The North Wayne Schoolhouse Preservation Project has been awarded a $2,000 matching grant to help restore its historic “Ben Hur” stage curtain on the second floor of the building. The grant was provided by the Maine State Museum with funds from the State of Maine’s New Century Community Program.
The vivid scene of a Roman charioteer and horses was painted in oils on canvas by local artists Lura Wells and Ellsworth Crosby in the early 1900s. It graced the stage for more than half a century, and many former students remember the strong impression the striking curtain made on them.
Joseph R. Phillips, Museum Director, said, “These grants support community efforts to preserve and share the stories of our people, our towns, our families, and how we lived our lives. Without these objects and buildings, important pieces of our Maine Heritage would be lost.”
The restoration of the curtain, which had been stored by the artist’s niece in a local barn after the school closed in 1961, will be completed by professionals with local help from volunteers in May. More than 100 stage curtains have been restored in the state of Vermont through a state grant program, said Steering Committee chair Linda McKee of Wayne.” We’re just beginning to uncover these gorgeous old relics in our own state,” she said. “We hope to share our experience with other communities who may have similar curtains.”
For more information about the Historical Facilities Grant Program, interested persons may call the Cultural Resources Information Center at 287-7591 or e-mail maine.cric@maine.gov.
