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Black and white photograph of a group of 11 men and 5 women posed on a
sidewalk. Paul Harris is in the front row, second from left. Framed by
HI Burrowes Co., Portland, Maine.
It was taken at a luncheon of Portland, Maine Rotarians at
which Commander Donald B McMillan outlined "Five years of continuous
research in the Arctic with the establishment of a permanent station at
Kowk in Labrador."
The Article appeared in "The Rotarian" in November 1926. A full list
of those included in the photograph is shown and includes both Paul and
Jean Harris.
PHOTOGRAPH TAKEN AT PORTLAND, MAINE
A copy of this photograph with caption is shown in
the Rotary Global Fellowship History Library Section under “Odds and
Ends” (A
story about Portland, Maine, November 1926)
Caption on Photograph
The Caption reads as follows:
“Five years of continuous research in the Arctic with
the establishment of a permanent station at Kowk in Labrador was the
scheme outlined by Commander Donald B. MacMillan at a luncheon of
Portland, Maine, Rotarians. This group picture shows him with some of
the other prominent guests.
Back row (left to right) Representative Carroll L
Beedy; Ralph B Redfern, president of Portland Rotary; Abraham Bromfield,
dog driver of the MacMillan expedition; Mrs Carroll L Beedy; Mrs Ralph B
Redfern; Harry A Brinkerhoff, city manager; Percival P Baxter,
ex-Governor; Norman Russell of Newburyport, Mass., Rotary District
Governor.
Front row (left to right) Neal W. Allen, chairman
Portland City Council; Paul P Harris of Chicago, founder of Rotary;
Cyrus H. K. Curtis of Philadelphia; Mrs Paul P. Harris; Commander Donald
B MacMillan of Freeport; Mrs Letitia N. Fogg of Freeport; Mrs Cyrus H.
K. Curtis; and John Jaynes, engineer of the Bowdoin.”
Notes by PDG Ian H Campbell (Dist 1230)
Representative Carroll L. Beedy was Maine
Representative from 1921 to 1933.
Harry A. Brinkerhoff’s period of Office as city
manager has nor been verified.
Percival P Baxter is referred to as “ex Governor”. He
served three times in the Maine House of Representatives between 1906
and 1918. He served twice as State Senator in 1908 and 1920. In that
latter term he served as President of the state senate and as it’s chief
executive. Soon after his election as President the Governor died and
Baxter automatically succeeded him. He also served for a further
two-year term as Governor from 1922 to 1924. He was therefore Governor
from 1920 to 1924.
Neal W. Allen was a member of a prominent Portland
family who gave public service or many years. His period as chairman of
Portland City Council has not been verified
Cyrus H K Curtis was the Publisher of the Saturday
Evening Post and he died in 1933.
Mrs Letitia N. Fogg of Freeport was the sister of
Donald Baxter MacMillan.
The “Bowdoin” named after Commander MacMillans old
College was the Schooner, launched in 1921 in which he sailed on many of
his Polar expeditions.
Establishing possible date of photograph
Donald Baxter McMillan completed his five-year
Crooker Land voyage in 1917 (1913 to 1917) and published his book “Four
years in the White North” in 1918 which dates the photograph after 1917.
Mention of John Jaynes, engineer of the Bowdain. This
establishes the date as being 1921 or later as the Schooner Bowdain was
built and launched in 1921.
Carroll L Beedy was Maine Representative from 1921 to
1933 which dates the photograph between 1921 and 1933
Reference to Ralph B Redfern as President of Portland
Rotary may be significant as the name “Rotary International” was adopted
in 1922, replacing the “International Association of Rotary Clubs.” If
so, this may date the photograph as after 1922 which would fit in with
Carroll L Beedy’s period of Office
Percival P Baxter is referred to as “ex Governor”. He
served three times in the Maine House of Representatives between 1906
and 1918. He served twice as State Senator in 1908 and 1920. In that
latter term he served as President of the state senate and as it’s chief
executive. Soon after his election as President the Governor died and
Baxter automatically succeeded him. He also served for a further
two-year term as Governor from 1922 to 1924. He was therefore Governor
from 1920 to 1924 which dates the photograph on or after 1924
Cyrus H K Curtis was the Publisher of the Saturday
Evening Post who died in 1933.
The above tends to indicate that the photograph was
taken between 1924 and 1933 most likely in the earlier part, which ties
in with the November 1926 date shown in the Library photograph)
(thanks to PDG Ian H Campbell, D1230 Scotland)
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