The Caledonian-record. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1920-current, 1921-11-26
STORY OF THE
OLD SCHOOL AT
BURKE HOLLOW
Judge O. C. Woodruff
Gives Some Interesting
Personal "reminiscences

The school fair, at Burke Hol-
low Saturday evening. was de-
cided success, and was thoroughly
enjoyed by large and happy
crowd. A pleasing program was
given by the children OF the school
and a very interesting history oil
the school, was read by Judge ..
C. Woodruff. Remarks were made
by Superintendent G. A. Jameson,
and good music furnished. There
were a variety of articles for sale
and doughnuts and coffee were
served. The sum of $44.30 was
cleared and everyone had q good
time.
The teacher, Mrs. Elgia FOSTERS
has been untiring in her efforts to
make this occasion a real success
and she has been ably assisted by
her pupils, the people OF Burke
and other friends.
Judge Woodruff in his remlnls-
Genes said in part: ga,
The history of this schoolhouse
is closely related to and co-exteh-
sive with Burke Hollow village. :,
I think this was the second
/ schoollrouse built in the town Oh
Burke. The first was situated on
the road to the Darling farm
about half way up the hill. 1t was
abandoned about 40 years ago ana
was torn down 20 years or SO ago.
The Burke Hollow schoolffouse
was considered fine buildln" at
the time it was built. 1T stood
four-souare with the world, ana
was utilized for several purposes,
other than the school, until the
church was built in 1925. Meet
ines on Sundays and town meet
ing, courts, singing and speiilng
schools were held there.
Many of Burke's best known
people got their schooling there.
In the early days there were the
| Fylers, Major Darling's family
| with the three boys, Henry, Gath
| er of Elmer Al Alfred, AFTER
| wards the proprietor of the Fifth
Avenue Hotel in New York City,
| and DR.. Charles Darling, who died
in Lyndon about 1860, DR.. DENIM
sons family, the Burringtonss,,
Cushings, Browns and Others ail
able men.
| School in those days was sup
no,.ted on the basis of the scholars
attending, the teacher boarding
| around. The winter term was al
ways taught BY man, and COM
menced the Monday morning al
| ter Thanksgiving. He used to re,
! ceiye the magnificent sum OF
about $40 month, and had te
handle from so to rs scholars
many of them men and womef
grown. The summer terms were
usually taught by woman, whose
compensation averaged about ter
shillings a week. -
Scholars were instructed in tn
three Rs, and if they became able
to do the rule of three, square
i root, read in the rhetorical readel
/ and write a reasonably legibl'
hand, they were considered educa
| ted.
i The first qualification of
teacher in those days was physi
cal strength, for if he lacked tina
and the ability to Govern M
school, the larger bo"s woul'
usually load him onto a sled an
give him a free ride out of town
, So much, at least, for hearsay,: :.
, The first experience | had i
the Burke Hollow school was /,
January 1857, when my father
family moved here from the How
! land farm. Cyrus Hall was keen
! ing the school at the time. M
sister and brother had been al
, tending. They then took me alon
, with them, | suppose to save M
mother the trouble of looking al
, ter me for a portion OF the ga!
, fer I was only five years old. WIT
over 60 scholars, there was httl
time to devote to me, but some
the older girls did try to teach m
4 | the letters of the alphabet. Tn
most / can recollect of the expel
, fence, though, was great A an
r little a." and that alb spelled alb.
At that time there We're attene
ing this school the Babcock
/, Mary. Freeland and Albert; tn
+ Vances, Marsh and Cynthia, no
t | Mrs. Aldrich; the McNealr tnre
girls and Lorenzo; the Packer
t Halsey, Mary and Anna; Also
t Brown: the Kenersons. Wilbu
v AFRO, Ann, Sarah; the Hanscom
3 Albert, Sarah and George: r.
: Brown, DR.. Ira's boy; Della C
burn, L. C. Davis mother; I'll
Burringtons, Howard: Scion an
Henrietta; David Hoyt, Ada
, and Abbie, all from one house, tn
one where Tyler Gaskell now i've
1 [ - D.,,,;,, ofn, Mrc A