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

Page 6 text:

DEDICATICN We, the class of '37, dedicate this issue of the Siren to the memory of Asa Gray, world famous hotanist and a native of our valley. Class Motto-uOur Aim: Successg Our Hope: To Win. Class Flower-Yellow Rose. Class Colors-Silver and Blue. The juniors wish to thank all who have con- lrihutcd in any way to the slictress of this hook. EIDITUIQIAL STAFF lfditorssin-c'liief , Business Manager . Advertising Manager Assistants . . . , Sports Editors . Social Editors . Class Editors Ioke Editors ,. Class Adviser , Circulating Manager Assistants .. . .... Marjorie Williams Sarah Pine Mary Pelava . . .. ...,,,,.......,. Kenneth Kirhy ,. . ,, ...,...,,,..,...... Herhert Clough .....Stanley Bowal, William Williams, Barbara Zimm' rman, Edith Williams, ,lane Borden, Ce- cil Champ, Clifford White, Rosahelle Wads- worth. Joseph Cimmillaro Mike Halenar Dorothy Merritt , . . .Georgianna Smith Lucille Schafer . . . . Josephine Novak Agnes O'Brien , . . , Marjorie Boland Lucille Perkins ,, . , ,.,,,....,..... Helene Prichard ........,..,,.......,Mike Halenar . . . . .Robert Sherman, Rosabelle Wadsworth, Doro- thv Merritt. Cornelia Sullivan, Cecil Champ, Clifford White, Marjorie Jensen, Herbert Clough, Barhara Zimmerman, ,lane Borden.

Page 5 text:

THE IAGHDAQUADAH IIIQEN 1936 PUBLISHED BV TI-IE JUNIQRS OF SALJQUQIT VALLEY CENTRAL SCI-IQOL SAUQUGIT, NEW YQRK

Page 7 text:

ASA GIQAY To one of Oneida Countyis most 5- learned and eminent sons, Dr. Asa Gray, distinguished botanist, the junior class deems it a privilege and a pleasure lo dedicate their year book, to com- memorate the 125th anniversary of his birth. The placard affixed to his portrait in- forms us that he was born at Sauquoit, November 18, 1810, and died at Cam- bridge, Mass., January 30, 1888. In the years between these dates he accom- plished an immense amount of hard work, study and research and he attain- ed eminence in his specialty which has not been surpassed by any other Ameri- can. The place where he was born, the site of the tannery where he labored as a boy, the house erected by his father at Paris Furnace lnow the home of ' Miss Clara Wordenj, the home where many of his works were written lnow the home of James Quinn, Sauquoitj, the church which he attended, the oak tree which he planted, remain, dear to those who treasure the memory of Asa Gray and the history of our valley. Our school is also the proud possessor of a fine portrait of Dr. Gray, the gift of his nieces, the Misses Alice and Emily Crayg also of several fine vol- umes of his writings as well as a collection of interesting letters from other famous men of his time. These were the gift of Miss Kathrine Loring, niece of Mrs. Gray. Of himself Dr. Gray writes, H1 was born in a little house which had been a shoe shop on the premises of the tannery yard. My earliest recollec- tions are of Paris Furnace Hollow, for before 1 was a year old my father and mother removed to Paris Furnace and set up a tannery there. Of this l retain some vivid recollections, especially those connected with the first use to which 1 was put, the driving round the ring of the old horse which turned the bark-mill and the supplying the mill with its grist of bark,- a lonely and monotonous occupation. ul was sent to the district school nearby fClayvillej when I was three years old. There was a year or two of early boyhood in which l was sent to a small cselect' or private school at Sauquoit and at the age of twelve 1 was sent off to the Clinton Grammar School, nine miles away where l was drilled in the rudiments of Latin and Creekf, Dr. Cray says also that, following his fatherls wish, he took a medical course. He was graduated with honor, but his beloved botany was more to his taste. So he began his career as a teacher first at Utica and then at Ham- ilton College. lt was not long before he acquired such a widespread reputation as a student and instructor that he was called to Harvard and as long as he lived he retained his connection with that institution. President Charles W. Eliot of Harvard pays him the following tribute: