Edmund S. Muskie Oral History Collection

Authors

Mike Richard

Document Type

Oral History

Publication Date

7-8-1999

Interview Number

MOH 116

Abstract

Jerry Plante was born on January 8, 1945 in Waterville, Maine. He was a schoolteacher until he became a Clerk of the Maine House of Representatives. He was class president, captain of the football team, president of the debating club, and governor of Boys’ State (and through this represented Maine and met President Eisenhower at the age of 18) in high school. He met Muskie in 1954 and was a member of the Maine House of Representatives from 1957-1965, met his wife in high school (married 1961), and had four children (Scott, Andrea, Lisa, and Dean). Jerry graduated from the University of Maine at Orono in 1965, and taught at Biddeford High School. He worked as an aide to Peter N. Kyros, Sr. for eight years from 1968-1975. He became town manager of Old Orchard Beach in 1975 and served in that capacity for 15 years. In 1990, he became an insurance agent with Met Life. He is president of the local chapter of the AARP in Saco, Maine, and chairman of Saco Bay Planning Commission.

Scope and Content Note

Interview includes discussions of: political, cultural, and economic dynamics of Old Orchard Beach, Maine; Office of Price Stabilization (OPS); first encounter with and impressions of Muskie; 1960 presidential election; Public Utilities Commission (PUC); Archives bill; Hildreth- Clauson debate; being a congressional aide to Peter N. Kyros, Sr.; Anderson bill; value of political contacts; AARP; and the Saco Bay Planning Commission.

Use Restrictions

Copyright Bates College. This transcript is provided for individual Research Purposes Only; for all other uses, including publication, reproduction and quotation beyond fair use, permission must be obtained in writing from: The Edmund S. Muskie Archives and Special Collections Library, Bates College, 70 Campus Avenue, Lewiston, Maine 04240-6018.

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