Hartland Academy - Hartland, Maine

‘It is a commodious brick building containing a well equipped high school and grammar school.’

Rendering of the New Academy Building built in 1856 from an insert of the 1860 Somerset County Map

On February 11, 1832, a Legislative Act was passed to incorporate an Academy known first as St Albans Academy. The Academy’s original Board of Trustees included; Henry Warren, Sewell Prescott, Augustus J. Brown, George Lancey, Jr, Levi Johnson, Ebenezer Hutchinson, Cleophus Boyd, Ambrose Finson, Abraham Bean, Dr. Calvin Blake, Peleg C. Haskell, Thomas Smith, Joseph Roberts & Nathan Douglas. The Academy’s first Principal was William J. Carthell.

The Academy’s first temporary schoolhouse was located at the former Strafford Mills Homestead, so called, next to the current Academy Street site in what was then still part of St Albans. This original site later became the homestead of Albion Keith Libby. Soon after in 1834, a 1-1/2 story wooden structure was built on the current Academy site which remained in use until 1856 when a new brick structure was built.

An 1838 listing of those attending Hartland Academy at the time noted 66 total students of which 22 were girls. Among the local Hartland students noted were Daniel Elliott, David Rowell, Laura Butterfield, Betsey Harmon, Dolly Moor, Ezekiel Marsh, Amasa Moor and George Page.

In 1846, the Hartland-St Albans Town line was redefined placing the school within Hartland town limits but interchangeable references to it as St Albans Academy or Hartland Academy continued for decades.

St. Albans Academy Brochure – 1853

In 1856, a new brick building to house the Academy was built on its current site at a reported cost of $3,500. The former wooden schoolhouse was sold to James Fuller, Jr and moved across the street at what is now the corner of Academy Street & Crosby Street as seen below. It was later converted into a duplex apartment owned by Edward K. Fuller then his son Ord K. Fuller. In 1946, it was purchased back by the Academy from Mrs. Grace (Griffith) McDougall for use as faculty housing and was eventually torn down.

As noted in an article of its history in the 1934 Ripple Yearbook,

“It is a commodious brick building containing a well equipped high school and grammar school.”

Hartland Village – 1860

Augusta Adelaide (Davis) Billings, known as Addie, was born in St Albans and became a Teacher at Hartland Academy. She eventually became the Academy’s 1st female Assistant Principal under Principal Jonathan Soule. Soon after the Census of 1870 was taken, Addie moved with her parents from St Albans to Rockford, Iowa and in 1871 married Edward E. Billings who had also moved to Rockford from Hartland a few years before. Edward is the son of Josiah Billings & Lydia Ellen Monroe who moved to Hartland in 1856 where he built a tannery at the Upper Dam off North Street.

Addie continued teaching in Iowa where she and Edward raised their 5 children and remained until their deaths. Following Edward’s death, Addie visited the Hartland area in the 1930s where she was mentioned in local newspaper articles recalling stories of her time teaching at the Academy. Eugene & Addie are interred at Riverside Cemetery in Charles City, Iowa with his Father and Step-Mother. His mother Lydia is interred at Ireland Cemetery.

Augusta Adelaide (Davis) Billings (1848-1935)

Hartland Academy’s Secondary Prep School program was its own private entity managed financially and operationally by a Board of Trustees. Although the prep school program was separate from the town, the building was shared by local students who attended school there by means of a financial contract authorized and paid for annually by its citizens. Under this agreement, it served as a multi-purpose facility for various levels of private and public education.

A couple of local civic organizations also used the new building beginning in 1858 when a dedicated room on the upper floor was leased by the newly chartered Hartland Corinthian Lodge No. 95. In 1883, another room was used by the Hartland International Order of Odd Fellows No. 101 until their new meeting room was built at the Opera House-Town Hall in 1892.

Hartland Academy

Hartland Academy’s Secondary Prep School program was a private, tuition based course of study which drew hundreds of students from around the area over the decades, many of whom were boarded by local townspeople for an additional fee. Its impressive list of alumnus who attended school there include future Maine Governors Selden Connor and Llewellyn Powers as well as numerous lawyers, judges, university presidents, ambassadors and other professionals.

Hartland Academy Secondary Prep School Program – Fall Term 1872

Hartland Academy sits upon its familiar perch to the left on Academy Street as seen here from the Baptist Church Steeple from around 1877.

Hartland Academy – c1877

The Academy also shared classroom space with Hartland Common Schools (Primary to Grade 8) as well as its high school grade students. As seen below, rooms and services were leased to the town on a yearly basis with the fees and conditions voted on annually at Town Meetings. This arrangement stood for decades with almost every grade using a room at the Academy at one time or another.

1903 Hartland Town Report – Article 24: To see if the town will vote to authorize the Superintending School Committee to make arrangements with the Trustees of Hartland Academy for the instruction of our free High School and Grammar School pupils.

1929 Hartland Town Report – Article 14: To see if the town will vote to instruct the Superintending School Committee to arrange with Hartland Academy to furnish instructions to its High School pupils for the year ensuing, and to act upon anything relating thereto, and to raise such sums of money as will be necessary to furnish its pupils with free High School instruction.

1949 Hartland Town Report – Article 40: To see if the town will vote to authorize its Superintending School Committee to contract with Hartland Academy, to furnish instruction to its high school pupils.

1949 Hartland Town Report – Article 41: To see what sum the town will vote to raise and appropriate to furnish instruction to its high school pupils. (Recommended $7,500.00)

To see more digitized Hartland Town Reports dating back to the early 1900s, click the link below:

Hartland Town Reports Online

Hartland Academy before 1917 Gymnasium Renovation & Fire Escape Additions.

Hartland Academy – c1900

Several photos from the collection of Hartland Academy Class of 1906 Alumnus Mary (Anderson) Butterfield (1888-1985) include Hartland Academy Students, Hartland Common School Students and Teachers at Hartland Academy from the late 1890s to the early 1900s. (Courtesy of Maggie Smith)

Mary (Anderson) Butterfield with her Students

A noted gathering of Teachers for some type of training (?) with several from Hartland Academy including Mary (Anderson) Butterfield.

Teacher’s Meeting at Hartland Academy – c1907

1904 Hartland Academy Baseball Team photo in front of Charles F. Pratt’s General Store on Academy Street next to the Opera House.

Hartland Academy Baseball Team – 1904

The original site of the Academy’s first temporary schoolhouse in 1832 is seen in the background as the Albion K. Libby Homestead.

Hartland Academy & Albion K. Libby Homestead – 1910

One of the several photos of children who attended classes at Hartland Academy. More photos may be found on the Hartland Common Schools page.

Hartland Common School Pupils at Hartland Academy – c1916 (Photo courtesy of Donna Perkins & Cheryl Simpson)

Names of these pupils above were written on the back of the photo. Many of them are also noted below with the Classes of 1925 & 1926.

Hartland Common School Pupils

In 1914, Hartland Academy Alumnus David Densmore Stewart (brother of Levi Stewart of Corinna) presented his Alma Mata with a gracious financial gift to build a full size athletic field behind the school which included future funding for the field’s maintenance and other projects. Mr. Stewart also made donations to the Hartland Public Library.

Hazel (Emery) Penny (1892-1977) on Blake Street with new Athletic Field before Gymnasium Renovation – c1915

David Stewart’s donation included a $3,000 credit toward future athletic facility upgrades some of which were used to remodel the gymnasium in 1917. The change of windows in the center of the building after the gym remodeling project are seen in the photos below.

Hartland Academy’s New Athletic Field before Grandstand was built – c1917

Hartland Academy’s New Athletic Field after Grandstand was built – c1917

Baseball Game being played on the new Athletic Field – c1917 (Photo donated by Timothy Boulanger)

Included in the Hartland Academy Gymnasium Renovation Project was the addition of at least one known exterior Fire Escape.

Hartland Academy with new Exterior Fire Escape – c1917

Hartland Academy with new Exterior Fire Escape – Taken between 1917 & 1923

Hartland Academy Painting with new Exterior Fire Escape – Taken between 1917 & 1923

Several large, framed photographs from Senior Class Group photos at Hartland Academy were donated to the Hartland Historical Society by the Hartland Academy Alumni Association and the Town of Hartland for preservation which we are pleased to share below. Many other items have also been donated or their photos shared with us so we may present the storied history of Hartland Academy over the decades of its existence. We are grateful for these contributions and welcome all related items or photos. As more items and photos are gathered we will continue to add them to their respective classes in our growing online collection below.

Although the exact year was not noted, we do know Beatrice Randlett (Class of 1920) was in this rare interior photo when it was taken around 1916.

Hartland Academy Classroom – c1916 (Photo courtesy of Estelle Randlett Tapley)

In 1915, the 1st Volume of a Hartland Academy Yearbook was published by students and faculty. Publication of “The Ripple” continued annually with the possible exception of 1924 until the Academy’s final school year in 1968. Through the generosity of numerous donations we have a respectable collection of these yearbooks in our archives but continue to search for several early missing years. An ongoing project to digitize every page of all the yearbooks we currently have and share them here on our website is in the works. Editions which have been digitized thus far are attached to their respective class below. We welcome contributions of any missing years for our archives.

Hartland Historical Society Inventory Status of The Ripple as of August 1, 2021

Red = Missing Edition | Blue = On Hand – Not Digitized | Purple = On Hand – Digitized & Included Below

1915 1916 1917 1918 1919 1920 1921 1922 1923 1924 1925 1926 1927 1928 1929 1930 1931

1932 1933 1934 1935 1936 1937 1938 1939 1940 1941 1942 1943 1944 1945 1946 1947 1948 1949

1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968

The Ripple – Published 1915 to 1968

Hundreds of young men and women from Hartland & St Albans attended high school at Hartland Academy. References to some of those who graduated before 1900 were later included in the 1930-1931 editions of The Ripple. While far from complete, many familiar names (w/maiden name) appear with their known graduation year.

Walter H. Moore ~ 1874 | Harry Williams ~ 1875 | Alice (Waldron) Seekins ~ 1877 | Joseph L. Ford ~ 1877

George M. Lancey ~ 1878 | Annie (Linn) Lancey ~ 1880 | Nettie Williams ~ 1880 | Hattie E. Baird ~ 1880

Ord K. Fuller ~ 1885 | Edward A. Webber ~ 1886 | Carl F. Randlett ~ 1886 | John W. Norton ~ 1890

Clyde H. Smith ~ 1893 | Georgia (Parkman) Pennell ~ 1895 | Robert W. Linn, Jr ~ 1896 | Allison P. Howe ~ 1898

Another pre-1900 list from The Ripple includes some of those who graduated in unknown years between 1874-1899.

Bessie (Walker) Eastman | Dorothy Elliott | Melora (Littlefield) Furber | Gertrude (Patterson) Hamilton

Grace (Henderson) Thompson | Selden Waldron | Edda (Whitehouse) Whitney | Edna Williams

A partial listing of some of the members of Classes of 1900 through 1914 as noted in Alumni Notes of 1930-1931 editions of The Ripple.

~ Hartland Academy – Class of 1900 ~

(Partial Listing from The Ripple Alumni Notes)

Elizabeth A. Linn | Fred Steelbrook | Mary (Annis) Connelly

~ Hartland Academy – Class of 1901 ~

(Partial Listing from The Ripple Alumni Notes)

Eva (Libby) Jordan | Inez (Vickery) Mendall | Edda (Seekins) Annis

~ Hartland Academy – Class of 1902 ~

(Partial Listing from The Ripple Alumni Notes)

Mary (Coston) Smith | Roger Q. Williams

~ Hartland Academy – Class of 1903 ~

(Partial Listing from The Ripple Alumni Notes)

Merle Davis Worth

~ Hartland Academy – Class of 1904 ~

(Partial Listing from The Ripple Alumni Notes)

John L. Fyshe

~ Hartland Academy – Class of 1905 ~

(No Names were reported for this class in The Ripple Alumni Notes)

~ Hartland Academy – Class of 1906 ~

(Partial Listing from The Ripple Alumni Notes)

Mary (Anderson) Butterfield | Marion M. Baird | Julia (Libby) Converse | Adrian T. Ward

Ralph F. Cook | Eunice L. Linn | Frances (Lancey) Donahue | Lela (Snow) Howard

Amanda Ames | Amelia Ames | Clyde L. Griffith I | Elmer E. Libby | Selden E. Libby

~ Hartland Academy – Class of 1907 ~

(No Names were reported for this class in The Ripple Alumni Notes)

~ Hartland Academy – Class of 1908 ~

(Partial Listing from The Ripple Alumni Notes)

Effie (Coston) Worth | Elmer M. Burton | John Johnston | Jean (Smith) Moore | Forest Baker

Blanche (Merrow) Moulton | Ina M. Moulton | Gertrude (Anderson) Humphrey | Rosco W. Spaulding

Ina (Fisher) Spaulding | Helen M. Smith | Jesse Farnum | George S. Page | Benjamin Brown

~ Hartland Academy – Class of 1909 ~

(Partial Listing from The Ripple Alumni Notes)

Arthur A. Baird | Crystal (Bowman) Deering | Frank W. Burton | Bernice (Pinkham) Billing | Leslie I. Waldron

~ Hartland Academy – Class of 1910 ~

(Partial Listing from The Ripple Alumni Notes)

Edna (Humphrey) Ames | Frank L. Hollister | Fred T. Baird

~ Hartland Academy – Class of 1911 ~

(Partial Listing from The Ripple Alumni Notes)

Mary (Packard) Jackson | Molly (Harding) Seekins | Marion (Buzzell) Stedman

Myrtle (Everett) Waite | Augusta (Baker) White | Wallace Worth | Otho L. Linn

~ Hartland Academy – Class of 1912 ~

(Partial Listing from The Ripple Alumni Notes)

Eva (Burton) Jones | Elmer L. Baird | Harry R. Libby | Leland Gray | Clifton O. Steelbrook

Horace C. Packard | Doris (Dyer) Nutting | Gladys (Ward) Knowles | Vanonia (Gesner) Leighton

~ Hartland Academy – Class of 1913 ~

(Partial Listing from The Ripple Alumni Notes)

Iva M. Furber | Mildred (Webb) Baird | Edna (French) Salls | Annie (Fuller) Linn

Fred A. Clark | Irene (Libby) Jenkins | Gladys Leadbetter | Isabelle (Scott) Hebb

~ Hartland Academy – Class of 1914 ~

(Partial Listing from The Ripple Alumni Notes)

Ella (Seekins) Getchell | Goldie (Lander) Randell | Lura (Libby) Crocker

Pearl (Merrow) Emery | John F. Seekins | Ray Gourley

~ Hartland Academy – Class of 1915 ~

1st Edition of The Ripple (Click to open)

The Ripple – 1915

Class of 1915 Commencement Program

(Photo courtesy of the Family of Wilma Gladys (Wilkins) Bouton)

Peleg William Sprague (1891-1970) was Principal of Hartland Academy as noted in the program above serving in the position from 1913 to 1915. Born in Bath, he attended Bowdoin College before graduating from Wesleyan College in 1913. He was just 22 years old when he began working at the Academy as Principal. He would later serve in World War I with the U. S. Navy.

(Photo & information courtesy of his grandson David Roberts)

~ Hartland Academy – Class of 1916 ~

(Digitized Edition of The Ripple Pending)

~ Hartland Academy – Class of 1917 ~

(Currently Missing Edition of The 1917 Ripple)

Class of 1917 Commencement Program

(Donated by Gerald & Pat Martin)

~ Hartland Academy – Class of 1918 ~

Currently Missing Edition of The 1918 Ripple

(Partial Listing from The Ripple Alumni Notes)

~ Hartland Academy – Class of 1919 ~

The Ripple – 1919

Class of 1919 Commencement Program

(Photo courtesy of the Family of Mary Lois (Wilkins) Worthen – Mother of Mary Ellen (Worthen) Cooper ’39)

~ Hartland Academy – Class of 1920 ~

The Ripple – 1920

A list of the Senior Class does not appear in this edition of The Ripple. We have assembled a listing from future Alumni News.

Winfred I. Finson | Marion Heath | Mildred (Latty) Gregoire | Fred W. Libby | Clyde P. Martin

Willis M. Nichols | Nina (Seekins) Webber | Crystal (McPheters) Goforth | Doris (Parkman) Provost

Beatrice (Randlett) Pelly | Ethel (Ward) Quimby | Doris (Whitney) Austin | Frederic J. Wright

Beatrice Ellen Randlett (1901-1992); daughter of Carl Randlett & Maude Annis

Beatrice married Harold Oliphant Pelly

Beatrice Ellen Randlett Diploma – 1920

Hartland Academy Boys Basketball Team – Fall 1920

~ Hartland Academy – Class of 1921 ~

The Ripple – 1921

A list of the Senior Class does not appear in this edition of The Ripple. We have assembled a listing from future Alumni News.

Arthur R. Spaulding | Clyde W. Emery | Frank A. Withee, Jr

Alta Tracy | Thelma (Tracy) Carr | Bertha (Johnson) Bragg | Madeline (Gray) Allen

Arthur Ray Spaulding (1902-1999); son of Albert S. Spaulding & Agnes McKenney

Ray married Cassie Belle Fisher

Arthur Ray Spaulding Diploma – 1921

~ Hartland Academy – Class of 1922 ~

The Ripple – 1922

~ Hartland Academy – Class of 1923 ~

Currently Missing Edition of The 1923 Ripple

(Partial Listing from The Ripple Alumni Notes)

Cassie (Fisher) Spaulding | Mary (Haseltine) Dore | Harry Dore | Mildred (Brawn) Patten | Linwood Burbank

Iola (Chipman) Hardwick | George T. Thompson | Mabel (Drew) Cannon | Eva (Withee) Hall

The last known photo taken of the original brick Hartland Academy Building on October 20, 1933 just weeks before it would meet its fiery fate.

Hartland Academy – October 20, 1923

On Friday, December 7, 1923 a huge fire raged through Hartland Academy reducing it to nothing but a brick shell. Local newspaper articles noted the fire was discovered by one of the Janitors and the wood burning boiler was likely the source of the fire. The entire interior of the building was a complete loss including photos and school records.

Hartland Academy Fire – December 7, 1923

Hartland Academy Fire Aftermath – December 9, 1923

For the remainder of the 1923-1924 school year, Academy students attended make shift classrooms at the Knights of Columbus Hall and the Opera House-Town Hall while the citizens of Hartland rallied from the devastating loss and moved forth with immediate plans to rebuild Hartland Academy.

~ Hartland Academy – Class of 1924 ~

Although it remains to be confirmed, The Ripple may have not been published due to the fire at the Academy

(Listing from The Ripple Alumni Notes)

Rebecca (Pennell) Stuart | Carleton Deering | Elmer Ward | Jennie (Hubbard) Elliott | Joseph McGee

Frank Wing | Clyde Brooks | Edwin Waterman | Nathalie (Lewis) Williams | Melvin Waterman

Newton Smith | Edward Brown | Milton Morrison

Even without a home, the Class of 1924 still graduated that spring. Ironically perhaps, future Hartland Volunteer Fire Department Fire Chief Carleton Deering was in this graduating class seated in the front row 2nd from the left.

Class of 1924 (Unknown Seating Order)

1924 H. B. Clifford – Superintendent of Hartland Schools; “The burning of the Academy building in December was a great loss to us for it was still a fairly satisfactory school house, although crowded. The building was well equipped for a small school. It means a big expense to us for years to come, but there is no way of avoiding the issue. Our schools must be maintained at reasonable efficiency, even at considerable personal sacrifice. I feel confident that our people will erect a sufficiently large and modern building to meet the needs of our boys and girls for the years to come.”

1924 Hartland Town Meeting – Article 17: “To see what sum of money the town will vote to raise to rebuild Hartland Academy, so called, to see what method the town will take to raise funds for the same, and to act upon anything relating thereto.”

Within a year of its destruction by fire, Hartland Academy was rebuilt and was reopened in the Fall of 1924. The new building was constructed on the same site incorporating the original facade as the centerpiece of the expanded modern facility.

New Hartland Academy – November 21, 1924

New Hartland Academy – November 28, 1924

Homage would eventually be paid to the original Academy engraved over the center of the main entrance.

Hartland Academy – Main Entrance Engraving – 2020

~ Hartland Academy – Class of 1925 ~

The Ripple – 1925

Class of 1925 – 1st Graduating Class at the newly built Hartland Academy (Photo courtesy of Estelle Randlett Tapley)

1st Row (L-R): Mollie Johnson | Vera Haseltine | Marjorie Young | Ada Cyr | Evelyn Maxwell

(Missing from photo Donald Newell)

The first students to attend classes at the new building posed for this large panoramic photo in front of the school.

Hartland Academy Student Body Panoramic Photo – 1925

1925 Hartland Academy Student Body – Close-Up 1 of 4

1925 Hartland Academy Student Body – Close-Up 2 of 4

1925 Hartland Academy Student Body – Close-Up 3 of 4

1925 Hartland Academy Student Body – Close-Up 4 of 4

Hartland Academy Football Team – County Champs – 1925

~ Hartland Academy – Class of 1926 ~

Currently Missing Edition of The 1926 Ripple

Class of 1926 Commencement Program (Courtesy of Dana Perkins)

Edward Boutelle Snow (1906-1976); son of Robert Kendall Snow & Calphurnia Rice

Edward Boutelle Snow Diploma – 1926 (Courtesy of Dana Perkins)

~ Hartland Academy – Class of 1927 ~

Currently Missing Edition of The 1927 Ripple

(Partial Listing from The Ripple Alumni Notes)

Lloyd V. Cookson, Sr | Clara (Curtis) Tibbetts | Lillian (Drew) Violette | Robert Estes | James W. Fuller

Lloyd F. Hubbard, Sr | Edward C. Hubbard | Fanny (Griffith) Humphrey-Dyer | Frank Matthews

Mabel Murphy | Myrtle (Ordway) Smith | George Sterns | Eileen (Seekins) Merrow

Norman W. Webber | Lyral V. Webber | Grace (Griffith) Weymouth

~ Hartland Academy – Class of 1928 ~

Currently Missing Edition of The 1928 Ripple

(Partial Listing from The Ripple Alumni Notes)

Lenora (Brooks) Morgan | Isabelle (Baine) Snow | Bernadette DeRaps | Velma Greene | Howard Grey

Everett Holt | Gerald Page | Edna (Peterson) Cates | Edythe (Philbrick) Libby | Harry Peasley

Hilda Tibbetts | Edgar R. Woodman

Lenora Mae Brooks (1910-1993); daughter of Foster Erwin Brooks & Martha A. Miller

Lenora married Thirnwood Frederick Morgan, Sr

Lenora Mae Brooks Diploma 1928 (Courtesy of Gerald Morgan)

Hartland Academy Orchestra – c1928

~ Hartland Academy – Class of 1929 ~

The Ripple – 1929

~ Hartland Academy – Class of 1930 ~

The Ripple – 1930

Class of 1930

Marguerite Abigail Whittemore (1913-2008); daughter of Cleba S. Whittemore & Annette Ford

Marguerite married 1st to Kenneth R. Southard, Sr; 2nd to Philip Daniel Rice

Marguerite Abigail Whittemore Diploma – 1930

~ Hartland Academy – Class of 1931 ~

The Ripple – 1931

~ Hartland Academy – Class of 1932 ~

The Ripple – 1932

Allen R. Burton Prize Speaking Contest Program – 1932 (Courtesy of Virginia Salisbury Tucker)

~ Hartland Academy – Class of 1933 ~

The Ripple – 1933

A list of the Senior Class does not appear in this edition of The Ripple. We have assembled a partial listing from future Alumni News.

Jaunita (Brown) Bickford | Jennie (Pelkie) Barden | Dorothy (Varnum) Deering | Paul Gardiner

Helen (Hubbard) Harris | Leroy C. Hatch | Leland I. Inman | Frances (Jepson) Salley | Estella (Libby) Smith

Leona (Whitten) Page | Marion (Thorne) Furbush | George W. Webber| Florence (Parsons) Webber

~ Hartland Academy – Class of 1934 ~

The Ripple – 1934

1934 Senior Class Play Program (Courtesy of Virginia Salisbury Tucker)

~ Hartland Academy – Class of 1935 ~

The Ripple – 1935

Class of 1935

Row 1 (L-R): Robert Strout | Marguerite Robinson | Vinson Phillips

Row 2: Erwin Whittemore | Alden Stedman | Eva Hanson | Earle Merrow | Howard Williamson

Row 3: James Seekins | Mary Green | Aubrey Whittemore | Elizabeth Hart | Floyd Webber

Row 4: Frances Waldron | Howard Baird | Marion Rancourt | Alfred Bell | Meredith Parkman

Top Row: Mary Smith | Clyde Griffith

Class of 1935 Graduation Program

1934-1935 Girl’s Basketball Team

1934-1935 Baseball Team

~ Hartland Academy – Class of 1936 ~

The Ripple – 1936

Class of 1936

1st Row (L-R): Stephen Miller | Margaret Ashe | Maurice Hatch

2nd Row: Marion Hollister | Phillip Baird | Althea Tobey | Charlotte Grant

3rd Row: Frank Ford | Charlotte McCrillis | Kathleen Pelkie | Leland Cunningham

4th Row: Lillian Lewis | Lennis Harris | Vivian Greene

Top Row: Barbara Weymouth | Thelma Cookson

Underclassmen of Hartland Academy pose for a group photo at the front doors of the Academy in 1936.

Hartland Academy – 1936 (Courtesy of Donald McDougal)

~ Hartland Academy – Class of 1937 ~

The Ripple – 1937

Class of 1937

1st Row (L-R): Dorothy Lermond | Clayton Merrill | Arlene Stedman | Mahlon Merrow

2nd Row: Alice Chapman | Donald Withee | Myron Davis | Clara Woodbury

3rd Row: Donald Hollister | Beatrice Mills | Frances Fellows | Donlin McCormack

4th Row: Marie Libby | Lyle Martin | Kenneth Wiers | Mary Libby

Top Row: Phyllis Baird | Bertha Smith | Eva Lowell

~ Hartland Academy – Class of 1938 ~

The Ripple – 1938

Class of 1938

1st Row (L-R): Russell Dunlop | Kathleen Culley | Joseph Ford | Opal Wiers | Kenneth Baird

2nd Row: Eleanor Libby | Robert Perkins | Ardis Moulton | Wendall Marr | Pauline Young

3rd Row: Norman Strout | Lona Clark | James Moore | Mildred Wentworth | Andrew Peterson

4th Row: Marion Ash | Arthur Littlefield | Grace Parsons | Liston Inman | Erlene Hughes

Top Row: Cherrie Thorne | Mildred Cooley | Miriam Steeves | Marguerite Wheeler

~ Hartland Academy – Class of 1939 ~

The Ripple – 1939

Class of 1939

~ Hartland Academy – Class of 1940 ~

The Ripple – 1940

Class of 1940

~ Hartland Academy – Class of 1941 ~

The Ripple – 1941

Class of 1941

1st Row: Donald McLean | Jacqueline Buker | Glenis Cunningham | C. Jeanette Smith | Edward Hilton

Class of 1941 Commencement Program

~ Hartland Academy – Class of 1942 ~

The Ripple – 1942

Ripple Dedication – Albert “Bert” Brooks Deering, Sr – 1942

~ Hartland Academy – Class of 1943 ~

(Digitized Edition of The Ripple Pending)

~ Hartland Academy – Class of 1944 ~

(Digitized Edition of The Ripple Pending)

Class of 1944 Graduation Photo (Courtesy of Deering Family)

Hartland Academy Girls Basketball Team 1943-1944 (Courtesy of Deering Family)

Gladys Belle Deering (1925-2017); daughter of Albert B. Deering, Jr & Edith Whitten

Gladys married Terrence J. Gilbert

Gladys Belle Deering Diploma – 1944 (Courtesy of Deering Family)

Hartland Academy – 1944

Lillian Maxine Kimball; daughter of Porter Lemuel Kimball & Gladys Amanda Gray

Lillian married 1st to Guy Merle Lancaster; 2nd to Clayton Longfellow Smith, Jr

Lillian Maxine Kimball Diploma – 1944 (Courtesy of Judy Lancaster Turner)

The 1944 Ripple paid tribute to 3 Hartland Academy Students who had been Killed In Action in World War II in 1943.

Donlin F. McCormack – KIA – July 18, 1943 | Arthur W. Sherburne – KIA – December 30, 1943 | Norman Steeves – KIA – January 7, 1943

2 more Hartland Academy Students would be lost the following year.

Clarence E. Walker – KIA – June 7, 1944 Rendall Wallace Phinney – KIA – June 9, 1944

They were all honored in 1949 during the Hartland Honor Roll Memorial Dedication with a Gold Star Ceremony held for their families.

~ Hartland Academy – Class of 1945 ~

(Digitized Edition of The Ripple Pending)

~ Hartland Academy – Class of 1946 ~

(Digitized Edition of The Ripple Pending)

Boys Basketball Team 1945-1946

1st Row: Fred Towle | Howard Sally | Ashley Parker | Linwood Wheeler | Richard Nichols

Top Row: Mr. Ivan Bubar | Clyde Leonard | Royce Temple | Kenneth Hughes | Ivan Welch

In 1946, U. S. Representative Margaret Chase Smith presented a framed version of this portrait of her late husband to Hartland Academy which was displayed there until the Academy closed. In 1990, it was returned to Senator Smith by the Hartland Academy Alumni Association and is now on display at the Margaret Chase Smith Library.

Clyde Harold Smith (1876-1940) moved from his native town of Harmony to Hartland in 1891 at about 16 years old with his father, step mother and siblings where he soon graduated from Hartland Academy in 1893. Following graduation, he engaged in the retail clothing and hardware business in Hartland as well as teaching school. He became Superintendent of Hartland Schools from 1899-1903 and also served in the Maine House of Representatives from 1899-1903. Clyde served as a Selectman of Hartland from 1904-1907 until he moved to Skowhegan having been elected Sheriff of Somerset County serving from 1905-1909. In Skowhegan, he engaged in the retail automobile sales, hardware and plumbing business and the newspaper publishing business. He later engaged in banking and the real estate business and was a member of the Board of Selectmen of Skowhegan from 1914-1932. He served again in the Maine House of Representatives from 1919-1923 then was elected to the Maine State Senate from 1923-1929. He was Chairman of the State Highway Commission from 1928-1932 and a member of the Governor’s Council from 1933-1937. He was elected in 1936 to the U. S. House of Representatives as a Republican for the 75th and 76th Congresses serving from January 3, 1937 until his untimely death in Washington, D. C. on April 8, 1940 following a brief illness. Clyde is interred at Pine Grove Cemetery with his parents and succeeded in Congress by his 2nd wife and future U. S. Senator Margaret Chase Smith.

Clyde Harold Smith – 1939 (Courtesy of the Margaret Chase Smith Library)

~ Hartland Academy – Class of 1947 ~

The Ripple – 1947

Class of 1947 Commencement Program (Courtesy of Margaret Hart Collection)

The Burton Prize Speaking Contest Program – February 6, 1947 (Courtesy of Margaret Hart Collection)

~ Hartland Academy – Class of 1948 ~

The Ripple – 1948

Class of 1948

Helene Withee | Gweneth Neal | Colleen Stromback | Mary Fisher | Janet Seekins

2nd Row: Phil Estes | Raymond Lucas | Harvey Martin | Linwood Wheeler | Marie Smith

Winnafred Mower | Thomas Gee | Raymond Braley | Paul Neal | Kenneth Hughes

Top Row: Harold Duran | Kenneth Pelkie | Charles Russell | Ashley Parker | Robert Downs

Roger Parker | Donn MacLauchlan | James Snow | Edmond Seekins | Maynard Yakemore

Missing from Photo: Justin Humphrey, Jr | Kenneth Lary | George Quimby | David Tibbetts

~ Hartland Academy – Class of 1949 ~

The Ripple – 1949

Class of 1949 Commencement Program (Courtesy of Virginia Salisbury Tucker)

~ Hartland Academy – Class of 1950 ~

The Ripple – 1950

Class of 1950

Class of 1950 Commencement Program (Courtesy of Virginia Salisbury Tucker)

~ Hartland Academy – Class of 1951 ~

The Ripple – 1951

~ Hartland Academy – Class of 1952 ~

The Ripple – 1952

~ Hartland Academy – Class of 1953 ~

The Ripple – 1953

~ Hartland Academy – Class of 1954 ~

The Ripple – 1954

~ Hartland Academy – Class of 1955 ~

The Ripple – 1955

~ Hartland Academy – Class of 1956 ~

The Ripple – 1956

Class of 1956

~ Hartland Academy – Class of 1957 ~

The Ripple – 1957

~ Hartland Academy – Class of 1958 ~

The Ripple – 1958

Class of 1958

Class of 1958 Commencement Program (Courtesy of Dean Nadeau)

~ Hartland Academy – Class of 1959 ~

The Ripple – 1959

~ Hartland Academy – Class of 1960 ~

The Ripple – 1960

Class of 1960

~ Hartland Academy – Class of 1961 ~

The Ripple – 1961

~ Hartland Academy – Class of 1962 ~

The Ripple – 1962

~ Hartland Academy – Class of 1963 ~

The Ripple – 1963

Class of 1963 Commencement Program

Class of 1963 Senior Class Trip – Washington, D. C.

~ Hartland Academy – Class of 1964 ~

The Ripple – 1964

“The Hartland Academy Band was elected as the Official State of Maine Band to attend the 1964 National Cherry Blossom Festival in Washington, D.C. After being chosen, the band and the senior class joined and made the trip a week long time of fun, learning, and most of all honor to our school. We visited both New York and Washington D. C. on this trip. The members of the band marched on April 11, 1964 in the Parade of Princesses. We were all very thrilled and rewarded as we marched down Constitution Avenue.” – Linwood Humphrey – The Ripple

Hartland Academy Band – 1964

~ Hartland Academy – Class of 1965 ~

The Ripple – 1965

On November 16, 1965 the citizens of Hartland, Corinna, Newport, Palmyra and St. Albans voted to create Maine School Administrative District #48. Students of the new school district continued attending their respective area schools while plans for a new regional high school were formed and brought to fruition. The area high school Classes of 1967 & 1968 from Hartland Academy, Corinna Union Academy and Newport High School received diplomas noting both their respective school name and M.S.A.D. #48.

~ Hartland Academy – Class of 1966 ~

The Ripple – 1966

~ Hartland Academy – Class of 1967 ~

The Ripple – 1967

~ Hartland Academy – Class of 1968 ~

“She’s seen the first and now she’s seen the last.”

The Ripple – 1968

Class of 1968

Top Row: David Whitten | Malcolm Burrell

Class of 1968 Commencement Program

~ The End of an Era ~

The beloved building served the local community as Hartland Academy for some 112 years as a home for education but time had come for change. In the Fall of 1968, the newly formed Maine School Administrative District #48 opened Nokomis Regional High School in Newport for Grade 9 thru Grade 12 students from Hartland, Corinna, Newport, Palmyra and St. Albans centralizing all its high school students at the new facility. They would later be joined by students from Etna, Dixmont & Plymouth.

The students of Hartland in the Class of 1972 would become the only class not to attend Hartland Academy as high school students as they went from Hartland Consolidated School as 8th Graders directly to Nokomis Regional High School as 9th Graders.

Hartland Academy Alumni Association Sign

The former Academy building continued being used for educational purposes as Hartland Junior High School for Grade 7 and Grade 8 students from Hartland, St Albans & Palmyra until it closed at the end of the 2002 school year to make way for the new Somerset Valley Middle School built behind it which included Grades 5 through Grade 8 and opened that Fall.

Hartland Academy Commemorative Plate

Following its closure in 2002, the building housed the Hartland Town Office and the Hartland Historical Society until November of 2008 before it was finally abandoned by the town due to major operating expenses and overwhelming needed repairs. The Town Office returned its former home at the Town Hall and the Academy building was eventually sold to a private owner.

Former Hartland Academy – 2019 (Photo courtesy of Will Bunker Photography)