Isaac H. Gingras, of Augusta, was inducted into the St. Lawrence University chapter of Theta Alpha Kappa, the national honorary society for religious studies and theology, in Canton, New York.
Gingras is a member of the class of 2018 and is majoring in government. Gingras attended Cony High School, in Augusta.
Castleton student Mary Franks, of Liberty, was recently named to the Castleton University dean’s list for the spring semester of the 2016-17 academic year, in Castleton, Vermont.
Jacob Buzzell, of Oakland, has been named to the Champlain College dean’s list for the spring 2017 semester, in Burlington, Vermont.
Students on the dean’s list have achieved a grade point average of 3.5 or higher during the semester. Buzzell is majoring in Computer Science and Innovation.
Lasell College recently named Benjamin Allen of Augusta, to the Lasell College dean’s list for the Spring 2017 semester, in Newton, Massachusetts.
Allen, whose major is sports management, is a member of the class of 2019.
The Margaret Chase Smith Library has announced the winners of its 21st annual essay contest. This year Maine high school seniors were asked to write about their solutions to the current drug epidemic.
The first-place prize of $1,000 goes to Gabrielle Kyes, from Mattanawcook Academy, in Lincoln, for her entry “Crusade Against the Drugs, Not the Users.”
Second place and $500 is awarded to Abigail Hande, of Highview Christian Academy, in Charleston.
The third-place recipient of $250 is Sigrid Sibley, of Poland Regional High School.
In addition, five honorable mention prizes of $50 were presented to Ally Clark-Bonsant and Eleanor Theriault, both of Erskine Academy, in China, Sydney McDonald, from Bangor High School, Thomas Sheils, of Casco Bay High School, in Portland, and Griffin Tibbitts, from Morse High School, in Bath.
Funding for the essay contest and library comes from the Margaret Chase Smith Foundation, located in Skowhegan, Maine.
From left to right, Tony Jenkins, Natural Resources Conservation Service, Simone Antworth, VHS director, Jan Clowes, VHS president, Gary Shaffer, NRCS archaeologist, Stewart Corson, VHS director, Don Bassett, exhibit designer, and Russell Smith, VHS director. Photo by Tom Kielbasa, NRCS
On June 10 the Vassalboro Historical Society officially unveiled the “Remembered Vision” display at its museum in East Vassalboro, highlighting the area’s prehistoric fishing roots. The new exhibit – which features stone tool artifacts and a diorama depicting a native village – was created with the help of funding provided by the USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and volunteers with the Historical Society.
The “Remembered Vision” exhibit was funded in part by NRCS through a $5,000 National Conference of State Historic Preservation Officers (NCSHPO) award to promote the 50th anniversary of the National Historic Preservation Act. The Vassalboro Historical Society (VHS) matched the funds to complete the exhibit.
“It is amazing,” VHS President Janice Clowes said during a special reception at the opening of the exhibit. “The people who have seen it are amazed, and we are so excited about it.”
The exhibit was designed by freelance artist and former display coordinator with the Maine State Museum Don Bassett. Bassett incorporated into the exhibit more than 100 stone artifacts excavated from the nearby Cates family farm, which sits on the mouth of an outlet stream from China Lake and was the site of a seasonal fishing camp for prehistoric and native fishermen.
Bassett said his vision for the Vassalboro exhibit was to bring to the community “the knowledge base that for thousands of years there were people right here on the grounds, and it continued mostly around a seasonal fishing existence.”
“Remembered Vision” is quite literally a “window” into the past; the east-facing window in the exhibit looks out onto the Cates farm and the site of the prehistoric fishing camp.
Bassett explained that much of the farm’s soil is undisturbed and could provide “an enormous cache” of archaeological information, thanks to support from the local community. He said a water treatment facility had been planned for the site in the 1990s, but an outpouring of support from locals to preserve its integrity saved the China Lake site.
“Not only did they save the farm, but found property (elsewhere) for the water district to build their water treatment plant,” Bassett added. “…The community is very proud to have that site, and they are very proud of the museum.””
A carving at the new exhibit, which features stone tool artifacts and a diorama depicting a native village.
Photo by Tom Kielbasa, NRCS
Through the window of the exhibit a visitor can also see the siding of the High Tunnel System on the Cates farm that NRCS assisted with installing nearly two years ago.
The project began in 2014 when the Cates family sought NRCS assistance through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) to install a High Tunnel System to help prolong their growing season. NRCS-Maine Cultural Resources Specialist Dr. Gary Shaffer knew the significance of the site since previous excavations over the years had recovered prehistoric artifacts primarily from the Middle and Late Archaic periods; especially from about 6,000 to 4,500 years ago. Shaffer believed the installation or use of the high tunnel at the farm would only minimally disturb the archaeological site (the setting of stakes to anchor the structure to the ground), but future usage could impact the site. His own excavation recovered several ceramic sherds and metal artifacts from the 18th to 20th centuries, as well as a flake of Kineo rhyolite from prehistoric tool manufacture. Importantly, troweling of the B horizon soils in one test pit revealed the dark soil of a prehistoric fire pit. After removal of the black, greasy silt loam from the pit, Shaffer carefully screened the soil to collect even the smallest of artifacts and biological items. As a result, he found a calcined (burned) bone and several pieces of charcoal.
This bone was later identified as a mouth apparatus of an anadromous alewife fish in a charcoal pit that was around 4,000 years old; this “confirmed the presence of significant prehistoric archaeological resources in the footprint of the high tunnel” at the Cates’ farm, according to Shaffer.
It was this project that helped solidify the historic importance of the site and confirm the location’s eligibility for inclusion on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP), a list with more than 90,000 properties of historical significance across the nation. Authorized by the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, the National Park Service’s NRHP is part of a program to coordinate and support public and private efforts to identify, evaluate, and protect America’s historic and archeological resources.
“The Natural Resources Conservation Service was proud to be a part of this project in Vassalboro,” Shaffer said. “The Historical Society has truly done a great job with putting together this exhibit and ensuring generations to come will learn about the rich prehistory of this area of Maine.”
On June 6, Windsor Elementary celebrated reading at its sixth annual Bikes for Books awards program. Bikes and helmets were awarded to 18 students at this assembly. Bikes for Books is a reading incentive program for students in kindergarten through eighth grade. Every time a student read a book and passed an Accelerated Reader test, his or her name was entered into a drawing to win a new bicycle and helmet. The more books a student read, the more chances he or she had to win. One boy and one girl was randomly chosen from each grade level. Bikes for Books T-shirts were also presented to the top three readers in each grade.
The following students received T-shirts: Addison Brann, Brenden Brashier, Emery St. Onge, Andrew Trocki, Griffin Hayden, Mason Marable, Declan Wotton, Jackson French, Aston Bailey, Anderson St. Onge, Chase Pierce, Gwen Parker, Thomas Mullens, Andrew Box, Thomas Mullens, Kaleigh Voyles, Parker St. Onge, Jacoby Furrow, Reese Sullivan, Damon Wilson, Carson Appel, Alexis Alcott, Faith Mitchell, Parker Reynolds, Connor Menard, Samantha Box, Avery Henningsen and Emma Hutchinson..
The following students won bikes: Elijah Norton, Aria Rafuse, Quentin Tuggle, Laila Goodwin, Matthew Carver, Layla Peaslee, Blake Smith, Sophia Nino Aguire, Kaiden Kronillis, Avery Redlevske, Aiden Hastings, Abigail Miller, Damon Wilson, Ellese Turner, Xavier Schopmann, Faith Mitchell, David Bourgoin and Kristin Ray.
Bikes for Books is sponsored by Dirigo Lodge A.F. & A.M. #104 with support from Lily of the Valley # 157 O.E.S. and a matching grant from the Grand Lodge of Maine. This program was made possible with contributions from the following local businesses: Netco Inc., Mark’s Saw Shop, J.C. Stone Inc., Rapid Redemption, Hussey’s General Store, Ron’s Auto Electric, Rideout’s Market & Grill, Windsor Veterinary Clinic, Norm’s Small Engine, Aunt Gin’s Restaurant, Augusta Upholstery, and Black Dog Graphics.
From left to right, runner-Up Anna Whitstone, of Winthrop Middle School, third-place winner Kameron Douin, of St. Michael School, in Augusta, second-place winner Carolyn Kinney, of Mount Merici Academy, in Waterville, and first-place winner Kyle Douin, of St. Michael School, in Augusta. Contributed photo
On April 25, area students competed in a county speech contest sponsored by Modern Woodmen of America, a fraternal financial services organization. Prior to this contest, the students had already won first, second or third place in their respective local-level contests. They shared their presentations on this year’s topic, “What does it mean to be a hero?”
The first-place winner Kyle Douin, an eighth grade student from St. Michael School, won a $50 cash award and a trophy. St. Michael School, in Augusta, will also receive an engraved trophy. Second place winner Carolyn Kinney, a sixth grade student from Mount Merici Academy, in Waterville; and third-place winner Kameron Douin, a sixth grade student from St. Michael School, also received trophies. Runner-up was Anna Whitstone from Winthrop Middle School.
Modern Woodmen’s School Speech Contest is one of many free Youth Educational Programs Modern Woodmen offers to schools nationwide. More than 100,000 students compete in the contest each year. Founded in 1883, Modern Woodmen of America touches lives and secures futures. The fraternal benefit society offers financial services and fraternal member benefits to individuals and families throughout the United States.
The Midcoast Conservancy hosted children from Whitefield Elementary School at Damariscotta Lake State Park on June 3. Contributed photo
The Whitefield Lions Club “Day of Caring” kicked off on Saturday, June 3, with a Rabies Clinic at the Whitefield Lions den. Medomak Veterinary Services and Dr. Laurie Howarth immunized 42 dogs and cats against rabies.
“Hooked on Fishin” was also held on June 3, at Damariscotta Lake State Park. The event was sponsored by Midcoast Conservancy. Children aged 5-15 enjoyed a free day of fishing on the lake.
Lunch was served by the Whitefield Lions Club. The boats and all fishing equipment was provided by experienced anglers.
For more information about the Whitefield Lions Club and upcoming events visit www.WhitefieldLionsClub.com.
Skowhegan History House Museum & Research Center is instituting a new program for researchers. Museum trustees are opening up the Research Center on Mondays for researchers only. The center will be staffed with folks who have experience with conducting research, especially genealogy, from 10 a.m. – 1 p.m., each Monday excluding those that fall on holidays or holiday weekends.
Kay Marsh or David James, both trustees, will be available to assist researchers with finding information, orienting them with the research center, and where appropriate provide additional source locations. Those who are interested in conducting research pertaining to Skowhegan or genealogy should take advantage of this opportunity for assistance from these two local experts.
The Museum house will remain closed on Mondays and no tours will be available. Skowhegan History House Museum & Research Center will continue to offer services Tuesday – Saturday, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. through October 21. For more information call 207-474-6632 or send a message via info@skowheganhistoryhouse.org.