Prattsburgh Central High School - Franklinite Yearbook (Prattsburgh, NY)

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28 FRANKLIN ACADEMY HIGH SCHOOL ANNUAL tendent of the railroad and have you discharged. Ol You mean old thing you, now go on and mind your own business. You know I have paid my fare. All you want to do is to get a little extra money to put in your own pocket. Wiith this she burst into tears, and turned her head toward the window. You are to get off the train at the next station, madam, and remember that. replied the conductor. He then gathered the rest of the tickets and left the car. Suddenly the train stopped at a small town and the conductor, followed by two burly brakemen, entered the car. Madam, are you going to pay your fare or get off ? asked the conductor. I am going to do neither. I have paid my fare once and that settles it, she replied. Then you must get off, said the conductor. I-lere, John. take that suit- case off that seat back there, and Pete. come here and help me get the lady OH' the car. She protested vigorously, but they finally got to the steps. She then thought of her other suit case and said she would have to get it. She would not let one of the men get it. As she picked it up, she saw the lost ticket under it. She notified the conductor and said, I hope you will think I bought my ticket, now, and rode to her destination. -Merlin Dumm, '23 History of Franklin Academy The time had arrived when people wished their children to have a better education. It is for this reason that the Franklin Academy was built. It was in 1820 that the work was begun. That same year two subscription papers were circulated: one for funds to erect a suitable building, and the other to raise funds for the support of the school. Two years later, the build- ing was started. It has often been said that the real reason for the Academy was that at an exhibition in one of the schools, things were said and done that did not satisfy the prominent men of the community. judge Porter, who was a graduate of Yale, and the most highly educated man in the community, said, I wish from my heart we had an academy. There were rules that were made for this school. One was that the Sab- bath must be strictly kept g another, that no one should be admitted who could not read correctly and write legibly. Instead of five days for a school week, there were six. Saturday afternoon being devoted to rhetorical exer- cises. The Academy was opened October. 1824, with Rev. William Beardsly as principal, with a salary of S400 per year. Each student, as long as he was a member of the school, was required to take part in rhetoricals at least once in two weeks. lt was hoped that this rule would continue to exist.

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FRANKLIN ACADEMY HIGH SCHOOL ANNUAL 27 The Lost Railroad Ticket One day a very Heshy country lady came up the long, narrow platform in Newburgh. She carried two extraordinarily large suit cases. Taking these to the ticket window with her she bought a ticket for Paris, a medium-sized city about fifty miles from Newburgh. She then seated herself near the door. The train soon came. She went out to it and with much difiiculty and with the aid of two conductors and a hrakcman, managed to get into the car. She sank exhausted into the first empty seat, placing one suit case in the empty seat behind her and the other at her feet. The beauty of the country interested her greatly and as she had never been on a train before, she was wholly absorbed in her own pleasures. She failed to hear the conductor call Ticket, As she was thus engaged she felt a slight pressure on her arm. Paying no attention to this, she felt another touch. Turning, she saw the conductor. XVell, what do you want ? she demanded. Your ticket, please, he answered pleasantly. She thrust her hand into her pocket. After taking out several articles, she discovered that the ticket was not there. She searched through her other pocket, but in vain, the ticket was not there. At last she turned her face to the conductor and said, I can't find it, probably I dropped it when I was getting on. It won't matter, anyway, so long as I bought it. I can't let you ride unless you give me your ticket, madam, replied the conductor. 'Well, how under heavens do you think I can give it to you if I can't find it P she retorted, I am sorry madamf' said the conductor, but if you can't give me your ticket, you will have to pay me the money or get off the train.', I have paid my fare once. she answered, and once is enough. Do you mean that you are not going to pay for your ride ? said the con- ductor. We do not run a 'free lunch counter' nor intend to let any one ride without paying for it. 'W'ell, no one has asked for anything oi? your old 'free lunch counterf she-said. I have paid my fare once and that is enough. I With this the old lady turned her back to the conductor and gazed calmly out of the window. E N ow look here, madam ,can't you be reasonable? You can see very plainly that you cannot ride unless I know you have paid your fare, ' said the con- ductor. . l shan't pay any fare twice and that's Final, retorted the old woman. Then you will have to get off the train at the next station, the conductor said. ' 1'll not get off the train until I get where I want to go. You are nothing but an old robber, and if you don't keep still I shall report you to the superin-

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FRANKLIN ACADEMY HIGH SCHOOL ANNUAL 29 In 1877, the female department was established. The poor and worthy students were admitted without tuition. Before the larger towns in the coun- ty had schools, Franklin Academy was at its glory. It was educating chil- dren from our county and even from Pennsylvania and Ohio. There also was a young men's Lyceum, which was organized by the ettorts of William Pratt and O. F. Fay. It was an organization of literary character, meeting once a week for eight or nine months, and closing with an entertainment. Attirst there were only nineteen members, but it grew until it numbered about one hundred. On the roll of honor were the names of Guy H. Mc- Master, Martin Pinney, W. S. Cheney, W. B. Pratt, Thomas VanTuyle, judge Dennison, W. B. Boyd, Paul C. Howe, Henry Skinner and C. G. Higby. In the year 1868, on March 17, Franklin Academy became Franklin Academy and Union Free School. Almost the first recollection of Old Franklin is the exhibitions, which were started in the thirties. They were held at the end of every school year. Plays. recitations, orations and essays were given at these exhibitions. About this time the school had a boarding department. In the basement was a very attractive little dining room: the living rooms were on the ground floor, and many rooms for boarders and roomers on the second and third floors. If, on a warm day, the students were very good, they were allowed to study on the upper veranda. If very, very good they could go down under the large trees. There have been improvements made. Some of these are: the library, which at present is opened to everyone on Tuesday evenings, from seven- thirty until nine o'clock: the science laboratory, which is a great help, and a second Primary department. In these days we have books which are better adapted for school use than when Dear Old Franklin was first started. It seems to me as if each and every one who is attending, or who has attended, should do all in his power to keep up old Franklin's standard. I..et's all help! -Bertha Gillett, '24