The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1918-05-23
Names Contribu,lon 10 Literature

John Calir Minot addressed the pu-
pills of the high school Friday morning
on the subject of "Maine's COntrbu-
ton to Literature' Mr.. Minot held
the attention of his young hearers
thruout by his pleasing delivery and
his most interesting discourse on
Names men of letters. Mr.. Minot is
a native of Maine, and received his
education in the public schools and at
Bowdoin College, where he was a
classmate of c. p. Merrill, Frank
Briggs and Herbert SWEET At col
lege he took no prominent part in
athletics being more suited for the
literary side. He was connected with
the Bowdoin "Bugle". the Orient
and the Quill" besides corresponding
for several newspapers Since leay-
ing college Mr.. Minot has been CON
nected with the .Kennebec Journal and
at present is associate editor of the
Youths Companion While a resi-
dent of this state, he joined the Maine
Press Association, serving as its treas
urer in 1909. and he still retains his
membership.
Mr. Minot came from Waterville.
where he had addressed a meeting of
the Maine Library Association. 10
SkoWhegan, arriving at 500 O'Clock
and leaving on the 1135. The Wa
terville appointment made it possible
for him to come here without great
loss Of time and his former Bowdoin
! classmates took advantage of the OPP
portunity. arranging the matter by
telegraph
We dislike to permit in these col
umns criticism of anyone connected
with the publication business. We
know how much they stand in need
of and deserve the broadest charity
Duty to our readers compels us, how
ever, to say that Mr. Minot deliber-
ately. as we believe, declined to men
tion one eminent Maine author. This
paragraph should give him fair warn
ing not To commit like offence again
The writer We refer to, thus slighted
in his remarks. was none other than
John Clair AIinot Those among his
hearers who have seen the product of
| his pen kept hoping all through the
morning that he would quote. if only
briefly from his own writings, but we
believe he failed TO do 50 To supply
this deficiency in part, we give below
"A few lines from his poem y Maine
Toast, read before the Dorchester
CMassD Daughters Of Maine. several
years since The Toast is To the
old-fashioned mothers of Maine and
the last few lines viii be sufficient
to show the strength OF the sentiment
and thc beauty OF This poem
The years are bringing their changes,
and the old things are passing away,
The life that we know may be better.
but the old-time memories stay,
And dearest of all the pictures that
fondly we ever retain
Is that of the old-fashioned mothers
who bore and loved us in Maine
Across the gulf that is widening the
shadows of twilight fall.
But ever across the spaces we hear
their voices call;
And sometimes. perhaps at evening,
we feel flutter of wings,
And family catch an echo of the song
that an angel sings;
And we'll indeed, it is for us if out Of
the past there speeds
The things our mothers would send us
to answer the call of our needs
Their gentle grace and their goodness,
their unselfsh and patient way.
And the simple faith that inspired
them when they knelt by the cradle
to pray.
And Heaven can grant nothing better
than that we shall meet them again
The mothers who bore us and loved u.s.
the old fashioned mothers OF Maine