"BURNT INTO MEMORY: HOW BROWNFIELD FACED THE FIRE"

Some Mainers still remember-in fact, cannot forget-October of 1947, when after a season of terrible drought, wildfires burned all over the state. Brownfield was one of the worst-hit areas: 80% of the town, including all churhes, schools, post offices, and other public buildings, was completely destroyed in the space of a few hours.In the face of the fire, Brownfield residents responded with courage and care-and even obstinacy in a few cases like that of retired schoolteacher Mable Stone. "She had her little dog Woofie with her, and she had a plan: she was going to stay at her house and fight the fire with a broom, a bucket of water, and a snow rake..."Facing the devastatation after the fire, neighbors ingeniously made do, shatred what they had, and rebuilt what they could. Lovell storyteller Jo Radner spent a year interviewing people who experienced the Brownfield Fire-residents who did and did not lose their homes, as well as others who aided in the rescue and rebuilding effect. From those interviews and from letters and historical photographs and newspaper reports, Radner has created a poweful story of terror, courage, neighborly responsibility, recovery, and- yes-even humor. Storyteller and author Michael Parent has called :Burnt into Memory" "a tremendous story for our time, a story of hope and connectedness between humans at a time when hoplesness and disconnectedness are the rampand order of the day." Radner will be telling "Burnt into Memory" at  A.B. Ricker Memorial Library on Wednesday, April 27, at 2:00 P.M. Please sign up space is limited. 998-4390