Cub Scouts Receive Citation

The Cub Scouts of Den 2 in Pack 436 wanted to learn the origin of their town of Plainedge. Co Den leaders, Mrs. Melissa Marshall and Mrs. Tracey Liucci took the boys on a trip to the Plainedge library. The boys then started to ask about the man that their school was named after, Mr. Charles Schwarting.  With the help of Mrs. Kathleen Cunningham and through the use of the library archives, the Scouts began to learn a lot about Mr. Charles Schwarting. The Scouts were also fortunate to be able to find a relative, Mrs. Anne Schwarting.  Anne was married to Charles' son, Bernard. Anne was able to be contacted by leader, Mrs. Melissa Marshall through using Facebook. Mrs. Anne Schwarting was able to state that Charles Schwarting not only served as Chairman of the Plainedge Board of Trustees for many years, but he was also at one time fire commissioner.  Anne supplied Den 2 with a picture of Mr. Schwarting as fire commissioner that has now been added to the archives at the Plainedge library.

Mrs. Anne Schwarting also supplied another fact and article that can now be viewed at the Plainedge library.    Charles' father, Henry owned a large farm on Hicksville Road in the 1890's. The community needed another church in the 1890's. Henry Schwarting donated a piece of land with the understanding that a chapel would be built on this land. The Chapel built because of the Schwarting family's generosity is still on Hicksville Road. It is known as St. Gregory's.

 Charles' father was on the school board years before Charles. As we found out, Mr. Charles Schwarting also served on the Board of education. Charles was a potato farmer and had a very interesting hobby as well.  He had beehives. Charles eventually had 50 beehive colonies. Mrs. Anne Schwarting states that friends and family members loved his honey!  

Anne is 87 years young and loves to go to the gym and see Broadway shows! She looks forward to visiting Schwarting Elementary school on May 19th, 2010 to meet
us all.

The Cub Scouts of Den 2 each had the opportunity to individually ask Anne a question. Here are the questions, and Anne’s answers:

William: What did your children do when they were young?
Anne: Our 3 daughters were given responsible jobs in our home and out on the farm.
They also belonged to the Girl Scouts!

Brian: Do you feel like a celebrity since you have a school named after your family?
Anne: I do not feel like a celebrity, but I am so happy that I have met nice people like you and the Scouts.

Michae: How do you feel that a school was named after Charles E. Schwarting?
Anne: My family all felt honored to have a school named after Charles.

Nick: Do you know what kind of games Charles’ played when he was younger?
Anne: I am sorry to say that I am not sure what games Charles’ played when he was younger, or where he played.  I do know he did help on his father’s farm.

Stephen and Michael: Do you know where Charles went to school?
Anne: I am sorry to say that I do not know where Charles went to school when he was younger. I know that when his sons Bernard and Henry attended the first district school at the corner of Hicksville Road and Union Avenue, it was a two room school. 1st grade through 4th grade were taught in one room and 5th grade through 8th grade were in the 2nd room. Each room had a pot belly stove in it.

Steven: What plays have you seen lately?
Anne: I have recently seen ‘Jersey Boys’.

The Cub Scouts of Den 2, along with their leaders, Melissa Marshall and Tracey Liucci,
thank Mrs. Anne Schwarting for all of her help with this project!
A huge Thank you goes to Kathleen Cunningham from the Plainedge Library for all of her help with our project. Kathleen worked hard to help our Den by using the information that was available on file in the Plainedge library.