The Hinckley School

 

 

Summertime on David’s Island near Boothbay Harbor in the fifties and sixties was a real treat. The five island summer homes were inhabited by families with children making the island more a child’s playground then could be imagined. Barry, Bonnie, and Robin were his immediate neighbors and were perhaps best known to him. Brian also had great childhood friendships with Rocky and Skip and of course knew Anne, Gail, Suzie, Bonnie Jo and MaryAnn. I only separate the sexes here because of our age related interests at the time that did not particularly include the opposite sex. That came later. However, island scavenger hunts, swims between the islands, and timed races to Rocky’s were part of the mixes of the sexes in a family oriented summer island on the coast of Maine.

 

During those early years Brian was active in the Yacht Club learning sailing skills, winning races, being a member of the officers of the Junior Yacht Club and even winning a Yacht Club chewing gum bubble blowing contest. Eventually as Brian moved into his upper teenage years he acquired a job working the grounds, doing dishes, etc. at Newagen Inn where he eventually became Bake Master for the Lobster Bakes put on by the Inn for their guests. Brian was always a hard worker and during those days in the sixties of high pay ($1.65 per hour or so) he moved onto other positions including doing a stint at Sebasco Estates near Bath, Maine.

 

Brian’s early homes included his grandparents home on Fullerton Street in Boothbay Harbor; the trailer colony in Orono where his father was finishing up his college education; and School Street in Jaffrey, New Hampshire where he began his formal schooling. And then a major move to the Good Will/Hinckley School in Hinckley, Maine in 1956 where his elementary and secondary education was completed and his home roots were established. 

 

Brian was eight years old when we arrived late one evening at the Good Will Cottage in Hinckley.  He entered the third grade in the fall of 1956 and ten years later in the spring of 1966 graduated from High School. Those are the forming years for young people and Brian was no exception. He enjoyed great Christmases; occasional Thanksgivings with Uncle Phil, Aunt Ruth and cousins on Cape Cod; tennis ball hockey in the kitchen (much to the chagrin of mother), rolled-up pair of socks wastebasket hoop basketball during study hours in our shared room (Mom and Dad never knew); Christmas tree hunting in the woods behind the saw-mill at Hinckley with always a golden retriever on hand; the first fall of snow; springtime, summer vacation, and of course the return of fall.

 

I remember one time at Good Will Cottage in the early 1960s, a few days or a week before Christmas, arriving home before our parents and discovering a package addressed to B Colby. Well, it was obvious to Brian and I that it couldn’t be for Dad as his name was Robert. It had to be for Brian. We proceeded to open the box and soon thereafter Dad or Mom walked in. I don’t think we had a chance to figure out exactly what the item was as it was quickly put back in the box. We were ceremoniously told that the B of B Colby stood for Bob, our Dad. Of course, on Christmas day Brian received the neatest, coolest and largest toy Air Craft Carrier ever to fit underneath a Christmas tree! (Perhaps that was all in preparation for a 27-year career at Bath Iron Works) And, as we got older, we would listen not so much for Santa’s reindeer on the roof as for when Mom and Dad went to bed. We would sneak into the living room oooh and ahhh, sneak back to bed and wait for early morning (Mom and Dad never knew of course!).

 

 He had a keen interest in sports, in part due to his father’s coaching abilities. I remember during the sports banquet just prior to his graduation he was coveted with a blue blazer award with an “H” emblem on the breast pocket for being the only student ever at Hinckley to letter 12 times in four years. Brian played basketball, baseball, and ran cross-county. He was always competitive and earned the right to be on 12 varsity teams. He loved it. And, his love and interest in sports was exemplified by being an avid Celtics, Bruins, Patriots, and Red Sox fan. These were all Boston teams but he was in tune to other teams as well. He would occasional, on great plays or important games, give his Dad a call to say, “Did you see that” or “How about those Sox” or just generally discuss the game.

 

Kevin arrived on the scene at Hinckley in 1959. When Brian and I were told by our parents that they had a surprise coming for us, we both responded, “Is it a pony?” Those were fun years.  Brian moved into his adult life and he always remembered his bothers and helped them out whenever he could. Kevin lived with Brian for a short period in Bath. Brian also helped Kevin clear his land on Southport cutting, moving, and burning brush and trees. He loved the outdoors and loved helping his brother.