Maine Central Institute
Encyclopedia
The Maine Central Institute (MCI), is an independent high school, founded in 1866, located in Pittsfield, Maine, in the United States
. The school enrolls approximately 500 students. MCI is a nonsectarian
institution. The school has both boarding students and day students.
The Maine Central Institute was founded in 1866 by Rev. Oren B. Cheney
, an abolitionist who founded Bates College
in nearby Lewiston, Maine
. The Maine State Seminary, originally part of Bates, served as a college preparatory school, until it was dissolved in the late 1860s, and MCI (along with the Nichols Latin School in Lewiston) largely took the Seminary's place as a feeder school for Bates. The school was at its inception affiliated with the Free Will Baptists, but is officially non-sectarian today.
The first building, the Institute Building (Founders Hall), was completed in 1869 and served as the primary campus building until 1958. The campus has expanded greatly over the past 140 years, and became officially coeducational in 1903 with the purchase of a boarding house from Benjamin Bowden and the construction of a second floor making it Ceder Croft Hall, which in 1927 burned down during a Christmas break. Immediately after, a fundraising campaign initiated by MCI alumni began with the intention to rebuild a residence hall. The dorm was completed in October 1928 and named Alumni Hall after the generous efforts from alumni. Due to World War I
increasing enrollment in 1911 it became necessary to erect a female dormitory. The building today called Weymouth Hall houses the offices of Athletics and Activities, the Dean of Students and the Dean of Residential Life, as well as the television studio (WMCI), the Health and Wellness Center, the Campus Bookstore, the Student Union, and classrooms for MCI's prestigious ESL (English as a Second Language) program.
Two athletic buildings have been built—Parks Gymnasium (still standing) which was finished in 1936 due to the MCI students' increased interest in athletics and in 1988 the construction of Wright Gymnasium which houses many of MCI's trophies and recognitions and a state of the art weight room and basketball court. The John W. Manson house was donated in 1944; since that date it has been residence of the head of school.
In 1950 the William H. Powell Memorial Library was constructed with the donations of Ella Powell in the name of her late husband, Judge William H. Powell. Today the Powell library has over 8,000 nonfiction books, academic subscriptions, and a seminar room dedicated to the original donor of the library Ella Powell. Shortly after the construction of the Powell Library the Cianchette Science building was erected in name of Joseph R. Cianchette a main financial contributor. In the 1960s two dormitories were built to supplement the increase in postgraduate students and their need for housing. Those buildings are currently named Rowe Hall(constructed in 1961) and Manson Hall (constructed in 1966). Today there are a total of three main residence halls, two male and one female. Rowe Hall and Manson Hall (both male) and under the supervision of Elbe Barker and Kirsten Pomeroy (respectively) and Alumni Hall (female) and under the supervision of Lisa Rasmussen. In 2000 work on the newest building—the Chuck and Helen Cianchette Math and Science Center—was finished. This building houses state of the art science labs and classrooms as well as the Headmaster's Office.
The Institute has a nationally recognized athletic program and has produced many prominent NBA players. The team's best season was 1998, when they were undefeated (37 wins) and finished #1 in the USA Today polls. The team was led by McDonald's All-American Erick Barkley
and future New England Prep player of the year Chris Foxworth.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The school enrolls approximately 500 students. MCI is a nonsectarian
Nonsectarian
Nonsectarian, in its most literal sense, refers to a lack of sectarianism. The term is also more narrowly used to describe secular private educational institutions or other organizations either not affiliated with or not restricted to a particular religious denomination though the organization...
institution. The school has both boarding students and day students.
History
Oren B. Cheney
Oren Burbank Cheney was the founder of Bates College, an abolitionist, and a Free Will Baptist clergyman.-Early life:...
, an abolitionist who founded Bates College
Bates College
Bates College is a highly selective, private liberal arts college located in Lewiston, Maine, in the United States. and was most recently ranked 21st in the nation in the 2011 US News Best Liberal Arts Colleges rankings. The college was founded in 1855 by abolitionists...
in nearby Lewiston, Maine
Lewiston, Maine
Lewiston is a city in Androscoggin County in Maine, and the second-largest city in the state. The population was 41,592 at the 2010 census. It is one of two principal cities of and included within the Lewiston-Auburn, Maine metropolitan New England city and town area and the Lewiston-Auburn, Maine...
. The Maine State Seminary, originally part of Bates, served as a college preparatory school, until it was dissolved in the late 1860s, and MCI (along with the Nichols Latin School in Lewiston) largely took the Seminary's place as a feeder school for Bates. The school was at its inception affiliated with the Free Will Baptists, but is officially non-sectarian today.
The first building, the Institute Building (Founders Hall), was completed in 1869 and served as the primary campus building until 1958. The campus has expanded greatly over the past 140 years, and became officially coeducational in 1903 with the purchase of a boarding house from Benjamin Bowden and the construction of a second floor making it Ceder Croft Hall, which in 1927 burned down during a Christmas break. Immediately after, a fundraising campaign initiated by MCI alumni began with the intention to rebuild a residence hall. The dorm was completed in October 1928 and named Alumni Hall after the generous efforts from alumni. Due to World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
increasing enrollment in 1911 it became necessary to erect a female dormitory. The building today called Weymouth Hall houses the offices of Athletics and Activities, the Dean of Students and the Dean of Residential Life, as well as the television studio (WMCI), the Health and Wellness Center, the Campus Bookstore, the Student Union, and classrooms for MCI's prestigious ESL (English as a Second Language) program.
Two athletic buildings have been built—Parks Gymnasium (still standing) which was finished in 1936 due to the MCI students' increased interest in athletics and in 1988 the construction of Wright Gymnasium which houses many of MCI's trophies and recognitions and a state of the art weight room and basketball court. The John W. Manson house was donated in 1944; since that date it has been residence of the head of school.
In 1950 the William H. Powell Memorial Library was constructed with the donations of Ella Powell in the name of her late husband, Judge William H. Powell. Today the Powell library has over 8,000 nonfiction books, academic subscriptions, and a seminar room dedicated to the original donor of the library Ella Powell. Shortly after the construction of the Powell Library the Cianchette Science building was erected in name of Joseph R. Cianchette a main financial contributor. In the 1960s two dormitories were built to supplement the increase in postgraduate students and their need for housing. Those buildings are currently named Rowe Hall(constructed in 1961) and Manson Hall (constructed in 1966). Today there are a total of three main residence halls, two male and one female. Rowe Hall and Manson Hall (both male) and under the supervision of Elbe Barker and Kirsten Pomeroy (respectively) and Alumni Hall (female) and under the supervision of Lisa Rasmussen. In 2000 work on the newest building—the Chuck and Helen Cianchette Math and Science Center—was finished. This building houses state of the art science labs and classrooms as well as the Headmaster's Office.
The Institute has a nationally recognized athletic program and has produced many prominent NBA players. The team's best season was 1998, when they were undefeated (37 wins) and finished #1 in the USA Today polls. The team was led by McDonald's All-American Erick Barkley
Erick Barkley
Erick Barkley is an American professional basketball player. He was selected by the Portland Trail Blazers in the 1st round of the 2000 NBA Draft. He played high school basketball at Christ The King Regional High School and the Maine Central Institute and college basketball at St. John's...
and future New England Prep player of the year Chris Foxworth.
MCI traditions
One of the longest running traditions at MCI is the Manson Essay contest which dates back to 1871. This competition which has happened annually for more than 135 years has evolved into a competition between the entire junior class in which they need to complete a university level research paper and then make a speech on it. Only a select few are given the title of "Manson Essay Finalists" and then have to perform their speeches in front of the community at the Annual Manson Essay Contest. Only one will achieve the coveted title of "Manson Essayist".Notable alumni
- Caron ButlerCaron ButlerJames Caron Butler, widely known as Caron Butler , is an American professional basketball player who most recently played at small forward for the NBA's Dallas Mavericks.-Early life:...
, professional basketball player - Sam CassellSam CassellSamuel James "Sam" Cassell , is a retired American professional basketball player who is an assistant coach for the Washington Wizards. The , point guard was selected out of Florida State University by the Houston Rockets with the 24th overall pick in the 1993 NBA Draft...
, retired professional basketball player - DerMarr JohnsonDerMarr JohnsonDerMarr Miles Johnson is an American basketball player.Johnson was a consensus McDonald's, Parade Magazine and USA Today high school All-American as well as Parade's National High School Player of the Year as a senior in 1999...
, professional basketball player - Brad Miller, professional basketball player
- Orrin Larrabee MillerOrrin Larrabee MillerOrrin Larrabee Miller was a U.S. Representative from Kansas.Miller was born in Newburgh, Maine, January 11, 1856 and attended the common schools and was graduated from the Maine Central Institute at Pittsfield, Maine. He studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1880 and commenced practice in...
, U.S. Congressman from Kansas - Cuttino MobleyCuttino MobleyCuttino Rashawn Mobley is a former American professional basketball shooting guard who played from 1998 to 2008 in the National Basketball Association .-Biography:...
, professional basketball player - Mamadou N'diayeMamadou N'diayeMamadou N'Diaye is a Senegalese professional basketball player. After a college career at Auburn University, in the United States, N'Diaye was drafted by the Denver Nuggets in the first round of the 2000 NBA Draft. He played for the Toronto Raptors, Dallas Mavericks, Atlanta Hawks, Los Angeles...
, professional basketball player - Bob PickettBob Pickett (American football)-External links:*...
, lauded college football head coach
See also
- Bates CollegeBates CollegeBates College is a highly selective, private liberal arts college located in Lewiston, Maine, in the United States. and was most recently ranked 21st in the nation in the 2011 US News Best Liberal Arts Colleges rankings. The college was founded in 1855 by abolitionists...
- Pittsfield, Maine
- Lapham InstituteLapham InstituteThe Smithville Seminary was a Freewill Baptist institution established in 1839 on what is now Institute Lane in Smithville-North Scituate, Rhode Island. Renamed the Lapham Institute in 1863, it closed in 1876. The site was then used as the campus of the Pentecostal Collegiate Institute and later...
- Parsonsfield SeminaryParsonsfield SeminaryParsonsfield Seminary, which operated from 1832-1949, was a well-known Free Will Baptist school in North Parsonsfield, Maine, in the United States. Also known as the North Parsonsfield Seminary, its preserved campus of four buildings is located on State Route 160.-History:In 1832 Rev. John Buzzell...
- Storer CollegeStorer CollegeStorer College was a historically black college located in Harpers Ferry in Jefferson County, West Virginia. It operated from 1865 until 1955.-Storer School:...