Sparkle Schoolhouse

FIFTY Study Page: Maine “From the Ashes”

Hannah Thorlo’s home town of Portland, Maine burned to the ground twice in her lifetime. The first time occurred when she was one month old and the British Navy burned the town as punishment for their participation in the Revolutionary War. The second time happened 91 years later, during a celebration of the first Independence Day after the Civil War. Both times, Hannah was carried out of her house to safety. And both times her home town built itself back up — out of the ashes.

MAINE HISTORY - History of Falmouth and Portland, Maine from 1775 to 1866 - History of fire prevention in the Colonies and USA

MAINE GEOGRAPHY - Map of Falmouth and how the “neck” became Portland - Map of east coast shipping trade routes and railroads - Map of downtown Portland and the progress of the Great Fire

Study Topics for “From the Ashes” - How Hannah handles grief and loss - A study of resilience in early America - An appreciation for how difficult life was in the early days of the country

Topics for Reflection

From a Child Development Perspective:

In this story, your child might learn that:

• The world is filled with heroes (Part 1). One definition of a hero is someone who performs truly selfless acts for the benefit of others. Hannah's father, Josiah, was one such person. In the Portland fire of 1775, "...once he knew his family was safe, he went back into the fire to look for more survivors — and he never returned."

• We don’t run out of love. Love is one of those things that we do not run out of. The more we give, the more we have to give. Hannah was confused that her mother could love both her father and the man she remarried, Will Burgess. Her mother explained that she had love enough to go around and she was not choosing one man over the other. And later when Hannah's brother died, she grieved sorely, but then years later, her great-grandchild, Samuel, came into her life reminding her of Duncan with cool strong eyes and a serious look. Through Samuel, she found her way not only back to the special place only Duncan could fill in her heart, but also to a deep and lasting love with Samuel. And it was her special connection to Samuel that truly helped her through the ups and downs of normal New England life.

• When we lose someone, we grieve. It is natural, healthy, and human to do so. But even in the midst of sadness, we might also discover a deep knowing that we can honor what we have lost by living life fully. This is what Hannah did to honor the life Josiah, her father, had lived.

• The world is filled with heroes (Part 2). Another definition of a hero is someone who has the capacity for remarkable resilience and astonishing strength even when faced with tremendous hardship. It's difficult to know whether this resilience comes from inner courage or from the love of those around us (more likely a combination of the two). In putting one foot in front of the other and carrying on in the face of tragedy, Hannah became a hero.

• When faced with enduring, exhaustive challenges, look for the moments when you can pause and catch your breath. Even someone running a marathon needs to have refreshment throughout the race. Although Hannah had to face and overcome many adversities, she was also very aware of the grace that was bestowed upon her in her life. There were, indeed, times of prosperity in Portland — she married, she had a family she loved, and of course, she lived a full and rich life.

• Struggle can build endurance. When we go through hard times we build a muscle that gives us the confidence and assurance that we can face our challenges with strong hands, a cool head, and a steady heart. When Hannah's husband and her son lost their jobs, Hannah's reply was, "Our town has been through worse, and it will rise from the ashes again." And it did.

• People gain wisdom through grief. Listen to people who have lived through challenging experiences. They often have the wisdom to help us in darker times of our own. Hannah had lived through so many challenges that when Samuel lost his favorite Uncle Nathan and when Portland burned yet a second time, she was able to offer Samuel the very wisdom that she had received from her own mother: “We will rise from the ashes, Samuel. We will mourn and grieve and then live life to its fullest."

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