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Content with Modern Schenectady
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The Pageant of Schenectady, presented in 1912 in celebration of the 250th anniversary of the founding of the town, was really quite something. In it, founder Arent Van Curler is schooled in the ways of progress by Mr. Modern: Arent Van Curler. Who are these? [The Spirits of Light, radiant, mystical figures appear.] Mr.…
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The Spirit of Schenectady
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In 1912, Miss Elsa Case appeared as The Spirit of Schenectady in a dramatic pageant celebrating the 250th anniversary of the founding of the Electric City. The pageant, directed by Constance D’Arcy Mackay with dances by Gertrude Colby, was performed on the grounds of Union College. It featured various imagined historical vignettes from Schenectady…
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Voluntary power
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More from the Albany Public Schools Syllabus of Physical Training, 1914: “For those children who have not the voluntary power for assuming correct posture, the teacher must give individual correction. It is necessary that this class of children be placed in the correct position by someone else until they have acquired the voluntary power…
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Albany Public Schools Physical Training, 1914
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From 1914, the Albany Public Schools Syllabus of Physical Training presented a highly prescriptive program for physical education. If it reflects the inclinations of its arranger, Laurence S. Hill, we can assume he was something of a stern taskmaster. A few examples from “Instructions to the Teachers”: “Ventilation and Temperature: Ventilate the rooms thoroughly…
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The Markers Speak: Hyphenation Lesson
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Okay, this is not technically an historical marker; in fact, it’s a highway marker, from along River Road in Rexford. But still, it’s my favorite marker ever. Because totally unnecessary hyphenation.
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The Markers Speak: Simon Schermerhoorn
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Ever since I was young, this has been one of my favorite historical markers. It’s in Schenectady’s Stockade, commemorating the ride of Symon Schermerhoorn (or Simon Schermerhorn, or any other set of spellings you please). As the Schenectady Massacre was underway, Schermerhoorn, with a musket shot in his thigh, rode his horse to Albany…
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The Markers Speak: A Former Lake
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Sometimes historical markers can be maddeningly vague. This marker from West Glenville Road in Glenville, NY, describes “A Former Lake – Just north of these gravel knolls is the basin of a postglacial lake. Here men of an Arctic type once lived and hunted.” So we’re commemorating what exactly? A former lake we can’t…
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The Markers Speak: Ska-Nek-Ta-De
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In the land of the bad kerning (roughly the former location of the Ingersoll Home in Niskayuna) stands this sign for the Albany Path, the ancient and modern way to get to Ska-Nek-Ta-De, one of about a million spellings for Schenectady. With the development of even more big box stores on what was once…
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