The Republican journal., 1915-06-03
Common School Advocate
Published in Belfast 1848.49. Two Noted
Maine Editors.

Published in Belfast 184S-49. Two Noted
Maine Editors.
The Journal recently received a copy of the
Common School Advocate, published semi
monthly by George B. Moore & Co., office No.
4 Main street, over the post Office" The issus
bears date of July IA. 1s47, is of eight pages,
IL by Is inches, and very neatly printed, with
all the matter "leaded." geographically it
compares well with like publications of today
and as wood pulp paper was not then in use it
is in better state of preservation than will
be those Of recent date after a few years. 1t
has but one local advertisement. that of the
Belfast Book Store, H. G. o. Washburn,
"wholesale and retail dealer in books, station.
cry, paper hangings, patent medicines and
fancy goods, 20 Main street, opposite the
American House," 1t is of local interest that
q son, Mr.. Waldo B. Washburn, is now en-
ployed in the same store, where M. P. Wood
cock & Son are continuing the business estab.
lished by his father in 1886. There were but
two other advertisements, one from New York
publishers of school books and one from Bos-
ton publisher of maps. Under the editorial
head are two articles "Claims of the Common
School, No. 8" and topography, No. g."
The selected matter mainly relates to the
schools. and all the matter is of the best class
of literature. The paper as a whole compares
favorably with like publications of TODAY.
Rowe & Griffin were the first publishers, the
initial number appearing in 1s4s. and the edi-
tor was VIM. G. Crosby, Secretary of the
Board of Education. 1t was then four. pages.
but at the beginning of the second volume
was increased in size to eight pages. It was
discontinued Aug. l, 1849.
The friend who sent this sixty five years old
newspaper. thinking it might prove interest
ing as Mr.. Moore was former editor of The
Journal" said that the accompanying note was
not intended for publication, but we take the lib
erty of quoting from it as follows: my moth
er was Waldo county woman, and with her
sister accustomed to attend the Teachers
Institute yearly at Belfast. l have (or did
have) catalog of that Institute for the years
1847 and 1849, but as Waldo county has no
Historical Society think did not preserve
them for the benefit of Waldo county people.
George B. Moore and his brother Nathan were
strong friends of my mothers family and I
personally recollect Nathan as most enter
tanning and gifted man. He died in Louisiana
many years ago."
George B. Moore was one of the most gifted
journalists Maine has produced. He was born
in Searsmont in 1926 and had only the educa-
tional advantages afforded by the district
school,; "but the natural quickness of his mind,
and certain aptitude for literary studies, en-
abled him to acquire all kinds of learning with
astonishing rapidity, to speedily outstrip both
school and teacher, and to attain to much
that usually belongs to the highest grade of
scholarly culture. About the year 1912 he
entered the Office of The Republican Journal,
then published by the Brothers Griffin, to learn
who at that time edited the paper, perceiving
in the young man more than ordinary capa-
city, took pains to encourage him in his studies
and the development of his powers, and while
yet boy in years he had contributed to the
columns of the paper articles that attracted
attention" Mr.. Moore subsequently became
one of the proprietors and editor of The Jour-
for short time after the paper was sold in
May, 1858, to William H. Simpson. Mr.. Moore
was then appointed inspector of customs at
Camden. In 1862 he became associate editor
of the Portland Argus and subsequently chief
editor of the Daily Advertiser of that CITY.
which position he occupied at the time of his
death, March Is. 1864. During the last four
| ,of g. L.
rheumatic complaint, which finally terminated
his life. He died like Macbeth with harness
on his back" his last editorial article having
been published on the day of his death. It
was said of him:
AS an editor Mr.. Moore achieved mar ked
success. He introduced a style of writing ne,,
to the newspaper press of tn is State-a man.
ner of dealing with ery-day events, remark
able for its freshness, concis eness and plavful
humor. His political articl es were philosoph
ical rather than political, but they were al
ways made brilliant and attr active by apt al
lusion, curious quotations and a warm glow of
humor. In that rare faculty of paragraphing.
of saying much in few words, Mr., Moore
was unrivaled He was antagonist to be
feared 10 a political controversy, for he COM
pretended at once his adversary's situation.
he perceived its we ak points, and he possess
ed the dangerous faculty of overwhelming
with wit and ridicule those whom ne could not
! confound by argument. Still he infused little
or bitt erness into political controversy, and
recorded among his warm personal friends
many active opponents of the Democratic
| party. Outside of the political arena none
was more ready to forget its controversies,
and to soften the asperities of life by the
cheerful, friendly courtesies of social inter-
course. He bestowed great amount of men,
tai labor upon the paper in the first years of
his editorship-too much for his health, which
| felt its effect in after years.
Practically this might be truly said OF Mr.,
Moore's William Henry Simpson.
His educational advantages were little if any
greater than those of Mr.. Moore, his natural
abilities, requirement of knowledge and IA
miliariry with the best literature equally
great. As men now living can testify "he was
an anita gonist to be feared in political (or
other) con ntroversy." He learned the printers
trade in The Journal office while Mr. Moore
was the editor and there was marked slmi-
liarity in the literary style and "rare faculty
of paragraphing" of these two gifted men,
This the writer can testify from personal
knowledge, having been reader of The Re-
publican Journal from early boyhood, visited