Galesburg Augusta High School - Rambler Yearbook (Galesburg, MI)

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V X W, A, BLAKE. A history of the graded scho ols of Galesburg that omitted the name at the head of this article would he incomplete. Mr. Blake’s participation in the management of our schools dates from the year 1875 when our schools were changed from the ungraded to graded system. During twenty-six consecutive years he has been in continuous service as one of the board of trustees, and during fifteen of these years has filled office of di¬ rector, to the satisfaction of patrons and the manifest advantage of our schools. The confidence of his acquaintances and fellow ' cit¬ izens has been manifested in many directions other than such as relate to our educational affairs. Since his arrival in Michigan in 1851, Mr. Blake has held many posifions of honor and trust. Among them have been the offices of clerk, trustee, village president, supervisor, and member of state legislature in 18111-2. His election to the two last named positions must be regarded as the greater compliment since Mr. Blake’s township and legislative district are normally opposed to his political views. He has never been an office seeker, his political honors have come unsought, as evi¬ dences of the confidence of his fellow men in his good judgement and integrity of purpose. But it is as a farmer that he finds his greatest en¬ joyment, and his numerous acres give to his inclination wide scope and generous opportunity. Mr. Blake was born in Livingston county, N. Y., in 1832, and is consequently now on the verge of “three score and ten;” but his equable temperament and meth¬ odical life have given him the advantage of at least ten years in appearance, and he bears his age lightly.

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I W. A. BLAKE.

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I BUSINESS STREET. -Photo by Joy. X OUR VILLAGE X Isaac B. Rogers, George L. Gale is described by bis cotemporaries as having been a man of numerous endeavors and but few successes. But when, in the year of our Lord 1837, the denizens of the vicinity resolved that the present site of the village of Galesburg should have a name, he appears for once at least, to have scored a success and to have secured so much of immortality as the adoption of his name to be the designation of said locality, may have conferred. It was twenty-four years after Mr. Gale was thus honored, or in 1861, that through the granting of its charter, the village became legally entitled to the ap¬ pellation. In the year mentioned, the village govern¬ ment was organized and of those who first filled its elective offices, only two it is believed, survive. These are W. A. Blake, recorder, and Dr. O. F. Burroughs, treasurer. Both gentlemen are yet residents in the vil¬ lage. The year 1837 was also made memorable through the opening of the Bennett House as a hotel. The old house after more than six decades of arduous service, yet stands, an indisputable relic of former times. As lecentlv as the date of its incorporation, the surroundings of Galesburg were far from attractive. In all directions and closely bordering the resident por¬ tion, oak grubs diversified the scenery and beneath them in many places, the water soaked soil became a morass that notwithstanding the most artistic “cordu¬ roying, was a perpetual inconvenience, not to say menace, to both man and beast. But with the granting of their charter, the people of Galesburg and also its vicinity imbibed new ambi¬ tions, and now few villages can boast of more attrac¬ tive or convenient surroundings.