Rome Free Academy - De O Wain Sta Yearbook (Rome, NY)

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Tue SENIOR ANNUAL. 15, rendered Ingersoll’s “‘Visions of the Civil War’. The presentation of this piece required much ability and careful practice. Miss Wilson’s voice was good, her presence effective and her interpreta - tion of the highest order. “An Appeal for Dreyfus”, by Emile Mr. Arthur S. It is the protest of a patriotic Zola, was delivered by Hopkins. man against the delusions of his country- men into an act of injustice, of a strong, the friend. honorable man against prejudice displayed toward his Perhaps the recent steps taken in France toward the revision of Drefus’ sentence were the inspiration cf Mr. Hopkins in the closing the His appearance lines of passionate protestation of innocence of Dreyfus. was good, his voice very clear and steady; he did full justice to his oration which deeply interested the audience. The last speaker was Richard Williams. He “The Soldier”, clearly and effectively and in an impres- sive manner. delivered Union He was perfectly at ease and his interpretation was excellent. One felt as seldom before the respect which should be accorded the bronze button of the Union soldiers. Supt. Crane announced the retirement of the committee of that the young man receiving the high- est ranking would represent the Rome Free Academy at the interacademic contest to be heid at Hamilton College in May. George Griffiths, Superintendent of the Utica schools, A. J. Merril, R. B., Super- intendent of Schools at Little Falls and Henry White, A. B., Professor of Rhetoric and Oratory at Hamilton College deliberated, the orchestra played two selections. award; he added While the committee, Messrs. When the committee returned the Chairman, Superintendent Griffiths, an- nounced the award as follows: The Davis prize of thirty-five dollars to Miss Janey Bielby. The second prize of fifteen dollars to Mr. Perry Armstrong. The third prize of ten dollars to Mr. Richard Williams. Awarded the prize of a ten-dollar gold piece offered annually by the Daughters of the American Revolution for the best oration. General Herkimer. BY FLOYD BELL. ENERAL Herkimer was the son of a J Palatine who settled on a tract called Burnet’s Field, now in Herkimer County. He was made a lieutenant of provincials in 1758, and was in command at Fort Herkimer during the attack of the French and Indians upon that year. In 1775 he was appointed Colonel of the First Battalion of the Tryon County militia. He was Chairman of the County Committee of Safety, and in September, 3rigadier General Convention of New 1776 he was made a by the Provincial York. Let us now pass to the great event of his life, the Battle of Oriskany. Colonel St. Leger left Lachine, near Montreal, for simultaneous with Burgoyne’s through Champlain valley. At Oswego, he was met by a body of Tories under Sir John Johnson and Indians under Joseph Brant. In June, 1777, information was brought by aspy, a friendly half-breed Oneida, named Spencer, that Colonel St. Leger about to attack Fort Stanwix. This information, instead of arousing the phlegmatic Germans of the Mohawk Valley to prompt action, seemed to paralyze them with fear. Oswego, expedition Thomas was

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14. THE SENIOR ANNUAL. pant of the stage, then arose and briefly explained the nature of the contest. He that the the evening would win the Slingerland prize of thirty-five dollars, the direct result of Mrs. Davis’ bequest to the Academy, and that the second and third prizes were not with the first, supported by the admission fees. stated best speaker of connected being He then announced the first speaker, Mr. Lyle Marcy. Mr. « “Frattor’s Death bed”, by Lippard, with great feel- ing and effect. He brought out the full force of the scene from the dying man’s inquiry to the clergyman, “Can faith (that of a Christian) restore my honor?” to the sad though just reflection the that while America honored George Washington, and Eng- land III; both of them hated despised Benedict Arnold. Mr. Marcy’s delivery was excellent, his Marcy delivered this near close, 1 George and voice full, his manner impressive and well adapted to the subject. Miss Helen Wheeler with a difficult Client”. When General Thomas heard of the trial of a negro, formerly a slave, for murder, he travelled many miles to tell the jury that he was innocent, in appeared next spite of the circumstantial evidence; and when he had described the slaves conduct the jury with Miss Wheeler’s voice was high and at Gettysburg, agreed him. clear, particularly adapted to her piece upon which she had evidently bestowed much care and thought. Miss Janey Bielby’s recitation, “‘Poor Little Joe”, was a simple and pathetic poem about a boot-black who brought home a bouquet for his crippled younger brother, who dies in the midst of plans to go to the country on a visit. Miss Bielby’s voice and appearance were good, her very artistic. She temporarily, to become the strong, cheerful, loving elder brother. interpretation seemed, piece, “The General’s Mr. William declamation, and Hero”. Arnold’s Curtis then delivered a “Benedict Arnold, Patriot This selection dealt with earlier carreer and, after re- capitulating his brilliant Quebec, Ticonderoga and Saratoga, the writer expressed a wish that Arnold had been permitted to die in this last battle, behavior at the decisive conflict of the Revolution, Mr. Curtis’ voice was good, his enuncia- the true orator speaking of heroes-sug gestive tion clear and his manner that of of his subject rather than imitative. After a selection from the orchestra, Mr. Perry M. Henry W. Grady’s “Message from the South”. the oration was that while in theory the North loves the negroes, in practice the South loves them better; that the of Southern people depends upon their solution of the Mr. Armstrong spoke clearly and firmly, entering fully into the spirit of his declamation. Mr. Thomas Connell Armstrong declaimed The idea of welfare negro question. then delivered Ingersoll’s ““Speech nominating Blaine”. After enumerating the moral. mental and political qualifications necessary in a- presidential candidate, the speaker proved Blaine to possess them and nom- inated him as a candidate for the pres- idency. Mr. Connell’s appearance was good and as usual he absolutely identi- fied hinself with his subject. His exposi- tion warmed to enthusiasm very naturally and when he spoke the narte, of Blaine it was in a tone of reverence for a hero. The next speaker, Mr. Walter Evans, told of the nature and composition of the Rough Riders. He described them as cosmopolitan Americans, strong and worthy supporters of the American idea. He sketched their conduct at San Juan and other battles of the Spanish-Ameri- can war with a remarkable vividness. After the orchestra had played ‘The Burning of Rome,” Miss Maud Wilson

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+ At this time, when the people were filled with dread ard ready to surrender at the first sign of the British, General Herkimer issued a stirring proclamation calling upon all able-bodied men be- tween the ages of sixteen and sixty, to arm themselves and muster at Fort Day- ton, now Herkimer village. All others were to arm themselves to protect their homes and families. Cn the third of August, St: Leger arrived before Fort Stanwix with Colonel his entire force. The inhabitants of the valley respond- ed nobly to General Herkimer’s proclam- ation. On August fourth eight hundred, including the Tryon County militia and the members of the Committe of Safety, had assembled at Fort Dayton. , lhey north side of the Mohawk and camping ’Ts I'he next day now set out, marching on the upon that side at night. they crossed the river at old Fort Schuy- ler, and when the Indians, with their hideous yells, were attacking Fort Stan- wix, General Herkimer was at Whites- town, eight miles away, with his undis- ciplined but brave troops, eager to face the enemy. While there, he Adam Helmer and two other trusty scouts to apprize his sent Colonel Gansevoort of approach. Upon the arrival of the scouts at the fort, three signal guns were to be fired plainly heard at Then, acting which could be Herkimer’s encampment. in co-operation with the garrison, they forward, scatter the siegers, and enter the fort. The woods were infested with Tories would move be- and lurking savages and it was necessary to be extremely cautious. The scouts were expected to reach the fort early the next morning but they did not reach it until nearly eleven o’clock in the fore- uoon. The signals were promptly fired, but at that moment m atters of fearful taking place between import were 16. Tur SENIOR ANNUAL. General Herkimer’s forces and those under Brant and Sir John Johnson. As soon as General Herkimer left Fort Dayton, Molly Brant sent a swift Indian runner to her brother Joseph with the news of The reached Colonel St. Leger on the evening of the fifth and immediately he spatchedeighty men of Sir John Johnson’s Royal Greens and the entire force of Brant, to intercept the his advance. message de- Indians under Americans. It was decided to draw Herkimer’s men ambuscade. Brant selected a into an spot admirably suited for this purpose, which is situated about two miles north- west of Oriskany and six from Whites- boro. At this point are two ravines, extending north and south and opening toward the north. They are separated by a level plateau, about fifty feet above the bottom of the ravines. The plateau gradually merges into the swampy flats which extend north to the Mohawk river, three-quarters of a mile away. Across the swampy bottom of the ravine Colonel Gansevoort had constructed a rude log road for the easier carriage of supplies to Fort Stanwix. On: the morning of the sixth, General Herkimer wished to remain where he was until he heard the signal guns from the fort. But his men were impatient, hot words the General and Colonel Bellinger on one side and Colonels Cox and Paris on the other. At last, the brave old general was denounced as a tory and a traitor. This shameful taunt sank deep in his answered calmly, “I am and ensued between heart, but he placed over you as a fatherand a guard- ian, and I will not lead you into difficul- ties from which I may not be able to extricate you.” Still the hot words ensued cries of “lead louder and louder. Herkimer sprang upon and the “lead on” became Suddenly General the upon on”, log