The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1949-11-10
final RITES FOR F. {. RATHBUN
CONDUCTED TUESDAY AFTERNOON
Former County School Superin-
tendent Here for Thirty-seven
Years, Died Last Saturday

Franklin Ellsworth Rathbun, 20,
superintendent of Garrett County
schools for 81 years, and one-time
newspaperman, died at 1890 a. M,
last Saturday at his home in Oak
land after an illness of more than
two months.
Mr.. Rathbun, who retired last De-
cember from his position as school
superintendent, had returned a week
previous from Johns Hopkins hos
pital in Baltimore where he had been
patient since the latter part of
August. He was apparently improv-
ing in health and was preparing to
take an automobile ride the morning
he passed away.
A son of the late Clarence NJ. and
Mary V. Rathbun, he was born De-
cember %, 1878, in Wheeling w. Va.
At an early age he came to Mt. Lake
Park where his father operated a
planning mill.
He was graduated in 1905 from
Western Maryland college, West
minister, and did post graduate work
at Johns Hopkins university and at
Columbia university. AT one time he
was a city editor of a Farmont, W.
Va, newspaper and was employed for
brief periods in both The Republican
and The Mountain Democrat offices.
Prior to coming to Oakland in 1912
as county superintendent Mr.. Rath-
bun was principal of the schools in
Piedmont, w. Va.
During his career in this county he
consolidated more than a hundred
one-and two-room schools in the
modelnization program. At the time
of his retirement last year he was
the oldest county superintendent of
schools in Maryland.
He was active in the American As
sociation of School Administrators
and in the National Education asso-
citation. AS charms Of the Library
board in Oakland he negotiated the
purchase of land through contribu-
lions, and was working With the
Library board for proposed $4,000
library for Oakland
Mr.. Rathbun was a past master of
Oakland Lodge No. 1872, A., f. and A.
NJ. and was member of the Cum
berland Consistory and of the
Knights Templar; also of the local
Order Of Eastern Star, Garrett Lodge
No. Is, knights of Pythias, Oakland,
and charter member and past prcsi-
dent Of the Oakland Rotary club,
formed in 1925.
After retiring from his position
with the Board of Education last
year Mr.. Rathbun became chairman
of the committee in charge of the
Oakland Centennial and worked regu-
larly in planning the celebra ton
which was considered so successful
this past August.
! He is survived by his widow, Mrs.
Alma Kemp Rathbun, formerly of
Bloomington; a son, DR.. Howard K
Rathbun, of Baltimore City hospitals
grandson, Robert Rathbun, Balti-
more; and brother, E. L. Rathbun,
Deer Park.
A funeral service was conducted at
2:30 o'clock Tuesday afternoon from
st. Paul's Methodist church, of which
he was a member. The body was at
the church from noon until time for
the service with a Masonic honor
guard. Dr.. Denver c. Pickens, pastor,
OBLIGATED, and the Masonic lodge con-
Quoted a service at the grave in Oak
: land cemetery. Pallbearers were Rea-
ford Purbaugh, Paul Naylor, Lowell
Loomis, II. G. Riggs, Harold Harmed
and Lester c. Yutzy.
All schools of the county dismissed
at noon on Tuesday to allow teachers,
/ principals, janitors, bus drivers, main
tenance men, supervisory and ad-
ministrativc staff to attend the funer-
al services.
Among the honorary pallbearers
were DR.. Thomas G. Pullen, Jr., State
superintendent of schools; DR.. Charles
L. Kopp, Allegany county superin-
tendent of schools; DR.. Dwight Jacob
us, state department of education;
] DR.. r. F. Cromwell, State high school
supervisor; Miss Lillian Compton
president, and DR.. Diehl and DR.
Briggs, of Frostburg State Teachers
college; Tasker G.. Lowndes, president
of the state board of education; Dean
4 lsanoglc, Western Maryland college;
r. Bowen Hardesty, county superin-
tendcnt of schools; w. w. Dawson, S
f. Hamill and c. O. Bender, members
of the Board of Education; Earl
Guard, Bernard l. Gender, ST., and
a. 7. Matthews.
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