The independent-reporter., 1910-09-15
DR.. LEON S. MERRILL
DAIRY INSTRUCTOR
VIII Have Charge Of Extension Work
ut u. of N.

present efficient dairy Instructor con-
nected with the Maine Department OF
Agriculture, who has Just been elect
ed by the trustees to have charge OF
the Extension Work at the UniVer-
sity of Maine, Is probably better quail
flied for that position than any other
man In the state. Endowed with
great natural ability, he has also had
both the education and the practical
experience to make him an all round
man. He has made good on every
thing he has ever undertaken.
Like many another of our most
useful citizens Dr. Merrill was born
on a farm. There he hustled until he
had finished his course In the High
school, leaving home at the age of l6
to teach school With the money thus
earned as a start, he worked his way
through the Bowdoin Medical school,
graduating with the class OF 1889.
Continued overstudy. however, had
begun to tell on his eyes, and re-
turning home he was afflicted with a
malady that almost cost him his sight.
Here good friends came to his as
sistance and secured for him the ap-
pointment as village postmaster. Soon
he branched out as merchant, and
a little later took charge of broken
down cooperative creamery with most
striking results His remarkable sue
cess with this enterprise 30 Impressed
the officials at Augusta, that three
years ago he was called to the posi-
ton of State dairy instructor. This
he Ia now resigning to go to Orono.
Blood certainly tells, for Benjamin
Merrill, grandfather OF Leon, Walked
go miles into the wilderness at the
age of 18 and cleared with his own
hands the farm ON which the latter
was born. Stephen Merrill. his faith
er, still manages the old place In
Solon today, and carries of his 80
odd years like a man In middle life,
The old gentleman takes keen de-
light In relating the following story:
1t was in the days before moving
machines, and small boy Leon. scythe
In hand, was bringing up the rear OF
the gang. The husky men In the
lead were setting pretty hot pace,
but the youngster stayed right with
the bunch. Finally his father no
ticed that the quality of his work was
not quite up to standard and re-
marked:
Leon! You're leaving lots OF
grass"
Well, II anything gets left 1t won't
be Leon" came the answer, and so II
proved. His father says that II Leon
has ever been left since then either,
he has never heard OF 1t.
At the age of 19 the enterprising
subject of this sketch took unto him.
self a wife, Alice Wilson by name.
Just what portion Of his subsequent
successes should be credited to his
better half, neither will say but the
fact Ia worthy OF note that II was
after his marriage that he worked his
way through college.
Like every man who has struggled
to get an education for himself, Dr'
Merrill has always taken keen In
terest In affairs scholastic. All
through the years that he was IN
Solon as postmaster and merchant, ne
took an active part In the manage
ment of the schools. either as
member OF the Board OF Education' OF
as superintendent. At the same time
as editor of the local paper, he did
much to mould the thought of the
community along progressive lines.
By 1905 DIR. Merrill was getting
much into the limelight In two dif-
ferent ways AS manager OF the SCION
Creamery Co., and as grand master OF
the Maine Odd Fellows. The cream
cry had been started as cooperative
enterprise, but defective management
had landed It all but q wreck. Hope
lessly In debt, tho stockholders were
about to liquidate the concern when
the doctor came to the front. He in
sisted that the business could be
made to pay, and the stockholders
gave him the chance to prove 1t. In
three years time the company was
on easy street." selling nearly half a
million dollars worth OF dairy pro-
ducts annually to customers In Port
land, Boston, Worcester. Lynn and
other cities In the east. The total
sum that was distributed among the
dairymen OF that vicinity would make
a tidy fortune even these days, for
several branches were ultimately es-
tablished.
DIR. Merrill became an Odd Fellow
a few months after his 2lst birthday.
He Joined the lodge at North Anson,
and soon after helped organize the
lodge at Solon. Beginning here he
trod round by round the ladder to
fame within that mystic circle, and
today he holds the highest honors
within the gift of the Maine fratern-