"OUR WOMEN OF SANDWICH"
(2020 Summer Exhibit)
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Alice was born June 3, 1895 to Jennie and George Davey in the Vittum Hill area of Sandwich where she grew up. She taught school for three years at the East Sandwich School before resigning to marry G. Roland Smith. While she was teaching, the State of New Hampshire passed a law that all teachers had to have graduated from a Normal School, which she had not. Since they could not find another person who had graduated from a Normal School to teach at East Sandwich, the Governor granted Alice a waiver to continue teaching until she got married. In those days school teachers could not be married.
Alice and G. Roland had three children and eventually moved to the Center where they lived for over 50 years. Alice ran a boarding house for many years where several legendary men and women of Sandwich boarded. To name a few: Jim Beede, Irving Gray, Sy Bloomberg, Dean Swan, Mae Smith and Pete Burnham. No drinking was allowed and no card playing on Sunday. Alice was active in the Ladies Aid, Eastern Star and the Grange serving as an officer in all of these organizations. However, she was most proud of her many years serving on the Sandwich School Board as Chairwoman when the Central School was built in 1950, which facilitated the elementary grades to be located in one building for the first time. Alice was a kind and religious person and was devoted to her family. She played the organ in the Federated Church of Sandwich for 34 years. Unfortunately, she was forced to retire in 1964 from playing the organ due to failing health. Kenneth A. Smith, Jr. May 2020 |
ALICE D. SMITH
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