Iroquois Central High School - Iroquoian Yearbook (Elma, NY)

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Dedication First Row — Leon A. Piguet; George Field, President; J. Howard Smith, Vice President; Kenneth Parkinson. Second Row — Ralph Petersen; F. Karl Swenson; Colin C. Coats; A. Donald Bartoo, Principal of the District. All those who have in some way helped to make Iro- quois Central High School and this yearbook a reality are worthy of our praise and thanks. Any one of these individuals would be worthy of having this first year- book dedicated in his honor. However, we believe the most worthy are the members of the Board of Educa- tion who have unselfishly and painstakingly given of their time with no remuneration. These men have been elected by the people of our community and thus reflect the wishes and aspirations of our parents. Be- cause of their untiring efforts, so many organizations and activities, including this very yearbook, have had an opportunity to become a reality. It was these pio- neering board members, citizens of our district, who had the foresight and ambition to bring a modern, well-equipped school system into our community, pro- viding our students with the best services available and as well rounded a program as possible. With this thought in mind, we of the yearbook staff respectfully dedicate this yearbook to the members of the Board of Education of the Iroquois Central School District and hope we may in some small way repay them for their efforts through the medium of these printed pages. We hope, that as this yearbook is read, no one will forget these men who gave birth to our school, and the traditions which will be perpetuated by future generations of students at Iroquois.

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EARLY HISTORY OF THIS DISTRICT The area of land now composing the Iroquois Central School District is approximately eighty square miles. The land which makes up the Towns of Manila and Elma was part of the Buffalo Creek Reservation. Here along the banks of the big and little Buffalo creeks, lived a part of the Seneca tribe, the strongest member of the Iroquois Nation. First settlement in the area of the present Central District, took place in the present town of Wales which was then part of the Town of Willink, formed from a purchase by the Holland Land Company. The first settlers were William and Ethan Allen; soon many more personalities, such as Adams, Woods, Paine, Hall, Osborn, and many others, became settlers in the new area. By 1821, the Town of Wales was formed, officers were elected, and John Cole became the first supervi- sor. In 1826, additional land was purchased from the Indians by the Ogden Land Company and Wales be- came larger. Hall's Hollow, now known as Wales Cen- ter, was the central point of business in the new area. Many of the present inhabitants of the Town of Wales and the eastern part of the Town of Aurora, are direct descendants of these early courageous pio- neers. During this early settlement of Wales a group of settlers moved into the eastern part of the present Town of Marilla. A small group of residences of early settlers, engaged in the shingle manufacturing busi- ness, at the present Marilla Village site, were tabbed with the name “Shanty Town.” In 1826, by treaty, the Indians ceded to the Ogden Land Company, all of that part of the present Town of Marilla east of Two Rod Road, and a milestrip which ran across Northern Wales and Southern Elma. This treaty was not finally effected without the re- monstrances of Red Jacket” the veteran orator of the Senecas. Two Rod Road, which was then laid out and surveyed from Porterville to Alden, bordered on the Indian lands and the newly ceded strip. Marilla was founded on December 2nd, 1823. The first settler in the Marilla territory was Jesse Bartoo who settled there in 1827. This pioneer, an ancestor of District Principal, A. Donald Bartoo, later became the first Supervisor of the Town of Marilla which was organ- ized March 7, 1854. Jesse Bartoo lived but a short time in Marilla, moving to a farm near Porterville. He built a saw mill there on the Buffalo Creek named Bartoo Mills,” later changed to Porterville. Many other early settlers including Carptenter, Adams, Al- len Bauder, Willis Clark, Mason, came to Marilla fol- lowing the 1826 purchase. The first Town meeting of Marilla was held at the home of Niles Carpenter on March 7, 1854. Niles Carpenter's store, the first in Marilla, stood where die present G. C. Monchow store is located. Marilla held its Centennial celebration in 1954, paying tribute to its proud and hard working citizens and their fore- fathers. Settlement of the Town of Elma began in the Mile- strip which ran across the Southern border, including a part of the present Town of Aurora. This land was ceded in the 1826 Treaty. Prior to this, isolated set- tlers moved into the Indian Lands” and carried on trade with the Indians. By 1840, there were 180 set- tlers in the milestrip area of Elma. In 1841, the first log school house in the Milestrip was built at the corner of William and Billington roads on Lot No. 15. This later became Elma No. 4 School District, and the site is now occupied by the new home of District Prin- cipal A. Donald Bartoo. A treaty was negotiated in 1838, whereby the Seneca tribe was to cede all of the remaining part of the Buffalo Creek reservation (in present Erie County) to the Ogden Land Company. In return for this, the United States Government was to provide a reservation in the West, (Kansas) and build thereon: churches, schools, mills, etcetera, and also give a grant of money. Many of the Chiefs re- monstrated, and the treaty was never signed until 1842. There was doubt as to the legal signing of the treaty since less than half of the authorized chiefs ac- tually attached their names to the pact. By 1844, the last simulated war dance was held in the barn of Clark Hurd in the present village of Elma, and the Indians moved out. They never did go to Kansas, but mi- grated to the Allegany reservation near Salamanca. In 1841, Bowen and Girdle Roads were laid out through the wooded Elma, and in 1849, a plank road was built from Aurora through the Milestrip to Buf- falo. This is now referred to as Buffalo Road or Sen- eca Street. This improved road gave an easier outlet for the hauling of lumber from the area to Buffalo. By 1852, a post office was established and received its name from the Elm tree that stood at Bowen and Bullis Roads. In 1856 the Town was organized and the first election held in 1857. The first Supervisor was Paul B. Lathrop. New England pioneers were the first settlers into the Elma territory and such names as Hurd, Briggs, Bullis, Adams, Williams, and others are written in its annals. As the area was deeply wooded, the develop- ment of lumber and its related industries was the largest enterprise. Elma grew rapidly, however, and like Marilla and Wales, saw its share of hard times as well as “sunshine.” There are many interesting stories of individual heroism, sacrifice and toil in the develop- ment of this area. Elma is planning its Centennial cele- bration for next year. Today, the many descendants of these early pioneers can be justly proud of their forefathers, and the herit- age which is theirs because of these forefathers. The people of the Iroquois Central School District today ar trying to keep faith with this heritage, by building good schools, good churches, good homes, and good government. 3

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IN MEMORIAM Mr. Knell, former member of Board of Education. IN ABSENTIA Mr. Marshall, first president of our Board of Education. Dreams do come true. ’Twas in the late 20’s that Ma- nila folks considered school district reorganization; the middle 30’s that Elma folks figured that something should be considered; the late 40’s that Wales folks joined the entire area and became rather excited about a change in school organization. And then in the early 50’s, a dedicated group of hard working people planned, talked with others, who talked with still others, slaved, sacrificed, pleaded, promised, lost weight and sleep, became discouraged, slaved some more and talked with more people, became encour- aged and finally won the battle. Democracy in action - the majority decided and the minority accepted the decision. New buildings and modern equipment are only a part of a good school. School spirit and cour- teous behavior of the younger generations, interest and encouragement of the older generations, an in- spired faculty and administration, a devoted board of education — these make a good school and an atmos- phere in which to acquire a good education. Iroquois has these. Let’s keep them, and continue to prove that we can achieve goals worthy of our inheritance. 5 Walter Knell, merchant and public servant, was elected to the first Central Board of Education and served until his death July 16, 1955. Mr. Knell was a faithful servant, deeply interested in the new schools and the children; he spent unlimited time and effort in attending to school affairs. As operator of the “Blossom Market” he was known to his multitude of friends as honest and cheerful in his dealings. He served his immediate community with valor, and his devotion to his position in the Central School District was beyond reproach. We pay tribute to this public servant, who is greatly missed by the entire commu- nity. Howard Marshall, with a deep interest in better educational facilities for the central district, served on the steering committee and spent many hours in de- veloping the program. During the in- ception of the district, his devotion to the project many times superseded his own private affairs; but he gave of his resources unselfishly, until the District was established. He was elected the first President of the Board of Education, and served during the early planning stages of the schools and during the Bond Issue Campaign. He resigned in August, 1954, when he moved from the central district. Mr. Marshall now re- sides in Miami, Florida. The people who worked with him will long remember his devotion to duty and his enthusiastic efforts toward our present school system. W. R. Buell, our district superintendent, gave untiringly of his time, counsel, and cooperation to the new Iroquois School System.