Solvay-Geddes Historical Society

Historical Society to Host
Cherry Road School Alumni

On September 29, 7:00 p.m., the Historical Society will host a Cherry Road School alumni panel, facilitated by the moderator of this blog. Panel alumni will represent the 1930s, 1940s, and 1950s.

They will share remembrances of their days at Cherry Road School, and will discuss questions such as: How was it that the little school, born in a chicken coop in Willis Parsons' cherry orchard, successfully held together a community struggling through The Great Depression? What were the ways that Miss Parsons was able to make the school relevant in a time of economic flux and social change? Are there lessons to be learned through the endurance of Cherry Road School for schools and communities today? What were the values of the farm days that remain relevant for students in 21st century classrooms?

Evidence of the impact and endurance of Cherry Road School are the hundreds of alumni, many in their 70s and 80s, who still meet regularly to share memories of what has become one of the most important times of their lives, and the woman who has become their first and most beloved hero and role model, Miss Marion Parsons.

The meeting will take place at the Geddes Town Hall in Solvay, N.Y. on the evening of the 29th.

The discussion will inform the book in progress: The Brass Bell.

The Historical Society is sponsoring work on the Cherry Road School history project. Founded in 2005, the mission of the Solvay-Geddes Historical Society is to collect preserve, and showcase historical artifacts of the area. Over the past five years, they have expanded their collection and their membership.