1920

Chapter XI

Penobscot Maine ( 1920 - 30)

    It might be interesting, as well as enlightening to embark on an imaginary walk from the "cove" (South Penobscot Village), to the "Bay" (Penobscot Village), diring the era of the late twenties and early thirties.   This walk of one mile will take us over wooden sidewalks and gravel roads, famous for their dust in dry weather, and muddy ruts in wet. It will remind many of familiar residence sites, people and businesses enterprises common during this era.
     Starting at the Baptist Church we notice that Rev.
Chester Smith is currently pastor. Passing by the homes of
Olive and Arthur Littlefield and Dorothy and Urban Leach, we
stop for a short visit at the Cove Grammar School. Geneva
Foster is the teacher and teaches all eight grades. For her
services she receives forty-eight dollars each month. She lives
at the Merrill House, just down the street, and receives
board and room for five dollars per week.
     Moving to the foot of the hill we stop and greet Kate
Peterson, Post Mistress for over fourth years. The R.F.D. route
is serviced by George Staples and his horse and wagon, later
by automoblile. We note that the Bangor Daily News is the first in
popularity and that the Boston Post ranks a close second.
Right across the street, Charles Hutchins is opening up his
store, owned in combination with his wife Nora. Pop Soda is
five cents a bottle and popcorn cakes are one cent each. The
temptation is great, so we devour a bottle of "Smile" and several
molasses corn cakes.

    Passing over Winslow's Stream, we turn left and greet
Fred Mitchell, wh ho is a blacksmith. We don't stay long because
he had two horses to be shod. Bill Brown later leased this
shop and continued to do business. Right next door, Marsten
Howard operates a cobbler shop. He is forever repairing the
soles of shoes, for new ones are hard to come by. His
greatest passion is playing bid whist, and sure enough today is
no exception, for a game is in progress between jobs.

     Leaving the shoe shop, we stroll down the shore road,
beyond the old town dump, and note that the blueberry factory
is getting ready for another season of canning. Soon the berries
well be raked, winnowed, picked over, precooked, canned
and labled for city markets.   Approximately fifteen to twenty
people will be gainfully employed earning about three dollars
for each day of work.   Right next to the factory a two masted
schooner is loading lumber for east coast locations.   Just
beyond, smoke rises from the brickyard, indicating that they
are "burning" today. Another ship is loading finished bricks for
transportation to distant ports.   Retracing out steps, we again continue out walk toward the bay on Route 175. As we go uphill on the wooden sidewalks, we pass the homes of May and Herman Grindle, Bertha Perkins, Everett and Hattie O'Neill, Leo Staples and Fred and Hattie Wight. We can't help but notice as we aproach the home of Burt Grindle, that he is attending to his duties as chief undertaker and taxie driver. Jeannie, his wife is the telephone operator and Town Clerk. All calls on the old crank phones have to go through her office.

    Diagonally across the street we wave to S.B.Condon (Brainard), who owns a general store. He also runs a sawmill on the Blue Hill road near Wight's Pond and is the owner of namy thousands of acres of woodland in Penobscot. Everett Hinkley and Roland Grindle are regular employees of Brainard, although others serve him seasonally.   Just beyond what is today know as "The Muffin Shop", and digonally across the street from Myron Staple's place, we briefly stop to buy an ice cream cone. Here, delicious home made ice cream is manufactured and sold in variety of flavors along with an assortment of home made candy.   As our walk continues, we pass the homes of Norris Grindle, Guy Leach, Wyman Varnum, Percy Perkins, Walter Leach, Bill Brown, Albert Wardwell, and finally Merle Bridges.   Percy Perkins is famous for the custom manufacturing of Cape Racer Sleds. And, Merle Bridges, not only supplies the townspeople with milk, but perhaps is better known as the operator of silent movies at the town hall every Saturday night.

     Now approaching the Bay center, we pass the Methodist Church, the Cunningham home, and upon reaching the town hall, we note that Buck Jones is playing this Saturday night. Price of admission is twenty-five cents for adults and ten cents for children. This price will also include a Wolf Man Serial which builds cliff hanger excitement every two weeks.   We also note that Tom Mix, William S.Hart and Clara Bow will be subsequently playing. Right next to the Town Hall, Wendall Varnum is readying his general store for the day. We find him turning the crank of an ice cream freezer. He will be long remembered for his delicious home made ice cream. Directly across the street, we say hello to Perley Leach, another general store proprietor. As usual, Perley is wearing glasses always locted on his forehead. We inquire about the welfare of his wounderful family of sixteen children; eight boys and eight girls.
Walking across Route 199, we note that gasoline is
selling for eighteen cents per gallon at Merle Bowden's garage.
We inquire about the charge of a tune-up and we learn that it
is $8.50 including pluge and points. Lookig up the road, we
wave to Dr. Melvin Wardwell, who is backing his Model T ford
out to make another house call.   For this service he receives
two dollars

Concluding out walk, we mail a letter at the Post Office, managed
by Lawrence Bridges and stop briefly at Clark High School to pay
respects to G.Lester Hale, Principal.   If our walkl continued, we
would have the opportunity of sharing experiences with many
other people. Among them would be; Allie Hutchins, Proprietor of
another general store at Hutchins Corner, Lewis Snowman; first
RFD carrier   and Burton Wardwell; collector of taxes for many years.

    Although this has not proven anyting in particular, is does bring to mind many names of the past. It also shows that money was always a problem. In spite of this, however, there was regular community activity, social as well as economic. These many fringe benefits cost people to feel, not poor, but reasonably well off and greatful for what they had, though it was little.