USA > Connecticut > New Haven County > Oxford > History of the town of Oxford, Connecticut > Part 20
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In 1933, Mrs. Madorno resigned as President and was succeeded by Mrs. Susan Kelley, who continued as president until the commence- ment of the school year, 1935-36. On May 28th and 29th, 1933, the Association sponsored the Tableau given in the Town Celebration of
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the 250th Anniversary of the Coming of the White Settlers to Oxford and the George Washington Bi-Centennial. In January 1934, students of the Oxford Schools, in conjunction with the Middlebury schools had X-ray examinations for tuberculosis. On Nov. 7th of the same year, the Association sponsored a concert at Grange Hall under the direc- tion of Mr. Fred May, Music Supervisor. Pieces were rendered by "young men from the Yale School of Music and the New Haven Sym - phony, and also from Naugatuck." Tenor and Soprano solos were also rendered. The concert was reported in the local press as being con- sidered by many the finest entertainment of the higher type presented in the town in several years.
The Rev. Henry S. Douglas (Rector of the two Episcopal churches in Oxford) was president of the Association, 1935-36 and 1936-37, and during his first year, a trip of 8th Grade children to Hartford was sponsored. In the latter year a Card Party was given for the benefit of Flood Victims, and the first annual Hallowe'en Party for children was held at the Grange, with the idea of keeping the children off the streets that night.
The program for meetings during 1936-37 is of interest, because of the variety of subjects treated at the meetings, the main theme being "Seven Cardinal Objects of Education".
1st "Health and Safety" 2nd "Worthy Home Life" 3rd "Learning as a Part of Life" 4th "Citizenship and World Goodwill"
5th "Vocational and Economic Effectiveness" 6th "Wise Use of Leisure Time" 7th "Character Building"
The Speakers were Miss Noreen McGurn, Oxford School Nurse; Miss May Smyth, of Seymour Schools, Physical Education; Rev. Elsie Stowe, Pastor, Great Hill Church; Dr. Henry L. Adams, Princi- pal of the Seymour High School; Senator Henry M. Bradley; Mr. John J. F. Ruddy, Principal of Pine Manual Training School, Ansonia; The Rev. George A. Barrow, PhD, Headmaster of Woodbridge Country Day School; Mr. Harry S. Hansen, Boy-Scout Executive, Derby; and Miss Marian Anderson, Girl Scout Executive, Derby.
During this period, the officers of the Association were:
President, The Rev. Henry S. Douglas Vice-Pres., Mrs. William G. Beardsley Secretary, Miss Maude Smith Treasurer, Mrs. Clarence Atwood
The former president, Mrs. Susan Kelley was re-elected President, 1937-38 and a Dance was given (with the co-operation of the Board of Education) for the Oxford Students graduating from high school.
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"Well-Child" conferences were started with 86 children taking advan- tage of the opportunity.
Mrs. Kelley was re-elected president 1938-39 and a "Safety Cam- paign" was presented to the school children, with speakers and photo film from the State Motor Vehicle Dept. Mrs. Grace Harger, was elected president, 1939-40 and 1940-41. Many speakers were heard, including Mrs. Hubert Stoddard who spoke on "Our Town Library". A Strawberry Social and Neighborhood Supper was held.
As of Oct. 1, 1941, the enrolled membership had increased to 91. Mrs. Harriet Adkins was elected president, 1941-42 and 1942-43. The Welfare Committee was given money for milk for needy children and supplementary financial aid for those district schools serving hot lunches. Plans were made for summer swimming instruction for children from 4 to 12 years old, under the charge of the men members.
An Art Exhibit was held in May 1942 and Playground Equipment was provided for the schools.
An Immunization Clinic was held in 1942-43.
Mrs. Olive Allen was elected president 1943-44, but due to gasoline rationing, only four meetings were held.
Mrs. Carleton Pope was elected president, 1944-45 and 1945-46. Previous to 1945-46, the children had been transported to the Dental Clinic at the Dentist's office, but in that year the Clinic was started at the S. B. Church School, a committee of Association members furnish- ing transportation.
In 1946-47, Mrs. Jane Posypanko was president and arrangements were made for delivering milk at two schools at 4 1/2 cents per one fourth pint. The Board of Education was requested to require all school children to be vaccinated before starting school, but the Board voted against this action.
Mrs. Stephanie Larson was elected president 1947-48 and a project was started of taking gifts to the Christmas Party for patients in State Hospitals, and the Association went on record as favoring hot lunches in the new Consolidated School. Arrangements were made with the School Building Committee to provide special running water etc. for the Dental Clinic in the new school building.
Mrs. John Smedley was elected president 1948-49 and the Associa- tion membership totaled 108. The new Consolidated School was dedi- cated Dec. 18, 1948 and the first meeting of the Association in that building was held Jan. 10, 1949.
Mrs. Alice Boudreau was president 1949-50. The first P.T.A. Pre- school Survey was made, and the first P.T.A. dishes were purchased.
Mr. Joseph Gray was president 1950-51 and 1951-52. The new School Principal, Mr. Schade, introduced the practice of having the classrooms open following the Association meetings for parents' visits. The Association sponsored the Chest X-Ray examination which served over five-hundred people. During 1951-52, the Association set
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up a School Library Committee, and the School Dental Program was dropped by the Association, it having become too large for the Associ- ation to handle, and was taken over by the Town Board of Education.
Mrs. Frances Schoenberg was president 1952-53 and 1953-54 and the first P.T.A. Trading Post was held Feb. 14, 1953. By 1954 there were 225 paid members of the Association.
Mrs. Laurence Peck was president 1954-55 and 1955-56. The ob- ject of the Association for 1954-55 was "Cooperation of P.T.A. with various Town Committees." A budget was set up for the first time, a flag was bought for the school auditorium, a "Father and Son Night" was held, and the Christmas Concert of the Oxford Choral Club was sponsored.
Mrs. Bruce Fisher was elected president for a two year term, 1956-58 and re-elected for a second two year term 1958-60.
In 1956-57 a scholarship of One Hundred dollars was instituted by the Association for an Oxford student, towards expenses for training as a "future teacher" at a Teacher's College or at a Liberal Arts Col- lege offering a teacher training program; this scholarship to be awarded on a basis of character, scholastic standing, interest in teach- ing and financial need. In the first year, there were no applications, so in the second year, 1957-58 two scholarships were awarded, and one in 1958-59.
In 1956-57 also, the Tuberculosis X-Ray Unit was sponsored.
In 1957-58 the first "Annual Harvest Ball" was held, a "Science Fair" for the students was sponsored, and a "Book Fair" was held for the first time. One of the regular Association meetings consisted of an International Dinner, the speaker being Mr. Toshie Urabe, of the Permanent Mission of Japan to the United Nations.
In 1958-59 a committee was appointed to help in the setting up of a School Library. In 1959-60 the Association again sponsored the Dental Clinic, as the Board of Education had dropped it for that year. The Oxford P.T.A. was chosen to present at the Connecticut State P.T.A. Convention, its project of the "Foreign Student Weekend", when Asso- ciation members entertained in their homes, ten students from various foreign countries and at a P.T.A. dinner held at the school on Saturday evening.
The foregoing presents, we believe, an impressive list of accom- plishments by the Association in School matters.
FROM RECOLLECTIONS OF MRS. MADORNO, THE FIREST PRESIDENT OF THE PARENT-TEACHER ASSOCIATION
"The movement for a Parent Teacher Association in Oxford started in the depths of the Great Business Depression. At that time, the little school in each district was in charge of a
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schoolboard member who was to see that the school was supplied with wood, repairing broken windows and doors, painting if neces- sary, and cleaning in summer.
Center School was a two-room building and called the best in town. It had no electric light and on a fairly clear day, it was dif- ficult to read ordinary print. Big boys were assigned to throw wood on the fire; it had water of a sort, but on "Clean-up Day," the first project was that some fathers came with cement and sand to cover the boards on the well so that while children were washing their hands, the water would not run back in to contami- nate the well-water.
Riverside School was a tar-paper shack left over from the erection of Stevenson Dam and Reservoir. The stove stood in the doorway and nearly every child had scars and burns from trying to get past to get out the door.
Riggs Street School was so crowded that the teacher had to go outside to get to the back of the room.
Church School had no running water, although the neighboring houses did. There was a large outhouse attached to the school building.
Mr. Dunfield, Superintendent of schools, sent home to parents of children in Center School, notes asking them to come to visit the school. At the meeting, everyone had questions, particularly asking how anyone could learn in surroundings like this. It was decided to call a meeting in all the other schools in town, which proved to be an awakening, as parents could not believe their eyes. After these meetings in the schools, it was decided to call a meeting at the newly built "Grange Hall". As a result of this meeting, the Parent-Teacher Association was organized.
Active in this early work were Mrs. Madorno, Mrs. Currish, Miss Mary Nichols, Mrs. Dorothea Ives, Mrs. Sussanah Miles, Miss Mabel Lum, Miss Flora Roberts, Mrs. Cora Cable, Mrs. Michael Cassidy and the Rev. Henry S. Douglas. The teachers also worked hard, Mrs. Bice, Julia Crofut, Mrs. Kate Sanford, and Mrs. Guidice. Mr. Jesse King offered to match the town, dollar for dollar, to repair and fix up Riverside School, with the result that the school had running water and an inside toilet.
The School Board, while most were members of the new P.T.A., would not spend any money for improving the condition. The P.T.A. recommended that the schools close at 3:30 instead of 4:00 P.M. so the children could get home before dark. The School Board agreed to the change by shortening the afternoon recess, so that teachers worked the same number of hours as before.
The first hot lunch project consisted of teachers heating soup on top of the stoves and furnaces. A pre-school examination was
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given free by the State Board. In the Riggs St. School every child was x-rayed and whole families were given care. Eyeglasses and dental care were provided for every child in need, of whom there were many, because their parents were out of work. The Associ- ation worked with the Red Cross distributing clothes provided by them in addition to meat, yeast, and salt. It also worked with the W.P.A. and N.R.A., finding jobs for the fathers and helping the needy. The George Washington Bi-centennial Celebration brought the townspeople together from all districts and united their efforts. A Fair for all children was held with prizes. One of the ideas of the Association that was incorporated into the Centralized School was the Cafeteria."
CHAPTER 33
PHYSICIANS AND HEALTH
PHYSICIANS
"The medical education of physicians in the latter part of the eighteenth century was exceedingly slight. A young man planning to enter the medical profession would serve as an apprentice to some practicing physician, helping in the preparation of drugs, and accompanying the doctor on his visits to patients. He and his tutor would be fortunate if they possessed a human skeleton, and opportunities for dissection of a human body were still more rare. But if the young man had a logical mind and a good memory, and that peculiar trait of character which engendered the confi- dence of his patients in him, he often times effected extraordinary cures."
Many people, now living, remember the dosages of sulphur and molasses in the Springtime, rhubarb and soda for "stomach disorders, etc." But best of all, they remembered the family doctor as a friend, available in all weathers and at any time, day or night. He and the minister and the school master were the three most looked up to citi- zens of the town.
DOCTOR HOSEA DUTTON
The earliest mention of a physician in Oxford is that of Dr. Hosea Dutton (sometimes recorded as Osee Dutton) who is said to have come to Oxford from Southington "about the time of the Revolution". He was born in 1754, son of John and Abigail Webster Dutton of Southington, Conn. The first actual record of him is his admission to the Oxford Congregational Society, June 24, 1781, so it is certain that he had come to Oxford at some time prior to that date. At that time, he was twenty-seven years old, so that it is likely that his first practice as a physician was in Oxford. Two years later, Jan. 19, 1783, he married Elizabeth Trowbridge, daughter of Israel and Mary Johnson Trow- bridge of Oxford. Elizabeth was admitted to the Oxford Congregation- al Society the next year, 1784. The Oxford tax list for 1792, includes his name, as Osee Dutton.
Sometime between 1795 and 1812, he became an Episcopalian. His
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name is not on the 1795 list of members of St. Peter's Church, but on May 30, 1812, he was elected Clerk of St. Peter's Parish. It was probably between 1800 and 1812 that he became an Episcopalian, as in 1800 his son, Sebastian was baptized in the Oxford Congregational Church.
Dr. Dutton was probably the first physician in Oxford. He built and lived in the house on Governor's Hill, later occupied by Dr. Lounsbury on what is now known as Lounsbury Road. He was self-educated, but nevertheless a man of culture, who made good progress in Latin, Greek and Hebrew without a tutor, and was an expert in mathematics. He spent his life in the practice of his profession, but nevertheless held many positions of trust in the town. He is said to have been somewhat eccentric, and bitterly opposed to the settlement of another physician in the town, even when there came a demand for one by reason of in- creased population; especially when Dr. Noah Stone encroached upon his territory.
He was Town Clerk from 1800 to 1802 and 1812 to 1815, and died in September of 1826, aged 72.
Dr. Dutton was quite changeable in his religious affiliations having been "first a Presbyterian, then a Methodist, afterwards a Baptist, and finally an Episcopalian".
The reason for his becoming an Episcopalian is not on record, but it is known that the religious revivals in some of the other Protestant churches around 1800 brought in their wake "much excitement and many indiscretions, and the Church of England received many adher - ents in consequence."
He and his wife, Elizabeth, had eleven children, some of whom had extraordinary names which indicate that Elizabeth was a reader of the romantic novels of that day ! The eleven were named, John, Israel, Huldah, Alvina Clementina, Sophia Charlotte, Maria Sylvia, Eunice, Lemuel Phiolomela, Sebastian Maria, Ximenes Petruchio, and Thomas Albert Buonoparte Jefferson."
At the same time that Dr. Dutton was practicing in Oxford, namely in 1792, it is of interest to note that three Derby physicians presented a petition to the Derby town meeting asking that they be given permis- sion to practice "enoculation" against small pox. This was a bold step, for innoculation was held by many to be attended by divine punishment. The three physicians were Edward Crafts, Samuel San- ford and Liberty Kimberly. The permission was granted Jan. 7, 1793. There seems, nevertheless, to have been some opposition, for a new petition signed by 33 persons was presented to town meeting five years later, Dec. 1798, asking that permission be given to Drs. San- ford and Crafts. Permission was granted, each physician, however, being required to innoculate in a separate hospital "under the re- strictions of the authority and selectmen".
In 1795, the Legislature passed an act which gave unlimited power,
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to the selectmen of any town, wherever contagious diseases should be prevalent to make specific regulations for the protection of the public health. It was apparently under this act that the selectmen gave the permission to the two doctors, Sanford and Crafts to practice innocu- lation.
Samuel Sanford came to Derby about 1790, "residing in the Seymour district, on the right hand corner" going up the Bungay Road, or West Church St.". Across the road towards Castle Rock, there was a pest house for small-pox patients, in which Derby as a town took an inter- est.
Little is known of Dr. Crafts other than that he came to Derby prior to 1793 and died in 1821 and is buried in the Uptown (Colonial) cemetery in Derby.
DOCTOR NOAH STONE
"Dr. Noah Stone came to Oxford from Guilford about 1810. He was born in 1782, so when he came to Oxford he was about 28 years old." As we have already stated, his starting to practice in Oxford was bit- terly opposed by the long-settled Dr. Dutton.
"He was in active practice in Oxford many years and held many offices of trust, such as Judge of Probate, Justice of the Peace, Town Clerk and Treasurer." "He was a valued practi- tioner, a man exemplary in life, correct in deportment, a fair model for imitation".
He married Rosalind Merwin in 1810. He was admitted to the Ox- ford Congregational Church from the 2d church in Guilford Jan. 6, 1811. His wife was admitted the same day from the 1st church in Lyme. He was Town Clerk 1826-1828, 1830-31.
Their children were:
1. Mary Elizabeth b1811 died age 3 years
2. Eunice b1812
3. Martha b1814
4. Andrew b1815
5. David b1817
David Stone became editor of the New York Journal of Commerce. Martha Stone married the Rev. Stephen Hubbell, (a Congregational minister) in 1832, when she was eighteen years old and while residing in Oxford, wrote the book "Shady Side." It had a sale of forty thousand copies and was said to have had a great influence in increasing the salaries of ministers throughout New England and to have awakened a more just consideration for minister's families, than any one thing that had transpired".
Dr. Stone died in 1851.
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DOCTOR JOHN LOUNSBURY
"Dr. John Lounsbury came to Oxford in 1840. He was born in Bethany in 1809, so was 31 years old at the time. He had prepared for college in the Wilbraham Academy, and entered Yale College in 1837. He practiced medicine in Hamden two years and removed to Oxford in 1840. He was a very thorough general student, as well as versed in Latin, Greek, French and Spanish, and especially learned in Botany. In treating chronic cases and some of long standing, such as swelled and ulcerated limbs and eczema, he excelled others of his age and time." He was noted for accumulating books of all sorts besides his liberal supply of medical books.
He was a great advocate of education and was the first to propose having Episcopal parochial schools for girls which he suggested in the diocesan convention at Hartford in 1874. He also wrote at that time, a letter to the well known Episcopal magazine, "The Churchman," in which he gave it as his opinion that Oxford would be a good place for such a school, stating that "it is a very healthy place, of proper eleva- tion, with pure country air, pure and clean water and a mineral spring, which is already becoming somewhat famous. It is just the place for delicate girls to come to for the purpose of study, when their health would break down in a city. Land here is cheap now and I am prepared to give some to the school now, and others will give more, and be- tween us we will lay the foundation if the Diocese will erect the edifice. We are not a wealthy people here; a plain town of farmers; but I am not afraid to say that we can raise $5,000 among us, if the rest of the state will raise $50,000.
Dr. Lounsbury's efforts to have an Episcopal Church School located in Oxford were unsuccessful. He died in 1895.
DR. LEWIS BARNES
As far back as 1875, and possibly earlier, Dr. Lewis Barnes was practicing in Oxford. In that year, the Oxford selectmen's report re- cords that he had attended certain town paupers and also that he was registrar of Births, Deaths, and Marriages. In that year, he was also Town Clerk and continued as such through 1900, being succeeded by George W. Hoxie. Dr. Barnes continued as Health Officer until his death July 5, 1908 at the age of 84.
He was the son of Dr. Julius Barnes of Southington. He was gradu- ated from Yale in the class of 1847 and then taught at Bristol. During 1848-49, he studied medicine at the College of Physicians and Sur - geons in New York City. He then entered the office of his uncle, Dr. Jordan Barnes in Buffalo, N. Y. and was graduated in 1850 from the Medical Department of the University of Buffalo. He located in
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Meriden in 1854 and in 1856 he came to Oxford, being then about 32 years old, and continued to practice there until his death. He was Judge of Probate of Oxford for 23 years, Town Clerk for 30 years, and acting school visitor for 40 years. He was at one time president of the New Haven County Medical Society. He was active in State politics and was evidently one of Oxford's most distinguished citizens.
HEALTH CONDITIONS
As has been noted before, in 1795, an act was passed by the Con- necticut Legislature which gave unlimited power to the Selectmen to make specific regulations for the protection of the public health. This act was followed by one passed in 1805 providing that the civil authority and the selectmen in each of the several towns should constitute a Board of Health with wide powers regarding health, such as requiring physicians to report communicable diseases, and the examination and removal of filth. In 1821, the act was further widened. Innoculation was put under the control of the Town Board of Health, which was em- powered to provide vaccination of the town's inhabitants at public expense.
The first mention of a Town Board of Health in the Town reports is in the report for 1894, listing expenses of the Board of Health:
Lewis Barnes, inspecting and removing nuisances $2.50
Paid Health Officer for blanks 1.00
Attendance and expenses (2) county meetings 11.50
Dr. Barnes was apparently the first Health Officer. What his powers were is not known; probably merely the removal of nuisances. For some years previous, Dr. Barnes had been Registrar of Births, Deaths, and Marriages, at least as far back as 1875.
In 1897, appeared the first "Annual Report of Dr. Lewis Barnes, Health Officer of the Town of Oxford", reading in part as follows:
"Only ten cases of contagious or infectious diseases were re- ported during the official year ending Sept. 1st. Of these, three proved fatal; viz. one of whooping cough and two of diphtheria. Where there is a liability for a nuisance, it is prevented and a worse calamity possibly averted by the intelligent cooperation of the people. Neighborly suggestions as to unhealthy surround- ings, and timely threats are a great protection from pestilence, and thereby "stink" is becoming a more obsolete word in our language. The death rate has been high (20 to 1000) but not ex- cessively so, and old age (5 over 80), accident, and suicide (5 more) have been large factors in our mortality.
"Garbage is easily eliminated from being a nuisance in our country towns when it is properly utilized. Our sewage, although
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sometimes conducted to cesspools and again in cases used for nearby irrigation and fertilization, is mostly carried off by open surface drains, which as they generally exist are a detriment to contiguous wells, a stench for the living apartments and a menace to the health of our homes. The "Klondike" of our farmers is the dairy, and my observation for years is that the milk supply is clean and that the dairy products from Oxford are always in de- mand because they are good and pure."
In 1898, the Health Officer says, "One of our selectmen has publicly declared that 'Health laws are useless and ought not to be enforced.' It is safe to say that if one case of measles which happened last winter had been thoroughly quarantined at the out- set of the attack, hundreds of dollars and life itself would have been saved to the community and weary hours of care and sick- ness averted."
In 1899, he states, "Our sewage in a hilly country, abounding in rivulets and streams is largely in that direction and almost uniformly by surface drains. What we need is better driveways (roads) and a little public spirit. A trolley through our valley to connect Seymour with Woodbury would make Oxford a resi- dential village."
In 1900, "Our milk producers and butter makers are adopting plans for cleanly stables and clean cows with dustless udders. And now they have learned that the milk must not stand in the open awaiting other labor, but must be immediately prevented from undergoing decomposition, and by constantly improving methods fitted for market, and the nearer this is with the milk supply the better for all parties."
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