Richard Marble
Character: Unforgettable People of Woodstock > Richard Marble
“Avid Naturalist & Educator”
(1889-1976)
Richard Marble was one of those remarkably gifted people who is remembered as much for his kind, gracious nature as his many skills and talents.
Richard was born in Crawford Notch, New Hampshire, grew up outside of Boston, and attended school in Brookline, Massachusetts. It was there in high school that he joined a bird club and was introduced to bird watching. It became a lifetime interest which he shared with others.
Richard, or Dick as he was known to his family and friends, attended Harvard, where he was elected
into one of the most exclusive birding clubs in America – the Nuttall Ornithological Society. After grad-
uating in 1912, Richard continued his studies at Harvard pursuing a master’s degree in forestry.
Two years later, Richard was hired to work for the state of Vermont as a forester. His father’s family
was living in Woodstock, Vermont, and he was fortunate that his first job brought him to this area to
investigate the blister rust epidemic that was damaging the stands of pine throughout the state.
After the blister rust epidemic abated, Richard was put in charge of reforesting the barren hills that
surrounded Woodstock - the legacy of Vermont’s early 19th-century sheep industry. While on this job, he came in contact with some “unforgettable birds.” As Richard noted when interviewed in 1973, the crew with which he worked on the reforesting project were “jail birds.” “Each morning we would start out from the jail in a three-seated horse cart for our day’s work. They were the nicest of people.”
1942 Vermont Champions (left to right) Toni McManama, Bud Schoenfeld, Harry Ambrose, Harry Putney, Larry Ambrose, Vernon Cram, Bob Green. Coach Marble is in the back row. The team is sitting on a joggling board.
Upon completion of the re-forestation project, Richard was asked if he would serve as the principal of Woodstock’s high school, which he did for a number of years. Eventually, he decided that he would prefer to work more directly with students. He became a Latin and geometry teacher, as well as the school’s beloved ski coach. An avid skier himself, he honed the skills of a talented group of students. Three members of the team were accepted onto the 1944 Olympic ski team; however, the games were not held due to World War II. Harry Ambrose, a member of the team, wrote the book The Horse’s Mouth about the team. Its dedication reads: “To the Memory of That Wonderful Man Coach Richard Marble and for All the Members of a Hell of a Good Ski Team.”
Richard Marble at Acadia National Park
A page from Richard’s birdwatching book
Richard and his wife, Mary, are shown in the center of the back row. Their two children, Mary Gay and Richard Dana, are in the front row. Richard’s mother, Marion E. Merrill Marble, is seated in the center of the photo.
In addition to his legacy as a ski coach, Richard Marble also left his mark by engaging many young people in the pastime of birdwatching. While in Woodstock, Richard befriended a fellow bird enthusiast, Karl Pember. Together the two would lead outings, mainly composed of school boys, in search of birds. Karl Pember was an avid egg collector, collecting approximately 141 Peregrine falcon eggs for his collection. In time, it was recognized that such collection practices (coupled with pesticides) had an adverse effect on the bird population, and egg collection was discontinued.
Richard Marble was not an egg collector, rather focusing his interest in the field observation of birds. Regarded by many as one of the finest ornithological field identification people in the country, Richard was able to identify most species simply by hearing their songs. He shared his knowledge by writing several checklists and short books on bird species and leading numerous bird watching expeditions. In addition, later in life, when he worked as the manager of the hardware department at Gillingham’s, he was always willing to share his knowledge.
Customers who found birds frequently brought them into the store to learn more about them, knowing that “Mr. Marble” would be as eager to share what he knew as they were to learn.
While Richard Marble was a remarkable forester, ornithologist, and educator, he was also a beloved father and grandfather. In 1916, he married Mary Cotton Dana and had two children, Mary Gay Marble and Richard Dana Marble. His descendants still live in the Woodstock area and live by the same principles that he lived by – hard work, generosity toward others, and a love of learning.
Richard Marble stands outside the doorway to his home, which was located at 37 Elm Street.