Meeting to Discuss Village Traffic

Does the New Gloucester toll barrier affect traffic in Gray Village? What’s going on at Exit 63?

If you’re interested in the traffic problem in the Village, come to Stimson Hall in Gray on Thursday, Oct. 18 at 6 p.m. to hear the Maine Turnpike Authority discuss the results of the New Gloucester Toll Diversion Study and Exit 63 Master Plan.

Who is “Cuke” Barrows

Gray has produced some interesting characters, but who knew Gray had its very own major leaguer?

Roland “Cuke” Barrows was born in Gray on Oct. 20, 1883. Barrows was 25 years old when he broke into the big leagues on Sept. 18, 1909 with the Chicago White Sox.

He batted left, threw right, was an outfielder and had 99 at-bats during four seasons in the majors with the Chicago White Sox during the dead ball era. For trivia buffs, Wikipedia describes the dead ball era as: “During the dead-ball era, baseball was much more of a strategy-driven game. It relied much more on stolen bases and hit and run type plays than on home runs. These strategies emphasized speed, perhaps by necessity. Teams played in spacious ball parks that limited hitting for power, and, compared to modern baseballs, the ball used then was “dead” from both its design and its overuse.”

Barrows played his final game on Sept. 10, 1912. He played for manager Hugh Duffy, a baseball hall of famer. While I couldn’t find his salary, one is listed for a teammate of his, Ed Walsh. According to the site baseballalmanac.com, Walsh earned a $3,500 salary in 1911.

One source says that Barrows came home to Maine and married into the Hannaford family and for many years was part of a business that became known as Barrows Greenhouses in Gorham, one of the oldest flower shops in the state. A Roland Barrows is listed as president of the Westbrook-Gorham Rotary Club from 1934-1935. The Allen family purchased the greenhouse in 1961.

Barrows died Feb. 10, 1955 in Gorham, and is buried in a South Portland cemetery.

Dunn Schoolkids Get a Taste for the Old Days

Third grade students from the Dunn School took a step back in time when they visited the Dry Mills Schoolhouse this past week. On display is a copy of the diary of Lottie Morse, who was a schoolteacher at the one-room school. Gray native and Dry Mills volunteer Nancy McMinn is Morse’s granddaughter and found the diary when she was cleaning out the attics and basements at the family farm.

Gray boasted 12 one-room schoolhouses at one time and The Dry Mills School is the last one to remain intact. It was built around 1857 and didn’t close its doors until 1958. In the early 1990s volunteers raised funds to move the schoolhouse to the Maine Wildlife Park Road and to restore the building to its original appearance. Visitors can see an original chalkboard, period wood stove and furnishings. Class photos on the wall are interesting (I found a few folks I recognize, including John Palmiter, Pam Wilkinson and Dave Finochietti.) The school is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is handicapped accessible.

The committee would like to see more folks visiting the Dry Mills Schoolhouse and welcome one and all. Contact the Dry Mills Schoolhouse Committee at 1rmschool@graymaine.org.

Sign up for Winter Softball

Gray Little League is looking for girls aged 10 to 14 who are interested in playing indoor softball on either a U-12 or U-14 team at Frozen Ropes Training Center in Portland. The first session is from Oct. 21 through Nov. 18. The team will play one 90-minute game per week and all games are held on Sundays between 7 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. For more information, call Stacy Nunley at 232-5511.