Farmington’s Julia Harris May A polished poet

In 1856, Julia May graduated from Mount Holyoke Female Seminary (now, Mount Holyoke College in Massachusetts) and moved South, where she established a private school. During the U.S. Civil War, her mother (Delia) and older sister (Sarah) arrived, after which they thrived there in Southern society. However, due to the climate, it adversely affected her health, forcing the family to return to Maine. Upon their arrival, the sisters immediately opened a private school in Farmington, which became an instant success. Meanwhile, Julia was the poet of the household, who eventually had many poems published in leading religious and literary journals. In fact, many critics wrote that she had created some of the most polished and touching poems ever written.

Julia Harris May was born in Strong on April 27, 1833. She was one of five children of Rev. William and Delia Marie May. However, when she was four years old, her father died, and soon after, her two siblings also passed away. This left her mother to care for Julia and her sister Sarah. When she was 14 years of age, Julia started teaching school, as she continued her education in the public schools of Farmington. She eventually entered Mount Holyoke Female Seminary and graduated with distinction.

After the passing of her father and two siblings, she remained extremely close to her mother and sister. As stated earlier, after moving South, they returned to Maine due to Julia’s health issues. According to her biographical (cont. on page 42)

(cont. from page 41) article (1894) by Charles

Wells

Moulton, “Although the Southern climate began to affect her unfavorably, like all true daughters of Maine, she missed the strong air of the wintry coast and the balsam of the pines…After a brief rest and recuperation, the two sisters opened the May School in Farmington in 1882.” The school thrived, after which the community urged them to move the school to Strong. There, the community members built a new schoolhouse on their own family property.”

Meanwhile, Julia dabbled in poetry and produced works such as the following:

I heard a voice at evening softly say: Bear not thy yesterday into to-morrow, Nor load this week with last week’s load of sorrow;

Lift all thy burdens as they come, nor tryTo weight the present with the by and by One step, and then another, take thy way — Live day by day.

Live day by day.

After her poems were noticed and published in some literary journals, Julia was praised by both critics and readers. Meanwhile, the two sisters continued to work closely together at the school, teaching by day and writing by night. However, Sarah sudden- ly died on December 30, 1888, which greatly affected Julia. As stated by Moulton, “The loss of her sister Sarah left Julia almost heart broken. The bond between them had been of rare strength and tenderness.”

Following her sister’s death, Julia attempted to continue teaching at the school, but it proved to be too emotional for her. She subsequently moved to Auburn, where she remained active in the community. For several years, she taught art and literature, and was involved in the Women’s Literary Union, the Wednesday Morning Club, and the local Congregational Church. As time passed, she continued to write poetry. In fact, some of her most touching poems were written during this period, perhaps emotionally fueled by the loss of her mother and sister. For instance, she wrote the following:

If we could know

Which of us, darling, would be first to go,

Which would be first to breast the swelling tide,

And step alone upon the other side, — If we could know!

If it were you,

Should I walk softly, keeping death in view?

Should I my love to you most oft express?Or, should I grieve you, darling, any less — If it were you?

In her remaining years, she remained active, but kept to herself. She published several volumes of poems, including Songs from the Woods of Maine (1894), Looking for the Stars and Other Poems (1903), and Pictures

Framed in Song (1907). She also returned to Mount Holyoke Female Seminary and received her Master of Arts degree in 1906.

On May 6, 1912, Julia died at her home in Auburn, following a brief illness. She was 89 years of age. Considering her life and her close relationship with her sister, the majority of her late poems were highly emotional, including the following: If she were here She would not mind the changes; If a tear

Should fill my eye I know that she would see, And give sweet consolation unto me; Yet, in her heart, some things would little heed, Knowing how much their discipline I need.

And so, I think, though Heaven be not far,

And friends can see us even as we are, They may be glad, like loving motherhood, Because they know how all things work for good.