Most graduates, as they advance in years, look forward to their 50th year high school class reunion. This seems to mark a milestone. 2008 is even more special for Helen Rice, as this year marks the 80th anniversary of her graduation from Little Falls High School. She, along with local attorney John Zoller, is the only remaining member of the class of 1928.
Helen was born and brought up in Inghams Mills and she attended the local rural schools. Completing her schooling there, she advanced to LFHS. Each morning her father would drop her off at the milk station near the Half Way House in Manheim Center, where along with neighboring farm children, she caught the bus to Little Falls. After school she walked to Kandyland on Main Street and took the Little Falls-Dolgeville bus back to Manheim Center and frequently walked the remaining distance to her home.
Following graduation on June 28, 1928, Helen enrolled in a teacher’s training school in Canajoharie. Upon successful completion of one year of study she was certified to teach any subject, in any class, in any rural school in New York State. After completing her studies at Geneseo and Albany State she began her career as a librarian in the Rochester, NY area. Helen became head librarian of the Irondequoit school system and retired in 1973 as assistant superintendent of schools after 39 years devoted to education. She continues to live in Rochester.
Helen became interested in birding in fifth grade with the emphasis of her teacher on learning about birds. This lifelong interest, nurtured in a rural schoolhouse, has led Helen to travel to many countries in all continents to identify and photograph birds, and has given her a file of thousands of pictures. Her last trip was to Bhutan, in the Himalayas, in 2004. At 97, Helen remains very active, and just this past June she voluntary turned in her driver’s license. She thoroughly enjoyed her recent visit to Little Falls and the Historical Society Museum. It brought back many fond memories.