New Graves’ book highlights
history of PI schools
Photo courtesy of SAD 1
A NEW BOOK by local author Dick Graves, in association with SAD 1, “The History of Public Education in Presque Isle, Maine,” is currently being printed and will be available later this summer.
The near 250-page book includes everything from a 50-page timeline from 1837-2012 to historical descriptions of major school buildings as they appeared from the late 1800s to Skyway Middle School (now Presque Isle Middle School) which was constructed in 1963, as well as hundreds of photos. Pictured with an advanced copy of the book are, from left: Superintendent Gehrig Johnson and Graves.
FOURTEEN HUNDRED COPIES of “The History of Public Education in Presque Isle, Maine” are now being printed by Print Works and will be available later this summer. The book, which was funded by an MBNA grant, was compiled and written by local author/historian Dick Graves, in association with SAD 1.
By Scott Mitchell Johnson
Staff Writer
PRESQUE ISLE — Local author Dick Graves’ latest work, the most complete and comprehensive look at the development and growth of Presque Isle’s school system, will hit bookshelves and coffee tables later this summer.
“The History of Public Education in Presque Isle, Maine” was a five-year project compiled and written by Graves, in association with SAD 1.
According to Superintendent Gehrig Johnson, the idea for the book, which had been around for about eight years, came from a pamphlet in the Presque Isle High School library.
“We had a small pamphlet that was in our library that a class did back in the ‘70s which was a history of the district done as a class project. It was quite interesting and there was a demand for it to be used,” said Johnson. “I think that pamphlet was the forerunner of the idea to create a book.
“At that time we had a partnership with MBNA and they awarded us a grant to write and publish a book. It took several years to actually get it going; originally Molly Andrews and I worked on it, but everybody was busy and the book kind of took a backseat,” he said. “Fortunately Dick graciously agreed to take on the project, and since he has much experience in producing two hugely successful books (“Forgotten Times: Presque Isle’s First 150 Years” and “Forgotten Times: A Walk Through History”), we were more than happy to have him take it on.”
The near 250-page book is introduced by a 50-page timeline from 1837 when the first school was established through 2012, and covers the developing history of the city’s school system year by year. The timeline includes those directly responsible for the 175-year educational success, construction of schools and their subsequent demises through closures and fires, a list of superintendents from 1887 to the present, profiles of some of the most important educators of the system, teachers with 35 years or more of service to SAD 1, basketball coaches and their teams from 1903 on, and color photos of the last days of Cunningham Middle School.
Also included is a profile of Presque Isle’s country schools, an inventory of school board members from 1961 on, all 1,000 point basketball players from 1954 to the present, information on the SAD 1 School Farm, and historical descriptions of major school buildings as they appeared on the scene from the late 1800s to Skyway Middle School (now Presque Isle Middle School) which was constructed in 1963. In addition, there are hundreds of photos of those people and buildings involved in Presque Isle’s education system.
Graves said he expected the project to take about six months to complete.
“It ended up taking five years. It was a far larger project than I could ever have imagined. As I went on I kept expanding it,” he said. “Like any large project that you’re doing on your own — and there’s no set deadline — you get bogged down and tired of it and can’t get back to it … kind of like writer’s block. There would be months that I would do nothing; I would think about it every day and knew I would get back to it, but it dragged on and on and on. I loved doing it, but it was an on-and-off project.
“I didn’t cut it short because I didn’t want to do it anymore; I had come to the end of my planned book,” said Graves. “I had covered all subjects that I wanted, and I don’t think there’s anything else I could have included. It’s a very thorough book.”
One meaningful part of the book for Graves is the section on Cunningham Middle School.
“I had previously gone in and taken photos of the school before it closed in 2005. I have photos from the last week, the last day, all the faculty involved, the first brick that was hit by an excavator right down to the last brick,” said Graves. “I knew the book needed to include those images. I’m sentimental when it comes to Cunningham, and wanted to make sure it was featured accordingly.”
Graves said his work on researching the country schools was the most time-consuming aspect of the book.
“That took more time than any subject that I covered. I had to go find out which country schools there were, about where they were, and then had to find out information about them,” he said of the 22 schools.
Johnson said he is happy with how the book turned out.
“I’ve been with the district for 30 years, so for me, it’s like looking at a family photo album. I learned a lot,” he said, noting that the book will also be used as a resource for Maine history classes. “Dick is one of Presque Isle’s most prestigious historians and he has a tremendous capacity to gather information which he put to good use in this book.”
Graves said he is equally pleased.
“You can’t imagine the mountains of personal satisfaction I have from doing this book. I loved it. I’m extremely proud of it, and I think people will enjoy it,” he said. “There’s nothing like it and there never will be; there’s just too much time involved. Somebody may add to it one day, but it’s really one-of-a-kind.”
Fourteen hundred copies are currently being printed by Print Works in Presque Isle. The book will be available in both hard and softcover. Hardcover books will cost $35, while softcover copies cost $25 (plus $4 for shipping),
Once printed, “The History of Public Education in Presque Isle, Maine” will be available at the superintendent’s office, the School Farm and Merchants on the Corner. Advance orders are now being taken by calling the superintendent’s office at 764-4101 or logging onto the district’s website, www.sad1.org, and filling out an order form.
