The Press. (Stafford Springs, Conn.) 1883-1935, 1904-04-20
Princiual wilton #. Desner. Harriet

| W. "A. Alng), Pr1nc1pal M. M. ElllOtt
Leigh Betnis, Lily Welch Mrs. F. F
Patten), Mary Taft MRS. F. A. Bag
NALL, Principal F. A. Bagnall, Mary
Taft. Sadie M. Lake, Martha O. AL
word, Nancy Bragg and Grace L. Put
nam, Principal s. A. Jacobs, Misses
Bragg and Putnam, Margaret Bertor
and Martha A. Sargent, Principal E
A. Maynard, Misses Berton and Sar
gent, Mrs. M. A. Freeman, Miss F. E
Rice and F. 1. Webster, Miss E. B.
Harmon
| The teachers in the other grades
have been: Jennie L. Cunningham,
Lucille Gladly, Anna Heald, Leila o.
Cunningham, Geneva McMaster,
Carrie G. Breed, Amy H. Dana, Mabel
W. Ellis, Sadie L. Comins, Minnie
A. Fenton, Nettie E. Hall, Mary E.
Coleman, Lucy e. Cobey, Alice L.
Taylor, Annie E. French MRS. S. A.
Jacobs), Grace E. Mead, Caroline E.
Comins, .Genevieve Hewett, Effie
Dunbar, Martena A. Stupplebeen( Mrs.
E. A. Maynard), Martha Sibley, Grace
A. Mark, Alice r. Flagg, Ethel I.
Whalen, Mabel L. Kingsbury, Blanche
E. Cleaveland, Edith Cushman, Hat
tie Werner.
private communication from Euzerne e.
Washburn.)
In reply TO your questions will tell
something of my recollection of sixty
years ago. One evening more than
sixty years ago, Uncle Roswell Wash
burn came into our house and his first
remark was, "I have just come down
from above" meaning Grow Hill, and
on that hill got nearly all of my
schooling and opportunity for educa-
tion. I was born in the house near
Evergreen Park, where my brother,
Francis Chaffee, now lives, and where
my mother always lived after her
marriage to my father about seventy
years ago NOV. 25, 1880. It was
not always an easy road to travel
from my home to the school, but was
considered a pleasure rather than
hardship to climb that hill, and we
got there quite regularly. Six months
in the year was the limit; some years
we had only the one winter term OF
thirteen weeks. Of my teachers in
that school I think Mrs. A. D. Cady
of Stafford is the only one living; am
not positive in regard to all of them
and cannot give dates. Almira Cady,
daughter of John Parsons Cady, mar
ried Segraves Smith (lawyer), and
died in Hastings, Mimi, many years
ago. DR.. Carpenter taught the school
few terms and is long time gone.
Ed ghaffee of West Stafford, teach
er, afterwards lightning rod pedlar,
you may know something about.
Henry Bliss, Monson student, taught
one term, and may be living yet. or
may not. -s .. .
attended the Village school, So
called, one term, probably 1847,
taught by Miss Chaplin, who after
wards married John Orcutt, and died
in Hampden, Mass. !; had one term at
Stafford Hollow 1859, Richard Cecil
Barrett teacher, and same place one
term with Miss Mary Ann Thresher
teacher; had one term in Monson,
1855. which completed my school
days with only little done towards
an education. Have called to mind
another teacher, Edward Botham, who
managed Grow Hill school few days,
but as his methods did not meet the
approval of the powers behind the
district throne he was requested or
forced to resign. His successor was
DR.. Carpenter, before mentioned, a
capable teacher, who had seen service
in the u. s. navy as surgeon, and
lived some years at the Hollow hotel,
P. D. Clemence proprietor. I have
less veneration for Mr.. Botham than
for other teachers, yet he may have
had good intentions not appreciated.
Iswalked up the hill few years
ago to look at the old school house
found it in same location, covered
over with white paint and looking
quite respectable, only forlorn and
lonely. The visit to me was some
thing like attending the funeral of a
dear friend, nothing in sight except
birches, all beautifully white, same
as the house; other houses gone,
nothing to indicate former greatness,
except few cellars, and they hardly
noticeable. There was q time not
more than one hundred years ago
when Grow Hill could run red hot
school, or the question whether to
build new house or move and repair
the old wreck, which stood higher,
geographically, than its present loca-
tion; and, if tradition is truthful,
they had a continuous performance
of "a hot time in the old town to-
night" which lasted many months,
and it seems the west end of the dis
trict finally won out and avoided the
necessity of going down hill for edu-
cation. There was probably no
blood shed in that scrimmage, but
they were willing to fight for a cause,
or personal interest, the same as ma
tions and individuals of to-day.
Well, in those days there was joy
on the hill, land overfiowing with
milk and honey and good cider, ex-
cellent fruit, no uncertainty about
potato and other crops; health, happi-
ness and huckleberries assured las
rule). So it was in "ye olden time. y.
Peaked mountain tempests were hard
ly noticed. To-day, desolation and
birches appear to reign supreme over
How's This. ts.e
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