Ferdinand E. Smith

Cortland Evening Standard, Monday, June 2, 1896.

FERDINAND E.SMITH

Elected Superintendent of Schools in Cortland Village.

   The Cortland Board of Education held a lengthy meeting last night and finally settled the question of the appointment of a superintendent of schools. Their task was by no means an easy one, as there were twenty-eight applicants for the position and many of them were supported by most excellent testimonials. They came from many different states and included graduates of Yale, Princeton, Cornell, Hamilton and Brown.

   The successful candidate was Mr. Ferdinand E. Smith of Sandy Creek, Oswego county, who is now serving his second term as school commissioner in his district. Mr. Smith is 33 years old, is married and has a family of three children. He is a graduate of Hamilton college, from which he received the degree of Bachelor of Arts. He has lived in Sandy Creek all his life. His testimonials were of a remarkably high order.

   Superintendent of Public Instruction Charles R. Skinner telegraphed to Mr. George J. Mager: "I have the fullest confidence in the ability of Commissioner F. K. Smith of Sandy Creek to make an acceptable superintendent. He is one of our best commissioners."

   At the close of the recent institute in Oswego county Superintendent Skinner telegraphed to Mr. Smith: "Please ask your teachers to accept my best wishes, and I desire to join them in testifying to your faithful and excellent work as school commissioner. You have given your schools six years of valuable service and I am sure it is appreciated."

   In the course of a lengthy testimonial Deputy Superintendent Danforth E. Ainsworth says: "I have known Mr. Smith all his life. He is a fine student, a thoroughly conscientious man, and among the very best of school commissioners of the state. He possesses the rare good judgment so essential to the successful management of a body of teachers is familiar with school law, and within the range of my acquaintance I know of no man engaged in school work better fitted for the superintendence of a city or village school."

   Among other excellent testimonials were those from A. G. Downing, supervisor of teachers' institutes and training classes for New York state, Institute Conductor A. C. McLachlan, S. W. Maxson, inspector of teachers' training classes of the state, beside a host of others. Mr. D. W. Van Hoesen was a classmate of Mr. Smith in college and could give a good report of him. Prof. D. L. Bardwell is personally acquainted with him, having met him at numerous institutes, at all where he took part, he acquitted himself well.

   It seems that although there were other very excellent candidates the board of education decided wisely and there is every reason to believe that Superintendent Smith will be a valuable citizen of Cortland, as well as a power in educational circles. The salary is $1,300.

 

 

Cortland Evening Standard, Wednesday, May 27, 1896.
 

Editing a Newspaper.

   Editing a paper is a nice business. If we publish a joke, people say we are rattleheaded. If we don't, we're an old fossil. If we publish original matter, they say we don't give them enough selections. If we give them selections, we are too lazy to write. If we give a man a "puff,'' we are partial. If we compliment the ladies, the men are jealous; if we don't we're publishing a paper not fit to make a bust'e of. If we remain in our office, we are too proud to mingle with the "common herd;" if we are on the streets, we are not attending to our business. If we wear poor clothes, business is dull; if we wear good clothes, we do not pay for 'em. Now, what shall we do? Some say we stole this from an exchange—and we did.—Union News-Argus.

 

KILLED NEAR ETNA.

L. R. Jenks of Groton Struck by a Lehigh Valley Train.

   Train 116, the west bound passenger which goes through Cortland at 8:56 on the Lehigh Valley road this morning struck and killed a man at Snyder's crossing near Etna. From papers in his possession and from a description of the horse which he was driving he was identified as L. R. Jenks of Groton. Mr. Jenks was a highly respected resident of Groton and was about sixty years old. He was an agent for the Groton Carriage company and was out this morning on business for his company. He was driving a white pony with black spots, attached to a carriage.

   The engineer of the train reports that Mr. Jenks attempted to cross the track ahead of the train. When exactly on the track his horse stopped and before he could be started the train struck him. The horse was instantly killed and the buggy was smashed to kindling wood. Mr. Jenks was thrown some distance and was instantly killed. The train was stopped and an investigation was made. A telephone inquiry sent from Etna to Groton brought the information that it was undoubtedly Mr. Jenks. A coroner was summoned from Ithaca who took charge of the remains.

   Mr. Jenks leaves a wife and one daughter, Mrs. Benjamin Losey. Mr. Losey was in Cortland attending the races at the fairgrounds when he received word of the death of Mr. Jenks.
 

Hailstorm in Cortland.

   For ten minutes this afternoon the hail fell in Cortland at a prodigious rate. It is rare indeed that a hailstorm here lasts as long as did this one, and the stones were some of them three-quarters of an inch in diameter. Before the storm had ceased the ground was as white as if snow had fallen. Many people were out snowballing. The hailstones lay on the ground for more than a half hour after the storm and after the sun had come out. It is feared that it has injured fruit.

Cortland Evening Standard, Tuesday, June 9, 1896.

 

                                                            Big Hailstones.

   Those who thought the hailstones large which fell in Cortland on the afternoon when the last bicycle races were being held should examine the cut which The Scientific American of May 30 publishes showing a panful of Kansas hailstones. That journal speaks of them as follows:

   “We publish herewith an engraving taken from a photograph which was kindly furnished us by Mr. Frank Minter of Corning, Kan., which shows a wonderful fall of hailstones which occurred on the afternoon of May 3, at that place. Mr. Minter says the pan of hailstones was scooped up promiscuously half an hour after the storm, and in order to show the great size of the specimens, he has placed alongside of the pan an ordinary sized hen’s egg, while in the pan are some potatoes. Mr. Minter says, ‘We have often heard of hailstones as large as hen’s eggs, but these are considerably larger. When the photograph was taken they were a good deal smaller than when they fell. Some were found that measured thirteen inches at their greatest circumference. The roar of the approaching storm could be heard for fully a quarter of an hour before its arrival. Scarcely any damage was done, except to chickens or wild birds, and no less than sixty dead birds were counted along one mile of hedge.'"

   Evidently Cortland is not "in it" when it comes to hailstones.

References:
   Ferninand E. Smith, Grip's Historical Souvenir of Cortland, pages 96 & 97: http://tcpl.org/local-history/documents/county-history-CNY/Grips_of_Cortland/grips092-107.pdf
Hailstones:

http://www.mesoscale.ws/pictures/hail/