A meeting the other day brought us to the beautiful campus of Bowdoin College in Brunswick, Maine.
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| Hubbard Hall, The Original Library (Henry Vaughan, 1903) |
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| Bowdoin's Well Known Art Museum (Walker Art Building, McKim, Mead and White, 1894) |
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| The Chapel (Richard Upjohn 1845-1855) |
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| The Admissions Building (1901) |
We met with a dear, old friend to have lunch on campus. Unlike, say, Harvard, Bowdoin has some of the best college food.
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| Moulton Union (McKim, Mead and White, 1928) |
An alumnus and still very active on campus, our friend was recently profiled in this college publication for nearly a lifetime of giving to Bowdoin. And while our long friendship (my mother has known him his entire life) includes a tremendous amount of good-natured ribbing (or in his case, bad natured!) he has been one of my role-models for stewardship.
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| He "...shares his love of music by giving pianos and organs to Bowdoin, including a Steinway piano for the Bowdoin Chapel in honor of his 50th Reunion." |
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| In reference to the scholarship he set up, he said (as quoted) "It will help a few Bowdoin students each year in need of financial aid." (He was photographed, here, in front of the 1927 Austin Organ.) |
Then, he took us....
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| ...Past the Brunswick Inn... |
...to see his new weekend "digs" in Harpswell. We saw his view of Harpswell Sound....
...a neighbor's guest house...
...and his dock.
Finally,we ended the day with Monday evening music, now moved inside the general store due to the chillier fall weather.
(As an aside, the role of
music in small New England enclaves cannot be underestimated. Almost all community halls (sometimes called "casinos") have upright pianos in one corner. Dinner dances are regular events. The conclusion of summer for many is the follies or other talent shows.
Summer camps have their weekly campfires and prep schools, their all-school meetings.)
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| Cadillac LaSalle (late 1920s) |
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| It is interesting to hear live music these days when there isn't the expectation of a reverential hush from the audience. The musicians are happy to have friends listen; there are no ticket holders. And pizza and sandwiches are being made in the back. |
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| We left with tunes in our head, pizza for dinner,... |
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| ...and their homemade Whoopie Pies for later. |
21 comments:
I recognize that white BMer. It's the one you helped pick out nautical signal flags for, ce n'est pas?
The Adirondak chairs are delightful. I love the fun colors they are painted in.
That little grocery is a treasure. Where else can you shop, listen to music and get homemade pizza and whoppie pies? Life is good.
If I hadn't been convinced that Maine is "the way life should be" then this post definitely did it. Ever since we first visited, I wished my children could attend Bowdoin. We drove around the campus but I didn't know what the buildings were. Harpswell is just another gorgeous place. And to hear live music like that... just wonderful. Tell your friend he's welcome to adopt me! ;)
I too recognize the BMW with the signal flags! At the first glimpse they caught my eye and look to be quite remarkable! I have to say that this is one of your best posts for it illustrates the quintessential New England prep. Enjoy autumn!
Bowdoin & Middlebury are two of my favorite college campuses - although this time of year the foliage and mountains at Midd can't be beaten!
I am heartened to see the photos of the country store jam session. Such things are indeed rare. However, there is a general store in Shepherdstown, West Virginia (just over the railroad tracks) that hosts an occasional music session in a specially built room. The unusual store also has a fully-equipped turn-of-the-century woodworking shop complete with overhead belt drive to operate the machinery, unfortunately no longer used.
The inn looks so quaint. I also really like the Cadillac.
Gee, our old LaSalle ran great!
Those were the days.
Some of the nicest people I know graduated from Bowdoin.
As always, great photos. While I am well past my own college yearss, Bowdoin was a college I would have loved to have attended, but alas, did not.
The scenery and local is idyllic, or at least my ideal for what the quintessential New England college experience, especially at a small liberal arts college should be.
You are fortunate to have friends who also happen to be alumni of all of these fine New England institutions. We owe much to them as the standard bearers and just as much to you for sharing your unique experiences at them with us.
Paul Connors
I'd love to know the origin of this use of "casino". Our old summer community had a hub that we all called the casino, containing a little restaurant/ice cream shop/general store, a 2-man police station, the yacht club hall, and the post office (where we went daily to pick up mail, as mailboxes weren't allowed). I never knew why we called it the casino, and I am beginning to suspect that my friends think I spent my childhood hanging out at Foxwoods.
I thoroughly enjoyed our visit to the Peary–MacMillan Arctic Museum (Hubbard Hall) and the College Museum of Art during our visit to Bowdoin this summer.
Oh! This is great!
I go to Smith College and one of our very generous Alums left each of our houses a Grand Piano (because she thought them to be an integral part of a house)...
I always thank her when I hear strains of Debussy or Schubert, as I do my readings for class.
Are these musicians playing bluegrass?
ALSO, I once met a girl from Bowdoin; very sweet girl and charming to the heart, but our paths were going different directions.
I would have given my eye teeth to hear an audio clip from that scene in the general store. I envy your regular access to such musical fare!
M
M: there's a regular wintertime bluegrass circuit in the small towns around me; every weekend. Some play good, some not so good, but it IS live music, which is very nice and it always is interesting. Snacks come with it, and it's free (just a tip jar by the food).
That statue of the bear is extraordinary. I too find the name casino interesting ..all talk here in Sydney, Aust. is of building another casio.
What a lovely man and what a wonderful twinkle in his eye!
Hello! I am a Bowdoin student and I am a frequent reader of your blog and I can't believe you came to Bowdoin! I wish I had run into you. I met your friend at the Bowdoin International Music Festival this summer; he's a great man! (We went to the same prep school too!) I hope you give us a heads up next time you visit Bowdoin!
-Polar bear '14
I can't even begin to note all of the amazing parts of this post, but I do want to give many props to the designer of that guest house!
Beautiful pictures but this Mule is lookinf forward to a Colby post! :)
My grandfather's alma mater; the pictures are much appreciated as I haven't had a chance to take visit.
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