Temple has three Mt. Blue graduates among its citizenry in 2015. They are Jennesa Stevens, David Hunter True and Jasmine Begin. Jasmine is headed straight into the workforce and Jennesa and Hunter are pursuing more education.

Jennesa is the daughter of Guy Stevens and granddaughter of Linda Stevens. She will be attending Central Maine Community College in Auburn to major in Mental Health with an eye to a career working with children with disabilities.

Jennesa has lived in Temple since her mother died four years ago. After a first difficult year, she managed to complete high school in three years, working very hard to make up for lost time. Perhaps influenced by her grandmother who works for LEAP and an uncle and other family members with disabilities, she is looking forward to being to make a difference in the lives of other children who are coping with disabilities.

Hunter True feels that life is looking pretty good right now. He will be attending UMF in the fall and living on campus while studying U.S. history and preparing to be a secondary education social studies teacher. Hunter is particularly interested in the period of history stretching from the close of World War I to the Korean War.

The technology that was developed during World War II has effected our perception of what is acceptable warfare, but what really interests Hunter is how people get through difficult times. Families fall into the background of history even though wars and politics affect them very deeply. This is the area of study that most interests Hunter.

Both Hunter and Jennesa have been awarded Solome Davis and Congregational Church Society scholarships by the Town of Temple. The Davis Scholarship is named for the mother of Dr. Arthur Mitchell who bequeathed a sum of money for education of the town’s young people upon his death in 1934.

The Temple Congregational Society Scholarship was funded by the sale of the Congregational church building as well as accrued interest from investments the church made. Both funds are managed by the town and the scholarships are awarded to any graduating high school student who has lived in Temple during the previous four years. The scholarships are awarded at the completion of the first semester’s studies.

Congratulations to all three of our 2015 High School graduates. We hope you go onto fulfilling and satisfying careers.

Very recently Kathy Childs donated to the Temple Historical Society two boxes of records that her mother, Nat Mosher, had accumulated for the Temple Good Neighbors Club. The Club was founded in 1948 when the town was growing but not able to spend tax dollars for public services, according to a history Nat wrote in 1988. Evelyn Palmer called together a large group of women to form a club or the purpose of sparking interest in public service for the town.

Long before Temple had a community building for public meetings, the Good Neighbor Club was busy raising money by holding rummage and food sales, public dinners, card parties and beano games. They sponsored Halloween parties, Christmas parties, and outings to Dummer’s Beach and Bear Pond for the school children.

The Club bought a moving picture projector so that movies could be shown at the schools, churches and the Grange Hall. For years the Club acted as an auxiliary to the new town fire department. It sponsored the Little League, the Scouts, the Parents, Teachers and Friends of the Temple Schools, and numerous health clinics including the first polio immunization clinic for Temple residents.

When the new school house was being built, the Good Neighbor Club held dinners for the work crews. It raised the money for the windows lights and curtains and had the kitchen built. The Club bought folding tables and chairs so that public meetings could be held in the building.

In 1988, Nat wrote “In a time now when people have the general idea that government and tax dollars should take care of every social and welfare project, it might be wise to remember that this was not always possible in the past. It may not even be possible in the future. Perhaps more public spirited service groups such as the Temple Good Neighbor Club will again be a necessary and welcomed part of civic life and better living in our small towns and neighborhoods.”

The yellow building at the foot of Maple Street, along side Temple Stream just by the bridge, served for many years as the Good Neighbor Hall. It was originally C.F. Hodgkins’ general store and also served over the years as the Town office, a meeting place for the temperance organization Good Templers and various church services, and as a fire house for the town’s first fire truck, a Willis jeep.

The Club was instrumental in 1963 in converting the Red Schoolhouse into living quarters for the minister serving the two local churches, and his family. At the time, they had plans to install a water system which would have made possible full bathroom facilities, not just the outhouse.

The “highest job” in the renovations was repairing the cupola, a task undertaken by 12-year old George Blodgett, who had attended school in the building before the new school house (now our Town Hall) had been built. In one photo, his mother, Helen Blodgett, is seen high on a ladder painting trim.

According to a Lewiston Daily Sun article in October of 1963, the minister, Harry Flad, a student at Bangor Theological Seminary, would be arriving soon to stay in the new Parsonage with his wife and two small sons. They had fresh paint, new linoleum over the old board floors, and “attractive curtains”, but never did get running water.

Nat Mosher’s stash of records includes meeting notes, financial ledgers, news articles with numerous familiar names and fascinating pictures, and a poem by Ruby Farmer which was read at the Charter Membership Party held in July of 1966. In something over 100 lines, Mrs. Farmer mentions that while the men had their Baseball in the summer months, there wasn’t much else to be found in town.

Finally, Mrs. Palmer proclaimed “Let us women begin to get out / with something besides “game” to talk about. / Let’s meet each week, from house to house, / And leave the kids asleep / at home with the spouse!”

While socializing without spouses or children was an important part of the Club’s life, they provided Temple with important supports at a time when such things could only be done on a local level.

Temple residents, please feel free to call me at 778-3856 with news or announcements, or if you see someone being a good neighbor.