Maybe because it is a "modern" building with not much architectural distinction, no effort has been made to preserve its bits and pieces, its contents, or its role in the history of Hudson public education. But one aspect of the school that cannot be ignored is the legacy of the man for whom it is named. For full disclosure, all four Sheffer kids attended "JL" as we all called it.
So, who was this guy? Why was this building given his signature? Let’s see. What follows is
taken from reliable and well-researched accounts but is in no way a full
accounting of the man’s life.
Dr. John Lounsbery Edwards was a Hudson hero. The most satisfying news about his giant life
for me was to discover that he was the Grand Marshall of the “Loyalty Day
Parade” sponsored by the Columbia Post of the VFW in Hudson on May 2,
1964. As the news clips say, the parade
marchers included “veterans, firemen, police, Boy Scouts, Apple Blossom Festival
Princesses, Girl Scouts and 4-H Clubs.” Heroes lead parades, and he must have loved that day for he loved
Hudson. He was nearly 80 years old at
the time.
But Dr. Edwards was more than a parade leader, much
more. Born on August 14, 1885, in the city
of Randall, Montgomery County, New York State, to farming parents, he was ambitious at the
get-go. He attended local schools in Randall, and at that time he became
passionate about medicine and doctoring. At some point, Edwards moved to
Worcester Academy in Massachusetts to finish his schooling and then was, for
some reason, a clerk at a mining company in Oklahoma. He followed high school in Randall and
Worcester by enrolling in Albany Medical College in 1912, and he graduated as a
general surgeon “apprentice” in 1916 as valedictorian of his class. He
performed his internship at Albany Med just after that while also starting his
medical practice in Hudson in 1916. He also became an attending surgeon at
Columbia Memorial Hospital and at Albany Med. How he
got to Hudson is a partial mystery, but given that Randall is only about 80
miles northwest of Hudson it is not hard to imagine what this hard-driving man
was trying to do. Hudson was an interesting professionals’ destination at that
time.
World War I was not a distraction for Dr. Edwards but
instead it was, as usual, a call to service. He signed up and headed off to England and France to serve in war
hospitals as a captain in the U.S. Medical Corps. Edwards was Battalion Surgeon of the 528th Engineers. In March 1918, he was
promoted to the rank of Captain and after that sailed to Liverpool, England, where he served as Chief of the Surgical Staff of a military hospital until
June 1919, when he returned to Hudson to resume his private practice and public
service.
In 1916, he married Marie Kloth in Hudson. She pre-deceased him by a few years. According to records, they had no children.
He was survived by one sister, and one sister predeceased him. Their home was at
21 Prospect Street in Hudson, and his ultimate office was at 555 Union, which he
owned. He had previously rented space at 482 Warren Street before buying and
moving. His residence became famous in
1959 when Princess Beatrix of the Netherlands was Edwards’ guest on her well publicized visit to our fine city.
Just after First World War, Edwards became a consulting surgeon at
hospitals in Catskill, Great Barrington, and Rhinebeck. Imagine the mileage on his car. At his
private clinic in Hudson hundreds flocked
to his office with this or that health issue. Edwards, according to all reports, was available 24 hours a day to all--rich and poor. Both prior to the war and
just after, he remained involved with Albany Med as a sometimes faculty member
but as a fully involved member of the Board of Trustees.
From 1933 to 1938, he was a member of the Hudson Board of
Education, appointed by the late and former Mayor Archland Best (who drowned
during his mayorship in a boating accident on the Hudson River). The much respected doctor was needed on that
Board of Education as schools in Hudson struggled with massive health issues
related to the Depression. Kids and
their parents were struggling with not only their finances but also their
health and hygiene. Dr. Edwards stepped
in and served a five-year term not only to assist with the Depression health
issues but also to push through the Chancellor Robert R. Livingston Educational
Center (later the M. C. Smith High School on the Livingston Educational Center
campus) in challenging times. When push
came to shove, Edwards even submitted evidence in 1936 to the New York State
Supreme Court to keep the school construction going. He supervised and
supported Superintendent Montgomery C. Smith through it all.
As his life and service expanded in Hudson, he was asked to
head up a Hudson bank. In 1942, he was
elected President of the First National Bank and Trust Company of Hudson. This was a vacancy he filled due to the death
of Raymond D. Kennedy, publisher of the Hudson Evening Register. Joining him on that board was former Mayor
Frank Wise. After leaving the presidency of the bank some years later, Edwards
served for the remainder of his life as bank director and chairman of its
Advisory Board. When all was said and done, Edwards confessed to a reporter
that his three loves in life (other than his wife) were bridges, banks, and golf.
But further duties awaited Dr. Edwards. In May 1943, he was appointed by Governor
Thomas Dewey to the three-member New York State Bridge Authority to once again fill
the spot opened up by the death of Raymond D. Kennedy. Edwards would go on to be a six-term member
of the Authority, its Vice Chairman from 1943 to 1957, and Chairman from 1960 until
his death. He had been appointed to the
Bridge Authority by three governors: Dewey, Averill Harriman, and Nelson
Rockefeller. As the Poughkeepsie Journal reported in a 1966 article about
Edwards, “In his long tenure on the Bridge Authority--he is the Dean--he has
played an important role in the construction of its two last spans, The
Kingston-Rhinecliff Bridge, opened Feb. 2, 1957, and the Beacon-Rhinebeck
Bridge (Newburgh-Beacon), Nov. 2, 1963.”
In 1967, New York State honored Edwards for his public service at the
Skyline Restaurant in Catskill. More than 150 State luminaries gathered and
spoke, danced, and drank to thank the dutiful public servant and civic
leader.
Edwards’ bio also included the following: Fellow of the
American College of Surgeons, Diplomat of the American Board of Surgery,
President of the State Medical Society. And to boot, he served as Chief of Staff
of Columbia Memorial Hospital for twenty years. He was also President of the County
Cancer Society, President of the County Medical Society, Director of the Hudson
Boys’ Club. His deep interest was in the
mental health field . . . an interest that was way ahead of its time. Columbia
County appointed Edwards in 1966 to head its Mental Health Services and
Evaluation program, pro bono.
In 1964, a groundswell of support arose in Hudson to name the
new elementary school-in-the-making after Dr. Edwards. The Greater Hudson Chamber of Commerce
unanimously passed a resolution urging this to happen. Gus Kramer, who was the
Chamber’s Executive Director at the time said that “Dr. Edwards’ unselfish
service to the community warrant the recognition.” The Chamber resolution read: "Be it resolved that the Board of Directors of the Greater Hudson Chamber of Commerce go on
record as urging the naming of Hudson’s new elementary school 'The John L.
Edwards School.' It is the unanimous opinion of this board that Dr. Edwards’
many, varied, and unselfish services to the city of Hudson merit such action.”
In March of 1964, Hudson Mayor Sam Wheeler added his
enthusiastic support for the naming of the school building-to-be. The mayor
stated, “The life and career of Dr. John L. Edwards, both from a professional
and personal standpoint, has been an inspiration to the entire community. It has been truly amazing that this man,
burdened with the heavy schedule of his professional life, has found it
possible to devote time to civic and other responsibilities. His work encompassed the federal, state,
county, and city areas. The many personal
touches to this remarkable man are too innumerable to record and further, this
fine citizen would discourage anyone to take stock of this. While there is a deep bond of affection and
respect between the community and this eminent physician-surgeon, I feel that
dedicating the school in his honor would be a fitting and proper tribute to the
public career of an outstanding man.” Alderman Benny Murrell added that he was going to push the Common
Council to add its name in supporting the naming of the school in honor of
Edwards. It did.
But Edwards apparently had competition for the school honor.
And stiff competition it was. In early
1964, Thomas C. Quigley of Hudson and former commander of the Hudson Post of the
VFW said, “Here is a man (Edwards), a veteran of World War I, who has dedicated
his life to helping humanity. He has
been serving the people of Hudson, Columbia County, the State and Federal
Governments for nearly half a century. In addition to the many causes he has served during his medical and
humanitarian life, there is probably no other individual who has worked more
zealously than Dr. Edwards to make our own Columbia Memorial Hospital, as well
as the Hudson High School (Livingston/Smith), what they are today.” When Quigley was asked about the alternative
movement to name the school after the recently assassinated President John F.
Kennedy as a memorial, Quigley replied, “With all due respect to our late
beloved President, I feel there are enough public buildings, bridges, etc., that
can be lasting memorials to his name.”
Stiff competition indeed. Later in 1964, the Hudson School Board of Education ended the debate. “It
is fitting that Dr. Edwards’ leadership, community service, and devotion to his
profession be adequately recognized.” Done deal. The John L. Edwards
School was born. Hudson was a lucky
recipient.
Edwards laid his own cornerstone at the school in November
1964. He and Dr. Carl Whitbeck,
President of the School Board at the time, handled the cement and stone
themselves, it was reported. Edwards watched
the school being built and put some of the final touches on it. He was often seen walking the halls and the
campus. Proud he was. Proud we are.
There are a few random points to make about “JLE.” To start with he was a golf nut. And in fact, his life had collided with
fellow Columbia County resident and global golf superstar Gene Sarazen (Sarazen
won seven "majors" and a Grand Slam of the four). Edwards had Sarazen appointed to serve with him as an advisor to the
State Bank of Albany in 1964, concurrently with Edwards. When not at the bank the two were always on
the greens, Edwards losing money.
The other oddity is that Edwards was supportive of the
concept of using bridge toll money to fund local schools. Though this never gained traction, despite
his best effort, it showed that even at that time school budgets were a problem
and needed alternative sources.
But also, he died just one day after his friend Frank Wise
did in 1968. His buddy. Wise had gone on
to be President of the Board of Education and interacted with Edwards on a
regular basis. Such is life and
serendipity.
And another weird coincidence is, he returned to New York
from WWI on the same boat (with just a few men) with the young Erastus Corning,
future political king of Albany. How strange!
Did they know each other?
Dr. Edwards visited the Bridge Authority office the day of
his death on March 6, 1968. Checking in.
Taking the pulse. Patting backs. Chatting
with folks. He was 82 but loved his life
and his job and his city. And mostly, by all accounts, he just loved people. He checked in on his people that day even
while he was feeling unwell. He died a
few hours after leaving his office. He
was reportedly on his way to go walk the JLE campus once again. No reports detail if he made it there.
Edwards’ funeral services were held at Christ Church Episcopal. He is buried at Hudson Cedar
Park Cemetery along with his wife.
The Chatham Courier editorialized as follows in 1964 when
commenting on the school naming, summarizing the universal appreciation of the
man: “It’s our firm and sincere hope that future generations of Hudson students
will absorb some of the strength, the courage and wisdom which John L. Edwards
has displayed so well, in so many ways, through the years.”
Well said. Well-deserved, Dr. Edwards.
As the building is about to be sold, we should think about the man. Someone should reach out to his family. His
sister’s family (the late Mrs. Albert Dillenbeck Fultonville) continues down
the line. Someone should tell us what
has happened to all the plaques, paintings, and mementoes in that building
dedicated to him. Someone should tell
the community what the “JLE” stands for, what the man stood up for and explain what
this magnificent and loving Hudsonian did for all of us, in good times and bad.
Ken Sheffer
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