DEDICATION PROGRAM
Robert H. Jackson Elementary School
of the Frewsburg Central School
Sunday, October 19, 1958
Three O’Clock P.M.
___________________________________________________________
Board of Education
Frewsburg Central School
Ruth Titchner, President
Bessie Dennison, Vice President
*Everett Seastrum, Past President
Maurice Bjork
*Grant Sears
Vincent Davis
Cecil
Waite
Clifford E. Lundgren
*Howard Warn
Harold Munson
Isabella Lundgren, Clerk
Robert Dill, Treasurer Ruth
Ingemen, Tax Collector
*These people were members of the Board of Education
during the planning and construction of the building.
School Administration
Harry J. Murray Supervising Principal
Ralph Rhodes High School Principal
George Hussey Elementary Supervisor
Program
Program Begins in the Cafeteria at 3:00 P.M.
Inspection of the Building 4:00 – 5:00 P.M.
__________
Invocation
Rev.Horace Fischer
Pledge of Allegiance
Led by a Group of Scouts
“Star Spangled Banner”
Audience
Introduction of Guests and Remarks Harry J. Murray
Supervising Principal
Musical Selections
Piano Duet – Sue Dill and Ann Patterson
Bass Horn Solo – John Little
Introduction of Speaker
George R. Hussey
Elementary Supervisor
Dedication Address
Lee
L. Ottaway
Supreme Court Justice
Presentation of the Building
Chadakoin Construction Co. and
Earl Martin Architect
Acceptance of Building
Ruth Titchner
President Board of Education
Benediction
Rev. Horace Fischer
At the close of the program, punch and cookies will be served by a
committee of the Frewsburg Teachers Association.
BUILDING COSTS
Site Purchase $ 9,000.00
General Construction $347,488.00
Heating and Ventilating $44,758.00
Electrical $37,885.00
Plumbing $38,541.00
Architect’s Fees $33,422.75
Additional Site Development $1,500
Clerk of the Works $3,822.60
__________
$525,077.71
CONTRACTORS
General
Chadakoin Construction Company
Plumbing
E.J. Bieger
Heating and Ventilation Sans Corporation
Electrical
Hull Electric Co.
__________
Architect
Earl Martin
Clerk of the Works
Malcolm Lawson
School Attorney
Alton Erickson
Bonding Attorneys
Reed, Hoyt, Taylor and Washburn
FREWSBURG’S ROBERT H. JACKSON SCHOOL – The Robert H. Jackson Elementary
School of the Frewsburg Central School System will be dedicated at a ceremony
in the cafeteria of the school at 3 P.M. Sunday. The new building is now in
use, housing 236 students from kindergarten through the fourth grade.
FREWSBURG TO DEDICATE ROBERT JACKSON SCHOOL
Jamestown Post Journal
Friday Evening, October 17, 1958
FREWSBURG – The new Robert H. Jackson Elementary School, located on
Ivory Street, will be dedicated at a ceremony in the school cafeteria at 3
P.M. Sunday, followed by an inspection of the building at 5 P.M.
Supreme Court Justice Lee. L. Ottaway of Jamestown will give the dedicatory
address. Supervising Principal Harry J. Murray will introduce guests. The
family of the late U.S. Supreme Court Justice Robert H. Jackson has been invited
to attend.
Invocation will be asked by Rev. Horace H. Fischer, pastor of the Frewsburg
Evangelical United Brethren Church, who will also pronounce the benediction
at the close of the program. Earl Martin, architect, will make the presentation
of the building, and the building will be accepted by Mrs. Ruth Titchner,
president of the Board of Education. Justice Ottaway will be introduced by
George R. Hussey, elementary principal.
The building, mostly one story with a second lower story in one section, contains
eleven completed classrooms; an all-purpose room, used as cafeteria, gymnasium
and auditorium; a kitchen; two offices; a faculty room and library. There
are also four classrooms roughed in on the lower level, and flooring is being
put into these at the present time. These four rooms were not included in
the original plan of the building.
The school was opened for use on September 23, and at present houses 236 students
from kindergarten through fourth grade.
The total cost of the building is listed at $525,077.71.
At the close of the program, punch and cookies will be served.
ROBERT JACKSON SCHOOL DEDICATED AT FREWSBURG
Jamestown Post Journal
Monday Evening, October 20, 1958
FREWSBURG – Several members of the family of the late U.S. Supreme Court
Justice Robert H. Jackson were honored guests at the ceremony dedicating the
new Robert H. Jackson Elementary School, located on Ivory Street, Sunday afternoon.
Among the honored guests were Mrs. Robert Jackson, widow of the justice; his
two sisters, Mrs. Ella Springer and Mrs. Helen Adams; a niece, Mrs. Ruth Ingeman,
and a nephew.
The dedication address was given by State Supreme Court Justice Lee L. Ottaway
of Jamestown, and the presentation of the building was made by the Chadakoin
Construction Company and Earl Martin, architect.
The program opened at 3 P.M. with the invocation by Rev. Horace Fischer, pastor
of the Frewsburg Evangelical United Brethren Church. Guests were introduced
by Harry J. Murray, supervising principal, and Justice Ottaway was introduced
by George R. Hussey, elementary supervisor. Mrs. Ruth Titchner, president
of the Board of Education, accepted the building on behalf of the District.
The benediction by Mr. Fischer closed the formal portion of the ceremony,
following which the building was opened for inspection by the public.
October 18, 1958
3:00 P.M.
Dedication of Frewsburg School
Mr. Chairman, Mrs. Jackson, and Members of the Jackson Family; Members of
the School Board, Young People of the Frewsburg Schools, Parents and Friends:
William Harry Murray, School Principal
Thank you, Mr. Chairman, for that most gracious introduction.
It is with great humility that I stand here today to announce FOR YOU the
dedication of this fine school to that sincere friend and former resident
of this community – that lifelong patron of education – that great
lawyer and fine citizen – that world renowned and eminent jurist –
the late ROBERT H. JACKSON.
We must go back to the days of the founding fathers of our Republic to find
a parallel to the career of Robert H. Jackson. Like so many of the patriotic
lawyers of the American Revolution and the Constitutional Convention, Robert
H. Jackson lived and acted a leading part in the fight for the common good.
His was the opportunity, seized without hesitation, in the days of world wide
disturbance, to sponsor a program on which was to place the stamp of condemnation
on international lethargy in the face of acts which we now call “war-crimes”
then long disapproved in the realm of domestic government, but still tolerated
in the days of war. How well and brilliantly, though almost alone, he fought
the terrific battle through the trials at Nuremberg will, throughout centuries
to come, a brilliant page in history.
Think back with me today, a half-century or a little more (53 years to be
exact). Robert Jackson was then just coming with his family from the picturesque
little community of Spring Creek, Pennsylvania, to this Village of Frewsburg,
New York. Some of you saw him then. Although most of us did not then see him,
it is not hard to visualize him. Pleasing personality – clear eyed –
filled with a deeply rooted purpose to succeed. Possessed of quick wit and
characterized by the simplicity and clarity of his expressions. These were
the basic qualities with which he started. On these homely foundations he
built a career which carried him to the high places we all know about.
You, who have built this school, have perhaps without knowing it, carried
on the tradition of the American pioneers. Theirs was vision of opportunity
for education for every youth in the land. When the first farms had been only
partly cleared these pioneers built the first log schoolhouses. Then came
the little red schoolhouse. The one I went to was of the same vintage but
was painted white outside. The pioneers and their descendents went on to build
academies, high schools, colleges, and universities. But of all this, none
is more important than the provision for basic education, or as we used to
say, those schools which coming generations may remember as the place where
each “got his start.”
You who have built this school have built well. No one has vision enough to
even guess at how many Robert Jacksons – how many Mark Twains –
how many Horace Greeleys – how many Donald MacKenzies – how many
Willis Tew Whitneys – will look back on this school to bless those who
have created it. Here you have created a living memorial to a former boy from
this community who, largely by his own efforts, rose to a high position in
world affairs. He became for the youth of today the example of what CAN be
done; the vital inspiration to seek advance; the leader toward the goal of
broader life and personal success.
Even though he himself had limitation on his opportunity for formal education
he had a great respect for schooling, and a deep feeling of the tremendous
importance of scholastic training for the participation in the maintenance
of our American government and our American way of life. His was a hope for
education which fits young people to meet the world, not for any hide-bound
theory of training. Turn to his opinion on the United States Supreme Court
in the West Virginia case:
If there is any fixed star in our Constitutional constellation, it is that
no official, high or petty, can prescribe what shall be orthodox in education,
politics, nationalism or religion, or for citizens to confess by word, or
act their faith therein.
I can’t let this occasion pass without a word to the teachers, to the
faculty who will be here installed. What a loyalty Robert Jackson had for
his teachers. To the principal, the teacher of elocution, the teacher of English
literature, to all the others he acknowledged time and time again against
his debt of appreciation. Time and again he spoke of their guidance in creating
interests which were lifelong. You who teach here may be sure that successive
classes will go on to sing your praises.
All through the years the Boards of Education, Parent Teacher Associations,
and school teachers have had my interest and my deepest appreciation. Yours
is a work too often taken for granted and rarely appreciated until much later
for its true worth. The fact is that in the days when I was wondering where
the money was coming from to go to college I narrowly escaped being a schoolteacher.
Something about a scholarship made it unnecessary but I’ve always been
sure I would have been a rather lengthy job to save from the teachers’
salary of 1905 and 1906 enough to meet college expenses.
Justice Jackson was in his lifetime called upon many times to dedicate public
buildings. I think he must have enjoyed such a task. Certain it is that he
did a splendid job at it. Hear what he said at the dedication of the new law
school building at Sanford in 1950:
May the buildings we dedicate be peopled with consecrated men – men
to whom the law is first and last interest in life, to which they are single-minded
in devotion, and to which they bring intellectual boldness, integrity, and
courage.
And again at the dedication of the Auditorium of the Jamestown High School:
This building is dedicated to the cause of helping to civilize ourselves –
a task that is far from complete. Here we pass on to those who are to study
in this new building a life long curiosity for knowledge, a lasting dissatisfaction
with oneself, the inspiration to seek improvement by hard work and the courage
to take responsibility. These are the precious jewels which I carried away
from the old building and which I now offer to return.
Robert Jackson would like this school. He would approve its beauty and its
utilitarian perfection. He would recall with pride that you have built here
on the old Frew farm long the homestead of the family from whom the Village
of Frewsburg takes its name. He would rejoice that you have built here a school
designed to start with the kindergarten and the first grade – that most
important time at the portal of formal education remembering that every journey
begins with a first step and if that step is well taken, the journey is well
under way. But more than all else, he would be looking forward to the future
of those boys and girls who will build here the foundations for active successful
lives.
Once to the students of the land Robert Jackson said:
Schools are built to help equip you for your part in the task of advancing
and completing civilization. In this building we will offer to deliver your
heritage of arts and sciences, law and philosophy, learning and letters. Guard
and multiply this treasure. Learning you may gain without taking it away from
any other. You may divide your own with others and still have all of it left.
It may be given away and yet none can receive it except through his own work.
The more one had, the more he knows he has missed. It is wealth no thief can
take away and no depression can wash out. How rich you will become in this
kind of a treasure is wholly dependent upon your own effort.
Johann von Goethe, the German poet with failing sight cried, “Light,
give me more light.” May the call of youth for the opening through education
of the doors of opportunity ever have the heartening answer which you have
given by the building of this school.
ROBERT H. JACKSON came from your community. He was your boy. He went out to
the tremendously successful career which commanded worldwide attention. What
better memorial could you erect than this school dedicated to the education
and inspiration of young people?
MAY THE GOOD LORD BLESS YOU ALL FOR THIS GOOD WORK.
Transcribed by Charlene J. Peterson, 2004