by Laurel | June 9th, 2010
June 9, 1907
Frances C. Gaylord, of Holyoke
Had taught in Springfield, Westfield, South Hadley and Many Other Places.
Miss Frances C. Gaylord, 64m died yesterday morning at 5 o’clock at the home of H. W. Atherton, 207 Beech street, in Holyoke. Miss Gaylord was taken ill with pleuro-pneumonia about two weeks ago, and little hope had been held out for her recovery since the beginning of her illness. She had failed rapidly within the last few days, and the end came yesterday morning. She was born September 22, 1842, in South Hadley Falls, and was the daughter of Asa Bates and Cordelia Ingram Gaylord. For a long time she was a resident of the Falls, having received her early education in the town schools, and after a high school course, entered the Westfield normal school, graduating there in 1864. At the time she attended the Westfield school John W. Dickinson, who for many years was secretary of the Massachusetts board of education, was the principal, and while Miss Gaylord was a student there he received an offer to go to Oswego, N.Y. to introduce object method of teaching into the higher grades. Mr. Dickinson refused the offer, but recommended two of his pupils, Miss Gaylord being one.
She went there in 1864, returning the next year to the Falls on account of her mother Her next position was in Westfield where she taught in the grammar school, and from there she went to Chicopee, where she was an assistant in the high school. From Chicopee she went to New York as teacher in the higher grade of a New York juvenile asylum, and shortly after was made principal of the building. She came back again to the Falls to teach in the grammar school, and from there went to Springfield, where she was master’s assistant at the Central street school. While in Springfield she received an offer of the principal-ship of the ladies’ seminary in Jacksonville, Ill. and for three years in that school she taught astronomy and physiology, at the same time doing a great deal of outside work along philanthropic and educational lines. After a time her health gave out and she returned home to rest, and from home she went to Sackville, N.B., where she was preceptor of the Mark Allison women’s seminary, teaching English and higher mathematics. From there she went back again to Jacksonville as preceptress of the Presbyterian academy, and after a time she again returned home and was later appointed assistant principal in the Central street school in Springfield, being transferred to the Springfield high school as assistant principal where she taught for a number of years.
in 1890 she accepted a position as teacher at the Westfield normal school, which she held for seven years, when she resigned. For five years afterward she substituted in the Springfield schools, besides teaching in the evening high school.
Six years ago she returned to the Falls as the companion of Miss Elizabeth Gaylord, and she had lived in Holyoke since last March. Miss Gaylord had many friends in the Falls, as well as elsewhere and was a woman of great intellect and learning, having a charming personality and was particularly fitted for the profession which she had chosen. She was an active member of the women’s political class, and was also a member of the Mercy Warren chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution of Springfield, for a year serving the society as regent. She leaves one brother, George B. Gaylord of Springfield. The body was removed to the home of her aunt, Mrs. Lydia Gaylord, 138 Main street, South Hadley Falls, where the funeral will be held to-morrow afternoon at 3 o’clock.
From The Springfield Republican.
