REVIEW POTPOURRI: Nathaniel Hawthorne

Peter Catesby Peter Cates

Nathaniel Hawthorne

Nathaniel Hawthorne

Nathaniel Hawthorne (1804-1864) spent a number of years as a boy in Raymond, Maine, with an uncle, Dr. Richard Manning, who built a huge mansion with lavishly expensive wallpaper, fireplaces and Belgian glass windows – local natives referred to it as “Mannning’s Folly.” It was later used as a church and tavern and is now listed as a historic site and tourist attraction.

During later years when Hawthorne attended Bowdoin College, in Brunswick, (where his classmates included former President Franklin Pierce and poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow), he often visited his uncle.

However, even though Hawthorne graduated with the class of 1825, he had a very jaundiced view of his time as a college student, as revealed in an 1850s letter to Richard Henry Stoddard:

“I was educated (as the phrase is) at Bowdoin College. I was an idle student, negligent of college rules and the Procrustean details of academic life, rather choosing to nurse my own fancies than to dig into Greek roots and be numbered among the learned Thebans.”

In his American Note-Books for July 5th, 1837, during a visit to Maine, Hawthorne describes looking out the window at the Kennebec River:

“Then there is a sound of the wind among the trees round the house; and, when that is silent, the calm, full, distant voice becomes audible. Looking downward thither, I see the rush of the current, and mark the different eddies, with here and there white specks or streaks of foam; and often a log comes floating on, glistening in the sun, as it rolls over among the eddies, having voyaged, for aught I know, hundreds of miles from the wild upper sources of the river, passing down, down, between lines of forest, and sometimes a rough clearing, till here it floats by cultivated banks, and will soon pass by the village. Sometimes a long raft of boards comes along, requiring the nicest skill in navigating it through the narrow passage left by the mill-dam. Chaises and wagons occasionally go over the road, the riders all giving a passing glance at the dam, or perhaps alighting to examine it more fully, and at last departing with ominous shakes of the head as to the result of the enterprise.”

For me, Hawthorne had a phenomenal gift of drawing the reader into any scene he was describing out of direct experience or as a result of being transformed into his novels such as, for example, the Scarlet Letter, and the Blithedale Romance, as well as such short stories as Young Goodman Brown, The Minister’s Black Veil, Feathertop, etc.

Sergio Mendes

Sergio Mendes

On September 6, pianist/orchestra leader Sergio Mendes passed away at the age of 83 due to several months of the ill-effects of Covid. Back in 1970 when I was attending the University of Southern Maine at Gorham, a friend in the dormitory room next to mine in Anderson Hall introduced me to his Brazil 66 albums; I began buying my own copies, enjoying Mendes’s immensely charming soft pop/jazz/Bossa Nova arrangements and particularly relishing the lead vocalists Lani Hall and Karen Philipp.

Herb Alpert

Herb Alpert

One 1968 LP Fool on the Hill, released on Herb Alpert’s A&M label, has remained on my frequent play list. The renditions of the title song – itself superior to the Beatles own performance in my opinion; the slowly paced lyrical love ballad Canto Triste sung exquisitely by Lani Hall (She later married Herb Alpert); and the infectiously upbeat Upa Neguinho leave the album’s remaining seven very good songs in the shade.

The entire album is accessible on YouTube.

Bernard Haitink

Bernard Haitink

In January, 1905, Czarist troops fired on peaceful demonstrators in front of the Winter Palace in Saint Petersburg, Russia, killing over 400. In 1957, Dimitri Shosta­kovich’s 11th Sym­phony in remembrance of that tragedy was premiered in Moscow.

It has been recorded with distinction by a number of conductors, one of them being the late Bernard Haitink (1929-2021) on a Decca/London 1985 release still in print and accessible also on YouTube. The Symphony has four movements of searing eloquent beauty and savage power.

 

 

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Around the Kennebec Valley: A history of Ford’s Corner

Ford’s Corner, Palermo.

by Andy Pottle

Part I

Andy Pottle is a resident of Palermo and writes articles about the town’s history.

In North Palermo, where Arnold Lane and Chisholm Pond Road meet, the North Palermo Road just before Wilder Young Hill goes down into Freedom, is a place once known as Ford’s Corner. You wouldn’t know it today, but over a century ago this quiet corner was the center of a bustling community in North Palermo.

The general store/post office, home, and barn of the Bowlers circa 1908. all lost to a fire in 1932.

Ford’s Corner once hosted a general store, a post office, a boarding house, and a Methodist church.

The corner was also home to many of the local residents who managed committees, organized events, and oversaw the church.

Frank Wood, 1862-1909. (photo courtesy of Pat Wiggin)

Addie Robinson Wood, 1871-1948. (photo courtesy of Pat Wiggin)

Frank and Addie Wood lived in the white house that still stands on the northwestern corner of the intersection at Ford’s Corner. It was written in the newspapers at the time that the Wood’s “kept quite a dairy” and held ice cream fundraisers to benefit the church, where they were described as “active, devoted, and industrious members”. Frank was also a beloved stagecoach driver and mail carrier from 1885 to 1904. When Frank passed away in 1909 it was written in his obituary that there was “Not a home for miles around that [could] not testify to some act of kindness from him”. Frank Wood was the son of Frank Wood Sr., a member of the 19th Maine Regiment who was tragically killed in the Civil War in 1863 when Frank Jr. was only a year old.

Daniel and Nettie (Carr) Batchelder* lived in the house that formerly stood on the southwestern corner of the intersection. Nettie was a member of the Ladies Improvement Society, which organized the annual Palermo Picnic and held its planning meetings at their home. The picnic, held every August at Prescott Pond behind Smith Cemetery on the Level Hill Road, attracted hundreds of attendees and continued for about 20 years, starting in 1900.

Pre-1870, members of the Batchelder family owned and operated a general store located across the street from Daniel and Nettie. A map of Palermo in 1859 shows the store being run by Daniel’s uncle, Cyrus Batchelder. In 1869 it was re-established as “A. & D. Batchelders” before burning down the next year.

Daniel served in the 19th Maine Regiment in the Civil War, alongside Frank Wood Sr.

Homes of the Batchelders (left) and Woods (right) circa 1907.

Leander Bowler, 1840-1923. (photo courtesy of Bill Kahrmann)

Alice (Hibbert) Bowler 1847-1927. (photo courtesy of Bill Kahrmann)

Leander and Alice Bowler, most notable among the residents of Ford’s Corner were Leander “Lee” Bowler and his wife, Alice (Hibbert) Bowler. Born in Palermo in 1840, Leander was described as “one of its most influential citizens.” He married Alice Hibbert, of Washington, the granddaughter of the namesake of Hibberts Gore, in 1870. By 1873, the couple had moved to the southeast corner of the intersection at Ford’s Corner, where the old Batchelder store once stood and had apparently been rebuilt. That same year, Leander was appointed Postmaster of North Palermo, a position he would hold for nearly 40 years. Lee was a very successful merchant, farmer, and businessman, for the next 60 years.

Lee made a comfortable living from his store, and employed several traveling salesmen with peddler’s carts that “sold goods near and far”. In addition to his success as a merchant, he was a prosperous farmer with multiple farms around Palermo. In 1897, it was reported that he exported 23,000 dozen eggs that year. Lee also held a U.S. patent for an “egg preserver” invented by himself and J. P. French, of Palermo, that could hold 2,500 dozen eggs and rotated on an axle, supposedly keeping them fresh by preventing the yolks from settling too long on the inside of the shell.

After a fire destroyed their home in 1886, Leander built the “Bowler Mansion” as it is known to some, which was described in the newspaper as “one of the finest places in town”. It was a very big home that also served as a boarding house where traveling salesman “found good meals and clean, comfortable beds in large, airy rooms”, as well as a special room reserved for any traveling ministers that were visiting the Methodist church across the street.

One of the ministers that passed through was Frank Kingdon, who arrived in the United States from London in 1913 and lived with the Bowlers while serving as the pastor of the Methodist church for the first year he was in America. Kingdon would later become (among other things) a journalist, civil rights activist, and the first chairman of the Emergency Rescue Committee, which famously saved around 2,000 people from the Holocaust during the Nazi occupation of France.

In his memoir, reflecting on his life, Kingdon had kind words for Leander and Alice.

“The presiding genius of the mansion was [Alice] “Ma” Bowler, an old and wrinkled housekeeping Fury who hated dirt as she hated the Devil, and to whom both were equally tangible. She stomped through the rooms on a crutch, her restless eye never missing any hidden speck of dust. … she was equally uncompromising in her goodness. No one ever went empty away from her door. She was first friend and confidante to the whole countryside. Boisterous, untamed of tongue, she would exchange greetings and repartee at any level with anyone who came to the store. She spared nobody from her scolding if she thought him foolish. She did not spare herself if she thought anybody in need. … She was as twisted and gnarled as an apple tree, but life was in her and many drew strength from her generous heart.”

“[Leander] had a genius for human relationships. He was a small, wiry man of some seventy years who salted all his dealings with a sprightly humor. He made a comfortable living out of the store, carried most of his neighbors on his books, and held mortgages on many of their homes. Yet he was the most honored and best beloved man in the whole section. He was the leader of the church, and also its janitor. He did not sit in a regular pew, but occupied a chair tipped against a wall up front. Here he sat and chewed tobacco religiously … By his single determination he kept the little church alive. More than in any other situation I have ever seen, this whole scattered community was held together by one man’s personality. He was the very picture of the good citizen in a democratic community, winning his undisputed place on grounds no more visible and no less irresistible than the quality of his strong character.”

(Read Part 2 of this article here.)

Sources:

Newspaper archives of Kennebec Journal, Morning Sentinel, Belfast Republican Journal, Lewiston Evening Journal.
Conversations with Pat Wiggin, Tony Tuttle, Bill Kahrmann
1859 map of Waldo County
Batchelder Genealogy 1898
Official Gazette of the United States Patent Office 1874
Jacob’s Ladder: The Days Of My Youth. Frank Kingdon 1943

*Different members of the Batchelder family at different times spelled their name as Batchelder, Bachelder and Bachelor, for clarity it is written here only as Batchelder.

The Town Line welcomes submissions from other writers of town history from the area.

FOR YOUR HEALTH: Back to School Means Recommended Vaccines for Preteens Too

Today is the day to protect your kids with HPV vaccination.

by Ruth Stefanos, M.D.

(NAPSI)—As a pediatrician, I hear many questions from parents. As their children grow from babies to adolescents, so does the number of questions they have about how to continue protecting their kids. This makes sense, since we are all navigating a changing world with social media, peer pressure, and more homework and scheduled activities. Parents are juggling these things every day, and the bottom line is that parents want to know how they can protect their kids.

One of the most important things we know to protect your kids – now and as they grow – is vaccination. While most parents are familiar with getting their babies vaccinated, they might not realize that there are vaccinations specifically for preteens that can protect them against serious diseases like cancer and meningitis.

HPV vaccination is given when kids are about 11–12 years old to protect them from ever getting the HPV virus that can cause cancers later in life. Both preteen boys and girls need this vaccine now, before they are ever exposed to the virus. Stopping that virus in its tracks can protect them from things like cervical cancer in women, and head and neck cancer in men.

While it can be hard for parents to look at their preteens and see the young adult they will become, vaccinating them now means not having to worry about HPV-related cancers as they grow up. We know that this virus is common—about 13 million people in the United States, including teens, become infected with HPV each year. Every year in the United States, HPV causes about 36,000 cases of cancer in both men and women. This is why I strongly recommend that parents vaccinate their kids. I also know that the HPV vaccine has a reassuring safety record that’s backed by over 15 years of monitoring and research. What’s amazing is that we are really starting to see the impact of this vaccine. HPV infections and cervical precancers have dropped substantially since 2006, when HPV vaccines were first used in the United States.

I feel very confident telling parents that today is the day to get their kids protected with HPV vaccination. It’s a good reminder that while you can’t stop kids from growing up, you can protect them against cancer later. Back to school healthcare visits are a great time to take this step to protect them. Please call to schedule your kids’ appointment today. You can learn more at www.cdc.gov/HPV.

Dr. Stefanos is a medical officer in the Division of Viral Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Preven­tion (CDC).

LETTERS: In support of candidate Katrina Smith

To the editor:

Katrina Smith is the real deal. As the representative of District #62, Katrina has proven she truly cares about her constituents by keeping them informed about upcoming bills that affect not only the citizens of Maine but the nation as well.

She makes her viewpoints heard with untiring energy. She cares about the indoctrination of our young children, and about the addiction problems facing our older children and young adults in Maine.

She shows her care for working families, veterans and retirees facing high costs of energy, taxes, food, housing and health care by informing us of upcoming bills and trying her hardest to fight for all of us.

I am proud and confident of her and wish there were more people like her in the legislature. I am supporting her for re-election to the House of Representatives for District #62 and hope you will too.

Shirley Derrico
Somerville

LETTERS: Elise Brown serves her community

To the editor:

As Mainers living in a mostly rural setting far removed from national politics, it tends to be our local governments – at the town and county levels – that affect our day-to-day lives. This is why our local elections and elected officials are so important, and this is why I am voting for Elise Brown for Waldo County Commissioner in District #3.

I have known Elise for several years. We serve together on our local ambulance, and we are both Emergency Management Directors for our respective towns. I have had the opportunity to watch Elise in action, whether it is responding to 911 calls together on the ambulance or working together during some of our recent bad storms to help get our town operations back to normal as quickly as possible.

I have been – and continue to be – thoroughly impressed by Elise’s passion, professionalism, and perseverance when it comes to serving the people in her community, and I am positive she will continue to impress as a Waldo County Commissioner.

Please join me in voting for Elise Brown for Waldo County Commissioner in District #3.

Mike Sherman
Palermo

LETTERS: Elise Brown person of unusual capacity

To the editor:

I was delighted to learn that Elise Brown, of Liberty, wants to work for our community by running for County Commissioner. Elise has already been working for our community for over 25 years as a foster and adoptive parent, a firefighter, an EMT, co-owner of an employee owned company, a restorative justice trained facilitator, and a steward of her home and property.

Elise is a person of unusual capacities. She has a remarkable work ethic, is highly organized and can connect and relate well with everyone. I have seen her being quietly effective with a wide range of Mainers; formerly incarcerated men, county officials, parents, farmers, business owners, artists, neighbors and children of all ages.

She is a creative problem solver, an expertly adept communicator, and an all around great human being.

We are fortunate to be able to vote for Elise Brown for County Commissioner. I urge everyone who can to do so. Elise will be a great addition to this administrative board.

Lisa Kushner
Belfast

EVENTS: Announcing annual wildflower seed fundraiser

Knox-Lincoln Soil & Water Conservation District has announced their autumn fundraiser – native wildflower seeds. October is the perfect month to sow wildflower seeds for spring growth. Want to develop a big flower garden without planting and tending to dozens of plants? Replace some of your lawn with a meadow! Create a pollinator strip between your street and property/lawn. Overseed an existing meadow to fill in the gaps. Whether you’re seeding a small space garden, filling in a side yard, or planting across acres of land, wildflowers are an easy-to-grow solution and supportive of pollinators.

They offer three seed mixes:

Showy New England Wildflower & Grasses Mix, New England Annual & Perennial Mix and Butterfly & Hummingbird Mix

For a list of plants included in seed mixes and to purchase seeds, check out our website: https://www.knox-lincoln.org/wildflower-seed-sale. Orders can be picked up at their office, located at 893 West Street (Rte. 90), Rockport, or mailed for an additional fee to cover postage and handling. Seed mixes are for sale until supplies last. FMI, please email info@knox-lincoln.org or call 207-596-2040.

Start Summit: Innovating to protect elderly from online fraud

by Jane Margesson
Executive director
AARP Maine

While new technology has opened up avenues for communication, learning, and entertainment, it has also given rise to a serious problem — online fraud. Older adults, in particular, are often targeted by predators seeking to exploit their trust and lack of familiarity with the digital landscape.

How might we develop a solution to protect older adults from online fraud?

The Roux Institute, in partnership with Maine Connectivity Authority, AARP Maine, the University of Maine Center on Aging, and Foster Center for Innovation, invites you to our upcoming Start Summit – the opportunity to creatively address this challenge and transform ideas into action.

At this fun and interactive event, you’ll experience what it’s like to build a startup solution in a very short time – all with the support of facilitators and mentors and fueled by good food!

On Friday, you’ll hear from a panel of business and cybersecurity experts on the topic of the challenge and opportunity of protecting older adults from online fraud.

On Saturday, participants will develop an innovative idea with a randomized team and participate in educational entrepreneurship workshops. The day culminates in a pitch competition with cash prizes followed by more snacks and networking.

Members of the first place team will receive $500 each, and members of the second place team will receive $200 each. Winners will also have the opportunity for ongoing entrepreneurial support from the Roux Institute as-needed.

No prior experience is necessary to participate. This Start Summit is open to all. Registration is required. Registration includes summit participation, educational workshops, food and beverage, networking events, and more. Note: Participants who have won prior Start Summits will not receive cash prizes.

The summit will take place at the University of Maine, Wells Conference Center, (131 Munson Rd, Orono, ME 04469), Friday, October 4 (5 – 7 p.m.), and Saturday, October 5, (9 a.m. – 5 p.m.)

Please contact Alf Anderson at aanderson@aarp.org or Jane Margesson at jmargesson@aarp.org. Early bird registration open. Follow the link to view the full agenda and register: www.rouxevents.northeastern.edu/startsummitdigitalequityaging Note: This is not an AARP website. Any information you provide to the host organization will be governed by its privacy policy.

Vassalboro planners approve CMP shoreland permits to rebuild transmission line

by Mary Grow

Vassalboro Planning Board members had two agenda items at their Sept. 3 meeting.

They were not asked to act yet on Revision Energy’s revised plan for a solar farm on Webber Pond Road. It will probably be on the board’s Oct. 1 agenda.

They approved Central Maine Power Company’s application for shoreland permits needed to rebuild its north-south transmission line through Vassalboro.

Mike Banaitis, of Freeport-based POWER Engineers, consultant to CMP’s parent company, Avangrid, and Deborah Turcotte, an Avangrid outreach specialist, explained the project history.

In February 2020, the company got planning board approval to replace poles between the Augusta line and the McCoy’s Crossing substation at the intersection of Bog and Cross Hill roads.

New regulations delayed the work. Now, the company has expanded the project to run the rest of the way north through Vassalboro to a Winslow substation, a total of 22.8 miles.

A hand-out Banaitis distributed says the new line replaces one built in 1920. The new poles will be within the existing right-of-way, but not necessarily on the center line.

A map in the hand-out shows the line entering southern Vassalboro near Church Hill Road, going along the west side of Webber Pond and, farther north, the west side of Outlet Stream and entering Winslow just west of Route 32.

There will be minimal tree-cutting, mostly removal of dead or hazardous trees. The new poles will be “slightly taller steel monopoles” except on roadsides, where wood will replace wood.

In addition to the Vassalboro Planning Board permit, the project needs two other permits, Banaitis said. He has obtained a state Department of Environmental Protection permit; when the Army Corps of Engineers permit, expected this fall, is received, a copy will be sent to the town.

The current plan calls for preliminary construction steps to begin this November. The work is expected to take from 12 to 18 months.

Planning board members had a few questions, but no major concerns. Approval was unanimous.

ReVision Energy spokesman Annalise Kukor said after the company’s initial presentation in November 2023 and a discussion with abutting landowners, the plan for a solar development at 1026 Webber Pond Road was amended.

In February of this year, she presented a preliminary revised plan, to which board members did not object. She now plans to present a final plan.

ReVision has not started any work on the property, she said. A Webber Pond Road resident had questions about a solar farm under construction; that one is separate from and north of ReVision’s, Kukor said.

The next regular Vassalboro Planning Board meeting is scheduled for Tuesday evening, Oct. 1.