The American n To. 30 1983 Ellsworth American Inc. Section I One Year $12.00 ELLSWORTH, MAINE 04605 Entered as 2nd Class Mail Thursday, July 28, 1983 36 Pages 35 Cents Heart of Its Campus Gone, COA Upbeat Despite Loss By Rebecca Buyers who provided crowd and traffic con- laboratory. He was taken to MDI under control only after most of the Bar Harbor's resilient College of trol during the fire and protected the Hospital and sent on immediately to books were burned. the Atlantic was down but not out damaged building from trespassers Bangor facilities for treatment. The Natural History Museum, after a fierce early morning fire overnight. Chief Higgins said the located in the college's auditorium leveled Kaelber Hall on Monday. police did a "superior job." Some equipment was lost to the adjacent to the library, suffered The blaze destroyed most of the The firefighters, working with an fire. According to fireman Samuel college's 17,000-volume library as 8-inch main and two pumps, had to Mitchell, 300 feet of hose inside the minor smoke and water damage. Most of the exhibits were removed well as offices, classrooms, kitchen contend with a considerable drop in building was burned when from the building prior to the and dining facilities, the darkroom, water pressure in the early stages of firefighters had to flee suddenly damage, however. No decision has computer room and lobby of the the battle, but because the Bar Har- because of flames. In addition, been made as to when or if the 102-year-old structure. Quick action bor Water Company switched on ex- salvage tarps used to cover books to museum will be reopened this on the part of police and fire depart- tra water mains, the pressure never protect them from water damage summer. ments, however, saved the library of- dropped below 96 pounds, despite a were lost when flames finally con- Museum exhibits and valuable fices, Natural History Museum, and five million gallon per minute flow sumed the library. equipment from a laboratory in the adjacent science laboratories. during the peak of the fire. COA's library was dedicated in building were salvaged due to the ef- Formerly a summer cottage and Only one injury was reported. Bar one-time site of an Oblate Seminary, honor of Mr. and Mrs. R. Amory forts of students and concerned Harbor fireman Joel Linscott the building was named after foun- Thorndike, benefactors of the col- onlookers who formed lines to pass severed a tendon in his hand on lege, on July 8 this year. There was the items to safety. Microscopes, ding president Edward Kaelber in broken window glass while he was hope for a while that the library could skeletons, and bottled gasses were June 1982. It provided headquarters helping to remove contents of the for the new college, started by a com- be spared, but the fire was brought Continued on Page 5 mittee organized by Father James Gower and Leslie Brewer in 1972. Despite the magnitude of the loss, President Judith Swazey and trustees of the 11-year-old college voted "unanimously and en- thusiastically" Monday afternoon to open college on schedule in September. They also decided to con- tinue summer programs already in progress in the Turrets and to create a Phoenix Fund for rebuilding. The phoenix was a mythical bird that was consumed by fire and rose in youthful freshness from its own ashes. Bar Harbor lobsterman Dennis Kelley first spotted the fire from the town pier and called in the alarm at 4:41 a.m. Monday. According to Bar Harbor Fire Chief Butch Higgins, 60 firemen, five fire trucks and a 65-foot aerial were necessary to battle the flames, whose cause is still undeter- mined. Bar Harbor received assistance from the Mount Desert, Ellsworth, and Acadia National Park fire departments. The "all out" signal was called at 9:17 but the fire COA Needs Books, Pots, Pans, Cash By Rebecca Buyers College of the Atlantic's Kaelber Hall destroyed by fire on Monday, was insured by Fred C. Lyman and Co. of Bar Harbor for $400,000 to $500,000 according to COA business manager Ann Peach. A "Phoenix Fund'' was started by the college's board of trustees even while Kaelber Hall still smoldered. The fund will help to raise the balance of the money needed to rebuild the damaged facilities. Marion Kane, COA public relations director, said it was estimated that replacement of the building's square footage would cost $1 million. Gifts are already coming in, said President Judith Swazey at a college- wide meeting Wednesday morning. Contributions to the Phoenix Fund can be made payable to College of the Atlantic and are tax deductible. Even more important than the con- tribution of money, Swazey said at the meeting, is the contribution of books to restore the Thorndike Library collection. Those who would like to donate books should send them Marion Kane (back to camera), public relations director to: COA Thorndike Library, Bar Har- COA, is comforted during the fire by former student Jonathan bor 04609. The town of Bar Harbor Gormley and his wife of Bar Harbor. PHOTO BY REID D. ALB has donated space to the library in the Industrial Arts building of the Emerson School on the corner of Eden and Mount Desert Streets. Inside Library books are especially need- Page Section ed in the following subject areas: Arts 3,4,5,6 II Letters 2 II geology, plant taxonomy, forestry, Classified 8,9,10 II Obituaries 2 I economics, public policy, fishes and Court listings 11 III Realty 4,5 III fisheries, zoology, physiology, ar- Editorials 1 II Sports 8,9 I chitecture, education, literature, Entertainment 3,4,5,6,7 II Waterfront 6,7 I psychology, history, and writing. Features 1 III Weather 2 I Courses are scheduled to be taught in these areas in the fall. Also needed by the college are large pots and pans, cooking and ser- Kaelber Hall before the fire-Page 1, Sect. III. ving utensils, book cases, office 14 COA trustees meet in emergency, vow to rebuild-Page 5, this equipment and supplies, tables and section. chairs. For more information, con- tact Public Relations Director Kane Other pictures and stories, Page 5. or President Swazey.