(February 10, 1859-April 1, 1932)

Mrs. Belle Philena Barnard passed away at her home on Park St., Norwood, Friday morning, April 1. She had been in poor health for a number of years and in a critical condition from heart trouble several months.

Mrs. Barnard was born in Bicknellville, N. Y. , Feby. 10, 1859. Her parents moved to Norwood and her entire youth was spent in the home of Mrs. Philena Ashley, situated on the present site of the Norwood High School. She was much interested in music and always took a prominent part in all musical activities in church and village.

She graduated from Crane School of Music and taught in the public schools for 35 years, retiring in 1925. Nearly 32 years of active service was given in this school She was most painstaking and exacting in her work and as a result, her pupils were accurately and thoroughly instructed in good music.

Mrs. Barnard was instrumental in beautifying the Norwood High School grounds. She gave entertainments, solicited funds and worked untiringly to landscape the grounds. She was a pioneer in this work. Her efforts were so successful that the State Department recognized it and a photograph of the school lawn was used on an Arbor Day leaflet. She has left a beautiful monument to the village and school.

Mrs. Barnard is survived by her grand-daughter Mrs. Marion Pease Blood of Norwood.

The funeral was held Sunday with prayer at the home at 1:30 and at 2 o’clock from St. Philip’s Church, of which she was a communicant, Rev. L. F. Haley officiating, with burial in Riverside cemetery at Norwood.

(From the Friday, April 8, 1932 edition of the Potsdam Herald-Recorder page four. Courtesy of the Northern New York Library Network @ news.nnyln.net).