The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1922-06-01

selected anu HlSJ used Dy
Ernest Thompson Seton
1912
It is at this place that on Saturday
evening before the first Monday of a
new school year, in September the
community gathers for the opening
camp fire" when Good VIII songs are
sung, athletic stunts pulled off, and
speeches delivered under direction of
the Senior class in the Good viii High
School. At the Seton Fire Place, adj
dresses have been given by Ernest
Thompson Seton, first chief of the Boy
Scouts of America, Rev. Franklin ID.
Elmer, preacher and Nature lover,
who of all the men in America was
chosen to conduct the funeral service
of his friend, the late John Burroughs,
Dillon Wallace, explorer and Nature
lover. author of THE Lure of the Lab
rador Wild" the Long Laborador
Trail" and other volumes; Bill"
Sewall, the Roosevelt guide, and 9TH
ers, until the place already has it's
peculiar associations" From the
Seton Fire Place" it is but few
steps to the north boundary of the
thirty-six acres, more or less"
known since Sept. 2, 1921, as the
Roosevelt Bird Sanctuary" Here
on the date mentioned the bronze tab
let in memory of Theodore Roosevelt
hot the president, or military hero,
or Statesman, but the Nature lover
and conservation Of National parks
and forss.s--was unveiled. by Mr. A.
Newton Plummer and "Bill" Sewall,
when both made speeches, Plummer
telling of his undying admiration for
the great American and Sewall pay
ing a loving tribute to his friend,
Theodore" Close by is rustic bird
bath for the comfort Of the feathered
visitors to the sanctuary. A five min
utes walk takes one to tie entrance
Of the dartmouth" two pillars OF
weathere1 field stone stand as digni-
fled guards, one carrying a marble
tablet with the words. ..&
Entrance to Dartmouth Trail,
and the other. ~ tat..
presented by the Outing Club c.
Dartmouth College
The trail takes the visitor under
great homlocks, then through =
growth of deoiGuous trees to over
spreading pines and. finally, across
a bit of marsh, UP slope to its end
1t was formally opened years ago
when, under Mr.. Ray W. Tobey, a
graduate of Good VIII High School
and Dartmouth College, the Good VIII
community went, single file, over its
course, and then, after America" had
been sung and prayer offered, and
poems read, gave an address, closing
with these words.
And, henceforth, this is to be
known as the Dartmouth Trail"
There are cool shady trails in the Good
VIII woods,
Where the fir ana the hemlock grow
Where the blue violet opens its petals
to the sun
And the thrushes sing sweet and low
THE BOWDOIN TRAIL
To visit the Bowdoin Tail at Good
Will, the visitor, leaving the Admin
istraton Building the Prescott Me-
mortal follows the main driveway to
Page Terrace" On Page Terrace
are the Bancroft FoOte House. Mary
Louisa Hall Cottage, Whitney House,
Winthrop Cottage and Gulford Cot
tage: between the last two. ground has
been broken for Reyes Cottage, which
will complete this row of homes for
BOYS 1t is named in honor of Mrs
Elizabeth Page, of Skowhegan, whose
legacy to the Good VIII Home Asso-
citation made possible the purchase of
land necessary in order to carry out
a long cherished plan for this series
of buildings.
Just in the rear of the Whitney
House. the Bowdon Trail begins; no
formal entrance has yet been provid-
ed to add dignity to it, but it is sure
to come in the future. The trail leads
first through a tract Of several acres
of Indifferent pasture land recently
reforested with white pine and red
pine three year-olf transplants which
are now seven or eight inches high
and which will, in few years. change
the appearance and the value of that
section; thence, over a cedar bridge
built by the boys in the class of 1921
Good VIII High School, as a remind
err" onward through heavy wood
lands Of fir, hemlock, and occasion
ally a decidUous tree, past beauty
spot" which an transformations sign
states is "Naturalists Corner" where
p:cnics have been enjoyed. nature
talks given and Sunday afternoon re-
ligious services in August held. to an
open space. Directly in front of
the visitor is another Lone Eouu
ment, seven ., II Ia feet nigh
II 10 at Uni. zod of "a xpa1k