Fryeburg Academy - Academy Bell Yearbook (Fryeburg, ME)

Page 12 text:

gn H10 THE ACADEMY BELL Litc-:raru OXFORD COUNTY Oxford County extends about one hundred miles in length upon the western boundary of the state and was originally the northern parts of York and Cumberland. Great Ossipee River has made its southern limit and Canada its northern, and New Hampshire its western. It has now thirty-four towns and eighteen plantations and parts of plantations, covering an area of about seventeen hundred square milesg the northern portion is mostly unsettled. The county is well watered by the Androscoggin, Saco and their tributaries, and in the northern part are the large lakes, Umbagog and Mooselocmeguntic. It is traversed by the Grand Trunk Railway. Paris has always been the shire town. From this town five of Maine's governors were chosen: Hamlin, Lincoln, Perham, and Paris. Oxford County is usually the leading sweet-corn area of the state and takes first rank also in apples, with 305,000 bearing trees. Beautiful lakes and mountain resorts are along its western border, which touches the foothills of the White Mountains, and in these surroundings many boys' and girls' camps are located. Considerable lumbering is done, also pea-canning in the vicinity of Fryeburg. The activities of practically all of the thirty-four towns center about taking the raw materials from the great for- ests and turning them out in high grades of paper, paper bags, postal cards, etc., and numerous products that are made from wood. Rumford is one of the greatest sources of power in New England. Here the waters of the Androscoggin fall one hundred and eighty feet within about a mile. About 30,000 horse power is available. About 13,000 horse power is easily developed by the Rumford Falls Light and Power Company. Rumford has the largest population of all the towns in Oxford County. Norway and Paris occupy another fertile section of Ox- ford County. Paris Manufacturing Company is located in South Paris, whose products are to be found in nearly every home in this part of the country. Paris is divided into four picturesque villages. Lead- ing industries and products in Paris are: Spool stock, wood

Page 11 text:

g THE ACADEMY BELL 9 baseball, and track. They also have competition outside and in many cases very keen rivalry exists. School Spirit has been much better this year than in previous years, but even at that HF. A. could and most as- suredly should have much, much more. ESTHER PETERSON, '29. THE DOUGHNUT TREE Not far from the town school on Portland street in Fryeburg is a big elm tree, shaped in a queer form. It has grown near a narrow sidewalk, and stands directly in front of a big old-fashioned white house. Mr. Towle, one of the trustees of Fryeburg Academy, owns this building, but does not live there very much of the time. The tree of which I was speaking has a huge limb that has grown into the shape of a doughnut. The tree is one of the natural curiosities of Fryeburg as it is very unusual and unique in its growth. The limb is not far from the ground and it has become necessary to support it by an iron rod to keep it from losing its shape. Many people who come to Frye- burg go to see this tree, and it is known far and wide as The Doughnut Tree. It has been the subject of many newspaper articles, and anyone who has not made a visit to this interesting old tree should find time to do so. ELLEN WILEY, '32, COMMERCIAL DEPARTMENT The Commercial department this year has progressed greatly under the supervision of Miss Smart. During this last year many typing awards have been given for speed and accuracy in typewriting. There is a great deal of credit due these students, because winning an award requires con- centration as well as accuracy and speed. Frances Heard deserves special mention because she has earned an award although she has taken typewriting only this year. The following have received awards this year: UNDERWOOD ROYAL Rate per Rate per minute for minute for 15 minutes 15 minutes Ruth Eastman 42 Ruth Pratt 45 Frances Heard 34 Ruth Eastman 40 Leah Mclntire 32 Nettie Keefe 40 Nettie Keefe 31 Leah Mclntire 36 Thelma Rowe 35 Marian Gilman 34 Emily Mulford 31

Page 13 text:

THE ACADEMY BELL 11 novelties, sleds, step ladders, children's toys, apples, can- ning, feldspar mining, clothes pins, pole bale woods, marbles and granite, snowshoes and ski manufacturing and mining for semi-precious gems. Its population is about 3,650. Norway was first settled in 1786, an attractive village in Oxford County. Norway has a fertile soil and is watered by the great Pennessewasse Pond, which furnished good water power for the mills. The leading industries are prac- tically the same as Paris. Shoes, apple barrels, cider bar- rels, canning, dowels and wood novelties, guns, lumber, snowshoes and ski manufacturing. Snowshoes used by Peary in his discovery of the North Pole were manufactured here in Norway. Summer hotels also serve for an impor- tant industry. Albany was once called Plantation of Oxford. It was settled about 1800. The leading industries are lumber, shingles, spool stock. It has a population of 360. Andover was settled by Merrill in 1789. The first mills were erected in 1791. It was incorporated under the name of East Andover in 1804. The leading industries are lum- ber and spools. Byron is situated in the northern part of Oxford Coun- ty on Swift River. The surface of Byron is very hilly and uneven. There are two mountains known as Turk and Broad Swift River runs through the entire length, and there is also a pond called Garland Pond. This place is well watered and has three or four mills. The principal occupa- tion is agriculture. Wheat and corn are grown to a large extent. Lumbering serves for occupation in winter. The northerly portion of the town of Grafton is timber- ed with pine and spruce, while the southerly portion is very mountainous. The soil is very fertile. The streams are Cambridge which flow into Umbagog lake and Bear river flowing south to the Androscoggin. Lumbering and farm- ing serve as occupations for the inhabitants. Roxbury is practically the same as Byron. Mexico is located twenty-five miles north of Paris. It is well watered by two tributaries of the Androscoggin River, and has a good, rich soil, and supplies the large amount of water power. It has diiferent mills. Dixfield is situated on the north side of the Androscog- gin River, opposite the town of Peru. The surface is broken. The principal elevations are Large and Small Sugar Loaf and Aunt Hepsey's Mountains. It is drained by the Androscoggin, and contains no ponds or lakes. Agriculture is carried on extensively, and woolen goods are manufactured.