Excerpts from
The Story of an Old Town--Glen Ellyn
Compiled by Ada Douglas Harmon,
published in 1928 by Anan Harmon Chapter D.A.R.
Excerpts transcribed by Christine Grogan
Used with Permission of the Anan Harmon Chapter, D.A.R.
| Walter Sabin pg. 54: 1851 "Walter Sabin, from New York, came and taught school here for many years. '"The Danby School" and "Sabin's school" were synonymous terms. Small of stature, awkward and ungainly in appearance, handicapped by the loss of an eye, not having had the advantage derived from collegiate or higher school training; nonetheless by his splendid tact, devotion to his calling and constant enrichment of his mind, he was enabled to win and hold till the end, until old age caused his retirement, the respect and esteem of the whole community. The Danby school never met defeat in a spelling match. In mental arithmetic, no school would contest with it. Its grammar or parsing classes held on fixed evenings during fall and winter were well attended, not only by the pupils but by others who were interested in such work. At these evening sessions such works as "Thanatopsis," Pope's "Essay on Man," Pollock's "Course of Time" were analyzed and parsed.'--L. C. Cooper's Reminiscences." pg. 57: This is a reference to the fact that, during the Civil War, Walter Sabin was a member of Danby Lodge No. 187, I.O.O.F.. pg. 62: 1862 "The wooden school house on Duane Street [was] built. There was a vestibule in the center of the building which led into the main room. From the vestibule a stairway led to the belfry which was just above the teacher's desk. One of the favorite pastimes of the boys was to get up in the belfry and throw things down on the teacher. Punishment came from the long black ruler, but they were used to it. Here Walter Sabin taught for many years. The school was in use for nearly thirty years; was then moved to Crescent where it housed the gas office for many years; and now renovated and repainted, is occupied by the Johansen Real Estate Company." pg. 64: 1869 "Walter Sabin and Georgia Allen teachers in the Duane School for many years. Miss Allen taught two generations through forty years of service." pg. 70: 1881 "An agent for Harper Brothers, publishers, sold 100 volumes for $100 to twenty people each paying $5. This was the first library in Danby. This became the Prospect Park Library Association, with P. B. Hubbard, president; Philo Stacy, vice president; Walter Sabin, secretary; W. H. Luther, treasurer and Miss Georgia Allen, librarian. The 100 books ultimately were stored in an old walnut bookcase in the basement of the Congregational church, and in 1907 when the library movement stirred again, were turned over to the Glen Ellyn Library Association." pg. 71: 1882 "Justice of the Peace W. Sabin was called to administer the oath of office to the six trustees elected, viz., W. H. Wagner, J. S. Dodge, W. H. Luther, J. R. McChesney, P. G. Hubbard and W. C. Newton, all trustees being present." (The occasion was the incorporation of Danby as the village of Prospect Park.) pg. 89: 1907 "Walter Sabin, for many years beloved teacher in the public schools, died April 6th, aged seventy-seven years."
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