Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1913-06-30
The Bliuht of Summer Visitors.

Under the caption "ReSponslDli1ties
of Summer People" the Boston Trans
oript deals editorially with the effect OF
summer visitors upon communities. Ii
reeites the case of trained civil engi-
ueer who posed as a young fisherman
end was in great demand at a Maine
seacoast resort as model for sketches
and paintings. when discovered in true
character, he calmly stated that he
could earn more (and much easier) in
three months by posing for summer
enthusiasts than by experimenting
concrete construction in year. The
editor hangs upon the incident chap
ter of philosophy of interest and wis.,
dom, in this fashion:
This lay fishermans story is the par
able OF a change which is in process all
along the New England coast and In
numbers of inland places. Into what
were once Independent and self-sus-
tanning farming or fishing villages, for
three months of the year. comes tenn
pcrary population. Their manner and
standards of living, even when they are
at home and earning, are wholly diff
ferent from that of the villages which
they visit. And they visit not 10 earn,
but TO spend. Their spending may be
guarded by rigid economy, yet the
spending is all that their rural neigh
bors see. Furthermore, they have be-
come accustomed to city prices and are
not surprised when asked to pay the
same in the country or in a small
town. If the town has had local in
Gustry, a cannery, or a fishery, 1t Is
discouraged by the summer folk partly
because it mars the picturesqueness of
the shore line, and partly because they
can outbid for the services of the
young people as gardeners or boatmen.
At the seasons end, these young folk
divide into two classes. The first con-
| tains the ambitious who have grown
disconnected with the hard work and
moderate returns of fishing or farming
| by the contrast of the seemingly fat
| purses of their summer patrons. The
| second includes the less energetic who
| are content to sit idle all winter and
| wait the return Of the three golden
months. Those who seek the cities fare
| bout $3.50. Those who remain al
home fall into the inevitable vices of
| idleness. In either case, a self-respect-
/ ing, independent industrious commu-
| nifty has been demoralzed. It's stand
ards of living have lost their simplici-
/ ty; ambitions citywards have drained
it's best blood: the sturdy independence
of spirit has been impaired by subordi-
| nation to their visitors; and little has
| been received in return except money
| which, by the testimony of the towns
men themselves. they would have beer
letter off without.
On Cape Cod this process is alread,
far advanced. Along the Maine coas
whole towns have felt its blight. 1t i:
matter of common remark. In Nova
Scotia is a mournful contrast between
two port towns not twenty miles apart
one a smart watering place where TIL,
Inhabitants are VIGOROUSLY shiftless
the other a fishing port, Stunned b,
summer folk. which breeds the hardi
est, and most Industrious families OIL
that coast.
We are all offenders. We have show
the city at play in few weeks o
hard-.arned leisure. We have no
warned them of the grinding work o
i the other ten or eleven months. w
have taken too little thought of this.
This is the beginning of the seaso
when we invade these places There ar
lessons which city people can carry t
the country if they will; of education
OF economy, of social organization, o
sanitation. But chiefly they can war
what d city life means, not at its best
rot at its worst, but at is general aver
age likely to befall the untraine
youngster who seeks his fortune ther
"a competence, access to lectures
} music, Libraries, museums and thea
tres: life in fiat, and forfeiture OF tn
sweet, neighborly interchange Of tn
J small town. And if, knowing this
these boys and these girls still elect t
come, it is surely no more than tn
normal obligation of the summer resi-
dents IN Stonehaven to guide and guar
these young people from Stonehaver
fer whose presence in the city they ar
Indirectly. in measure, responsible
The detail Of this has yet to be worke,
out. But the fact is that among sum
x mer residents of sensitive conscience
this is already being done. There is ;