USA > Vermont > Rutland County > Wallingford > People of Wallingford, a compilation > Part 22
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For a time during the term of Principal Johnson, his sister-in- law, Miss Mattie Sherman, taught in the primary room. Discipline was one of her main objectives and whispering she considered a serious offense that deserved punishment. She showed original- ity in meeting the situation. She prepared a large bottle of red liquid which was believed to contain red pepper. The pupil who was seen whispering was required to fill his mouth with the liquid from the bottle, hold it for a moment and then spit it out. The burning sensation in the pupil's mouth was supposed to atone for the misdemeanor and deter others. This did not prove to be wholly effective and was succeeded by a more direct method of preventing secret communications, at least for a time, on the part of the culprit. A boy caught whispering-I never saw it applied to a girl, perhaps they did not whisper-was called on to the floor and had his mouth sealed with a large adhesive plaster which he was compelled to wear for a considerable length of time. Some- one may doubt these barbarous punishments of children, but I witnessed them.
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Miss Sherman as a teacher was unpopular with the pupils and their parents. Her term was not long and shortly after she re- turned to the town from whence she came.
Another bears witness that during the first years of the graded school there were several teachers of the intermediate depart- ment who were fine young women and who taught their pupils many things not found between the covers of the books. Mention is made of Miss Laura Marsh, Miss Ella York and Miss Rhoda Congdon: all residents of Wallingford.
There lived in the house adjoining the school on the west two elderly people, Mr. and Mrs. Eustace Marshall, who were fre- quently annoyed by the school children: for example, when the children's ball happened to fall in the Marshall's yard, or a boy trespassed on their preserves. This is the more surprising for Mrs. Marshall had been a teacher in the brick school house on Main Street. She was then known as "Aunt Lecty." When a ball hap- pened to go over the fence Mrs. Marshall has been seen to appear on the scene, pick up the ball and take it into the house.
Mr. Marshall was small of stature and called "Useless" by the boys. On one occasion he came out of the house, "wild of eye and fierce of mien," brandishing a horse whip at any boy who dared to sit on the corner fence-post during recess time. There was sure to be a boy on the post nimble enough to get safely into the school yard before the whip reached him.
Principal Johnson was succeeded by Mr. Hyde, a different type of man, jovial, pleasant, and generally liked by his pupils, espe- cially the girls, to some of whom he gave particular attention. He was famous for putting on dramatic performances at the end of the school year, and he arranged the first formal graduating exer- cises, which were held in the Congregational Church. The per- formance by the high school pupils of "Uncle Tom's Cabin" and "Twelve Nights in a Bar Room" will be long remembered by all who saw them, as well as by those who participated. Miss Stella
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Clark was successful in the character of "Topsy," and Miss Eme- line Childs as "Miss Ophelia." On these occasions the upper school-room where they were given was elaborately decorated with ropes of evergreen, and the play had to be repeated to give all who desired it an opportunity to see the performance.
Mr. Munsel succeeded Mr. Hyde as principal, a quiet man and a good teacher, generally well liked by his pupils. Sometimes he had a little difficulty in keeping order in school. One morning there was a warning that corporal punishment might again be re- sorted to by a long whip that was seen lying under the Principal's desk; but no use was made of it.
Mr. Munsel was followed by Mr. Utley whose outstanding characteristic was frequent "lectures" of which the pupils some- times grew tired.
William Shaw, a native of Wallingford and son of Hudson Shaw, was the last Principal in the 1870's and the last to whom I recited before being sent to boarding school. He was a man of few words but fond of athletics and did much to stimulate sports among his pupils. We were all fond of him.
The school in those days gave instruction in all subjects re- quired for college entrance but it lacked some of the facilities provided today. For example, there was no library for reference; home economics and manual training were unthought of ; science was given a minor part in the curriculum, and supervised athletics was never mentioned.
I do not know that people were more serious or less cheerful in the days we are endeavoring to describe, but religion played a larger part in the lives of the people, and it was a somber type of religion, as I look back upon it. Two preaching services were held in the churches every Sunday; one at eleven o'clock in the morn- ing, the other in the evening. Midweek prayer meetings were held in the brick chapel Friday evenings for adults, except Friday be- fore Communion Sunday; then a Preparatory Lecture was de-
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livered by the pastor at two o'clock in the afternoon. Each person desiring to unite with the church was requested to give his, or her, experience, either orally, or in writing for the minister to read aloud. A vote was taken to be sure the candidate was acceptable to every one present.
There were two rows of settees in the chapel; the women sat on the right side, the men on the left,-not a rule or regulation but simply custom. It seems to be the nature of men in Wallingford, and I presume the same in other places, to prefer being by them- selves at public gatherings-perhaps a sort of bashfulness.
Three men were seldom absent; Dr. Noble, who always sat by himself at the left of the leader, never failed to speak and, on one occasion while discussing the story of Jonah, remarked, "Jonah was in a very embarrassing position." Deacon Benson, who could be depended upon to offer a prayer which was somewhat stereo- typed; and Captain Johnson, the dependable sexton who sat near the door and rarely ever said anything. His duty required him, if the weather was cold, to come early and build a fire in the large stove that stood in the center of the room, then walk down to the church, a quarter of a mile, to ring the bell and walk back in order to close the building after the meeting. He was a corpulent, burly man; rather crabbed when anything interfered with his accus- tomed ways; faithful in the performance of his duties and a man of few words. There was a young man who, when offering a prayer, never failed to say; "O Lord, we know thou wilt come as a thief in the night and unexpected."
The prayer meetings sometimes seemed almost interminable to us boys who were encouraged by our parents to attend; so much so that George Vance and I purchased a clock and hung it in the chapel. That same clock now hangs on the wall of the Congrega- tional Church and, I will venture to say, no one else knew of its origin.
Tuesday evenings there was a Young Peoples' Meeting, but
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Dr. Noble and Mrs. Hudson Shaw would attend every service. On some occasions boys led these meetings but girls never. George Nicholson, grandson of Arnold Nicholson was the leader one evening. He called upon Prof. Hyde to explain the scripture, which he did in a manner not to be forgotten. The Professor was equal to any occasion.
Dr. Walker, a most highly respected citizen, was the Congrega- tional minister until 1878. The following quotations are taken from a memorial of "Aldace Walker, D.D., by his Children," written shortly after his death.
"The record of the life of a successful and happy country pas- tor is at best a simple one, and the life of Aldace Walker was one of the simplest of all.
"He was a Congregational clergyman, who entered the minis- try in 1840 at the age of twenty-eight. He was first settled over the church at West Rutland, Vermont, where he remained for twenty-one years; and having removed in 1862 to Wallingford, only ten miles distant, he remained the pastor of the church in the latter place until his death in 1878. His body was always feeble. At the time of his only change of pastorate he was laid aside from work for nearly two years; and the last eighteen months of his life were months of total physical exhaustion and incapacity. During the years of his active labor he was never strong. His life was filled with the performance of duties which, although they were to him a continual spiritual joy, were often attended with great bodily distress and pain.
"The skeleton of his work can be traced in its numerical re- sults. He labored in his calling thirty-eight years; thirty-five years actively, although attempting but half duty much of the latter portion of the time. The last sermon which he wrote was numbered one thousand and sixty four. . . The Wallingford church [membership ] numbered seventy-seven in 1863, and one hundred and fifty-four in 1876, one hundred and thirty-two hav-
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PEOPLE OF WALLINGFORD
Dr. Noble and Mrs. Hudson Shaw would attend every service. On some occasions boys led these meetings but girls never. George Nicholson, grandson of Arnold Nicholson was the leader one evening. He called upon Prof. Hyde to explain the scripture, which he did in a manner not to be forgotten. The Professor was equal to any occasion.
Dr. Walker, a most highly respected citizen, was the Congrega- tional minister until 1878. The following quotations are taken from a memorial of "Aldace Walker, D.D., by his Children," written shortly after his death.
"The record of the life of a successful and happy country pas- tor is at best a simple one, and the life of Aldace Walker was one of the simplest of all.
"He was a Congregational clergyman, who entered the minis- try in 1840 at the age of twenty-eight. He was first settled over the church at West Rutland, Vermont, where he remained for twenty-one years; and having removed in 1862 to Wallingford, only ten miles distant, he remained the pastor of the church in the latter place until his death in 1878. His body was always feeble. At the time of his only change of pastorate he was laid aside from work for nearly two years; and the last eighteen months of his life were months of total physical exhaustion and incapacity. During the years of his active labor he was never strong. His life was filled with the performance of duties which, although they were to him a continual spiritual joy, were often attended with great bodily distress and pain.
"The skeleton of his work can be traced in its numerical re- sults. He labored in his calling thirty-eight years; thirty-five years actively, although attempting but half duty much of the latter portion of the time. The last sermon which he wrote was numbered one thousand and sixty four. . . . . The Wallingford church [membership] numbered seventy-seven in 1863, and one hundred and fifty-four in 1876, one hundred and thirty-two hav-
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ing been added by profession of faith and twenty-eight by letter.
"The Wallingford society .... contributed during the first four years of his ministry a yearly average of $210 to objects of outside benevolence; during the last ten years the average was $439, making $5,236 in all.
"Partly, perhaps, from the very persistence with which he clung to the quiet labors of his simple pastorates, living and peacefully laboring year by year in the same communities, as the gray hairs came, there came also the esteem and reverence not alone of the members of his church and the people of his town, but also of the larger circle comprising the family of the Congregational churches of Vermont. No one could point to any special power, or characteristic grace, or expressive action as calling out the added influence and moral weight which every one saw he was gradually gaining. He was never spoken of as a pulpit orator in the sense in which Willard Child, and William H. Lord, and Nor- man Seaver were so called. He was not known as a profound, or in any way remarkable scholar, as were many of his clerical associates. He had very slight gifts of extempore address, no fund of anecdote, comparatively little close acquaintance with ancient and modern literature, and not the least turn of imagery or poetic fancy. He was only a plain, honest, earnest, happy Christian; and by the attrition of those simple characteristics, exhibited in all their purity in a single locality for thirty years and upwards, he wore away a place for himself among his fellows and in the churches of his State, hard to appreciate, harder still to describe. For though not of age sufficient to entitle him to any patriarchial dignity, and without the least degree of self-assertion or self- seeking, during the last ten years or more of his labor it came at times to be said that he was the leader among the clergy of his denomination in the State; the one of all who was the trusted guide, the sagacious counselor, the wise director of its policy and its affairs.
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"His influence was not to be accounted for by any ordinary standards, and was most mysterious to those who saw the lack of display and simple directness of his daily life; but the fact was perceptible to all but himself that he was shaping more and more the conduct of the public assemblies of his denomination; and at last the practical good sense, the wise prudence and the prudent wisdom of his character became so generally recognized that his simple hints were seldom or never challenged, and his word was almost law.
"On the first Sabbath in January, 1877, . . .. he resigned his pastorate. . This resignation, however, was never accepted, and he still remained pastor of the church at the time of his death, July 24, 1878."
The wedding of Aldace F. Walker, son of Rev. Aldace Walker, to Miss Kate Shaw of Wallingford, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Hudson Shaw, was a noteworthy event. The wedding took place in the morning at the Congregational Church, the father of the groom performing the ceremony. School was dismissed in the middle of the forenoon in order that the pupils might witness an event so unusual,-the number being limited, however, to those who could crowd into the old choir gallery at the rear of the auditorium. Needless to say, the church was filled with friends of the bride and groom and townspeople.
The bride and groom entered, walking up the north aisle. After the ceremony the newly wedded couple faced each other, the groom threw back the white veil which had covered the face of the bride and kissed her; then, offering her his arm, he led her down the south aisle. It was observed that the bride's dress was made with a low neck and short sleeves. A few of the ladies in the audience wore gowns of similar style but green and cerise in color.
Miss Townsley, a revivalist, came to Wallingford and held services in the Baptist Church for several weeks. She was success-
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ful in creating a high degree of religious emotion which resulted in additions to the membership of both the Baptist and Congre- gational Churches.
An old and impressive custom existed, but was discontinued in the early '70's, of tolling the church bell for the dead. When a death occurred the sexton was immediately informed of the fact and he hastened to the church and struck the bell: for a child three strokes, then a pause followed by as many strokes as repre- sented the child's age; for a woman, three strokes, a pause, three strokes, another pause, followed by as many strokes as the num- ber of her years; and for a man, three strokes, a pause, three strokes, a pause, three strokes, a pause, followed by strokes indi- cating his age. The impressiveness of this custom can scarcely be described. When the bell echoed through the village at any un- expected hour people stopped whatever they might be doing and reverently counted the strokes of the bell with the consciousness that a human soul had taken its departure. They probably knew of the recent illness of some neighbor and no doubt was left in their minds who had passed out. Interest was always aroused in the age of the departed. If the deceased was an old person ten minutes might be required to count off the years.
At the beginning of the decade people were still talking about the Civil War. In 1871 a company of state militia was organized in Wallingford that drilled every week until disbanded in 1873. It was designated, Company D, 3rd Regiment. The officers were F. H. Hoadley, Captain; William B. Shaw, First Lieutenant, and Perry G. Wells, Second Lieutenant. The old town hall served as an armory and the gun racks were in the attic. I will venture to say they might be found today if any one were to take the trouble of climbing the old staircase in the corner of the Fire House. When the weather was favorable the company drilled in the school yard; at other times in the town hall. The uniforms corre-
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sponded with those of the Civil War; blue in color with the small French caps.
When Hiram Wellman set off a blast in his quarry at the north end of the village to break up the limestone for his kiln, the sound of the explosion reverberated through the valley like distant thunder. His round stone kiln, located back of the rocks on what is now Circular Avenue, stood unused for a long time and finally disappeared.
The year 1873 should be written in red figures, for it was the one hundredth anniversary of the settlement of the town of Wall- ingford. A celebration took place that occupied two days. Mr. Thorpe has given a description of it in his "History of Walling- ford" but I must give it a little space here for I was a witness and remember it distinctly. The Globe, a Rutland newspaper, gave a full account of the events that took place and printed the ad- dresses in full. Copies of the paper can still be seen.
It was a combined celebration of the Centennial and the An- nual Fair of the Otter Creek Valley Agricultural Association. Two temporary buildings were erected on a vacant lot bounded by Franklin, Maple, Railroad and Main Streets at the north end of the village. One, designated "Floral Hall," was for the usual displays of the annual fair, chiefly farm and other products of the community; the other, "Centennial Hall," was for the exhibit of heirlooms, antiques and articles that pictured the lives of the people during the first century in Wallingford.
The attendance was large, estimated at several thousand. On the first day, October 16th, the opening address was delivered by Rev. Aldace Walker, calling attention to the achievements of the citizens who had made Wallingford what it was. The address was followed by a song, entitled "King Solomon," sung with force and vigor by Mr. Joseph Haskins, who was then ninety-four years of age. Shortly after singing, he walked a short distance and sat down on the sidewalk in front of the first house north of the
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brick chapel. I passed on the other side of the street and saw him sitting there but did not notice that he was ill. A few moments afterward he died in the arms of Mr. Hosea Eddy who went to speak to him.
Two addresses were delivered in the afternoon-one by Rev. E. M. Haynes on agriculture, the other by Joel C. Baker on the life and public service of Matthew Lyon. On the second day the out- standing event was an historical address by Rev. H. H. Sander- son of Charlestown, New Hampshire, a former minister of the Wallingford Congregational Church. Chapter II contains a portion of this address.
In the afternoon Hon. D. E. Nicholson of Rutland, a former resident of Wallingford, gave an address. He spoke of the promptness with which the sons of Wallingford responded to the call to arms when the Civil War broke out; how a "small army" was raised under the leadership of young Judge Emerson.
The closing address was by Henry Hall, Esq., of Rutland. He referred to the lateness of the settlement of Wallingford in com- parison with Rutland, Danby, Clarendon and Pittsford which were settled from five to eight years earlier. He could account for this only from the fact that it was then mostly covered by a dense forest and lay on comparatively lower land, little noticed by those who traveled through this section in those days along the old military road that led over the hills. It was known to the speaker that a survey was made through the Otter Creek Valley by Asa Peabody in 1761, as he had seen the original minutes of the survey from the source of the Creek to its mouth. This survey was made for Lydias who claimed certain rights in the territory based on a New York State grant. The speaker also referred to John Chipman and others who, five years later, followed Otter Creek from its source to Vergennes, passing through this town; and to the survey of Phineas Sherman in 1771, followed by that of another surveyor in 1772.
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Our next door neighbors on Depot Street were Sherman Pratt, a cabinet maker, his wife, daughter Flora and his wife's mother. Mr. Pratt was past sixty years of age and had an artificial leg that compelled him to walk with a cane. How he came to lose his leg I never learned. His shop occupied the second building from our house. This building was originally the hatter shop of James Rustin and stood on Main Street where Depot Street now joins. Mr. Pratt's chief occupation was making coffins. He also made tables and repaired furniture.
In these early days of my life I spent much time in Mr. Pratt's shop and he showed his friendship in numerous ways. It amused me to see him sit down, draw up the right leg of his trousers, take an oil can and oil the iron hinges of his artificial leg. Men of the village occasionally dropped in, occupied a chair beside the wood stove and discussed local affairs. These conversations usu- ally turned to the subject of fishing, for that was the avocation that Mr. Pratt enjoyed above all others, and he never tired of talking about it. He could frequently be found down on the bank of the creek, patiently holding his rod and line, hoping for a bite, but whether he got it or not he took pleasure in his avoca- tion. One day he was sitting by the mill pond near the mouth of Roaring Brook. As I drew near I saw him throw two or three stones out into the pond and then he explained that he was doing this to drive the fish in shore near his bait and hook. I wondered if such procedure would be effective. I am sure Mr. Pratt found great pleasure in fishing that did not depend upon the number of fish he caught, for in many instances he came home with none in his basket.
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