1920 Jefferson County Farm School

The Jefferson County Farm School was established in the last decade of the 19th century to address the problem of chronic truancy in local schools without subjecting errant students to the harsh conditions of the traditional reform school. Operated under the auspices of the City of Watertown's Board of Education, the school provided a year-around residence for boys ages 8-16 who had been sentenced by the court to removal from their homes. Besides providing traditional classes during the school year, boys operated a farm which paid most of the expenses of the farm, growing fruit, vegetables, and raising poultry, dairy and meat animals for both their own subsistence and for local markets. The school raised additional funds by accepting boys from outside of the county for a fee. The school was located about 4 miles from Watertown on the present Sandy Creek Valley road and operated for more than 50 years.

Watertown Daily Times, Watertown, NY, Thursday, December 23, 1920

This is a story that the boys at the Jefferson county farm school are not going to read. Along about this time of the year, all copies of The Times received at the school are censored and all stories relating to the Christmas preparations there are cut out by Mrs. E.H. Bunce, the "mother' to the 40 boys there. If Mrs. Bunce didn't do this, the boys would know all about the big surprise they are going to have tomorrow night and that would remove all the elements of surprise. And what is Christmas without surprises?

Up to this noon, 108 books have been received at the school and these havebeen placed in the school library. The books are not given to the boys as individual gifts, but are placed in the general library. One of the boys has been appointed librarian and he has charge of all the books. During the school year, each boy is allowed to draw one book a week. Friday night has been designated as library night, and the books are circulated on this night. The library has about 400 in volumes in all, and there are very few duplicates. During the vacation period, the boys are allowed to take out two books a week.

In addition to the books, about 50 victrola records have been received. The assortment is very good, consisting of sacred, patriotic and comic songs and a number of orchestra numbers which can be used for marching and drills. The victrola has been placed in the school, but the boys do not know anything about this.

In cash, $62.50 has been received. Each boy will receive a cap, a pocket comb, two handkerchiefs and a neck tie. In addition, each boy will receive a pair of skates, a sled, a pair of skis or a game.

The Rotary club of Watertown has given oranges and candy, so that each boy will receive a half pound of candy and an orange. The Christmas tree has been placed in the private dining room of Mr. and Mrs. Bunce. Supper will be served at 5:30 tomorrow evening. The boys wash the dishes after the [meal] and probably dishes will never be washed and wiped with the speed that they will be tomorrow night, because as soon as the supper dishes are 'done'the doors to the private dining room will be thrown open and the distribution of presents will be made.

Christmas morning will be ushered in with the singing of Christmas carols, dinner will be served at noon and late in the afternoon a sacred program, emblematic of the Christmas season will be given. In the evening , an entertainment will be given, at which the boys will give recitations, and two wonderful days will come to a close.

Mrs. Bunce today expressed her appreciation of the kindness of the people who had contributed to the Christmas fund of the school, and assured them that 40 happy boys would think of them tomorrow night.

1920 Roster

Name	Age	Born	Father born	Mother born
Bunce, Eugene H.	37	New York	New York	New York
Bunce, Elizabeth C.	37	New York	New York	New York
Bunce, Karl M.	10	New York	New York	New York
Bunce, Zeba B.	72	New York	New York	New York
Fralick, Adelaide M.	70	New York	New York	New York
Stafford, Fanny	55	Canada	Canada	New York
Blood, Ora H	13	New York	New York	New York
Billhardt, Gilbert	10	New York	U.S.	U.S.
Bryer, Carleton	12	New York	New York	New York
Burnham, Arnold	12	New York	New York	New York
Coffie, Le Roy	14	New York	New York	New York
Colby, Frank	13	New York	New York	New York
Colby, Oral	11	New York	New York	New York
Cooper, Allen	10	New York	U.S.	U.S.
Currier, Fred	14	New York	New York	New York
Currier, Ralph	9	New York	New York	New York
Eldrigde, Norman	13	New York	New York	New York
Fasono, Mikiel	14	New York	Italy	New York
Ferris, Ellsworth	12	New York	New York	New York
Hodge, Raymond	10	New York	New York	New York
Jenner, Charles	15	New York	New York	New York
Ketchum, Clarence	15	New York	New York	New York
Lester, Clarence	11	New York	New York	New York
Longmore, Mearle	12	New York	Canada	New York
Loomis, Nathaniel	13	New York	New York	New York
Mack, Clarence	14	New York	New York	New York
Malesuschy, Theodore	11	New York	Poland	Poland
Maxwell, Howard	13	New York	New York	New York
Moseley, Theodore	13	New York	New York	Switzerland
Palmer, Elmer	8	New York	New York	New York
Pendt, Karl	13	New York	Switzerland	Unknown
Purpora, Joseph	11	New York	Italy	Italy
Russwill, Carl	10	New York	U.S.	U.S.
Scott, Oliver	10	New York	New York	New York
Smith, Everett	15	New York	New York	New York
Smith, Earl	10	New York	Canada	New York
Snyder, Andy	12	New York	New York	New York
Spiegleman, Philip	7	Russia	Russia	Russia
Steele, George	14	New York	New York	New York
Goddard, Silas	7	U.S.	U.S.	U.S.
Taber, Walter	13	New York	New York	New York
Taccanelli, Tony	10	Italy	Italy	Italy
Vargosha, Henry	11	New York	Austria	New York
Wells, Robert	11	New York	New York	New York
Zeno, William	12	U.S.	U.S.	U.S.
Taylor, John	13	New York	New York	New York
Kennedy, Victor	15	New York	New York	New York
Dawson, Arthur	15	New York	England	New York

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Co-Coordinator Bruce Coyne.

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