A Ricker homecoming for former Ricker Classical and Ricker College alumni is planned for Friday, Sept. 29, to Sunday, Oct. 1.
The Ricker committee will host a social at the Shiretown Inn Friday evening, with many activities throughout the day on Saturday. That evening guests will enjoy a catered meal by the crew of Shiretown and a brunch the following morning. All alumni and former staff are welcome to attend the events.
Back in the 1960s and ’70s, Houlton was a bustling business center for the farming community, including the Bangor and Aroostook Railroad, Houlton International, Ward Log Homes and other local businesses. Every downtown storefront was
filled, and those businesses and the students at Ricker added to the town’s prosperity.
It also had a new cafeteria and coffee shop. The majority of the students were “from away,” a phrase used by many. Those students coming from faraway places grew to love Houlton and the area. Many came from large cities where they were just a number in large high schools. At Ricker, everyone came to know everyone else on campus, even the townies.
Through the years there have been several reunions held in Houlton and other places, but no destination compares to Houlton. Since those last graduates are entering their seventh decade, it is not as easy as it was years ago to make the long trek to Houlton from those faraway places, but at this writing we are looking at nearly 100 participants with a little more time to sign up.
The cost of the three-day event is $80 per person. The fee includes the Friday night social, dinner Saturday evening and brunch on Sunday.
During the day Saturday, the attendees canl enjoy the Farmer’s Market in the Square, visit local shops, tour the former East Hall, now the home of the Wesleyan Church pastor and associates and the Wesleyan Church which was the cafeteria, coffee shop and bookstore.
The Ricker Room will be open at the Aroostook Historical Museum on Main Street, as will the Southern Aroostook Agricultural Museum that showcases a lot of Ricker memorabilia. Ricker will rock when Tim Humphrey and his band perform in the Amphitheater from 2:30 to 4 p.m.
There will also be a bus tour of Houlton, the Maliseet area, the former Littleton covered bridge and the Southern Aroostook Agricultural Museum in Littleton. The riders will view the Littleton Ridge on their ride back to town.
It’s been 57 years since the last class of Ricker Classical Institute students graduated in 1966 and 45 years since the last class of Ricker College students graduated in 1978.
The campus was part of the Military Street block of Kelleran, High and Heywood streets. The campus consisted of several private homes, three dormitories, an office building, the Putnam gymnasium, the classroom building, Wording Hall, a new Ricker Library and an older library called Hayes Library.
The school began in 1848 as Houlton Academy, a private high school for students throughout Aroostook County and beyond. It later added a junior college and then a four-year college. It closed in 1978 and filed for bankruptcy. A lot has changed since then.
Even though Ricker is no longer a center for higher education it is still providing monetary assistance for students. When it closed, the Maine Supreme Court decided that certain funds bequeathed to the school at the time of the demise should be put in the hands of the Ricker College Board of Trustees. The fund at the time held $316,000.
In 1984 the funds had grown to $652,000. The board, formerly led by David Cotton, is now led by Gary Bossie. They meet twice a year and a committee selects recipients for the scholarships. The endowment is managed by Tom Pierce of H.M. Payson in Portland. It has continued to grow through the years as Ricker-related families and others with an interest in Ricker have continued to contribute. The endowment is now valued at $5 million.
A minimum amount of the earnings must be spent on expenses and scholarships. The first allotment for scholarships was $40,000 back in 1985. This year, $259,000 worth of scholarships were presented to students throughout Aroostook and Washington counties. The scholarships are $2,000 per year and are renewable each year, if the student remains in good standing academically.
More than 1,500 students have received more than $5 million in funds.
Those interested in attending the Ricker homecoming can email Karen Donato at: abcmaine@hotmail.com for a registration form, or pick one up at the County Co-op on Main Street in Houlton. The deadline is Sept. 10.
