The Hardin tribune-herald. [volume] (Hardin, Mont.) 1925-1973, 1946-01-24
By WILLIAM j. GREEN

~ ~ASA0&N
THIS is the story of a new cen
L tralized rural high school in the
little town of Barker, population 500,
town Of Somerset, county of Mag
ara, state Of New York.
Barker is similar to all our home
towns. It took years of back-break-
ing work to clear the land, estap-
lish a community and it's industry,
plant fruit orchards, and develop a
home town. Gradual prosperity
evolved from that work, prosperity
that was enjoyed by the second,
third and fourth generations Of pio-
neer families. But there came a
time to Barker when it experienced
depression, its land prices almost
ruinous. its savings depleted or lost
and economic despair its lot.
In the depths of the depression,
the educational facilities and oppor-
tunities in the Barker area were
limited. There was an academic
high school located in the village
and a one-room. elementary school
for each Of the districts in the
area. It was Lon j. McAdam Sr., for
more than Is years a school
trustee. who decided the school sys-
tenn was the place to begin for
Barker to emerge from its despond-
ent plight.
Capitalization Approved.
Serving with McAdam we're John
Connolly. Wesley Cots, Raymond
Gardner and Albert Harrington.
When Harrington retired, his place
was taken by Bradford Sherwood.
For more than 10 years the faculty
Of the school at Barker had been
under the direction of Milford H.
Pratt. supervising principal, who is
a native of Barker.
Under McAdam's 1eadership-and
that leadership a often challenged
the voters of the school districts
approved Capitalization. That was
in 1887 and two years later the new
half-million dollar building was &C.
cupied. 1t was a centralized rural
high school, adjoining the old
academic high school, situated on
Quaker road, with As per cent Of
its cost borne by the federal gov
eminent. The one-room schools were
abandoned and buses brought even
the elementary pupils to Barker.
The old high school building was
made the elementary school.
Further expansion of the central
lied rural high school came in 1899
when the National Youth admins
tration resident training center was
located in Barker, co-sponsored by
the board Of education. The school
extended it's facilities to NYA-
selected youths from all over New
York state and received for its own
locality an otherwise unobtainable
shop program.
Add Many Courses.
It's curriculum was expanded to
include commercial courses, music
department., home economics and
agriculture. In 1910, NYA built a
production shop which became a
wing Of the school. and early in 1941
began the production of small parts
for the army and navy. When war
broke out an even faster pace was
set.
At night the shop became the
classroom for adult defense
%trainees. In its three years of oper-
alton o than 1000 men and
women were trained in shop prac-
tice. machine operation, sheet
metal. welding arc automotive and
aircraft maintenance and repair.
When NYA was dissolved by con-
CESS in July, 1943, the tools and
building became the property of the
board of education. Barker also OBJ
tanned a stock of agricultural
tools from a nearby NYA farm prof.
ect, making a total acquisition val
ued at more than a quarter-millioa
dollars.