Faith Harriet Talcott - Educator

FAITH HARRIET TALCOTT (1882-1969), a descendant of the family for which Talcottville was named, was an early educator becoming Vice Principal and Dean of Girls at Weaver High School in Hartford.

What prompted our search for information on Faith Talcott was the recent discovery of her 1900 high school diploma in the basement of a house on Main Street in Talcottville.

A 1900 Hartford Courant newspaper article describes Faith's Rockville High School graduation in some detail. Faith was just one of three students that took the Classical course and requirements for graduation were far more rigorous than than are today.

The commencement exercises were held in Town Hall. At the time the third floor was a ballroom, the likely location of graduation. The room was crowded with every seat occupied and the platform was very prettily decorated. We have the program of the event. After a selection by the Orchestral Club the members of the class marched into the hall and to the platform. This was followed by songs from the high school chorus, a prayer by Rev. Gould of the Baptist Church, the salutatory delivered in Greek, more music by the chorus, several scenes from Shakespeare's 'Julius Caesar' that involved all the pupils. Then after another musical selection came a march and drill, followed by a tableaux and more music.

Finally the valedictory address, 'Carpe Opportunitatem' (Seize The Opportunity) was given my Miss Faith Harriet Talcott. The article noted that the address was "listened to with much pleasure, as it was delivered in a splendid manner." Then finally diplomas were awarded. The whole program must have taken hours, but this was a time before movies and television and people enjoyed the elaborate entertainment.

So our Faith Talcott was at the top of her class in Rockville - who was she and where would this promising beginning lead?

Born in Talcotville, the daughter of Morris Hatheway and Alice Sparks Talcott Faith grew up on Main Street, which at the time was a flourishing manufacturing community overseen by the Talcotts. Through Talcottville ran the railroad, the trolley and the main road (thus Vernon's Main Street) from points west to Rockville and Stafford. Faith had easy access from her front door to the world.

She likely attended elementary school at the Talcottville School across the street from her home. And while attending Rockville High School took the trolley from in front of her home to school. After graduating from high school she went to Wellesley College in Massachusetts where she received her B.A. degree in 1904.

She began her career teaching in Windsor until there was an opening in 1906 at her alma mater Rockville High School. There she taught mathematics and Latin for five years. From the beginning she felt strongly about maintaining connections with old classmates. In 1905, while in Windsor, she helped organize an alumni association for Rockville High School graduates and the following Spring a reunion. In 1907 she joined the Executive Committee of the Hartford Wellesey Club. These would be life long interests.

Faith resigned from RHS in June 1909 and joined the Hartford school system in 1910 at Hartford Public High School. Before beginning in Hartford she spent time in Europe returning in August in time for fall classes. She continued her involvement with the state Wellesley alumni.

When Weaver High School opened in 1924 she was named Dean of Girls and later Vice Principal. She held both postions until her retirement in 1946. Here too she was involvd with establishing Weaver's Alumni Association. In 1927 the graduating class dedicated their class book to Faith Talcott "in appreciation of her patience and efforts to keep the standards of this school high, and to create good fellowship among the students as well as a better understanding between the students and faculty."

Modes of transportation were changing as the automobile replaced horses and trolleys. We get a glimpse of her life outside the classroom in a newspaper item about Rockville's Dr. and Mrs. Cogswell visiting Faith and her sister Alice by automobile at Crawford Notch in New Hampshire the summer of 1924. In 1930 a group of educators from Hartford including Faith spent a week at the National Educaiton Association meetings in Atlantic City, NJ.

In 1932 her position at school required her to get involved in a controversy of the day - was it appropriate for girls to wear ankle socks to school? Female students were comfortable now challenging the administration; pushing the boundaries as fashions changed. The debate played out in the Hartford Courant with both sides publishing letters. As Dean of Girls Faith banned ankle socks as unladylike. The rationale for banning ankle socks was that high school student were too old to wear them; it is not lady like; the girls sit too near boys in classrooms and the causd aa disturbance in classrooms. The girls argues back that ankle socks were allowed at other high schoos, and that if exposure of legs was a concern boys should wear garters because the girls see their bare legs. A supporter said, "I thnk a girl can still be a good sport as well as an athlete wtout forgetting her manners whih iclde not only coduct ut also a keen apreciatin of what is proer to wear in public places.""

That same year Faith was elected president of the Connecticut Deans' Association which probably put her under added pressure in the ankle socks controversy. The 1933 Senior Day was abolished at Weaver because students celebrated by "cutting capers about the school and by appearing in classes dressed in ludicrosu clothing." This included wearing ankle socks.

In 1937 Faith's father Morris died after 65 yers employed at Talcott Brothers Mill.

Faith was frequently mentioned in the Hartford Courant. In 1940 she appears as the only woman in a photo with six men marking Safety Day at school.

Faith was highly regarded by her students. A dedication in the 1940 Weaver High School yearbook said about her:

"We are only a few of he thousand of young people whom Miss Faith Talcott has watched and guided as we passed through the experiences of high school We are only a humble few of the thousands who have admired and looked up to her. Her wisdom has often pointed out to us the honorable way to solve our petty problems, and her aid has made burdensome problems seem simple. He kindness and sympathy have encouraged us to take our various difficulties to her. Many have learned that she is a charming and worthy friend as well as an excellent counselor.

"Miss Talcott has worked tirelessly with the girls of Weaver and the faculty to carry on the Girls' League. Her spirit is symbolic of that which the girls have attempted to keep alive through this organization."

Weaver had a Girls' League strongly supported by Faith. As World War II approached she oversaw 24 groups of girls from the league who knit and sewed garments for use by the American Red Cross with 50 girls knitting and 40 girls sewing garments. In 1944 she was involved in a WAC recruiting drive. In 1945 Faith was honored at a special assembly by the Girls' League as the "Person who has done the most for the League during the past 20 years."

She retired in 1946 when she reached 65. Highly respected she was the guest of honor at a 1948 Faculty Tea and the Faith H. Talcott prize for service in the Girls' League was presented annually during her lifetime.

After retirement she remained active in the Weaver Retired Teachers Club, Hartford Public High School Retired Teachers Club, Wellesley Club of Hartford, and the Oxford Parish Chapter of the DAR.

In 1953 she, John G. Talcott Jr and C. Denison Talott set up the Articles of Association for the Mt. Hope Cemtery in Talcottville and served on the Cemetery Committee.

Locally she served on the Vernon Board of Education and was a life-long member of Talcottville Congregational Church where she was a trustee for many years, a life deaconess and treasurer of the Ladies Missionary Society. At the Talcottville Congreational Church's Centennial in 1966 she was recognized as one of those with the longest record with the church.

Faith never married and lived with family at several addresses on Talcottville's Main Street, including her sister Mrs. Alice Simoncelli in her later years. She died in 1969 at age 87 and is buried in Talcottville's Mt. Hope Cemetery. A forgotten woman pioneer in education from Talcottville's industrious Talcott family.

Faith is descended from JOHN TALCOTT (1594-1660), who came to Hartford with REV. THOMAS HOOKER in 1636 and from early Bolton settler DEACON BENJAMIN TALCOTT (1725-1811).

Faith's father was MORRIS H. TALCOTT (1853-1937), assistant manager and buyer for the Talcott Mill for 65 years. His father was ELIJAH HART TALCOTT (1817-1866), who also worked for a time for the mill. His father was also named ELIJAH TALCOTT (1784-1859). Her great grandfather's 10 children included brothers HORACE WELLS TALCOTT and CHARLES DENNISON TALCOTT, the founders of Talcottville.

Faith's lineage and relatives can be traced from her Find A Grave memorial.

Sources

1900 RHS graduation - The Hartford Courant June 16, 1900.

1940 Weaver High School yearbook.

Faith Talcott's obituary - The Hartford Courant November 5, 1969

Created June 2022