Tuesday, March 25, 2008
I was saddened to read of the demise of Norma MacKenzie. Of course an obit does not tell the complete story of one's life. I would like to share a part of her life that I knew. I first met an intellegent young teenager of 19 possibly 20,who had just completed teachers college and on what must of been her first teaching assignment at Knoxboro Union School in the Hamlet of Knoxboro, New York. She could be described as young, willowly, , friendly, bubbly, happy , carefree and always smiling individual as seen thru the eyes of an 11/12 year old boy in 1948/49. It was not a schoolboy crush or anything like that I just simply liked her and I think she liked me. It was perhaps because we shared our first names, perhaps because our parents/grandparents were from the Ilion area, or perhaps it was the knowledge of the rural life that we shared. Her life at knoxboro Union School consisted of teaching two grades of 15 to 20 students in each grade. Shuffling back and forth between each grade teaching the entire class requirements to the students. What a challange that must have been for her. She was apparently up to the task. The school itself was primitive with no running water or bathroom facilities. The Outhouse was actually an Inhouse on the the side of the school. Someone would be assigned to get a pail of drinking water from Kennett's Garage a couple of doors away. I was in the last class to graduate from 6 grade and the following year a new school was opened. I believe Norma roomed at the Knoxboro Inn during the work week and may have returned home to Miller Mills on the weekends. Knoxboro is a remote area for a young professional person to reside with few if any young people her equal. It would have been very difficult to have a social life. I lived about three miles from the school and was transported along with others from my area in an 1933/34 Buick Sedan with jump seats. Norma would sometimes ride along, in the front seat, to pass the day. The last time I would see Norma was a couple of years later in the lobby of the Capitol Theatre in Ilion. She spotted me looking her way and called me over and formally introduced me to the young man she was with. Strangely, I never forgot that young teacher and I do know a few people remaining in the Ilion area and I would always ask "Hey do you know a Norma MacKenzie who was from your area?". The response was always NO but of course she had married and moved out of the area. So like the song says "Goodbye Norma Jean"... and I am glad that I can share my wonderful experiences with you. Norman Carey Jackson.
