MIKE AND HIS FANS — After local historian Mike Davis, dressed in period attire, read the Declaration of Independence following Bridgton’s Fourth of July parade, he had his picture taken with Beth Carlson Green, president of the Mike Davis Fan Club, and other supporters. “What a wonderful way to celebrate our nation’s birth and be reminded of the true intentions of our Founding Fathers,” she said.
MIKE AND HIS FANS — After local historian Mike Davis, dressed in period attire, read the Declaration of Independence following Bridgton’s Fourth of July parade, he had his picture taken with Beth Carlson Green, president of the Mike Davis Fan Club, and other supporters. “What a wonderful way to celebrate our nation’s birth and be reminded of the true intentions of our Founding Fathers,” she said.
Howdy neighbor! I had thought today to write a little country living piece on a great scenic jaunt I recently took out to the head of Highland Lake along the old Trull Brook Road, but then in the course of my background research into the finer points of a story wanted to mention I inadvertently ran across a very interesting patriotic address here in The News back files, which struck me as so singularly reminiscent of debates still common in the present day, that I had to share it this week instead. Â
This address was delivered before the Congregational Churches of Bridgton and Harrison over the summer of 1920 by the great war-time governor of the Maine, Carl E. Milliken, and written upon the occasion of Maine’s own Centennial. Now, given Maine’s Bicentennial celebrations some years ago were largely hamstrung by the late pandemic, and since our nation’s glorious 250th is now upon us in full force, at the risk of filling up too many of these columns with patriotic speeches from days gone by, I feel the points of our 51st governor, viewed now from the remove of just over a century, are still worth reflecting on. It is very interesting indeed to see the idea of what defined American spirit in the days immediately following what he calls the Great War, which is to say World War I: a time in America when the fast prosperity and loose morals of the Roaring Twenties were fast stripping away old customs, ideas, and traditions from society; when it felt for many that America stood at a turning point, poised to lose her spirit to what our governor calls the emergencies of peace; chiefly wealth, luxury, and self-centeredness, when taken over hard work and charity. Enjoy!
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Keep it Clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language.
PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
Don't Threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated.
Be Truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone or anything.
Be Nice. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism that is degrading to another person.
Be Proactive. Use the 'Report' link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts.
Share with Us. We'd love to hear eyewitness accounts, the history behind an article.