Schools of the Past: McDonough District #7 – His Last Farewell, Part III
Related in the last article of District #7 - The Old School, this week we return to this school for not only a photograph of the students, but also to pay tribute to Albert Merriam teacher in the above district school whose article will be printed below as per his instructions after his death.
However, first the photo with this article the students are identified (partially) and are listed below beginning with the last row: #1 - Miss Bidwell - teacher; #2 - Christine Morse; #3 - Frances Keator; #4 - Nellie Nightengale; #5 - Mattie Meade; #6 - D. Johnson; #7 - (?) Bush; #8 - Fannie Nightengale; #9 • Mary Benson; #10 - Albert Merrian - Teacher: Second row: (boys); #11 - Ernest Lamb; #12 - Gates Beckwith; #13 - Leon Gates; - #14 - Ruth Hoag; #15- Mildred Lamb. Third row: #16 (?) Bush; #17 - Frances Dangel; #18 - Ethel Meeker; #19 - Florence Lewis; #19 - Florence Lewis; #20 - unidentified; #21- Helen Dillenbeck; #22 -Frank Dillenbeck; #23 - Marvin Lewis (brother of #19 &29): #24 - Ben Nightengale; #25 - Arthur Beckwith; #26 - Louis Purdy; ;#27 - Bill Donangh (?); #28 - Ed Van Slyke; #29 - Charlotte Lewis; #30 - Muriel Beckwith (Wackford); #31 - Edith Simpson (Diltenbeck) (Emmick); #32 - Howard Nightengale; #33 unidentified;#34 - Leon Simpson - #35 - Frank Meade. There is a notation that this information source was Lewis F. Wright of South New Berlin, New York.
Quoting Mr. Merriam’s writing, we hope all readers will find his final response interesting! This documentation appeared in a newspaper which was undated and identified as the Review-Times.
HIS LAST FAREWELL
“Albert B. Merriam a few months before his death writes to his friends and neighbors.
“At the time of the sudden death of Albert B. Merriam in McDonough on October 31,1921, it was generally understood that he had written an article to be printed after his death. It was not until the 8th of last June that his sister found the paper, written in the summer of 1921 which the Review -Times takes pleasure in printing. It reveals the man, his kindliness and desire to be helpful to all. The lines “I will build my house by the side of the road and be a friend to man very fully describes Mr. Merriam.
FAREWELL
“I realize that there is but a step between me and death,” (1 Sam. 20:3), I am yielding a desire to write you a few lines in bidding you a last farewell.
“While I am addressing these lines to my friend, neighbors and relatives, I have more specifically in mind those who have been my pupils in years past and gone.
“There was a poor, homely baby boy born November 25,1856 in a farmhouse in the town of Greene, N.Y. and brought by my parents and brought to the Town of McDonough in the spring of ‘58.
“Like an ordinary farmer’s boy my boyhood days were passed at home and in the district school until about twelve years of age, when I was sent to the village school in McDonough, the fall and winter terms for four years.
“The first year at McDonough School I learned a true friend and for a year and half in school together and over fifty years of business life naught but friendly words and pleasant meetings passed between Bertrand M. Emerson and myself. He finished his work, earned the “well done” and entered into rest while he seemed to be only waiting on the shore for his boatman to carry him forth.
“But to return to my history, October 10,1876 in what has been long been known as “The Townline District.” That first day has never been forgotten. It makes me sad to think of how little I did for those noble, honest and bright boys and girls, perhaps many of them knew much more and I, but I did my best for them, the incidents of that term, the picture of those happy faces, time cannot erase or blot from my memory. From then on for seventy-five terms, I did the best I could to aid, to instruct and protect, the different pupils who were trusted to my care to my care until June 2,1914, when my active work as a teacher ended.
“Many of those who were my pupils have finished their work here and have passed on to “The Great Beyond,” others are still with us journeying along life’s rough highways and to these and my friends I am writing.
“In those days that are past and gone when you were my pupils or dealings with me, no doubt, many times you thought me a mean old crank, when my ideas of right differed from yours; but, believe me, t had but one thought in mind, namely: What shall I do to help this child or person to become a better man or woman! Being only human no doubt many mistakes were made, but there is no fault in the intention; as no wrong was intended, I want to ask each of you to remember the mistake only that you may not make the same or a similar one. If I did any good for you profit by it.
“It has been my purpose to make this old world a little better for my having lived in it, by helping to make life easier or brighter for those who have hard and dreary roads to travel, to be more contented and happier with their surroundings. If I have succeeded in a single instance in one of those efforts, then my life has not been in vain of the results of failure both of my youth both for pleasure or profit, every condition to home and surroundings, all that I need for myself has resulted in entire disappointment,
“I have tried to be a cheerful loser, if the effort I have made to be of some use, to help make conditions of life better and to be a cheerful friend to those who have needed cheer and sympathy, if in this I have succeeded in any degree, mourn not for me.
“To the members of the different fraternal orders of which I have been a fellow member I wish to say, when you have noticed any failure in my doing all that was any obligation was due, please be charitable, by your own efforts make up the short coming of a weaker brother, and thus you will fulfill the injunction, “Ye that are strong heal the burden of the weak.” I want to thank each of you for the cheer and encouragement you have given when life’s skies were dark and cloudy to me. And I hope and trust that each of those fraternities may increase in membership and strength and purpose and fully perform each and every principle of fraternity for which they were organized.
“In closing let me say, that I trust you will believe I have written as I feel, to and for you, that as I expect to be forgiven, only as I forgive my fellow man. That I freely forgive all and with no ill-will towards no person but with charity for all, wishing for all happiness and success with abundance of all that is good, I bid you each an affectionate farewell.
“Farewell to each this means; to leave all friends, earthly scenes, to leave all pain in sorrow and woe; to leave all earthly joys I know; to cross the river and reach the shore; to meet the friends who have gone before; to learn the unknown and know it well; is but a part of the word, Farewell. ALBERT B. MERRIAM.”
Thus we conclude the history of Dist. #7 and pause to reflect on his last words before his departure from a long and successful career in education. Upon reflection, you may admit Mr. Merriam had a true philosophy of his life!
However, first the photo with this article the students are identified (partially) and are listed below beginning with the last row: #1 - Miss Bidwell - teacher; #2 - Christine Morse; #3 - Frances Keator; #4 - Nellie Nightengale; #5 - Mattie Meade; #6 - D. Johnson; #7 - (?) Bush; #8 - Fannie Nightengale; #9 • Mary Benson; #10 - Albert Merrian - Teacher: Second row: (boys); #11 - Ernest Lamb; #12 - Gates Beckwith; #13 - Leon Gates; - #14 - Ruth Hoag; #15- Mildred Lamb. Third row: #16 (?) Bush; #17 - Frances Dangel; #18 - Ethel Meeker; #19 - Florence Lewis; #19 - Florence Lewis; #20 - unidentified; #21- Helen Dillenbeck; #22 -Frank Dillenbeck; #23 - Marvin Lewis (brother of #19 &29): #24 - Ben Nightengale; #25 - Arthur Beckwith; #26 - Louis Purdy; ;#27 - Bill Donangh (?); #28 - Ed Van Slyke; #29 - Charlotte Lewis; #30 - Muriel Beckwith (Wackford); #31 - Edith Simpson (Diltenbeck) (Emmick); #32 - Howard Nightengale; #33 unidentified;#34 - Leon Simpson - #35 - Frank Meade. There is a notation that this information source was Lewis F. Wright of South New Berlin, New York.
Quoting Mr. Merriam’s writing, we hope all readers will find his final response interesting! This documentation appeared in a newspaper which was undated and identified as the Review-Times.
HIS LAST FAREWELL
“Albert B. Merriam a few months before his death writes to his friends and neighbors.
“At the time of the sudden death of Albert B. Merriam in McDonough on October 31,1921, it was generally understood that he had written an article to be printed after his death. It was not until the 8th of last June that his sister found the paper, written in the summer of 1921 which the Review -Times takes pleasure in printing. It reveals the man, his kindliness and desire to be helpful to all. The lines “I will build my house by the side of the road and be a friend to man very fully describes Mr. Merriam.
FAREWELL
“I realize that there is but a step between me and death,” (1 Sam. 20:3), I am yielding a desire to write you a few lines in bidding you a last farewell.
“While I am addressing these lines to my friend, neighbors and relatives, I have more specifically in mind those who have been my pupils in years past and gone.
“There was a poor, homely baby boy born November 25,1856 in a farmhouse in the town of Greene, N.Y. and brought by my parents and brought to the Town of McDonough in the spring of ‘58.
“Like an ordinary farmer’s boy my boyhood days were passed at home and in the district school until about twelve years of age, when I was sent to the village school in McDonough, the fall and winter terms for four years.
“The first year at McDonough School I learned a true friend and for a year and half in school together and over fifty years of business life naught but friendly words and pleasant meetings passed between Bertrand M. Emerson and myself. He finished his work, earned the “well done” and entered into rest while he seemed to be only waiting on the shore for his boatman to carry him forth.
“But to return to my history, October 10,1876 in what has been long been known as “The Townline District.” That first day has never been forgotten. It makes me sad to think of how little I did for those noble, honest and bright boys and girls, perhaps many of them knew much more and I, but I did my best for them, the incidents of that term, the picture of those happy faces, time cannot erase or blot from my memory. From then on for seventy-five terms, I did the best I could to aid, to instruct and protect, the different pupils who were trusted to my care to my care until June 2,1914, when my active work as a teacher ended.
“Many of those who were my pupils have finished their work here and have passed on to “The Great Beyond,” others are still with us journeying along life’s rough highways and to these and my friends I am writing.
“In those days that are past and gone when you were my pupils or dealings with me, no doubt, many times you thought me a mean old crank, when my ideas of right differed from yours; but, believe me, t had but one thought in mind, namely: What shall I do to help this child or person to become a better man or woman! Being only human no doubt many mistakes were made, but there is no fault in the intention; as no wrong was intended, I want to ask each of you to remember the mistake only that you may not make the same or a similar one. If I did any good for you profit by it.
“It has been my purpose to make this old world a little better for my having lived in it, by helping to make life easier or brighter for those who have hard and dreary roads to travel, to be more contented and happier with their surroundings. If I have succeeded in a single instance in one of those efforts, then my life has not been in vain of the results of failure both of my youth both for pleasure or profit, every condition to home and surroundings, all that I need for myself has resulted in entire disappointment,
“I have tried to be a cheerful loser, if the effort I have made to be of some use, to help make conditions of life better and to be a cheerful friend to those who have needed cheer and sympathy, if in this I have succeeded in any degree, mourn not for me.
“To the members of the different fraternal orders of which I have been a fellow member I wish to say, when you have noticed any failure in my doing all that was any obligation was due, please be charitable, by your own efforts make up the short coming of a weaker brother, and thus you will fulfill the injunction, “Ye that are strong heal the burden of the weak.” I want to thank each of you for the cheer and encouragement you have given when life’s skies were dark and cloudy to me. And I hope and trust that each of those fraternities may increase in membership and strength and purpose and fully perform each and every principle of fraternity for which they were organized.
“In closing let me say, that I trust you will believe I have written as I feel, to and for you, that as I expect to be forgiven, only as I forgive my fellow man. That I freely forgive all and with no ill-will towards no person but with charity for all, wishing for all happiness and success with abundance of all that is good, I bid you each an affectionate farewell.
“Farewell to each this means; to leave all friends, earthly scenes, to leave all pain in sorrow and woe; to leave all earthly joys I know; to cross the river and reach the shore; to meet the friends who have gone before; to learn the unknown and know it well; is but a part of the word, Farewell. ALBERT B. MERRIAM.”
Thus we conclude the history of Dist. #7 and pause to reflect on his last words before his departure from a long and successful career in education. Upon reflection, you may admit Mr. Merriam had a true philosophy of his life!
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