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

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1 ...Ae 1 FRANKLIN ACADEMY HIGH SCHOOL ANNUAL ll names of some of the pioneer builders and beautifiers of this place might be kept in remembrance. ---Elizabeth Hall, '23. THE PARK HOTEL The first houses that were built in Prattsburgh were built around the public square. In 1854 the Park Hotel was built on the south side of the park, by joseph Rice. This large three-story building is a well known landmark in Steuben County. The large ball-room on the third floor has been the scene of many social events in days gone by. ---Elizabeth Hall, '23. A Day from the Life of Julius Caesar OT up at four-thirty as Calpurnia had set the alarm for four, and it took me half an hour to get fully awakened. I put on my white duck suit and had breakfast served in the garden. The butler served up some potatoes and rice. It was very good. Ordered up my town car and drove to the Senate building. Cassius wanted the water main to extend down to the Coliseum, but I vetoed the proposition as the cost of the pipes didn't make t-he plan feasible. I went home to lunch. The butler served up pigs' knuckles and peas. Stopped in at Cotta's Quick Lunch and bought a glass of Burgundy. Then went to the Senate again for a two hours' session. A letter was read by a messenger from the Morini saying they formally declared war on us. I despatched a fleet of scout planes to fly over their- territory and make plans of their army stores. Went to the Arena and watched the gladiators for a couple of hours. They werenlt much gocd. They were killed too easily. Went home and took a dip in my bath, and put on my full dress suit. Had dinner at Brntus'. After that Calpurnia, Portia, Brutus and I went to the Impera- tor theater and saw Wallace Reid in The Lion Killer. It was very good. He beardedliive lions in their den, and ran them all through with his dagger. Also saw a good Chaplin comedy. Drove home via Lacus andlspent an hour reading Dickens and Poe. Turned in at 12:30 and left Calpurnia to turn off the electric lights. --- Vrooman Hzlgby, 124. THE CIVICS CLASS Our class in Fivics is real bright, There are four boys, of girls there's two, They never have to stay at night, And all their best they'd die to do There are just six, and that's enough They'd sweat and study 'bout all night To have some fun and not be rough. To End out if the president's right. , We study 'bout the taxes, and we Study 'bout the laws XVe argue and We scuffle And then the teacher jaws. ---Hcrllcrl Clark. ,24.

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lo FRANKLIN ACADEMY HIGH SCHOOL ANNUAL The chapel in general was the same as it is now with the exception that the platform was then at the south end and large wooden benches were used as seats. The room now occupied by Miss Flaherty was at that time the oflice. The library was the room over the chapel or the room now known as the High School Room. The school at a very early date obtained a library consisting of 1,ooo books, a microscope of high power, a Dollan's telescope and several large maps. The apparatus for scientific work was far in advance of that used in many of the schools of the present time. The basement which is now occupied by the janitor was used as a boarding house while the janitor had rooms on the east side of the second floor. The school, which was at first Franklin Academy and Collegiate Insti- tute, was the best school within forty miles. Whena person left it he was ready for any college he wished to enter. In 1868 the academy became Franklin Academy and Union Free School. In later years many changes were made on the interior of the building. Has anyone stopped to think how great Old Franklin was at one time? How about trying to raise its name again? ---Bertha Gillette. Our Park HE, ground, for what is now our park, was donated by Captain jcel Pratt. It then consisted of about four acres, which was used by the villagers as a common cow pasture. Dr. john Selover described it when he first came into the village as a rough, unkempt cradle knoll, cow paths and stones predominating. One of the most important things that he did for this village was when in 1848 he helped grade and plant the park, which we prize so much and of which we are so justly proud. Not only he but others took pride in establishing for themselves a mon- ument that should live and tell their worth to the living in years to COIIIC. Although the names of these men are not chiseled in the granite rock, they are stamped on the minds of the people of this place and we younger people are eager to learn who it was that showed such advanced ideas. Dr. Selover planted the elm tree which now stands on the northwest corner of the park, others were planted by different men. Among them are an iron wood and a bass wood. At first there was a variety of native trees, as a pine, a button wood, and a linden, but unfortunately some of these were cut down when people were trying to improve things. The park was planted somewhere between 1845 and 1848. We only wish that some one might write a more complete history of this park and that some one might be appointed as historian for the future, that the

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I2 FRANKLIN ACADEMY HIGH SCHOOL ANNUAL A Night Alone ln An Old Farm House NE night last spring old John Cobbs stopped me while I was on my way to school. He asked me if I would stay at his house over night, attend to the chores, and keep the house safe while he and his wife spent the night with some friends in a distant town. At first I would not con- sent because they lived in an old and very huge, dilapidated house in a secluded valley far from any neighbors. But when he offered me a dollar I consented soon enough, for a dollar in those times looked pretty big: I arrived at John Cobb's house about five o'clock that afternoon, and from then on my trouble began. I started at once with the chores, but it was nearly dark before I started 'to- climb up into the old loft after the hay to feed the mule and the cows. While I was throwing down the hay the mule, waiting for his supper, began to bray. It was very startling, and amazing, and was made more so because every time he brayed an answering screech would come from the house. This sort of stirred me up and I imagined I heard something moving in the hay. Suddenly looking into a dark corner, I saw two very large unblinking eyes staring at me from the dark. I was at first frozen with fear, and threw my pitchfork at those horrible eyes. The fork struck the side of the barn with a crash, and one of the eyes suddenly disappeared, but the other remained and continued to stare at me. I procured another fork and cautiously proceeded to investigate the cause of those glaring eyes, but as I came nearer I felt ashamed at myself for those eyes were only knotholes and the weak light from the outside made them appear like great, strange eyes. It seemed that when I had thrown the fork it had lodged near enough to cover one of them, and made it appear as if one of the eyes had been put out. I was very glad indeed to find out that they really were not eyes, but nevertheless 1ny nerves were somewhat shaken, and I hustled away from that barn as fast as I could. I was somewhat afraid to go into the house because I was sure that the noises I heard while I was in the haymow came from the house. I finally got up nerve enough to enter the house, but first I reinforced myself with a good stout club. By the time I had lighted a lamp and started getting supper, I began to feel more at ease, but this feeling did not last long because while I was eating my supper I heard what seemed like a human voice talking somewhere from above. I was so frightened that I nearly choked, for the voice seemed to say in a deep gutteral tones, Dig his grave! Dig his gravel Well! I did not eat any more supper nor could I think of anything but ghost str ries. I remembered all the stories that people had told about this house being haunted, and I was in a frame of mind to believe part of them at least. The perspiration seemed just to ooze from my body and I was so weak I could hardly walk to my bed, and when I got there I could not sleep for that awful voice kept on talking. Once in a while it would stop for an instant and a horrible blood-curd-