STUDENT WRITERS: Tribalism in American Politics

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STUDENT WRITERS PROGRAM
This week featuring: ERSKINE ACADEMY

by Grace Kelso

Tribalism is the behavior and attitudes that stem from strong loyalty to one’s own tribe or social group. Tribalism is a natural part of human behavior that can be seen in all aspects of life. More now than ever, we are seeing strong tribalism in American politics. We are seeing evidence of this when people favor policy proposals from their party and disapprove of proposals from the other party based purely on party and not facts or soundness of policies, or when people only make friends with people from their own party. This essay explains where we see tribalism in American politics.

One example of tribalism in American politics is through reactive devaluation bias. Reactive devaluation bias is the tendency to value the proposal of someone we recognized as an antagonist as being less interesting than if it were made by someone else. An example of this could be found in Daniel Stalder’s article, “Tribalism in Politics” published in Psychology Today in June, 18th, 2018. According to Stalder, Republican Senator, George Vionovich, said, “If he [Obama] was for it, we had to be against it.” This means that even if one of Barack Obama’s policies, or a policy that he was in support of, were very beneficial to the American people, George Vionochich and his Republican colleagues would not support it. This is a clear example of reactive devaluation bias. It is not just Republicans who are guilty of reactive devaluation bias. A study called “Party over Policy” found that when liberal college students were told about a welfare proposal, they were not opposed to it, and some were in favor of it. When they were told that the policy was proposed by Republicans and was not supported by Democrats, their opinions changed. Most of the students were no longer in favor of the policy proposal, according to the same Psychology Today article.

Another example of tribalism in American politics is how it can be seen affecting our social lives. Tribalism based on our political beliefs occurs in how we perceive the people around us and with whom we are in relationships. To put it simply, we treat people with the same political views more favorably than we do people with opposing political views.

A political scientist named Shanto Iyengar has done a lot of research into how political tribalism plays a role in our social life. He found that the percentage of married couples that came from the same party had grown from two-thirds in the 1960’s and 70’s to close to 90 percent today. A survey done in the 1960’s found that only 5 percent of partisans would mind if their son or daughter were in a relationship with someone of the opposite party. This seemed like an irrelevant question at the time. In 2010, the same question was asked for a YouGov Poll and found that 49 percent of Republicans and 33 percent of Democrats would be somewhat or very upset if their son or daughter were in a relationship with someone of the opposite party.

Today, the political party you align yourself with is not just a choice, but an identity. This is seen when people approve of policy proposals from their own party and disapprove of those from the opposing party and when people do not want to be friends with someone from the other party. These are examples of tribalism. America is facing a lot of challenges and we need to be united now more than ever, but why do we still have trouble working with the other side? Maybe we are too egotistical, or maybe we don’t want to seem like hypocrites for agreeing with the opposing party. Only after we get rid of our “us versus them” complex can we make some meaningful change.

Student Writer’s Program: What Is It?

The Town Line has published the first in what we hope will be many articles from local students under the heading of the “Student Writer’s Program.” While it may seem plainly evident why The Town Line would pursue this program with local schools and students, I think it’s worth the time to highlight the reasons why we enthusiastically support this endeavor.

Up front, the program is meant to offer students who have a love of writing a venue where they can be published and read in their community. We have specifically not provided topics for the students to write on or about, and we have left the editing largely up to their teachers. From our perspective this is a free form space provided to students.

From the perspective of the community, what is the benefit? When considering any piece that should or could be published, this is a question we often ask ourselves at The Town Line. The benefit is that we as community are given a glimpse into how our students see the world, what concerns them, and, maybe even possible solutions to our pressing problems. Our fundamental mission at the paper is to help us all better understand and appreciate our community, our state, and our nation through journalism and print.

We hope you will read these articles with as much interest and enjoyment as we do. The students are giving us a rare opportunity to hear them out, to peer into their world, and see how they are processing this world we, as adults, are giving them.

To include your high school, contact The Town Line, townline@townline.org.

I’M JUST CURIOUS: Interesting thoughts

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by Debbie Walker

Oops! I forgot this was supposed to have been in the column for last week, following the title of “Thee Onederful Werld ov Wirds” (from Moments for Grandparents). I forgot I was to send the next part of the article. Here it is as promised, just late:

“Being a grandparent hasn’t made it any easier when attempting to talk with our grandkids. We find that they are into information highways, Reeboks, CDs, roms, and rap. Many of the solid foundational words which we grew up with are long gone from today’s younger vocabulary. Just say some of the following words … they mean two different things to two different generations: square, gay, politically correct, grass, rock music, software, hardware, time-sharing, chip, and low-rider.

“Some things are still basic, foundational … such as love. It’s understood in any language when the actions are seen. Maybe a grandparent is the only person available to that young life who has the patience and time to make the effort to listen, to communicate. Perhaps you may be the only one who can instill life principles into young heads. It’s more like just talking… it’s communicating, it’s caring, it’s loving, it’s spending time, it’s listening creatively, it’s being available.”

ME AGAIN: I doubt anyone who saw the first article expected this turn of events. It is so important if you can be that person in a child’s life. With the words you read in my other column and the words the kids depend on now to communicate, is it any wonder discussions are difficult for both children and adults. Now add to that the fact all the one-line conversations of the texting are not building on any closeness.

One thing I have learned over the years is that it isn’t just children who go through phases, we all do. Can you recognize some of the phases you have been through in your lifetime? I swear I think I go through so many phases that I even do some of them at least twice.

One grandson started drawing when he was a little guy. We were camping a few times and I remember sitting at the picnic table with him; the other adults were busy doing adult things but I chose to sit there with him and ask him questions about what he was drawing or had drawn. Of course, some of it was pretty far from recognizable but then I started seeing the changes over the years. He drew a picture for me one day of MY motorcycle. Believe me, it had some true to form parts and some ‘special’ features. Example: my paper motorcycle could change from a street bike to a motorcycle I could drive through the woods and other features. And there continued to be discussions as he would show me the latest.

When his grandfather and I separated I was afraid there would be no more need for me in his life. However, I was thrilled when he had his mother call me to come to his art show at high school; just as I was requested to go to his high school graduation and then his VoTech welding graduation. I think those little talks were the start of my being included in his life now. It’s wonderful to be included by a teen.

I am just curious if you realize you have made a difference to a child. Let me know your thoughts. I am at DebbieWalker@townline.org. I’ll be waiting. Thank you for reading in your busy days. Have a great week.

REVIEW POTPOURRI – Composer/pianist: Cecile Chaminade; Singer: William Mcdonald; Russian Symphonic Choir & Billy May and his Orchestra

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Cecile Chaminade

Peter Catesby Peter Cates

The old, very brittle 78s continue to give the greatest pleasure with their noisy surfaces, brief three to five minute playing sides and vivid sense of history, unmatched by LPs, CDs, and streaming. As so many people are still throwing boxes of them into dumpsters, they do call me and make offers I just can’t refuse.

Here are a few such documents of working musicians who once walked the earth and shared their art with others:

Cecile Chaminade

Serenade Espagnole
Fritz Kreisler, violinist, accompanied by pianist Carl Lamson; Victor, 64503, ten inch acoustic shellac disc, recorded June 22, 1915.

French composer/pianist Cecile Louise Chaminade (1857-1944) achieved fame as a composer for her very tuneful music and keyboard prowess during the era when women were still looked down upon or condescended to. The composer of Carmen, Georges Bizet (1837-1875) examined some of Chaminade’s pieces when she was only eight years old and predicted that her talent would take her far.

Despite early encouragement and progress, she experienced wrath from her father who disapproved of her musical studies.

Chaminade performed her music to acclaim in her own country, Great Britain and the U.S. and recorded several piano rolls which can be heard on youtube. Inevitably, as she grew older, she composed fewer pieces and died in relative obscurity in Monte Carlo at the age of 87, although financially she was set for life.

In 1913, she was awarded the Legion d’Honneur, a prize set up by Napoleon Bonaparte in 1802 for outstanding accomplishments and was the first female composer thus honored.

I have written before about violinist Fritz Kreisler (1875-1963) who recorded a quite elegant performance more than 100 years ago of Chaminade’s Serenade Espagnole (Spanish Serenade), a piece just under three minutes long with a charming melody. He was accompanied by his pianist of many years, Carl Lamson (1878-1966).

This record can also be heard on YouTube.

William Mcdonald

Asleep in the Deep; In a Hundred Fathoms Deep
Columbia, A986, ten-inch acoustic disc, recorded September, 1911.

The online 78 discography research link had the recording date for this shellac but no information on bass singer William H. Macdonald. The two songs, Asleep and A Hundred Fathoms Deep were frequently sung and recorded 100 years ago but are rarely heard today. They refer to what every ocean explorer knows as Davy Jones’ locker and are very stirring ballads that were expressively sung.

Russian Symphonic Choir

conducted by Basile Kabalchich- Dance ! Gypsy ! (Czecho-Slovakian Dance Song); Volga Boatmen Song; Victor 20309, recorded January 6, and October 26, 1926, 10-inch 78.

Basile Kabalchich’s Russian Symphonic Choir was an ensemble of six sopranos, four contraltos, four tenors and five basses who recorded a batch of 78s for Victor between 1926 and 1927 of folk songs and orthodox church music from Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union, its studio venue being a converted church in Camden, New Jersey. These performances were very spirited to a feisty, fierce level and contributed to a jewel of a record.

Billy May and his Orchestra

Fat Man Boogie
My Silent Love; Capitol 1794, ten-inch 78, recorded 1951.

Billy May

Jazz/pop arranger and conductor Billy May (1916-2004) collaborated with Frank Sinatra on several of his classic albums for Capitol and Reprise and was one of the singer’s three principal arrangers, the other two being Gordon Jenkins and Nelson Riddle. His utilization of smoky brass and sultry rhythms gave such Sinatra LPs as Come Fly With Me a legendary durability that still attracts listeners .

The two instrumentals, Fat Man Boogie and My Silent Love, make for riveting examples of May’s arranging skills.

Billy Mays was known for imbibing one or more bottles of booze during recording sessions with Sinatra and a number of other singers from the Great American Songbook years, including Nat King Cole, Peggy Lee, Nancy Wilson, Bing Crosby, Rosemary Clooney, etc. He also worked with the man of a 1,000 cartoon voices, Mel Blanc and comedian Stan Freeberg. Highly recommended is the YouTube of a 1951 featurette of Mays and Blanc for Capitol records about the process by which records are manufactured.

David Street

I Don’t Care Who Knows; Nevada Victor 20-1683, 10-inch 78, recorded June 1945.

David Street

Actor/singer David Street (1917-1971) achieved some renown on radio, and records and in a few films during the 1940s yet nothing stuck. Until I discovered this record in one of my 78 boxes yesterday and got curious, his name was new to me.

Three names on the record intrigued me- Street’s arranger Frank De Vol who conducted numerous records for Doris Day and some good pop orchestra LPs for Capitol and Columbia; and the gifted songwriters Jimmy McHugh (I Don’t Care Who Knows) and Walter Donaldson (Nevada).

Street had a solid voice in the romantic crooner tradition of Crosby, Sinatra and Como, yet unlike them, not a particularly distinguished one. Still the record is a nice one in the vintage pop category.

 

 

 

CRITTER CHATTER: Time to release the raccoons

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Contributed photo

by Jayne Winters

As a follow-up to the September article, I’m submitting another written by the late Carleen Cote, published in the fall 1999. As we prepare for colder weather, it seems like a good time to share some of her fond memories.

“Over the years, hundreds of raccoons have called our Center ‘home.’ When they start arriving in mid-April, our leisure time comes to an end for at least six months. From 6 a.m. to midnight, the hours are spent mixing formulas, feeding, keeping bedding clean and doing six to seven loads of laundry a day. Probably the most frustrating part of caring for the young coons is weaning them. Raccoons love to suckle and reluctantly give up their bottle. The milk is eventually replaced with a mixture of dog food, rice and boiled eggs blended into a consistency thin enough to be fed from a bottle. As they become older, this mixture is made thicker and attempts are made to encourage them to eat from a dish.

As the weather gets warmer, the raccoons are moved to outside pens. They are taken on walks so they can start exploring the feel of the ground and grass and do some climbing on fences and trees. Their diet will then include dry puppy food, bread, eggs and fruit. The daily routine then becomes keeping these outside pens clean; the feedings are reduced to twice a day.

There are lasting memories of some of the raccoons. The raccoon we called ‘Fatso’ for instance, that adopted a young fawn as his playmate. Fatso refused to be displaced from the deer house where he had lived alone before the arrival of an injured young deer. The deer and raccoon spent the winter playing together and became fast friends to the point that, when we moved Fatso to an outside pen in preparation for release, he became despondent and refused to eat. He was reunited with his friend until the time of release.

One raccoon is remembered for his coloration. He was a pure platinum color, except for his tail. Another of the raccoons, raised alone in the house, brought concern about what would happen to her when release time came. Would she adjust to being in the wild? Not to worry! When she emerged from the dog carrier, I attempted to give her one last stroke on her back. She immediately assumed a defensive posture, refusing to let me touch her and left with the other raccoons to explore their new world.

After our usual summer of long hours and little time for ourselves, the approaching fall finds us planning the release of raccoons back to the wild. This is when we experience the beauty and quiet of nature away from the noise and other disturbances we experience in our lives. To walk in the forests, hearing the chirping of crickets, the sound of the water in streams and brooks as it bubbles over rocks, flowing along twists and turns in the past to its next destination – these are welcomed times. Then there are the years when heavy rains occur as we near release time. When this happens, the once gentle flowing waters become rushing waters, restricting vehicle access to our favorite release spots. The muddy roads, streams and brooks overflowing their banks mean that our trek into the selected sites will have to be done on foot, pushing the wheelbarrow, with the coons secure in dog kennels, to their new home out in these beautiful Maine woodlands and forests.

After such treks, we return home, clean and sanitize all the pens and other paraphernalia used in caring for the raccoons, store it for the winter and wait to see what the next spring will bring.”

Donald Cote operates the Duck Pond Wildlife Care Center on Rte. 3 in Vassalboro. It is a nonprofit federal and state permitted rehab facility which is supported by his own resources and outside donations. Mailing address: 1787 North Belfast Ave., Vassalboro ME 04989 TEL: (207) 445-4326. EMAIL CORRECTION: thewildlifecarecenter@gmail.com.

SCORES & OUTDOORS: Talk always turns to the weather; what is an Indian Summer?

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Roland D. Halleeby Roland D. Hallee

Isn’t it amazing how when you begin a conversation with someone, inevitably, it always leads to the weather. What would we do if we didn’t have the weather to talk about. Maybe some of us would never speak.

Whether you’re at the supermarket, church, or just bumping into a friend on the street, the conversation always goes something like, “What a nice day?” or “boy it sure is hot enough.” Get the idea?

Well, the other day, a colleague and I started talking about whether this recent stretch of weather constituted an “Indian Summer.” Which prompted me to think, “what really is an Indian summer and what determines whether we have one or not?”

An Indian summer is unseasonably warm, dry and calm weather, usually following a period of colder weather or frost in the late autumn, in September, October or early November. The Old Farmers Almanac describes it as taking place between November 11 and 20. It states, “During true Indian summer, the atmosphere looks hazy or smokey, and the weather is calm and dry.”

Modern ideas on what an Indian summer constitutes vary, but the most widely accepted value for determining whether an Indian summer is occurring is that the weather must be above 70 degrees for seven days after the autumnal equinox. The term Indian summer has been used for more than two centuries. The origin of other “Indian” phrases are well-known as referring to North American Indians, who prefer to be called Native Americans, or, in Canada, First Nations. The term Indian summer reached England in the 19th century, during the heyday of the British Raj in India. This led to the mistaken belief that the term referred to the Indian subcontinent. In fact, the Indians in question were the Native Americans, and the term began use there in the late 18th century.

Indian summer is first recorded in Letters From an American Farmer, a 1778 work by the French-American soldier-turned-farmer J. H. St. John de Crevecoeur: “Then a severe frost succeeds which prepares it to receive the voluminous coat of snow which is soon to follow; though it is often preceded by a short interval of smoke and mildness, called the Indian Summer.”

There are many references to the term in American literature in the following hundred years or so. In the 1830s Indian summer began to be used figuratively, to refer to any late flowering following a period of decline. It was well enough established as a phrase by 1834 for John Greenleaf Whittier to use the term that way, when in his poem “Memories,” he wrote of “The Indian Summer of the heart!”

Or, Thomas DeQuincey, in a republishing of Bentley’s Works of Thomas DeQuincey, 1855, wrote: “An Indian summer crept stealthily over his closing days.”

Also, in his story The Guardian Angel, Oliver Wendell Holmes mentions “an Indian summer of serene widowhood.”

As a climatic event it is known throughout the world and is most frequently associated with the eastern and central states of the U.S., which have a suitable climate to generate the weather pattern. For example, a wide variation of temperature and wind strength from summer to winter.

Why Indian? Well, no one knows but, as is commonplace when no one knows, many people have guessed.

Some say it was from the prairie fires deliberately set by Indian tribes; from raids on European settlements by Indian war parties, which usually ended in autumn; or, in parallel with other Indian terms, it implied a belief in Indian falsity and untrustworthiness and that an Indian summer was a substitute copy of the real thing.

But my grandfather, who could spin a yarn with the best of them, had the most creative I’ve ever heard.

It seems an Indian chief was concerned about a hunting party that was delayed in returning from a late summer gathering of meat for the winter. The year had been an extremely difficult one and the tribe needed the buffalo, deer and turkey meat for their winter consumption, and the hides for clothing and shelters. Fearing the crops in the fields would go to waste before the braves returned to harvest, the chief sat at his campfire and began to feverishly smoke a pipe, and did so for days, until the air was filled with smokey, hot air.

Once the hunting party made its return, the air was still warm enough to gather the crops that had not been damaged by frost, that the chief feared would be destroyed by the impending cold weather. By warming the air with the smoke from his pipe, the chief, essentially, saved the crops.

Makes sense to me.

Roland’s trivia question of the week:

Rob Gronkowski is second on the all-time total receiving yards for the New England Patriots with 7,861 yards. Who is first?

Answer can be found here.

SOLON & BEYOND: Last of how to tear down a barn

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Marilyn Rogers-Bull & Percyby Marilyn Rogers-Bull & Percy
grams29@tds.net
Solon, Maine 04979

Now for the last of Jeff McAllister’s words on How to Dismantle a Barn.

Check all beams to see if the pinyons and wooden hard wood pegs are solid for they alone hold the barn together. All barns have many rafters. Either all rafters, or perlins and rafters, or perlins and rafters, have a short upright or bigger support for snow load. I have to prep these, cut half way then you can pull them. Never be in the barn. Always on any pull be out of harms way. Any discarded boards with nails sticking out should be placed anywhere with nails down; even the littlest placed anywhere with nail down, the littlest things can be dangerous. Many barns have shingles on them. As I tear them off I have to move my ladder over for another arm risking. When down to do this I always tread all broken shingles down. This alone could possibly save my life because should I accidently fall on any unright shingle, they could become a knife. SAFETY FIRST.

In working alone I am responsible for myself. I’ve witnessed others tearing down barns where they scare me. First thing they do! Have a radio blasting, no warning could be heard. No one is watching what the other does, the discarded lumber is sticking up with nails every where. It’s in my mind an accident is in the making!

Hope many of you have liked Jeff’s sharing how he (with SAFETY FIRST) has told you the safe way to dismantle a barn. His phone number is 672-4071 and it might be wise to call him before you try it because I might have made some mistakes in copying it! Thanks, Jeff for sharing!

Lief and I spent a week in Rangeley recently, and had a wonderful time! The only problem we had was trying to get home safely on Saturday, Oct. 17, in the most awful snowstorm I have ever ridden in. We packed up early when we saw how big and threatening the huge snow flakes were coming down, it was a totally white world, never saw it like that before! Lief is a really good driver, and he started out going very, very slow, but even so, we were slip, sliding all over the ice covered road. We never did meet a truck to do any sanding! What made me sit on the edge of the seat was that the cars coming toward us were going their usual fast speed! It wasn’t long before we came upon two cars that were in the ditch! But, thank God, we made it home safely, with no problems, and my hair was already white enough!

And now for Percy’s memoir: You never know until you try. And you never try unless you REALLY try. You give it your best shot; you do the best you can. And if you’ve done everything in your power, and still “fail” – the truth of the matter is that you haven’t failed at all. When you reach for your dreams, no matter what they may be, you grow from the reaching; you learn from the trying; you win from the doing. (Words from Laine Parsons.)

VETERANS CORNER: Election, SSI and COLA time

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by Gary Kennedy

This is election time and also an SSI and Veteran COLA time. (Cost of Living Adjustment). The veterans historically receive the same as SSI recipients. This is usually what occurs in the fiscal year, October 1. As it stands now the percentage relied upon is using the Consumer Price Index and as it stands at this time it looks like the increase will only be 1.6 percent which is not a whole heck of a lot. Defined, this is an increase in Social Security benefits to counteract inflation. This automatic annual COLA began in 1975.

The largest COLA was in 1980 at 14.3 percent. The new COLA will affect 69 million Americans. I personally believe this COLA is based on a better quarter than we are in. In any case veterans will receive the same. So the way I figure it veterans will receive approximately an additional $38.80. Not a thrilling amount and that is based on 100 percent service connection. If your check is less, then, of course, that amount will go down. Just multiply your check by 1.6 percent and that will be your increase. The origin of this was basically a grocery issue. Not news I like to share but that is the way of it.

Bernie Sanders in 2015 found that the cost of living amount if any was outrageous; I have addressed this issue with Sen. Susan Collins and with President Donald Trump. We’ll have to see what the outcome is. I believe someone should take issue with this as in regards to our elderly, disabled and veterans. The amount given to SSI recipients is based on an average of approximately $1,500 monthly, with an increase of $24. The maximum base is fixed for SSI at this figure. Most Vietnam era disabled veterans also receive SSI so they receive both.

Other issues which veterans have discussed with me regard the political theater in this election year. I advocate for veterans to help them get health care as well as monetary benefits. I do a lot of that, and I have for 47 years. I have always used senatorial offices to aid my veterans. I was very impressed with our first female senator Margaret Chase Smith. She was the first female senator and she didn’t play games. There were several things that impressed me but the one that started my relationship with that office was, she was given the designation of “Mother of the Waves” for her efforts to advance women in the military (Navy).

I started using that office when Sen. Olympia Snowe who was the second woman and of Greek origin, become senator. She was easy to deal with and didn’t care about my political stand. I don’t believe in all the years I dealt with John Cummings, her right hand man, I was ever asked about my political views. I went there only for veteran issues, with much success.

Now we have Senator Susan Collins who likewise has aided me and veterans that I have sent there with very good success at dealing with our issues. She gave her blessing to the homeless housing and the hospitality house at Togus V.A. I have never found others to be as accessible.

Sen. Collins said in the beginning she would only serve two terms but has served 23 years, to date. Veterans and S.S.I. recipients have benefited from this. Many veterans fear they might lose this support as this will be the second time she has stepped away from her party. The race for the Senate looks like a dead heat between her and Sarah Gideon. Whoever wins, I promise I will remain loyal to my commitment to veterans and will seek the aid of whomever to benefit them and SSI.

Since veterans also receive SSI, I have asked the proper questions regarding this and Medical Stands. Nothing will change to harm you. Unfortunately, politics can be a nasty business as we have seen in both state and federal elections. Just because we are retired we should not live in fear. There are many good politicians out there that have elderly family members. I am very active with all of this and more and I see no negative changes on our horizon. I, like you, depend on my check and Medicare. Veterans, I hope this gives you information and answers your questions. Don’t worry Maine, all will work out. God bless you and God bless America.

I’M JUST CURIOUS: Save a little money

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by Debbie Walker

I don’t know where this quote came from, however, I am using it here, “With prices of most necessities rising, I’m glad there’s a way to save tons of money in such a simple, healthy manner.” I haven’t tried most of these, but I will put notes on things I have tried. I hope you enjoy reading the possibilities and trying a few.

Car wax: After your car has been waxed there is still a little wax left over, even on the wax pad. Here are a couple of ideas for leftovers:

Do you have bird feeders on a pole? Rub that pole with the wax pad. Slippery going for the little devils.

Rub some wax on dog’s tags to prevent rust. Or do you have a sticky drawer, a little wax will fix that.

Rubbing alcohol: Rubbing alcohol, for all the work it can do, is a very inexpensive purchase.

Got an ink mark on your leather pocketbook? Dip a cotton swab in alcohol, rub it back and forth ‘til mark is gone. Then dry with hair dryer.

Get rid of musty clothes odors. Fill spray bottle with equal parts alcohol and water, mist garment.

Equal parts 90 percent rubbing alcohol and water. Spray on your iced over car windows and windshield. This works. I would do my windshield first, walk around the car doing windows, get back to driver’s door and windshield was free of ice!

Unclog spray paint nozzle – Aggravating!

Turn can upside down, dip nozzle in a small bowl of alcohol. Wait one minute and rinse under hot water.

Lemon Juice: Lift tarnish off your holiday silverware. 1 tsp. baking soda, 4 tsp. lemon juice, makes a paste. Rub on, rinse off.

Keep cats from bothering plants. Soak a cotton ball in lemon juice and rub it around the rim of planter. Cats dislike citrus scent.

Clumpy rice. If you cook it and get sticky rice add a few drops of lemon juice to boiling water.

Stiff paint brushes. 3 parts lemon juice, 1-part water to boil. Soak brushes for 15 minutes.

Keep ants out. Saturate a few cotton balls with juice and place where ants and other bugs appear. Odor disrupts scent trails.

Petroleum Jelly: Kitty got a hair ball problem? Use your finger and dab it on the cat’s nose. She licks it off. It helps her digestive system.

Candlesticks often get covered with candle wax attached, before lighting rub on jelly. Cooled wax comes right off.

Milk: Take large, difficult pills with milk. Coats and slides easier.

Dry damaged hair. Spray bottle to spritz whole milk onto hair. Wait 30 minutes then shampoo and condition as usual.

Dog smells. Give him a bath, add 1 cup milk to water before putting him in. Massage and then rinse as usual. Smell is much better.

Mouth burn. Ease pain quickly, swish a bit of cold milk around in mouth.

Charcoal: Eliminate static from a radio. Place a piece of charcoal on top of it. It attracts the waves you don’t want to hear. It is supposed to make it static free. I have to try this!

I am just curious about that charcoal business. Contact me with comments or questions at DebbieWalker@townline.org. Thanks for reading and have a wonderful week.

REVIEW POTPOURRI – Maine poet: Isaac McLellan

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Isaac McLellan

Peter Catesby Peter Cates

Isaac McLellan

Maine poet Isaac McLellan (1806-1899) was born in Portland but grew up in Boston. He went to Bowdoin College, in Brunswick, where he was friends with Henry Wadsworth Longfellow and made the acquaintance of Nathaniel Hawthorne.

McLellan practiced law during his 20s, but soon grew bored and devoted himself to writing, hunting and fishing. His poetry and essays began appearing in newspapers and magazines and were collected in several volumes.

McLellan traveled in Europe, Egypt, and Syria and wrote about his experiences in an extensive series of Foreign Travels for the long gone Boston Daily Courier. He was interested in agriculture, hunting and fishing and had a spacious farm in the then peaceful countryside of Dorchester.

McLellan’s poem Autumn has verses that sum up the mixed blessings and beauties of the season; he also prefaces it with a verse by Longfellow which will be quoted first before his own stanzas:

Longfellow – ”‘Round Autumn’s mouldering urn,
Loud mourns the chill and cheerless gale,
When nightfall shades the quiet vale,
The stars in beauty burn.”

McLellan – “Now, in the fading woods, the Autumn blast
Chants its old hymn, – a melancholy sound!
And look! the yellow leaves are dripping fast,
And earth looks bleak and desolate around.

The flowers have lost their glorious scent and bloom,
And shiver now as flies the tempest by;
To some far clime hath flown the wild bird’s plume,
To greener woods, and some serener sky.”

McLellan’s favorite hunting grounds were in Cohasset, Plymouth and Marsh­field, Massa­chusetts, the last area being the farm of Daniel Webster, who frequently visited with McLellan (Webster’s favorite breakfasts consisted of roasted mutton, apple pie and Scotch.).

SOLON & BEYOND: Good to see 4-H Club still active

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Marilyn Rogers-Bull & Percyby Marilyn Rogers-Bull & Percy
grams29@tds.net
Solon, Maine 04979

The following is about the first meeting of the Solon 4-H Club meeting since March:

Saturday, October 10, the club met at the Solon Fire Station. In attendance were Cooper and Kaitlin De Lardis, Lindsey and Charlotte Hamilton, Desmond and Jillian Robinson, Sarah Craig, Isabella Atwood and Autumn Ladd.

The craft project was: Making and decorating pumpkins from sweater sleeves. Members were also given craft items to be used at home to create an additional project.

The club received a $300 donation from the Solon Alumni over the summer. They are excited to start their meetings again after such a long break. At this time they plan to meet monthly unless school is shut down.

The club will utilize To-Go Bags with art projects if they are unable to meet or meet virtually.

The club elected officers: Cooper Dellarma, president; Lindsay Hamilton, Vice President; Desmond Robinson, secretary; Jillian Robinson, assistant secretary; Devyon DeLeonardis, treasurer; Isabella Atwood, assistant treasurer; Sarah Craig, Reporter; Kaitlin Dellarma, Flag 1; Katelyn Deleonardis, Flag 2.

The next meeting will be Saturday, November 14, at 9:30 a.m., at the Solon Fire Station.

And now for page two about how to dismantle a barn, by Jeff McAllister: (Hope everyone enjoyed the first page last week!)

In a barn with rafters and partitions the boards run from ridge poll to eaves. With this type of roof your rafters are spaced 810 feet to 12 feet apart with partitions running horizontal between rafters. Partitions are usually spruce or fur, small trees equal to 4 inches x 4 inches to 5 inches x 5″ inches, and hewed flat on one side for roof boards. With this type of roof another peg is needed. The rafters are pegged to the girders. You then have to cut into the ends of rafter to expose the pinion. This lets the rafter free for the pull. Also removes the peg. Once the roof is flat I unhook a section and pull it off to dismantle it on the ground. After roof has been done I go back to the end dropping section. I de-pin all beams before I drop a section. Otherwise, your pegs are backwards. You can’t drive them out next to the ground.

My controlled pull goes like this. As the first rafter pulls of the plate the chain now goes to the next rafter. As that one pops off plate now the other side of roof is also free. Gravity takes over. I gun my pull, all roof rafters collapse, the back side pushes, all roof rafters collapse, the back side pushes, the pull side six feet out over the plate. It’s not a big barn anymore.

Jeff writes: I refer to myself as a lumber salvage engineer. I have to devize a plan not only to save useable lumber but more importantly to do it SAFELY! Remember 80 percent of a barn of any size is higher than a man’s head. No barn beam is worth a man’s head! This brings into mind a few safety rules I use on any building. #1 Any wasted, damaged, split wood should always be laid down flat so as not fall on it. #2 Don’t pry off any lumber above your head. I use a chain controlled pull down not in the pinch point. #3 Barns with damage due to neglect are dangerous. Things to look out for are #1: is the roof safe to be under? #2 is the barn spreading? #3 is the floor safe to walk on?

I’m running out of space, so please don’t try to tear any barns down until after next week…. I’ll try to get the rest of the information in!

And now, Percy’s memoir, it’s a short one: Friendship is love with understanding.