Daily Kennebec journal., 1922-08-12
MONMOUTH

TWenty-SlXth Reunion
Monmouth Academy
Judge Spear New Pres.
Monmouth Academy alumni held
the twenty sixth annual reunion at
the academy Wednesday. August O..
A perfect midsummer day helped to
make this one of the enjoyable & $
in the history of the old brick school
building on the hill top. Never had
| the scenery looked more beautiful
than on Wednesday VIII I the alumni
and friends of the old school gathered
to greet one another with faces
wreathed in smiles.
The program opened with singing
by the school with Mrs. Margaret
Smith at the piano; prayer was then
offered by Rev. Harold c. Burden,
pastor of the local Congregational
church. In the absence of the pres
ident. Justice a. NJ. Spear of Gardin
| CT, Hon. Charles l.. Andrews of Au-
4 uStd pItSlutu. II ID Ollly HcCtSSdiS
to say that his address was in his
| happicst vein and was enthusiastical
| ly received by his fell W alumni
and old friends Mrs. Margaret
Smith then entertained with a whist
| ling solo, playing her accompani
ment on an auto harp. Following
the report of the secretary and treas
| q n n -
| dinner A picnic lunch with hot cof-
| fee served by the committee was en-
| ioyed and a half hour devoted to find
| ing and greeting old friends.
Mrs. Sarah Simpson of Auburn said
she attended the first term OF school
taught in the academy. Other old
graduates Were Nh and Mrs. Charles
r. Cobb of Lisbon Falls who were
students there in 1861 ana 1868.
During the afternoon session the
house was crowded. MI. Andrews
| acted as toastmaster, Mrs. Mary
| Getchell Merrill of Madison was the
accompanist and old songs were sung
| by the audience. Miss Edith Grace
| Haynes who has been in community
years at first in the Polish commun-
| ty, but later in a community center,
was among the speakers. The COM
| munity center was constructed from
an old Baptist church. does not use
| the auditorium at all, but has "A ad
| junCt rooms which are in constant
| use. The movement has been a sue
cess from the first. There are many
clubs and there is a Gymna-
SUM in constan'. use. The girls
| have a laundry room, sew
| ing machine, and in the evening they
, sit around and read. The mon can
, come and be entertained and the
young people prefer TO sit with
their sewing and reading to en-
| ioying motion pictures. which they
| may also have the use Of. r c COM
| munty center supplies the home
touch that You're people need. Re-
| Gently the center has had a windfall
| and they hope TO make many i'm
| provcmcnts.
| President Gray of Bates College
gave the principal address on The
Drama of Civilization" which he said
| il might be called. He spoke of the
| limitlesS nature of his subject which
he was offering without either flesh
or trimmings needful for a good look
ing skeleton. Just the elements of
the picture could be used and there
were five scenes to it. The first
scene in this drama was the moment
! in the development of the universe.
The second picture was tn of abo-
rginal America before any civiliZa-
ton had begun. He made the scene
personal by relating it to the acad-
emy hilltop as it must have looked
when there was nothing but forest
and no trace of human race. The
third scene familiar - older ones re-
called the sort of life in Maine so
years ago-MidNi' IN age they
called it in England but in America
he should say the era of the black
walnut bcdstead. Age of machn-
cry, the present age, was the fourth
scene and he termed this the age of
ma chinery. 1t is wonderful age
| and he cited the various inventions:
Telephone. radio. automobile. facto-
~ ctI. -hdIHIHtS were
what centercd population in
cities and filled the fiat cigar boxes
TO the brim with humanity. Indus
trial chemistry had improved on ma
ture, They were trying to convert
sawdust into cattle food and Henry
Ford was reported as attempting
synthetic milk. it would effect a
structural change in the literature of
the nation. President Grays fifth
scene was the generation that comes
after, in something like 200 years.
Small schools and colleges and
families have a great deal at stake
in the ideals they teach President
Gray said that he agreed with Gov
ernor Baxter that t,le Federal govern
ment was taking over too MANY
things that might we'll be left to the
State.
Among the things which were
making the situation serious for the
future were industrial i:nmoralitv. So
cial inefficienc., government feeble
ness and the gre inertia Of the pub
lie that didn't care what happened
80 long as they made money.
Hon. A. J. Chick. principal Of the
academy. stated that the enrolment
Al the academy was the largest last
year IN many years. 'Te spoke Of the
prize speaking contest with other