25 Years Ago - Former First Lady Barbara Bush - 2001 Summer Reading Celebration

In the first photo above, former First Lady Barbara Bush is reading Grandfather's

Trolley to the large audience mentioned in the text. The next photo is of

Connecticut open trolley No. 303, with the description of the passengers.

If you want to see all the photos of Mrs. Bush reading the Grandfather's Trolley

book, find them on Bruce McMillan's website. As soon as it opens, you will

hear, "Clang, Clang!" Here is the live link: www.brucemcmillan.com.

On the home page, the link to the post is on the list on the left,

 (photo above). Click on Barbara Bush Reads - Image BMWebsite

    Twenty-five years ago, on August 24, 2001, at 1 pm, former First Lady Barbara Bush was the special guest speaker who read the Seashore Trolley Museum-based children's book, Grandfather's Trolley, by award-winning Maine author Bruce McMillan to more than 2,300 family members, public visitor, and volunteers who attended the first of seven annual Summer Reading Celebrations of the Southern Maine Library District (70 Maine Public Libraries) hosted at the Seashore Trolley Museum in Kennebunkport, Maine.

You can tap on the image in the post to enlarge...might be easier to read...

The front cover of the book that former First Lady Barbara Bush

would read during the first Summer Reading Celebration. The

motorman on the cover was a longtime member/volunteer at the

Seashore Trolley Museum, Richard Lane, Jr. He is the grandfather

in the book. This First Edition copy was released in 1995. PWM

The back cover of the book that former First Lady Barbara Bush

would read during the first Summer Reading Celebration. The

granddaughter in the book is Allison "Allie" Fiske.

Richard and Allie :)

Connecticut open trolley No. 838 with "Motorman" Richard Lane, Jr.

on the left with "Conductor" John Mazzei on the right. John was a

longtime staff employee in the restoration shop at Seashore

Trolley Museum. A volunteer too. This First Edition book is signed

by author Bruce McMillan, Richard Lane, Jr., John Mazzei,

Allie Fiske, and Judy Warner. Judy was also a longtime member

at the Seashore Trolley Museum, along with other Warner

family members. Judy was also a staff employee in the

Museum's gift shop. Judy and I attended middle school

(Consolidated School in K'port) and

K'bunk High School together in the Class of 1971. 

    I will be sharing some background on the development of this first Summer Reading Celebration.

    You may have read in the first screenshot of Bruce McMillan's post about the First Summer Reading Celebration in 2001, where he mentions me. "Phil Morse of the Trolley Museum organized the event and was the Master of Ceremonies." Yes, that's me. I became a member of the Trolley Museum in 1991.

    In the summer of 1991, I happened to bring our older son, Sam, who was three years old at the time, to the Trolley Museum. Sam's brother, James, was just a few weeks old. To give Mom (Milda) and James some quiet time together, Sam and I would spend some time together doing various activities: fishing, beach time, hiking, visiting grandparents, etc. On this particular day in 1991, we visited the Trolley Museum. By happenstance, my former school friend, Judy Warner, was working in the gift shop, doing the ticket sales. A very pleasant surprise :)

    Judy encouraged me to become a Museum member, so our family, with our sons, could have birthday party activities with the trolleys, attend special events, etc. A membership was made. Over the first five years, we did attend events and had some birthday activities there. I began volunteering later in the year 1996. I had also been volunteering beginning during September 1995, when Sam was in 2nd grade at Mildred Day School in Arundel. James was in kindergarten beginning in the 1996 school year.

In 1997, I began working on developing community activities with these two organizations in Arundel.

The idea for the First Summer Reading Celebration hosted at the Trolley Museum in August 2001 began in December 2000.

    Late in the summer of 2000, the Trolley Museum Board of Trustees accepted my request and appointed me as the volunteer Director of Community Relations. Later that year, I reached out to the Children's Librarian, Janet Cate, at the Kennebunk Free Library to arrange a meeting to discuss the Trolley Museum's offer to host an event for the Library at the end of summer school in August. I met Janet at the Children's Library on December 5, 2000.

    My idea came from knowing that public libraries would offer families the opportunity for children to participate in summer reading programs. The idea was for the Trolley Museum to host an event where a handful of local public libraries would join together for the summer reading families to celebrate the summer program's success.

    Janet listened to my idea. She then mentioned she was on the Board of the Southern Maine Library District. She loved the idea. Janet asked if the Museum would be open to hosting the celebration event for more of the public libraries in the Southern Maine District. There were 70 libraries in the district. Janet said she would like to present the idea to the members of the Southern District Board. To see whether they would be open to participating and promoting this idea to the district libraries for the year's summer reading program. My response was yes. Janet presented to the SMLD in January. Received a green light. Janet and I met again in January 2001.

    During our January meeting, Janet shared her idea with me. To invite former First Lady Barbara Bush to attend the Summer Reading Celebration. Including a request to read a children's book to the audience. My response was yes, please :) Janet was so great to work with as we shared ideas and made plans.

The initial date mentioned above was changed to Friday, August 24,

    Former President No. 41, George H. W. Bush, and First Lady Barbara Bush had connections with the Trolley Museum. After serving in WW II, George Bush attended Yale University in New Haven, CT. Electric trolleys were still in service during the years the Bushes were in New Haven. They were passengers aboard the CT open cars when attending home football games. The Trolley Museum has historic trolley cars that operated in New Haven. One, No. 838, is the CT open trolley used in the Grandfather's Trolley book. CT open trolley No. 303 was used during the First Summer Reading Celebration; the photo with the members mentioned above.  

    When George H. W. Bush was Vice President, he was one of the guest speakers at the Trolley Museum on October 8, 1983, for the official U.S. Post Office First Day Issue of four stamps featuring trolley cars and horse cars. 

October 8, 1983 - At Seashore Trolley Museum. First-Day Issue

of the set of four trolley stamps. Seashore Trolley Museum

member/volunteer/trustee and President of ARM,

Michael Lennon, is standing next to Mrs. Barbara Bush, who is

standing next to her husband, Vice President George Bush.

U.S. Postmaster General William F. Bolger happened to be

bending over behind the podium when this photo was snapped.

Next, in the red jacket is the Chairman of the NEERHS

Board of Trustees, John G. Smith. Seashore Trolley Museum photo

Click here to view the post on the October 8, 1983 First-Day Issue Celebration at STM

Former President George H. W. Bush with his wife, Barbara, 

visited the Trolley Museum and were aboard one of the CT open cars

during its 45th Anniversary activities when fulfilling a request from

a longtime friend, Roman Arnoldy. Journal Tribune - July 5, 1994

    These personal connections with the Connecticut trolleys by the Bushes and Mrs. Bush's passion for encouraging children's reading led Mrs. Bush to agree to the invitation to participate in the First Summer Reading Celebration in 2001.

Mrs. Bush accepted the invitation

    Once Mrs. Bush confirmed her participation, we felt attendance at the celebration would be significant. With that in mind, knowing the Trolley Museum public parking area would be maxed out, and with Mrs. Bush attending, there would be a need to coordinate local police, State police, York County sheriff, and the Secret Service. And as it turned out, we were so thankful to all of those departments for participating. They all were terrific!

    I'll let the newspaper clippings, articles, and various letters and advertisements share the schedule of activities. 

On July 10th, the Saco & Biddeford Savings notified us that yes,

they would sponsor Rick Charette's participation in the event.

Rick Charette

Library activities involving various books.

Each library contacted me with the number of tickets dispensed.

Each library used the basic ticket seen below to create their

tickets for their families attending the celebration.

Libraries began promoting the First Southern Maine Library District's Summer Reading program.

Journal Tribune - June 1, 2001

Journal Tribune - June 7, 2001

Journal Tribune - June 19, 2001

Journal Tribune - June 26, 2001

Journal Tribune - August 13, 2001

Journal Tribune - August 14, 2001

Portland Press Herald - August 18, 2001

Sun Journal -August 18, 2001

Newspaper page promoting the Summer Reading Celebration. Listing all the activities.

York County Coast Star - August 22, 2001

2001 Summer Reading Celebration Poster

York County Coast Star - August 22, 2001

York County Coast Star - August 22, 2001

(last clip)

Vacation - YCCS - August 23, 2001

Ibid

Ibid

Ibid

Ibid

Ibid

Ibid

(last clip)

Journal Tribune - August 23, 2001

Portland Press Herald - August 24, 2001

Sun Journal - August 24, 2001

Phil Morse on the left and Janet Cate on the right reviewing each

of thirteen copies of the Grandfather's Trolley book that were

signed by Mrs. Bush (My sons joined me when we drove to 

Walkers' Point, where the Bush family's summer homes are, and

picked up the thirteen signed copies of the books), author

Bruce McMillan, and the cast members from the book.

Photo by Donald Curry

Phil Morse with the microphone speaking to the audience attending

the First Summer Reading Celebration. Connecticut open trolley

No. 303 in the center. There would be a photo session with the

cast from the Grandfather's Trolley book, with the author, and

Mrs. Bush, following the reading of the book.

Donald Curry photo

Mrs. Bush, with Janet Cate walking to the stage together. Both are

holding Grandfather's Trolley books. Mrs. Bush would read hers to

the audience. Mrs. Bush, author Bruce McMillan, and the three

cast members in the book each signed thirteen copies of the

book. Those thirteen copies were gifted to various participants.

Donald Curry photo

I was the emcee/MC for the event. L-R - Author, Bruce McMillan,

Shirley Helfrich, Director of the Southern Maine Library District,

former First Lady, Barbara Bush, and Phil Morse, emcee.

Mrs. Bush and I.

Me standing next to Mrs. Bush as she speaks to the audience.

Donald Curry Photo

Shirley Helfrich, Director of the Southern Maine Library District

speaking to the audience. Donald Curry photo

After Bruce McMillan was introduced to the audience, and he was talking to them,

I took three photos while on the stage. I put the three photos side-by-side for this

panorama view of the large audience at the first Summer Reading Celebration.

Mrs. Bush mentions her experience with CT open trolleys.

Screenshot from Bruce McMillan's page.

Mts. Bush is reading to and engaging with the large audience.

Screenshot from Bruce McMillan's page.

If you want to see all the photos of Mrs. Bush reading the

 Grandfather's Trolley book, find them on Bruce McMillan's website.

As soon as it opens, you will hear, "Clang, Clang!" Here is the live

link: www.brucemcmillan.com. On the home page, the link to

the post is on the list on the left; click on Barbara Bush Reads

After the reading, I helped Mrs. Bush step up into CT open

car No. 303 for photos. Donald Curry photo

Bruce McMillan, Barbara Bush, Allie Fiske, Richard Lane, Jr.,

John Mazzei. Donald Curry photo

Photo taken from the other end of CT open car, No. 303,

while the participants were prepping for the photo session.

Todd Glickman photo.

After the photo session was done on the other end of CT No. 303,

Mrs. Bush, Bruce McMillan, and I spent a few moments

together sharing our appreciation with each other for all

the wonderful aspects of the First Summer Reading Celebration.

Todd Glickman photo

    Below is the video recording on YouTube that a friend of Bruce McMillan recorded for Bruce. I think Kathy Mallat recorded the 23-minute reading session. Thank you, Bruce, for sharing this with me. I've never released the video to the public to view until today. If you choose to view it, you will see a moment when I first set up the microphone for Mrs. Bush to begin reading the book. I needed to make an adjustment :) Mrs. Bush does such a wonderful, fun reading of the book! Enjoy :)

Appreciation letter I sent to Mrs. Bush

Union Leader (Manchester, NH) - August 25, 2001

Journal Tribune - August 25, 2001

Ibid

Ibid

(last clip)

41 libraries had children from their summer reading program attend

the celebration. A total of 779 children from the summer reading

program attended. In addition, siblings, parents, grandparents, and

family friends also attended.

Kennebec Journal - Augusta 25, 2001

Rick Charette appreciation letter to me - August 31, 2001

Portland Press Herald - September 2, 2001

Kennebunk Free Library newsletter - September  2001

Journal Tribune - September 8, 2001

Sun Journal - September 8, 2001

Journal Tribune - September 13, 2001

Journal Tribune - September 28, 2001

Front cover of the Trolley Museum's quarterly newsletter

The Dispatch. Donald Curry photo taken during the photo

session aboard CT open trolley No. 303. There are several

clippings below from the newsletter.

Below is a portion of the report I released in the newsletter...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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Independent book publisher Phil Morse, holding the

Gold Book Award Winner plaque for the Middle Reader

category for the Eric Hoffer Book Award. Congratulations to

award-winning Maine author Jean M. Flahive 😊