BETHEL – SAD 44 Superintendent of Schools David Murphy, M.Ed, will speak on the “Governor’s Local Schools Regional Initiative and What It May Mean for MSAD 44” from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Friday, May 4, at the Moses Mason House, Broad Street.

The program is a sessions in the new Down Home Maine series developed by Western Mountains Senior College to highlight Maine’s unique personalities and programs. The series, co-sponsored by the Bethel Historical Society, will include single-session presentations and bring the audience face to face with educators, adventurers, leaders, artists, naturalists and others.

Murphy, who has served SAD 44 schools in several leadership positions, will address what school consolidation legislation means for small rural communities such as Bethel, Woodstock, Greenwood, Newry and Andover.

He will give updates on the plans under consideration at the legislative level and will speak on the efforts that SAD 44 has already made to collaborate with other districts in the area. He will hold a question and answer period following his talk.

The remaining programs in the spring series will include a talk by Steve Wright, commissioner, Land Use Regulation Committee, on “What’s with Wind Power and What’s Up with Plum Creek” on June 8, and “The Past, Present and Future of the Bethel Historical Society” by museum curator, Stan Howe, on June 22.

Both programs will be held at the Moses Mason House from 5:30 to 7 p.m. The public is invited and admission is free. However, donations will be accepted. For more information, contact P. Gartner at 665-2181.