Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1906-12-26
OLD FREMONT SCHOOLS.
second Letter by Former Resident of
Southwest Harbor.


rwritten fer THE AMERICAN by Rev. e. NJ.
Cousins, of Thomaston, Me.
Reference was male in q former letter to
the strong days OF the district schools Of
what is now the new town Of Southwest
Harbor, especially under three notable
teachers. In this letter wish to speak Of
some of the supplementary work or in
fiuences which in any course of education,
advanced or ordinary, are conceded to
form no unimportant part in making the
man.
The regular studies IN those schools
were not neglected as shown by the strug
gle with arithmetic for older and younger,
nor the hours limited, as shown by the
days heightened regularly to the twilight
of the winters day that the "parsing
class" might stay and have it out with the
genealogical intricacies Of Paradise Lost
and other classics OF the parsing book.
For variety, on Wednesday afternoons
came something fresh from the we'll
stored minds OF teachers. From o. H.
Fernald one pupil recalls a series of fas-
,cinating tales which he now realizes were
the stories Of Homer and the classic myths
which the teacher was taking in his col
Iege preparatory work. 1t was good work
for teacher to give and for pupil to listen
to. As he reads these lines the writer
wonders il another honored teacher will
recall that afternoon talk that he gave
upon "Ideals', and will feel that it was
not in vain that one small boy who had
- L1f
learned it's meaning that day, but has
never thought Of that meaning since
without thinking Of that teacher, and has
also always thought that as boy and man
he needed not only to know the meaning
but have worthy ideals in his own life.
But in addition to the work of the day
was the work Of the evening which took
the form of the weekly spelling school in
each district attended by friends and COM
petitors from the other districts. This
spelling school was in time supplemented
with its rhetorical features in the form Of
defamation, recitation and dialogue. Let
it be remembered that in those days there
was time for these things because they were
strong enough to awaken interest in them
selves and because there were no fraterni-
ties or clubs, male or female, to demand the
evenings or the strength.
The spelling with its "sides" and "spell-
ing down" was a worthy feature, and pro-
,dnced a class of men and women who had
little need of any simplified system of
photography.
But the great feature for the general
III IL. TO- 81
days including the closing exhibition of
each winter term. As the term advanced
the rhetorical and dramatic portion of the
spelling school evening assumed greater
Importance. In the course of time
special talent was discovered or developed
in the scholars of the different districts
until the public knew well the individual
parts and abilities of each. Who has not
had his boyish blood thrill as Stillman
MAYO burst through the door in Indian
costume and war paint with the cleaning
tomahawk above his head and the defiant
,cry of the Seminole upon his lips:
''Blazei with your serried columns
-r,,e paleface defy,
Rs~sn. is stamped upon my spear,
Ana hJeoa is my battle cry!'
Who will forgss the Irish impersonation
of Isaac W. Mayo, Or the gentlemanly
characteristics OF Andrew j. Gilley, as they
appeared, perhaps for the fittieth time, in
their famous one-act fares OF 1.-THE
Letter.. Some OF your readers will recall
the quiet dignity of Edwin Clark as the
country squire in one of his catalogues,
Nd irbf of Mt ara
of whom have passed On.
Perhaps the elimination of this supple
mentary and dramatic work CAME in the
two great exhibitions given under Mr.,
Heath's leadership in district No. 2.
These were given in about 1860 and 81,
and because there was not room for the
people in the schoolhouse, the first was
given in the body of the Freeman house,
the hotel burned some years ago. The
new hotel was finished upon the outside,
but no partitions were yet put on the main
floor within, SO this was converted into an
auditorium with ample stage, curtain and
dressing rooms. The event was carried
into the week following the close OF the
term and many days given ty all freely to
the important work People came from
many miles away and packed every avail
able space.
The same great event and success was
repeated year later, use being made OF
the second story of the large ee-story
extension toward the rear OF Island house,
as it now stands abandoned, silent re-
minder of the past. This extension gave
even a larger auditorium than the Free
man house gave the year before. The
best selections OF the previous year were
repeated, with new ones added, and every
pupil, from the little tot of four to the big
boy or girl of t'wenty-one or more, had a
part. Even that bright scholar, and later
graduate of our State college long before
it blossomed out into the U. of M, who
could never possibly finish his piece with
out crying, was not excused. We had to