Calais man’s wish turns into funds for track and field Scholarship to UMaine grows

CALAIS – A student who can sprint may get a leg up from a former Calais man who loved track and field.

In 1922, Clarence Beckett was team manager of the University of Maine track team. Beckett, who died just short of his 100th birthday in July 2001, left an estate estimated to be worth more than $1 million.

He left $300,000 to the Calais High School. His will established a scholarship fund and a travel and equipment fund and set aside money for a coach for the city’s high school cross-country program and, eventually, its track and field program.

Beckett’s scholarship fund means that a Calais High cross-country runner could be heading to the University of Maine.

Calais resident Gail Wahl and Cheryl Ramsey were appointed trustees of the fund. The trustees are responsible for ensuring that Beckett’s wishes are followed.

Ramsey said the terms of his will dictate that the principal remains intact, and that the interest be used for the various projects.

Since March, she said, the fund has earned slightly more than $4,000, and by May of next year she expects the income to reach $9,000.

“He was very specific about what he wanted done with that money. He wanted 15 percent for the scholarship, 10 percent for equipment and travel and 75 percent for a coach for the track and field and cross-country program,” Ramsey said.

Ramsey estimated that $1,300 would be available for this year’s graduates. “This is to go to a participant who has been in the track and field or cross-country [field] who has been admitted to and will be attending the University of Maine” in Orono, she said. If no one is eligible for this year’s scholarship, the money will be rolled over until next year.

She said about $900 would be available for equipment and travel, and another $6,600 would be available to pay for a coach or coaches.

Calais High School Principal Jim Underwood said the $6,600 would be used as a stipend. “We don’t have field and track, we have cross country,” he said “We would [hope] to use that money towards starting field and track.

“If we can start a new program, there is always another student that this is a hook into school. It helps motivate students, and it’s people like Clarence Beckett who [make] this possible,” Underwood said.

Ramsey then presented Underwood with an aging picture of a smartly dressed Beckett standing with the University of Maine track team. School officials said they planned to hang the picture in the high school.

“I am very excited about this donation to the school,” Superintendent May Bouchard said. “It is going to allow us to start the field and track program and to supplement the cross-country program we have now, and I think the scholarship aspect of this is really fantastic for our students.”

Beckett also left $10,000 to the city for the maintenance of the public swimming pool, $10,000 to the Second Baptist Church, $10,000 to the Calais Congregational Church, $1,000 to the Calais Fire Department and $1,000 to the St. Croix Lodge 46 Masonic Lodge.