A Childhood Adventure

Tom Sawyer Lives Again

(As Reported in a Newspaper Article Dated September 1939)

“Tommy “ Chase, 10, and his schoolmate “Jimmy” Howell, 7, both of West Chesterfield, had lessons in seamanship instead of in school for more than 24 hours. They had been missing from school from recess time Tuesday morning until Wednesday afternoon, when they were sighted piloting their boat up the Connecticut River toward West Chesterfield. They went to bed early after enjoying their first hearty meal in about 36 hours. They had spent the Tuesday night on an island in the middle of the Connecticut River, a few miles below Chesterfield.

The boys entered school Tuesday morning and when recess time came, they departed. When the teacher sounded the bell at the end of the recess period, the pair were AWOL. The teacher notified the Chesterfield and County officials, and a search was made for the truants. Practically the entire town of Chesterfield was “combed”, and messages were broadcast relative to the missing boys.

The youths were traced to the Connecticut River. There searchers discovered that a boat owned by Harry Winn was missing from its moorings. Search along the river was then made and a watch was kept at the dam in Hinsdale owned by the Connecticut River Company, as it was feared the lads might be swept over the dam.

The boys floated downstream in the Winn boat during the greater part of the day Tuesday and toward nightfall they ground the boat on a small island where they spent a restless night.

Thoroughly chilled by the damp night air and suffering from loss of sleep, the youths decided to return home instead of continuing their water voyage and they began rowing up the river toward West Chesterfield when they were sighted by friends and taken to their homes.