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.
