Charter Member Rotarians on Painted Curtain in Brown Public Library 

Businesses of six charter members of Northfield Rotary Club are arrayed on the painted curtain in the community room of Brown Public Library including Edward M. Holton (Dry Goods), Raymond Hunt (Farming), Lincoln W. Morse (Men’s Furnishing Retail), Leon C. Ordway (Hardware), and George C. Sanborn (druggist).

 

 

Chartered on May 5, 1927, Northfield Rotary Club was founded by 17 local business men.  Many of their names can still be seen today on the painted curtain hanging in the Northfield Community room of Brown Public Library including Edward M. Holton (Dry Goods), Raymond Hunt (Farming), Lincoln W. Morse (Men’s Furnishing Retail), Leon C. Ordway (Hardware), and George C. Sanborn (druggist).  George Sanborn bought the Northfield Pharmacy from Dr. George Nicols in 1898 after working for

several years as his clerk.  The Northfield Pharmacy was first opened in 1854 by Dr. Nichols and was known as the "Old Corner Drugstore".  It was renamed "Sanborn's Drugstore" and passed on to Sanborn's son, Max.  G. Max Sanborn attended Norwich University for a time before obtaining his pharmaceutical degree.  When he returned to Northfield to continue in his father’s business, he continued to support Norwich University.  The Sanborn Scholarship at Norwich University was established in 1983 by the will of G. Max Sanborn.  “Recipients are nominated by the Northfield, Vermont Rotary Club with graduates of Northfield High School receiving preference. Membership in the Norwich University Corps of Cadets is also a preference, but not a requirement, of this scholarship.”

 

Another Rotarian name on the curtain in the community room is lawyer and educator Charles A. Plumley who graduated from Northfield High School in 1892. In 1896 he graduated from Norwich University with a B.A. going on to graduate with a Masters of Arts in 1899.  He also received degrees from Middlebury College (1922), Boston University (1940), and the University of Vermont (1941).  He was a member of the Vermont House of Representatives from 1912 to 1915, serving as Speaker of the Vermont House of Representatives from 1912 to 1915 and as Commissioner of Taxes for the State of Vermont from 1912 to 1919.  He also served as president of Norwich University from 1920 to 1934 during which time Northfield Rotary was chartered.  Plumley served as reading clerk of the Republican National Conventions in 1936 and 1940. Plumley died on October 31, 1964 in Barre, Vermont and is interred at Mount Hope Cemetery.  Plumley Armory on the campus of Norwich University was named after Plumley in 1962.