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Universalist Church & Boro School, Sylvania
This photo is of the Sylvania Universalist Church on the left and the Boro Graded School on the right in the early 1900s. They were on Mountain Avenue. The schoolhouse burned. Another school was built on the same foundation and it is still used as the residence of Willard and Fanny Woodward today.
Craft’s Bradford County History (1878) gives a little history of the church. “Sylvania, in the northern part of the county was favored by a visit from Rev. Noah Murray. (He was the first preacher of Universalism in Bradford County). Many converts were made by him and by Rev. George Rogers and Father Stacy. Rev. Nehemiah Ripley was probably the first pastor. A Society was organized in Sylvania about the year 1819. Rev. Walter Bullard was pastor in 1833. A meeting-house was erected in Sylvania. This house still stands, is in very good repair and meetings are occasionally held in it. There are many Universalists in Sylvania – about thirty families in all. They are in good financial circumstances, and are able to have regular preachings, though they have had no pastor since 1875.”
The photo is through the courtesy of Christine Waldo Kring, Sylvania. She recalls being in the church once when she was a youngster. “The walls and pews were beautiful and there was a lovely balcony. The members of the church could not agree and quit having services, just let the church stand,” she said.
Later Soper and Mosher bought the church and moved it down back of their store (Smith’s Store today) and used it for a warehouse. Christine was away from Sylvania for several years and doesn’t remember what happened to it after that. (See Don Stanton Note beloe)
The children playing in the yard, which was across the road from the school, were taught by Metta Soper, the late Rex Soper’s sister. Christine is the other girl in a long coat, who happened to be there when the picture was taken.
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Sayings from the notebook of Florence BURRITT Card
(Teacher at the turn of the 20th century in Bradford County) Daniel Webster said when he heard a preacher, he wanted him to plough through his conscience. We produce graduates who can poll parrot by the mile, but can’t think by the inch. Truth: respect the truth. Be true. There is no conscience, there is no noble live, there is no capacity for sacrifice where there is not a religious, a rigid, and a rigorous respect for the truth. Strive, then, to fulfill this difficult duty. Untruth corrupts whoever makes use of it before it overcomes him against whom it is used. Guiseppa Prezonui (?) Wisdom begins with willingness to be taught. When you have learned to listen, you have already acquired the rudiments of a good education. Whatever the object of the worker is shaping, the worker is being shaped by the way he is working. Courtesy is the eye which overlooks your friends broken gateway, but
sees the rose which blossoms in his garden.
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Self will leads people into most of the strife that darkens and saddens human life. Cut out the selfish considerations and not one out of ten of the causes of friction will be left.
Rest is not quitting
This busy career,
Rest is the fitting
Of self to its sphere.
It is well to start out with a good chunk of faith in human nature, you are sure to lose some of it along the road.
Haste is not strength or speed.
Thrift means avoiding waste in little things.
| 1891-2 | Bailey Hill | 6 mos. | $14/mo. |
| 1892-3 | Sylvania | 8 mos. | |
| 1893-4 | Sylvania | 8 mos. | |
| 1894-5 | Bradford | 7 mos. | |
| 1895-6 | Bradford | 7 mos. | |
| 1896-7 | Bailey Hill | 7 mos. | |
| 1897-8 | Bailey Hill | 7 mos. | |
| 1898-9 | Bailey Hill | 7 mos. | |
| 1899-1900 | Sylvania | 8 mos. | $30 |
| 1900-1905 | Sylvania | ||
| 1905- 1908 | Did not teach | ||
| 1908-9 | Sylvania | 7 mos. | $50 |
| 1909-10 | Sylvania | 8 mos. | $50 |
| 1910-11 | Sylvania | 8 mos. | $50 |
| 1911-14 | Taylor | 7 mos. | $50 |
| 1914-15 | Sylvania | 8 mos. | $50 |
| 1915-16 | Did not teach | ||
| 1916-18 | Taylor | 7 mos. | $60 |
| 1918-19 | Sylvania | 8 mos. | $60 |
| 1919-21 | Sylvania | 8 mos. | $85 |
| 1921-22 | Sylvania | 8 mos. | |
| 1922-23 | Did not teach | ||
| 1923-25 | Taylor | $100 | |
| 1925-28 | Taylor | 8 mos. | $100 |
| 1928-29 | Taylor | 8 mos. | |
| 1929-31 | Taylor |
Years Taught: (By Florence BURRITT Card)
Sylvania 15
Taylor 13
Bailey Hill 5
Stevens 2 (Is Stevens another name for Bradford?)
Hi Joyce - I just reviewed again the picture of the Sylvania Graded School. It came to mind that the church in the picture to the left of the school was moved and attached to the Waldo and Soper store. For many years it remained intact (choir loft and all)and was used to store old horse drawn hearses. As a kid in Sylvania we spent many hours playing there. I believe that the building later was remodeled for living quarters. I think that Lawrence and Myrtle Smith may have been the first to live there, but I am not sure when it was remodeled. I have often wondered what happened to all those hearses. In addition hearses were stored in the building in Sylvania at the corner of Rt 6 and Mill Street, where Fay Morgan's father, Hap Tiller, opened a paint store.
Don Stanton
Sylvania School Students 1908-09
Sylvania School had 39 pupils when this picture was taken in the 1908-09 year. The photo is through the courtesy of "Mrs. Earl Hager", Troy, RD 3.
Florence BURRITT Card, teacher.
Front row L to R: William Crandle, George Monroe, Damon Card,
Raymond Bahr, Margaret Swain, Burt Dann, Glenn Hewitt, Milton Pierce, George
Taylor, Dorothy York, Sam Canedy, Evan Pierce, Lester Ripley, Kenneth Taylor.
Middle row: George King, Joe Whitlock, Genevieve Merritt, Viola
Howell, Eva Pierce, Florence Whitlock, Harry King, Emma Smith, Ellen Preston,
Ruby Ripley, Harry Preston, Roy Heib.
Back Row: Maurice Whitlock, John Canedy, Myrtle Bahr, Harden
Gustin, Elsie Monroe, Elmer Avery, Roy Keyes, Burt Preston, Mildred Williams,
Frank Slade, Donald Cameron, Pauline Nash, Lynn Card.
Sylvania School Building Burns
The Sylvania graded school building was destroyed by fire early yesterday (Thursday April 11, 1912) morning. The blaze started in a woodshed about 5 apart from the school house but near enough to set fire to it. The main structure was ablaze before anyone knew it, and as there was nothing at hand with which to combat the fire, the building was consumed with most of the contents. A new school building will, of course, be erected. In the interval, to complete the present term, it is probable that school will be held in Odd Fellows’ hall. The loss is around $1,000; no insurance.
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An event showing the OLD school when it was NEW and its bell tower.
This is the school that burned in 1912.
(From Don Stanton) |
| The New Sylvania School built after the fire of 1912. This is still standing as part of a house on Mountain Avenue in Sylvania. (From Don Stanton who attended school in this building) |  |
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Sylvania School Students
Ca 1912 picture Top Row: William Crandle, Sam Canedy, Raymond Bahr, Kenneth Taylor,
Claude Palmer, Damon Card, Modessa Crandle, Marian Fish, Norton Simmons,
Margaret Swain, Fanny Bixby, Pauline Nash, Florence (BURRITT) Card (teacher),
Genevieve Merritt, George Monro, Thornton Card, George B. Taylor.
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| 1912- 1913 Sylvania School
Miss Hanna's First Class |
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Sylvania School circa 1915 |
Sylvania
The closing exercises of the Sylvania school were held in the I. O. O. F. hall on Friday evening of last week. The hall was filled full of parents and friends of the pupils. The first part of the program was an entertainment given by the school children which consisted of two parts. The first was “Mother Goose and Her Numerous Family.” Miss Margaret Swain took the part of Mother Goose. The costuming was splendid and the acting of the children was first class. Perhaps the scenes that pleased the audience best, although all were good, were “Old Mother Hubbard,” and “Simple Simon.” They were simply irresistible in their acting. The second part was called “Mother Nature and Her Children.” Miss Marian Fish acted the part of Mother Nature. The small children had a part in this. Some of the scenes were as beautiful as an artist’s dream. As an interlude between the two parts the school children concealed in the wings of the stage sang “My Faith Looks Up to Thee,” while Miss Marian Fish robed in white with Delsarte movements acted the part of Faith. The large audience was delighted with the entertainment. The second part of the program was a report of the school for the year and the awarding of the honors of the school. This part was conducted by the secretary of the Board, Rev. A. G. Cameron. The honors in spelling went to Kenneth Taylor and Marian Fish, but as both already held the spelling medals no new ones were given. The honors in writing went to Pauline Nash, Margaret Swain and Marian Fish. The Gold Cross of the Honor Legion was awarded to Kenneth Taylor of the 8th grade. The Silver Cross was awarded to Sam Canedy, Thornton Card and Merton Pitt. The Bronze Cross was awarded to Norton Simmons. Several boys are entitled to the Gold Cross when they attain to the 7th grade. Claude Palmer and Thornton Card are entitled to the County Superintendent’s certificate. The teacher, Mrs. Florence Card conducted the school very successfully during the eight month’s term. The average was good although at times sickness interfered somewhat.
Lewis L. Palmer, Miss Gladys Smith and Miss Anna Bristol took the teachers’ examination at East Troy last Friday and Saturday.
Mr. and Mrs. R. R. Soper were in Elmira the early part of the week.
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