Sauquoit Valley Central High School - Saghdaquadah Yearbook (Sauquoit, NY)

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IN DUITIQIAL ADT! Known by a wide variety of titles such as Sloyd, Manual Training and Manual Arts, the lndustrial Arts courses as offered in the public schools of today are the direct outcome of intensive and extensive work by a large group of educators of national and international fame. First conceived in the United States from the Russian exhibits on display at the Philadelphia Cen- tennial of 1876, the manual training movement spread quickly. Overcoming the many obstacles in the path of new educational ideas, our present form of Industrial Arts is nationally accepted as part of the public school curric- ulum. From the 9th grade through high school is an elective subject carry- ing one regents, credit. The General Shop course at S. V. C. S. is compulsory to all 7th and Sth grade students as an introductory shop and includes woodworking, electricity and metal-working. During the past year 17 were enrolled includ- ing two girls who enjoyed the course very much. As the student shows progress and initiative he progresses to more advanced and dilficult projects where a wider variety of tools and processes are used. The aims of shop work are many, general education being perhaps the leading one. Via this course, prevocational training and vocational guidance are included as an intrinsic function of education. Handyman ability and consumer values should and do form an integral part of general education through shop courses. The subject matter is designed to con- tribute skills, experiences, appreciation and information that may be used in any line of occupational endeavor. It is general, not specific. It is part of general education and not vocational education. The course is not in- tended to produce cabinet makers, electricians and metal workers but it does go a long way in determining whether a boy is mechanically inclined enough to follow such a trade. With an enrollment of over l50 students in Industrial Arts and drawing, our first year is nearing its end, An exhibit ofthe work done in these courses by both Junior and Senior High School students was held May I44, at the Sauquoit Valley Central School. Much interest has been shown in the model airplane club. A study of aviation terminology as well as the history of flight, pictures and descriptions of all types and kinds of planes and a scrap book of aviation news make this an educational as well as an intensely interesting and popular club. An amateur photography club is being planned for next year and it is hoped that this club will be accepted with as much enthusiasm as the model club has been. A freshman stood on a burning deck . But as far as he could learn He stood in perfect safety, For he was too green to burn. Brutus: g'How many doughnuts did you eat, Caesarfp' Caesar: 4'Et tu, Brutef,

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EDUCATIDNAL UDDDIQTUNITIES The continued cooperation of the taxpayers of this district for the past school year has made possible the expansion of the course of study and of the activity program of the students in the Junior-Senior High School to de- velop and recognize individual differences and interests and to take the students to places where their experiences would be broadened and physical defects corrected. Education is preparation for life and we learn by doing. These two facts have determined our program in courses of studies and activities. Your Board of Education and principal have attempted to show the parents and taxpayers of the district what is being done along these lines with four special programs during the school year, namely: The Agricul- ture Fair, Christmas Program, Physical Education Demonstration, and The School Exhibit and Musicale program. The splendid response of the par- ents and friends has been most encouraging. The State Education Department accepted the Sauquoit Valley Central High School as a six year high school and issued a charter to that effect on November 14, 1935. The new organization has eliminated the eighth grade promotion and we have replaced this program with a sixth grade promotion to be held during Regents week in the auditorium of the Junior-Senior High School. Your Board of Education has been able to increase their public money each year until your district will soon be drawing their public money on the amount earned by attendance instead of the amount spent. This will permit your administration to effect further improvements in the building and ath- letic field and to broaden the course of study by adding new subjects and equipment. Your principal feels that each student should have an oppor- tunity for equal education according to his or her ability to learn and inter- est in so far as the Board of Education is able to finance such a program. No student should be judged entirely on his ability to pass certain sub- jects or secure an exceptionally high mark on Regents examinations. 'He or she should be judged on his or her accomplishments according to his ability to achieve. Some students deserve much credit for being able to complete their high school course over difficulties in health, financial conditions, and lack of encouragement and individual ability. A poem by Edgar A. Guest entitled, Effort,,, seems to carry a splendid lesson in this respect. EFFORT He brought me his report card from the teacher, and he said He wasn't very proud of it, and sadly bowed his head. He was excellent in reading, but arithmetic was fair, And I noticed there were several uunsatisfactorysi' there, But one little bit of credit which was given brought me joy- He was Nexcellent in effortf and I fairly hugged the boy. 'cOh, it doesnat make much difference what is written on your card,'7 I told that little fellow, wif you're only trying hard. The fvery goods' and 'excellents' are fine, I must agree, But the effort you are making means a whole lot more to meg And the thing that's most important when this card is put aside Is to know, in spite of failure, that to do your best you've tried. 97 Hlust keep fexcellent in effort'-all the rest will come to youg There isn't any problem but some day youill learn to do. And at last, when you grow older, you will come to understand That by hard and patient toiling men have risen to command, And some day you will discover when a greater' goal's at stake, That better far than brilliance is the effort you will makef, Edgar A. Guest.

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Tl-1E LEGEND UE THE SAUQUDIT VALLEY One hundred and fifty years ago the Sauquoit Valley was an unbroken wilderness. Only Indian trails broke the continuous miles of trees. How this valley grew from a wild, confused growth of trees and plants into the beauti- ful valley it now is, and how those Indian trails became smooth roads is an interesting story. Early in I789 Major Royce settled in Paris Hill, and Theodore Gilbert located near the Burning Spring which is now known as Sulphur Spring. These two pioneers were not the first settlers in the vicinity, for a negro had previously built a cabin on land which he had cleared. The Indians, how- ever, burned his cabin and feasted on his corn so the negro fled. After this incident the settlers gradually came into the valleyg the land was cleared and log houses were built. When a number of pioneers had entered, Theodore Gilbert built a grist mill. A distillery was set up, much to the pleasure of some of the citizens of the valley, for a certain drink which they made required a little whiskey. Some of the more prosperous farmers built frame houses, many of which are still standing today. Stores, taverns, and mills grew up all along the valley, and roads were built to connect the settlements. With the coming of the set- tlers the Indians slowly ceased their visits to the valley and retired to more remote places where the white man had not yet penetrated. This was about 1840. Potasheries, carding mills, furnaces and woolen mills were set up in increasing numbers. The once wild country grew into an industrial valley. In I84-0 the Empire Mills were established in Paris Furnace or what is now called Clayville. Paris Hollow tCassvillet, Paris Furnace and Sock-wait 4Sauquoitl were enlarged. The time came when the first railroad went through the valley, and then the telephone, telegraph and power lines were introduced. During the first years of the growth of the valley there were no school buildings or churches. Children were taught in the homes. Later the par- ents felt the need of educating their children so district schools were erected. Many of the prominent men of the villages delighted in making visits to the schools so that they might show their knowledge. The system of discipline on the schools was based, to a great extent, upon the theory, Spare the rod and spoil the childfi Not satisfied with the district schools only, the people built an academy near where the Methodist Church in Sauquoit now stands. The school system kept improving in both Clayville and Sauquoit until now the children of the entire valley have the opportunity of attending a fine, new fireproof school. There was very little social life in the olden days of the valley. Of course there were the usual ubeesw which were held for the purpose of raising a barn or a house, but with the exception of entertainment provided for in the homes, there was very littie entertainment. The people naturally required something to occupy their minds, and it seems to a casual reader of the history that they were inc'ined to upickw on their neighbors in regard to their conduct just to have something to do. The o'd church records tell of many peculiar instances of the peoplels punishment ufor improper and unfitting conductf' In the records of one church there is a name written upside down on the page. It seems that this woman whose name was so written, had tried to commit suicide by cutting her throat with a carving knife. The idea was to discipline her so that her name would go down to future generations as one of which to be ashamed. In another instance a girl was excommunicated by the elders of