SEE STUDENT DISPLAY AT TOWN HALL

4th Graders Draw Timeline of Marcy’s History

Town Historian Ray Ball mingled with 48 fourth grade students from Marcy Elementary School on June 14, touting the lessons of history while taking them on a tour of the Town Hall.

Near the end of the tour, the group stopped in front of a metal detector, and Ball had each student file through it before entering the Town Court, humorously saying he wanted to make sure there were no gun-toting outlaws or terrorists among the lot.

School Principal Laurie Fitzgerald and 4th Grade Teachers Rosemary Povec, Liz Ohnezeit and Sarah Hart brought the three 4th grade classes to the Town Hall to officially present a pictorial timeline of the town’s history. Mrs. Povec explained that the teachers did the research, with the help of the town historian, and the students drew pictures representing key dates along the timeline.

While the students were taking their tour, two of the teachers put up the timeline display in the lobby of the building, with the assistance of Parks-Recreation-Culture Director Pat Clark and Town Clerk Francine Broccoli. The children’s timeline will be on display throughout the town’s 175th anniversary celebration.

Historian Ball ended the tour in the Town Court and its adjacent community room where public meetings are held, but not before banging the judge’s gavel to emphasize a lesson in good citizenship. He encouraged the youngsters to stay away from drugs and activities that would bring them back to court, where the judge would bang his gavel and the Sheriff or State Police would be waiting to take them to Oneida County Correctional Facility. The students erupted into a round of applause, and then each class filed out to have a picture taken in front of the timeline display.

Once the photos were taken, they headed outdoors for a few parting words from the town historian. On the way out, Ball gave each student a copy of the booklet, “Prehistoric Habitation of Marcy.” Once the 4th graders assembled in a semi-circle around him, Ball pointed to a spot in front of the stone between the two flag poles, and told them a time capsule would be buried there during the town’s anniversary picnic on Aug. 18. He invited the students to the picnic, where they could help him bury the capsule.
Town Historian Ray Ball explains Town Hall exhibits to 4th graders who presented him with an historical timeline of Marcy. Photos by Bob Stronach.

MORE PHOTOS: stronach.dotphoto.com
Teachers Sarah Hart and Liz Ohnezeit assemble their students' pictorial timeline in Marcy Town Hall.
As Marcy 4th graders look on, Town Historian Ray Ball points to spot where time capsule will be buried.