The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1921-01-05
GREGORY SCHOOL
IN YE OLDEN TIME
GuiIford School House Would Fill
Voiume-Near Broad Brook.

sketches of notable scholars among the
hundreds who acquired an elementary
education within its walls; its history and
theirs would be identical
The old schOolhOuSe knows that it is
situated on the main road between Alglers
and GuilfOrd Center. west of the Richard
son-Alexander-G lidden farm and quite
near Will Higley'S house. 1t doesn't
know its own age, but some people knew
it a. years ago and learned their a. Il,
C"s there and heard middle-aged people.
like the Gregorys and Armses, speak OF
going to school there when they were
young.
1t is pleasantly situated. The Gregory
brook comes down near it from the north,
winding its way through meadows, wood
lands and pastures, discreetly adapting
its course to the conformation of the
country through which it flows. 1t Is
Just irregular enough in its winnings and
volume to make itself attractive The
bank-SwalowS used to build their nests
in its pasture banks, and upon the posts
under the highway bridge the phoebe birds
never failed to make their summer
homes in fact, the bridge was built on
the brooks account, and 1t might be sand.
to its memory. for after passing under the
bridge it soon lost its identity by uniting
with Broad brook. fThese brooks were
sports for the scholars for Wadlng, swim
ming, fishing for trout and dace and Snar-
ing suckers in summertime and for skating
III winterl
Rising from the south bank of Broad
brook is the northern slope OF a spur or
East mountain. This slope extends west
erIy to and then down Weatherhead valley
and presents one of the most beautiful
landscape eXtentS to be found IN plctur-
cSuue Guilford. Then northWeSterly from
the schoOhouSe are high hills crowned
with rock maple trees and Wild grape
vines of surprising green in summer and
as radiant in their autumn C0lOrS as II
"A summer cloud had burst among their
branches" From these hills there IS
wide view of the valley which extends
from Graeneaf bridge to Leyden. The
hill slopes. partly covered with trees. and
the fertile meadows between, with their
meandering shining brooks, combine 10
make another charming stretch OF seen
cry.
District No. u comprised quite large
territory from which scholars came to-
the old Sch0Ohouse and filled it 10 the
utmost There were MellendyS. Green
Leafs. BIanchardS. BoydenS. Nicholses,
WeatherheadS. Armses, Tylers, Hough
tons. Eddys and others whose names are
forgOtten-all from comfortable farm
homes. The school was "ruied,' summer
and winter. by the most competent teac-
crS that could be found. Fred Royden
was the best scholar ever there, and later
in higher schools he PXcelIed in mathemat
les. Latin and Greek. Augusta Blanch-
ard the late Mrs. Frank \. Wells, was Il
scholar there in her childhood and was
one of the brightest. Her brother, Nir-
Gil w five years older. was brilliant he
became a physician. practical several
years in Addison county and then IN New
York city. where he became distinguished
he was an inventive genius 1t was stated
i'm the notices of him after his death that
he had taken out more patents for lnven-
tons than any other man in the country
except Edison. But he lacked the bust
ness ability necessary for making his ln-I
ventions of practical use, and but few
proved rcmuneratiVe. lie was writer
of ability both in prose and verse. y
poem hereto appended is one of the finest
things ever written in or about Guilford.
Ialbert :. Greenleaf became an iuven-
tor and manufacturer of locks and had
large factories in Shelburne Falls. Mass,
and in Rochester. \. Y. he won distinc-
tian in the Civil war as colonel of the
9th Massachusetts regiment and was
greatly beloved bv his command; later in
life he represented the Rochester. y. Y.
district in congress. lie was n son of
Jeremiah Gre"nIraf. author Of Greenlcaf's
Grammar and If other educational works.
His house is still intact-thP first one on
the left after crossing the bridgp-nOw the
home Of Amos Pr3uty. Frank HOughtOn
still maintains his high reputation as a
dentist in Dayt0na. Florida.
Space viii not permit the mention of
other boys and girls who began their edu
cation i'm the old schoOlhouSe which has
since been renovated and maderniZed and
service 1t cannot be expected to with
stand fire and storm and decay and hold
on like the Gregory brook, which, supplied
by ample springs among the hills, may
run on forever
Lines from Eugene Fields. My Play
mateS.' come to mind:
20, trees and hills and brooks and lanes
and meadows. do YOU know
Where L can find my playmates of forty
years ago?
You see I'm old and weary, and I've
travelled long and far.
l am looking for my piaymates-I Won
der where they are,
DR. Blanchard's lines on Broad brook:
An hail.
The daintiest fairy Of the vale;
She comes
Tripping DER the messy stones.
Was ever such a QuePnly grace?
Was ever such 4 sunny face?
Was ever such a voice to swell.
Like distant peal of silver bell?
All hail.
She comes.
The daintiest fairy of the vale.
Tripping DER the messy stones.
The flowers
Within a thousand wayside bowers.
All seek
To gaze upon her dimping cheek,
And catch from the enhancing view
The secret of its sunny hue.
And when the magic art is known
To wear its glory in their own.
The flowers
Al seek
Within q thousand wayside bowers
To gaze upon her dimplimg cheek.
The birds
Their sweetest, tenderest mystic words
In song
4 re chanting by her path along
To mingle with her silverv tone
The warbled sweetness of their own,
And catch and trill. DER hill and plain
The silvery cadence of her strain
The birds
In song.
Their sweetest tenderest mystic words
Are chanting BIZ her path along. -- e
"It1ay
My home in childhood by her way: