100 Years Ago – Scarborough Annual Report – 1921

Posted on August 5, 2020 by Don Taylor

By Don Taylor

Vital Records

1921
Archive.Org
Digital Maine

The Town Reports provide a snapshot looking into the past. I find the Town Clerk’s Report particularly interesting for 1920-1921. The number of deaths reported in 1918 and 1919 were higher than the births. I’m sure that was due to the Spanish Flu pandemic. Happily, the 1921 Report (covers February 16, 1920, through February 15, 1921) showed the shift back where births outnumbered deaths.

The terror of the pandemic had subsided, and the joy of new life was ushering in the Roaring 20s. Births in July and August 1920 included the following:

  • July        2        To Arthur and Jennie Reed, a daughter, Eleanor.
  • July        5        To Percy and Gertrude Williams, a daughter, Hazel.
  • July      16        To Francis H. and Iolina Cloudman, a son, Francis H., Jr.
  • August 11        To Leroy P. and Verba Harmon, a son, Norman Dennison.
  • August 15        To Clifford and Dorris Leary, a daughter, Letitia Anzonette.
  • August 17        To Horace and Minnie Frost, a son, Charles R.
  • August 20        To Edwin and Irma Meserve, a son, Ralph Edwin.
  • August 27        To Melville and Florence Darling, a son, Raymond E.

Education

Oak Hill, Dunstan, and Black Point had both a Grammar and a Primary school. Other schools included Blue Point, Beech Ridge, Beech Hill, Libby, North Scarborough, Pine Point, Scottows’ Hill, and, of course, the Scarborough High school. Mr. Heald was the Superintendent of Schools.

The big issue of the time was the creation of a junior-senior high school system. There were three major projects planned for the year.

  1. A new grade school at Dunstan.
  2. The purchase of land at Oak Hill near the high school lot to eventually be used for a new high school building.
  3. The erection of a new high school building when the “unsettled economic conditions” pass, [hopefully within the year].

The high school had 59 students during the winter term, and the Beech Ridge School had 18.[i]

The Poor

There was only one person, Charles P. Clancy, at the poor farm. “Off the farm,” The town provided aid to support Mrs. H. S. Rockwood, C. C. Turner, Mrs. Emily McDermit, and a sick tramp that was boarded by Harry Worster.

Law Enforcement

I found it interesting that there were ten constables in Scarborough in 1920 plus one Police Officer at Prout’s Neck. The Prout’s Neck police officer was a separate assessment item as well.

Road Specials

As the town grew, new roads were necessary. There were eight special road assessments in 1920. They were:

  • Road special, Harmon’s Corner to Prout’s Neck,
  • Road special, Collins’ Corner to Gorham line,
  • Road special, Dover Street, at Pine Point,
  • Road special, Greenwood Avenue, Morning and Vesper Streets,
  • Road special, Higgins’ Beach streets,
  • Road special, Spurwink Road, Black Point Road to Higgins’ Beach Road,
  • Road special, Marsh Road,
  • Road special, Wescott Hill,

The list of road specials makes me wonder where some places are. I recall hearing Wescott Hill was where Running Hill Road (in Scarborough) is today, but I wonder what they meant when they said, “Marsh Road.” 

The Scarborough Town Report for 1921 and over 50 other reports are available through the Scarborough Historical Society website. https://scarboroughhistoricalsociety.org/library/annual-reports-town-of-scarborough/

Footnotes

[i] The Beech Ridge School is of particular interest currently as the Historical Society is working to restore the school. For more information about the project, please see our Go-Fund-Me page. https://www.gofundme.com/f/SHS-Restore-Beech-Ridge-School

 

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Redskin Beat: An Interview with Joe Cronin

Posted on July 29, 2020 by Dan Warren

By Dan Warren

You played baseball at Scarborough High School, class of 2012; four years at Boston College, class of 2016; then was drafted by the Minnesota Twins. Your fifth season has been cut short by coronavirus. Dream come true?
I have always wanted to be a professional baseball player.

What is your first baseball memory?
Going to the Little League field behind St. Max with my parents and playing for hours.

One of the hallmarks of your professional career has been your ability to play 7 positions. Which two have you not played?
Catcher, and centerfield.

Joe Cronin
Courtesy Photo

What is your favorite position?
Shortstop. It’s also fun to pitch at the pro level.

This versatility is rare.
I enjoy all positions and play where needed.

Any position you don’t like?
Third base can be stressful, especially with a big right-handed hitter at the plate. I‘ve also caught bullpens. Nothing fun about that.

Let’s talk about your career for the SHS Red Storm. Two games you’re famous for— one where you pitched about ten innings in relief.
Junior year, 2011, at Cheverus. I came in to pitch in the 5th inning. The game went 14 innings. I finished. We won 6- 3. Some great clutch defensive plays by Nick Bagley, Greg Viola, and Nick Murphy.

Another career game—against Cheverus again, Western Maine Class A finals at St. Joe’s, Standish. Bottom of 7th. 5-5.
Two out. Sam Terry walks. I’m on deck, so I’m going to get a shot. Louie Distasio, big right-hander, pitching for Cheverus. Count 2 -2. Fastball, top of the zone. I hit a line drive, left-center, over the fence, to the right of the big scoreboard.

Emotional?
I think I ran around the bases faster than I ever have before!

Difficult high school moment?
Lost the state title game vs Messalonskee. Most devastating loss in my baseball career.

You played baseball at Boston College.
It was great. I got to play baseball in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC—North Carolina, Duke, et al.) and got a great education.

Why did you succeed in college ball?
A lot of reasons. I was given a great opportunity
by the coaches right away. Also, I was constantly working trying to improve. I think I
had a chip on my shoulder, coming from Maine, competing against players from all over the country. 

Senior year BC made a serious run at the College World Series.
The most fun I have ever had playing baseball. Talented team: 15 players ended up playing professional baseball, Three current big leaguers. Everything clicked. We played the NCAA regional at Ole Miss, beating the Rebels, Tulane, and Utah. We went to game 3 of the Super Regional against Miami. We made school history.

I went to a few games in that final stretch. You played many positions. Errorless ball your last 60 or 70 chances?
Shortstop, third base, first base. No errors in the last 20-30 games that year.

The player after whom the “ice bucket challenge” was named as a BC player?
Yes. Peter Frates. Played at BC 2004– 07. The most courageous person I’ve ever known.

Senior year, Game 2 Super Regional v. Miami. MLB draft being held. Pressure?
Rain delay during the game. Came across Twitter I had been drafted. Found my Dad, a quick hug, back to the dugout. We won the game. Quite a day!

Give us your minor league resume.
Five teams across four levels: Rookie Gulf Coast League Twins, 2016; Single-A Cedar Rapids Kernels, 2017; High-A Ft. Myers Miracle, 2018; and Double-A Chattanooga Lookouts and Pensacola Blue Wahoos of the Southern League, 2018-19.

Other than Mike Bordick and Ryan Flaherty, you have lasted longer in professional baseball as a position player than any position player from Maine. Best memory?
Being able to play with players from so many different backgrounds and experiences. Being able to play in so many parts of the country I might never have seen otherwise.

What will you do after your playing career ends?
Not sure. Just began an MBA program. I want baseball to continue to be a part of my life.

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Beech Ridge School Update (June 2020)

Posted on July 22, 2020 by Mark Matteau

By Mark Matteau

Photo of Beech Ridge Schoolhouse with freshly replaced sills.

Rotted sills replaced (Photo by Karlene Osborne – June 2020)

Sills replaced and addition floor laid. (Photo by Karlene Osborne – June 2020)

As you can see in these photos, progress is being made on the schoolhouse. Construction to reinforce the main hall and floor systems along with sill work is underway. Future work includes framing out the rear addition walls and roof structure. Also, doors and windows will be replaced and a brick façade installed on the foundation.

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Have you Seen?

Posted on July 15, 2020 by Mary Pickard

Brownie Camera
SHS Collection

Have you seen the historical society’s collection of cameras, in particular the Brownie? When you next aim your smartphone at a glorious sunset or snap a selfie, give thanks to George Eastman. In 1900 his company, Eastman Kodak, introduced the Brownie, a low-priced, hand-held, point-and-shoot camera simple enough for children to use.
Designed by Frank Brownell, the camera was a simple black rectangular cardboard box covered in leatherette. To take a photo or “snapshot,” one popped in a film cartridge, closed the door, held the camera at waist height, aimed by looking through the viewfinder at the top, then turned a switch. The camera was very affordable, priced at $1 each. A six-exposure film cartridge was 15 cents. For an extra 10 cents per photo, plus 40 cents for developing and postage, the film could be sent to Kodak for developing. The Brownie gave everyone an affordable, accessible way to document important moments.

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A Message from the President

Posted on July 2, 2020 by Mark Matteau

Mark Matteau – Stock Photo

COVID-19 has affected everyone and everything in some way in recent months, including our museum. We have had to cancel a variety of events and programs in response to the necessity for social distancing. We are monitoring the possibility of resuming our regular activities following state, national, and local guidelines and the museum and historical societies community at large.

The work of our museum continues being done by individual members pursuing further research, attending to online and telephone queries, and continuing our presence in outreach via our webpage and Facebook.

The work of digitizing our collections to make these items available to our larger communities continues. Also, work on the schoolhouse continues to be an ongoing project; and to that end, we have formalized a committee to oversee the project to move it forward into the future.

I would like to express my own personal thanks to our dedicated members and friends for their ongoing work and help, including the maintenance of our grounds, building, and collections.

I know we all look forward to the time when we shall be able to resume our programming, outreach, and the reopening of our building and be able to meet and interact in person again with our members, friends, and visitors.

Respectfully,
Mark A. Matteau
President

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