EDUCATION The Finnish people, as a rule, were quite concerned with the education of their children. Regular attendance at school was taken for granted. The youngsters knew that if they stayed home they would be working twice as hard as at school. For children in the elementary, or at that time, the first through the eighth grades, a one room country school was within walking distance for every rural child; By today’s standards the distance was sometimes a very long one. One teacher taught every grade represented in the enrollment, and all the required subjects in each grade. The number of pupils in the schools varied greatly from one to over thirty. Parents had to furnish books and writing supplies needed by their children. This was a new expense for some of the newcomers whose children had attended schools where these supplies had been furnished. The Crumtown School in the 1920’s had a large enrollment of the children of the new Finnish residents. When weather and snow permitted, the boys would ski down the hill opposite the school. Mr. Delos Goodrich, the school superintendent, paid his periodic visit to the school one winter’s day during recess and saw the boys coming down the hill on their skis, dodging the small tree in their way. Mr. Goodrich was very alarmed at this hazardous unfamiliar sport and instructed the teacher to forbid it. When the teacher told her pupils of the superintendent’s concern for their safety and that further skiing was forbidden, they considered this restriction of an everyday activity ridiculous. The next time Mr. Goodrich came by, he again saw the boys skiing down the hill. This time he not only spoke to the teacher but called in Mr. Ahola, the school trustee, to put a stop to the sport. Thereafter, whatever skiing was done, was at least not done as openly during recess or the noon hour. Another, more typical, incident occurred soon after Marie Ahola started teaching in Crumtown. Marie had graduated from the Teacher Training Class in Spencer the previous June, and was eager as any eighteen-year-old beginner would be, to prove her worth. All but three of her twenty-six pupils had Finnish parents. Minnie, Freida, and Dorothy Kroplin’s parents came from Germany. All the pupils, as well as the teacher, were bilingual. Only the English language was spoken at the school. In order not to lose any precious classroom time, the new teacher assigned two boys to fetch the drinking water during recess. This the boys considered most unfair, as the previous teacher had always assigned this chore during school hours. To show their righteous indignation, they put a little salamander they caught near the spring into the water pail. The water and salamander were poured into the drink dispenser when they returned to the school Little Helvi Tiikala, while waiting her turn at the dispenser, lifted the cover and saw the salamander swimming there frantically. “Oh Miss Ahola, Miss Ahola, there’s a crocodile in the drinking water!” exclaimed the startled girl. After that incident, the boys appointed to fetch the water were happy to take their good old time carrying out the task during school hours. Most of the children who went on to high school had a much greater distance to travel. Some stayed with families in town or on nearby farms, where a few worked for their room and board. Several rented living quarters at the Karl Siren residence. Here they supplied their own bedroom furniture and linens. Transportation was provided in only a few districts. Others got to the high school by bicycle, shank’s mare, or on the milk truck, sleigh or wagon, depending on the condition of the roads. The boys from Crumtown would try to locate a warm milk can to sit on in the back of Mr. Kokkonen’s vehicle, during the ride to school. The cans containing the previous night’s chilled milk, provided a cold seat for the less fortunate riders on a frosty winter’s morning. After school, these boys covered the distance home on foot, or, of they were lucky, they received a ride from some kindly, passing driver. A healthy percentage of the children of the Finnish families graduated near the top of their class. Many furthered their education beyond high school. After graduation from high school or college, a big percent of these students moved out of the area. An indication of the scholarship achievements of the academics of the Finnish families can be found in the record of Spencer Central School. A backward look at the records from 1967 to 1944 and accounts of further education reveal some of these achievements: CLASS   STUDENT   RANK ACHIEVEMENT 1967 Thomas Wiita 1 Nat’l Merit Scholarship winner first in Spencer School history, the highest score in NY State in Regents Scholarship Tests. B.A. and M.B.A. Harvard   Linda Rautine   B. A. Mercyhurst   Christine Alve   R. N. Corning   Bonnie MacCaskill*   Corning Community College 38 Graduates - 9 of Finnish descent - *One parent of Finnish descent CLASS STUDENT   RANK ACHIEVEMENT 1966 Donna Wallding*   B. S. SUNY Fredonia   Robert Janhonen*   Independence Jr. College, Kansas   Carolyn Salmi   Corning Community College 37 Graduates - 3 of Finnish descent - *One parent of Finnish descent CLASS STUDENT   RANK ACHIEVEMENT 1965 Susan Mackie   B. A. SUNY Buffalo   Arvo Rautine   B. S. Cornell   Duane Niemi   H. S. and M. S. SUNY Cortland   Susan Alve   Broome Tech.   Sigrid Huhta   Broome Tech   Kathleen Toyryla*   Orange County Community College 31 Graduates - 6 of Finnish descent - *One parent of Finnish descent CLASS STUDENT   RANK ACHIEVEMENT 1964 Lynn Maunula 1 B. A. Rochester University   Arnold Walding 2 B. S. Alfred University   Kenneth Thornton*   B. A. Alfred University, L.L.D. Stetson Univ. Law School, Florida   Loren Matta   B. S. Ithaca College, teaches in Australia   Patricia Ruhanen   B. S. SUNY Plattsburg   Sonja Saik   B. S. SUNY Oneonta   Joyce Huopana*   Madison College   Kim Kokkonen*   Alfred Tech.   Virginia Waris   Alfred Tech.   Jennifer Uotila*   Morrisville Tech.   Bruce Pulkinen*   Central Morrison State   Thomas Pulkinen*   Williamsport Tech.   Raymond Rajala*   Rochester Business Inst. 41 Graduates - 16 of Finnish descent - *One parent of Finnish descent CLASS STUDENT   RANK ACHIEVEMENT 1963 Arvid Pasto* 2 B.A. and Ph.D Alfred University   Thomas Thornton* 3 B. S. West Point   Sandra Mallula   B. S. Houghton College, M.S. Elmira College   William Vaananen   Morrisville State   David Janhonen*   Rochester Business Inst. 35 Graduates - 5 of Finnish descent - *One parent of Finnish descent CLASS STUDENT   RANK ACHIEVEMENT 1962 Donald Palomaki 1 B.S. and M.S. Cornell   Kenneth Huhta   Farmingdale State   Sylvia Mikkola   Georgia Southern College   Paul Laven   Hartwick 19 Graduates - 4 of Finnish Descent - *One parent of Finnish descent CLASS STUDENT   RANK ACHIEVEMENT 1961 Helen Multila 1 B.A. Harpur College, M.S. Cornell   Barbara Westerinen 2     Patricia Nurmi* 3 B.S. Rollins College, Florida   Kristine Hannula 4 B.S. Ithaca College   Karen DeLong*   SUNY Albany   Daniel Thornton*   B.S. SUNY Cortland, M.S. Syracuse   James Launonen*   Rochester Business Inst.   Jeffrey Uotila*   3-1/2 yrs SCS** (Cascadilla Graduate), B. S. Syracuse College at Utica 27 Graduates - 11 of Finnish descent - *One parent of Finnish descent [**SCS=Spencer Central School, Ed.] CLASS STUDENT   RANK ACHIEVEMENT 1960 Robert Huhta 1 B.S. RPI   June Vaananen 2 B.A. Wilkes College   Elaine Alve 3 B.S. Trenton College   James Hirvonen   B.S. and M.S. Syracuse Univ., Ph.D. Rutgers   Carol Walding   B.S. Susquehanna Univ.   David Ahola   B.S. Mansfield State   Delvin Matta   Mohawk Valley State   Arne Pasto*   Alfred Tech. 28 graduates - 11 of Finnish descent - *One parent of Finnish descent CLASS STUDENT   RANK ACHIEVEMENT 1959 Leslie Hill 1 B.S. Union College, M.S. - ?, PhD Princeton   David Nurmi*   B.S. Ithaca College   Wayne Hannula   Northrup Tech. 23 graduates - 3 of Finnish descent - *One parent of Finnish descent CLASS STUDENT   RANK ACHIEVEMENT 1958 Maria Multila 2 B.S. Cornell   Katherine Tamminen*   B.S. SUNY Albany, M.S. Syracuse   Richard Ahola   B.S. SUNY Albany   Judith Hirvonen   R.N. Binghamton Hospital   Randall Thornton*   B.S. Union College   Roy Huhta   Morrisville Tech. 24 graduates - 9 of Finnish descent - *One parent of Finnish descent CLASS STUDENT   RANK ACHIEVEMENT 1957 Elaine Hicks* 3 B.S. SUNY Fredonia, M.S. Columbia   Sonia Maki   B.S. SUNY Cortland 20 graduates - 4 of Finnish descent - *One parent of Finnish descent CLASS STUDENT   RANK ACHIEVEMENT 1956 Darla Maenpaa 3 B.S. Ithaca College   George Hirvonen   B.S. Alfred Univ., DDS Univ. of Buffalo   Barbara Hautala*   B.S. SUNY Cortland, Phys. teache 17 graduates - 4 of Finnish descent in Candor - *One parent of Finnish descent CLASS STUDENT   RANK ACHIEVEMENT 1955 William Mackie 1 B.S. West Point, M.S. Univ of Illinois. Lt.Col. US Air Force   Raymond Starr   B.S. SUNY Cortland, +15 Graduate hours Cornell   Elsa Hards* 2     Karen Ruhanen   B.S. Michigan State   Carol Toyryla*   B.S. Ithaca College 21 graduates - 7 of Finnish descent - *One parent of Finnish descent CLASS STUDENT   RANK ACHIEVEMENT 1954 Joan Hirvonen 1 B.S. & R.N. Buffalo Univ.   Marjorie Olson*   Rochester Business Inst.   David Waris   B.S. Syracuse Univ.   William Levy*   B.A. & M.S. Ithaca College, Guidance Councilor, Hamburg   Sandra Huhta   B.S. SUNY Cortland, Teacher at Candor 21 graduates - 8 of Finnish descent - *One parent of Finnish descent CLASS STUDENT   RANK ACHIEVEMENT 1953 Ronald Walding   B.S. & M.S. Cornell   Pentti Turunen   Cornell 21 graduates - 5 of Finnish descent CLASS STUDENT   RANK ACHIEVEMENT 1952 Miriam Mattinen 1 B.A. Cornell   Mary Ann Saik 2 B.A. Cornell   Vassil Ruhanen   B.S. Ithaca College 15 graduates - 3 of Finnish descent CLASS STUDENT   RANK ACHIEVEMENT 1951 Gloria Rissanen 2   Jean Walden   B.A. Cornell, M.A. Washington State   John Palomaki   B. S. RPI 16 graduates - 5 of Finnish descent CLASS STUDENT   RANK ACHIEVEMENT 1950 Erick Rosberg   Cooper Union 23 graduates - 5 of Finnish descent CLASS STUDENT   RANK ACHIEVEMENT 1949 Donald Makie 3 B.S. Syracuse, M.S. Cornell   Lee Sundsted   B.S. Syracuse, M.A. UCLA , M. A. Oxford, England   Howard Ashlund*   B. A. Bard College, Chicago   Harry Turunen   B.S. Cornell   Alfred Walden   B.A. Harpur, M.S. SUNY Albany 18 graduates - 7 of Finnish descent - *One parent of Finnish descent CLASS STUDENT   RANK ACHIEVEMENT 1948 Ronald Sundberg 1   Siama Liuska 3 B.A. Cornell 17 graduates - 5 of Finnish descent CLASS STUDENT   RANK ACHIEVEMENT 1947 Robert Balander   Morrisville Tech. 17 graduates - 3 of Finnish descent CLASS STUDENT   RANK ACHIEVEMENT 1945 Helen Walden 1 B.A. Cornell, M.A. C.W. Post Col.   Maime Maunula 2     Norma Liuska 3 B. A. Cornell   Marie Kaartinen 5 B.A. Cornell 18 graduates - 8 of Finnish descent CLASS STUDENT   RANK ACHIEVEMENT 1944 William Hoglund 1 B.A. Cornell, M.A. and PhD. University of Wisconsin 12 graduates - 4 of Finnish descent <FLF Home <Spencer History