Norwich School District No. 14

School District No. 14, Norwich, Chenango County, New York

Mrs. G.W. McNitt

Chenango Union, September 7, 1893

In writing the history of our School District, we labor under difficulties; especially, is this true of the earlier times. They evidently did  not think it necessary to keep a record, or perhaps they have been lost.  Consequently we have nothing to guide us but the memories of the older people, and but very few remain who can remember as far back as the "Old Log School house," or can tell us very much concerning the early settlers of the district.  

Among the earliest pioneers I find the names of David Newton, Mr. Fuller, Philetus Maine, Judge Rathburne, Abner Spencer, William Arnold, Sylvanus Parker, Zepheniah Holcomb, Andrew Webb, Charles Randall, Ezekiel Shippey, James Merithew, Mr. Everett, Bliss and King; and coming down to a later date, those of which some of you are more familiar--Peleg Arnold, Stephen Keyes, Robert Holcomb, Martin and Charles Webb, Arthur Davis, Nathan Parker, Philip Phetteplace, Mr. Harrington, Samuel and Oliver Jennison.  And while we mention the men, let us not forget the women who helped to make up the homes of that day--women of which any generation might feel proud, and whose very names are sacred:  Aunt Polly Parker, Aunt Elsie and Armenia Arnold, Maria Holcomb, Aunt Ruth Webb, Mrs. Stephen Keyes, Aunt Leafy and Mary Jennison.  Kindest hearts and brains of worth long shall live in story. 

The first school house we have any knowledge of in the district was a log one which stood at the foot of the hill on the right hand side of the road, between the farms then owned by William Arnold and Sylvanus Parker, now owned by Esek Phetteplace and Jonas Parker [in 1893].  I have learned the names of but two teachers who taught there; Mehitable Holcomb and William Arnold. The next school house was a frame building which stood on the same site this now occupies, having been built about the year 1820, or previous. We find the names of some of those early teachers in the following list:  Asa Sherwood, Amasa Ballou, Euphemia Griswold, John W. Longyear, George M. Smith, Daniel Arnold, John A. Randall, L.G. Pierce, Rosina Keyes, Eunice Keyes, Thomas Shelton, Abigail S. Wood, Merlin J. Ford, Joel Hendricks, Robert Burgess, J. Burlinham, Cynthia Shippey, Orinda Arnold, A.D. Gates, Isaac Stafford, H.B Willcox, M.P. Arnold, Cal. D. Holcomb, Frank W. Cornish, C. Day, Kate L. Holcomb, T.S. Ward, Ellen Winsor, Amanda Wells, Philurah, Amanda Melvina Pangburn, Sarah McGeorge, Orpha Eldridge, Walter B. Norton, Lydia Ballard, Nancy Hoag, M.W. Shippey, Lovina Phetteplace, George W. Adams.

This brings us down to 1861 and 1862, at the time of the civil war. Governor Flower said in his speech at Bainbridge:  "The $10,000,000 which we spend for schools every year is not lost when it is used to educate the boys and girls in the foundation principles of our government. When the confederates came up into Pennsylvania and surrounded Washington, before they were stopped at Gettysburg by my friend Slocum, they thought they had us. We hadn't thought much about the war before that.  We didn't think it was going to amount to much, but when our national capital was threatened the educated men of this government founded on educational principles began to ask why.  And then we drove the enemy back to Atlanta and from Atlanta to the sea. The school is the bulwark of the nation.  It took us through one great war, and if we continue to maintain it, it will make the State and country as firm as the rock on which it rests."

General Slocum also said, at the same time and place: "I owe my reputation to the brave men who fought in the ranks.  It is the common soldier who makes the reputation of the commander.  Grant, Meade, Hancock, and all the generals of the war, would never have earned their honored reputations but for the bravery of the soldiers who fought under them."  And can we not look back with pride, at this time, when we think that our school district furnished five brave men who went to make up the "rank and file?"

In looking over the old record we find among the scholars and teachers those who are filling all ranks in life--ministers, doctors, teachers, and one that went as a missionary, Miss Keyes.  Yes! we have a right to be proud of our school district and its record; and speaking of its records reminds me to mention the fact that for over thirty years Mr. Parker has kept our records, and so well and faithfully that future generations will not have a difficult task in writing our history.  Here we may find a lesson of patience and perseverance worthy of imitation.  We are proud of our record of the past; we are proud of our scholars of today.  As they leave our district to attend higher schools we find them far in advance of those of the same age.

But there is one thing in which we cannot take much pride in this day of progress and improvement, and that is our school grounds, which at present are overrun with berry bushes, thistles, etc. When Arbor Day was first instituted in 1889, a good beginning was made by planting of trees, thirteen in number, the most if not all of which are alive. Shall we not continue the good work begun?  Plow and grade the grounds so that they will be suitable for setting out plants and shrubs. But methinks I hear someone say this will be useless; they will not be long preserved.  Let me tell you what will preserve our school grounds.  Not long ago. while making an afternoon's visit, in viewing the grounds of the owner, I made this remark to him:  "What a thrifty rose bush you have here!"  "Yes," he answered, "I had this moved from the back yard last spring.  As long ago as I can remember it stood by the old house.  Mother was very fond of this bush, so I had it moved here that it might not be destroyed; " and as I looked at him, a man over seventy years of age, I thought--

"Men are only boys grown tall;

Hearts don't change much, after all"

Permit me to read to you this old poem which will further illustrate the spirit which will preserve our school grounds.

Woodman Spare That Tree

George Pope Morris

WOODMAN, spare that tree!
Touch not a single bough!
In youth it sheltered me,
And I ’ll protect it now.
’T was my forefather’s hand	5
That placed it near his cot;
There, woodman, let it stand,
Thy axe shall harm it not.
That old familiar tree,
Whose glory and renown	10
Are spread o’er land and sea—
And wouldst thou hew it down?
Woodman, forbear thy stroke!
Cut not its earth-bound ties;
Oh, spare that aged oak	15
Now towering to the skies!
When but an idle boy,
I sought its grateful shade;
In all their gushing joy
Here, too, my sisters played.	20
My mother kissed me here;
My father pressed my hand—
Forgive this foolish tear,
But let that old oak stand.
My heart-strings round thee cling,	25
Close as thy bark, old friend!
Here shall the wild-bird sing,
And still thy branches bend.
Old tree! the storm still brave!
And, woodman, leave the spot;	30
While I ’ve a hand to save,
Thy axe shall harm it not.

You need not fear but the same spirit which prompted that man to care for the rose bush and the petition to the woodmen to spare the tree will preserve every bush or tree that another father or grandfather will take the pains to plant on our school grounds. Everyone takes more interest in whatever he has a personal interest.  Let each of us see to it that we have a personal interest in this.  Make home and its surroundings beautiful and young people will not be in so great haste to leave it.