Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1916-06-27
NUMBER 26
Science. Moses Bernard Pike.


History, Lillian Iva Corbet', South
Paris.
Music, first, SO, Mona Myrtha Bar.
rett, West Sumner. Second, Is, divided
between Doris May Hamlin, Milan, N.
a., and Olive Dorothy Leonard, Rsyn.
ham, Mass.
General prize of $40 for excellsuce in
all studies during the senior year divided
between Lillian Iva Corbett, South Paris,
and Moses Bernard Pike, Lubec.
The after-dinner speaking following
the commencement dinner on Wednes.
day was OF exceptional excellence and
interest. State Superintendent Of
Schools Payson Smith, who had been IN.
able to reach Hebron In time TO deliver
the address to the graduating class ct tho
forenoon exercises, gave 1t after the din
ner. The other speakers were Hon.
franklin D. Hale, American consul at
Huddersfield, England; Professor E. C.
Mariner of Hebron; Mr.. Dodge OF the
New England Telephone and Telegraph
Co., representing Colby College; Hon.
john P. Swasey OF Canton; and Professor
j. r. Moody Of Hebron.
At the annual meeting of the trustees
on Tuesday, Hiram w. Kicker Of Poland
WAS elected member Of the board ID
succeed the late Hon. John D. Long.
Mountain Laurel, and Its Rival.
Editor Democrat:
Your correspondent from Norway
Lake has asked through the Democrat
for information regarding the mountain
laurel, the proposed national flower. To
my knowledge 1t does not grow in the
state of Maine, and the only localities In
New England where 1t can be found are
northern Massachusetts and southern
New Hampshire, within radius Of per-
haps forty or 6fty miles around Mt.
Monadnock, where, during the month Of
June II transforms the otherwise barren
territory into q veritable Garden Of
Eden. It's growth is in the nature OF .
shrub, but In rare instances Il grows 10
be tree of from twenty to thirty feet In
height. 1t also abounds on the west
side of the Hudson River, and across the
mountains of Pennsylvania.
1t is greatly admired ip England, anil
on some of the large estates there is cul-
tivated with great care, and at the time
OF blossoming, notice is given In the
London papers, and crowds OF people for
many miles around flock to gaze on tho
blooms from across the sea.
When Informed the owner of one OF
these show places that bis high sounding
Kdlmia LatUolia grew wild on our New
England hillsides, where his choice spec.
linens originally grew, b, was disposed
to ha aopnevhat don htful NJ fha trnth of
the statement.
that celebrated flower, in the glorious
wild Rbodora, shrub, that here In
grows but iDfrequently In
narshy, swampy places, but in Maine 1t
grows l1xuriantly In both meadow and
upland pasture. The rich, almost royal
purple blossom comes before the leaf,
and 10 some parts of the state, notably
bet ween Portland and Scarboro, acres OF
level plains are one solid sea OF that gor.
geous color, almost dazzling to the eye
10 It's beauty-truly q sight worth going
many miles to see, as found on
recent visit TO Maine. Nearly the whole
from Paris to the New Hamp-
shire line the wonderful blossoms wero
10 evidence on every band, truly making
the waste places blossom like the rose.
It is Q noticeable fact that none of the
modern authors of books on wild flowers
give any prominence to this exquisite
flower, In fact practically ignoring It's ex-.
istence-probably because they do not
know there are more beauties In the
state Of Maine "than are dreamed OF In
their philosophy" Methinks II Maine
we're ever to adopt a state flower other
than the pine cone, the honor should be
given to the Rhodora, not only for Ito
poetical name, but for the sentimental
reason that it has been immortalized by
our great New England philosopher,
Ralph Waldo Emerson, In whose poem,
"The Rhodors," that familiar quotation,
"Beauty is its own excuse for being" oc.
ours, and which I here quote:
found the fresh Rhodora IN the woods,
its leahess bloom In damp nook,
To please the desert and the sluggish brook.
The purple petals, fallen In the pool.
Made the black water with their beauty gay;
Here might the red.bird come his plumes to cool,
And court the flower that cheapens his array.
Rhodoral II sages ask thee why
This charm is wasted on the earth and sky,
Tell them, DEAR that II eyes were made for SEEING
Then Beauty is It's own excuse for beingi
Why thou vert there, O rival Of the rose!
never thought 70 aat, never knew;
But In my simple ignorance, suppose
The selfeame Power that brought mo Shere,
brought you"
MARTHA MAxIN.
Af4