Captain+George+W.+Lane

This picture is taken from the Lane family scrapbook; Captain W. Lane is pictured on his summer island.

Story: Captain George W. Lane lived on an island off the coast of Massachusetts. One day he was rowing along the coast of Maine and happened to stop by Malaga Island. He realized the terrible living conditions and lack of education the "Malagaites" had. He really wanted to help the residents, so in order to help them he decided to promise the "Malagaites" that he would raise money to build a school, hire a teacher for the island, and also help get them some clothes. The clothes that they wore (mostly children) were tattered and in terrible condition. Meanwhile, "the king", James McKinney, let the school be held in his house while the new school house was being built. In James McKinney's house, the teacher was Captain George W. Lane's daughter, who rowed around two islands every morning to teach children. After a little while, Captain George W. Lane kept his promise to the island- raising enough money to build a school and hiring a permanent teacher. He also was fortunate enough to find the islands some new clothes. The following two months, after the school was built, Frederick Plaisted, who was the newly elected democratic governor of Maine and he evicted 45 people off of the island on June 6th, 1912.

It was interesting to learn how two totally different people approached this small island. One person (Captain George W. Lane) wanted to help the island to success. He helped the island by raising money for them to help build a school, provide a teacher, and give the children on the island an education. The other person, considered the island an "eyesore" and like the tourism coming to Maine, so evicted the island, to help tourism in Maine.

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