys and avoided fight When
ever we could; but when we had to fight
we did not always come out second best.
We feared them because they were sail
ors. We had been taught that anybody
who had been one trip, or more, to Bos-
ton i'll wood coaster and come home
with the gait of an old salt, with his
toes turned in and his heels out, sWag-
gering around trying to pick up row
with every boy from the country, was a
ure-enough sailor. 1t was our belief
that they could whip their weight in
wild cats and we thought that a fight
with them was not much fun SO long as
We had 4 good chance to run.
well remember family OF boys OF
this kind named Reed, who lived on the
east side The old Reed farm is where
the late \. \. Hurd lived. Frank and
George Henry Reed were the terror OF
all the country boys for miles around.
My acquaintance with Fred Gilmore
came about in this way. The late ven
cradle L. 4. Pitcher, a nelghbor of my
father. was at that time known as the
best school teacher in the town. He
taught in nearly every portion of the
town, and as lie taught navigation he
was in great demand in all the school
districts that bordered on the sea shore;
and fifty years ago it was rare thing
to find a young sailor from Belfast or
Searsport who had not been to school
to master Pitcher. The winter that |
was IA years old he had closed his term
of school in the district to which L be-
longed-old district No. S, now known
as the Hayford school-and was to be-
GIN one i'll the Patterson district, east
side. My father decided that | should
attend that school, while |, knowing
verv well that | should have the Reed
boys for schoolmates, and having due re-
gard fora whole skin and two good eyes,
made every effort to keep from going
father got me a chance to do chores for
my board with one Ambrose Stevenson,
who lived in the first house in the val
ley from the house on the hill where
Fred Gilmore was born, since known as
the Morrill, place, but perhaps better
known now as the Peirce place. 1t was
with fear and trembling l entered the
Schoolh0use Oh that ever to be remem-
bered Monday morning. | nave passed
through many trying scenes during my
twenty years of seafaring life: have
seen men die all around me; have en-
dured great privations and been a thou
sand times in peril of my life, but never
have had such fear in my heart as l
had when knew that | must encoun-
Ter the Reed boys at recess on that,
my first day at school on the east side.
On going to school in the morning |
trudged along with Charles and Fred
Gilmore; Fred about my age, a few
months older, and Charles two years
older. The teacher greeted me kindly.
! told him my fears and sought his pro-
lection. He said he would look after
me while he was at the schoolhouse,
but had better learn to rely on myself;
and added, THE boys all fight at this
school," | learned with infinite delight
that Frank Reed, the bully, did not at
tend the school, that he had gone
trip coasting, but would return the
next week. So had but George Henry,
who was about my age, to encounter.
with such other boys as should take
sides with linn. When the teacher
said, Boys may go out with fear
and trembling | sneaked out, keeping
as near as | could to some young men,
hoping might find protector in them.
| soon found that all men hate a cow
ard, and that | should have no respect
from them unless | did something to
entitle me to it. George Henry Reed
lost no time in beginning hostilities.
kns~H