Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1914-10-23
WILLIS | TWlTCHELL.

! in the death, suddenly, to-day, of
Willis Ira Twitchell, for twelve years
principal of the West Middle school,
Hartford loses one of its oldest and
most esteemed public educators.
! Mr.. Twitchell's death occurred this
morning at II 80 while he was engaged
in his duties. Early in the day he COM
planned of pains in his chest and sat
down for few minutes. Feeling better
he started to pass along the main corri-
dor on the first floor. He was again
seized with an attack of heart trouble
and fell to the floor. A teacher in a
nearby room heard Mr.. Twitchell fall
and called the janitors, who carried Mr..
Twitchell to the school library, where
he passed away in few moments. DR..
Frank L. Mckee and DR.. Robert S.
Starr were called but death occurred
before they arrived.
Mr.. Twitchell was one of the oldest
school principals of Hartford, at least,
in point of service. His entire life had
been devoted to teaching. Born in New
Haven, Vt, May 13, 1852, hamlet al
most within the shadow of Middlebury
college, it was natural that he should
receive in 1877 his academic degree from
that institution. He had been connected
with Connecticut schools thirty lone
years, first at Windsor, and later at the
] A 4 Il. l. go 81.
city. Previously he had been principal
of the high school at Warren, Mass.
Following his principalstip of the Wind
sor high school, which began in 1879 and
continued to April, 1888, he came to the
Arsenal school, where he remained
until called to the larger field in the
West Middle district.
Mr.. Twitchel found time apart from
his school work to give of his eXper-
ience and ability to other, although in
large measure kindred, lines. He was
former president of the Hartford
County Teachers association, and the
Hillyer Institute, vice-president of the
Twentieth Century club, and a director
of the Hartford Public Library. In
1895 he was president of the Connecti-
cut Teachers association. At the time
of death he was deacon of the Center
church. For ten years preceding May
|, 1911, he was a park commissioner,
during part of which time he served
as president. His literary work in
cluded The Pathfinder in American
History" written in collaboration with
Professor Wilbur F. Gordy, for many
years principal of the Second North
(now the Henry BarnarO school
Mr. Twtchell is survived by his sec
ond wife, who was Miss Emily P Day,
daughter of former Senator Frank Day
of Killingly, and office assistant at the
West Middle school prior to their mar
riage in 1904; two sons, Ruel Lincoln
Twitchell, who is with the Carnegie
Steel company in Pittsburgh, Pa, and
Willis Ira Twtchell, jr., seven years
old He leaves also two brothers, Her.
bert X. Twitchell, vice-president of the
Chemical National bank of New York,
formerly with the Charter Oak National
bank of Hartford, and Daniel S. Twltch-
ell, who lives on the home farm in New
Haven, VT.
The school session was omitted this
afternoon, and there will be no school
Monday. The funeral will be held Mon
day afternoon at 2:30 at the Center
church. Burial will be in Cedar Hill
cemetery. A meeting of the Principals S
club was held this afternoon at four
O'Clock to take action on the death of
Mr. Twitchell. Hartford Conn., Cour-
ant, October l6.