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May 15, 2007

School mourns murdered bus driver

'Everybody's in shock"

By SUZANNE MOORE

ELLENBURG CORNERS -- A substitute sits behind the wheel of Northern Adirondack Central School bus 44 as employees and students alike mourn driver Darcy Manor.

"Everybody's in shock here," said Transportation Supervisor Wayne Magoon.

The news of Manor's murder reached him soon after a search party found the bus driver's body early Friday at a camp on Drown Road in Mooers.

"The family called me at 1 o'clock in the morning at home," Magoon said.

Not only was he Manor's boss, he grew up with the man's father and uncles in this close-knit community, where just about everyone is connected one way or another.

"That's one thing about Ellenburg," he said. "We're a big family up here."

Friday morning, as State Police looked for the murdered man's missing pickup truck and bus 44 sat parked along the side of Manor's auto-repair facility, DJ Repair Shop, on Plank Road, another bus and driver were called into service to collect the 50 or so students on his route.

Three school counselors met the bus, making themselves available should a child need assistance.

"The biggest thing is they feel sad for the family, and they're missing their bus driver," said counselor Christine Brudvig.

"He was a nice man. He dealt with the kids in a very kind manner."

Brudvig and the other counselors are prepared to respond to any children who might express fear because the murderer remains at large, to tell them that law enforcement is making a special effort to protect the community.

But, she said, "I think the parents have done a very good job reassuring their children, providing a strong support system."

The counselors have been available to employees, as well, particularly the other bus drivers.

It might be down the road that their services will be needed, Brudvig said, after the immediacy of the situation begins to fade.

"Sometimes, when things like this happen, people are in the crisis mode. You have to move ahead and do what you need to do."

Monday, Elementary School children who rode Manor's bus were contributing to a collage of sympathy notes adorned with tiny buses for his family.

"Each student got to write a special message," Brudvig said, describing the therapeutic activity.

"You have to do things that help heal. I think knowing they can do something that can help the family heal makes the kids feel good inside.

"Right now, they're supportive of the family -- that's their big focus."

There will be memorial activities throughout the rest of the school year that will involve students district-wide, Brudvig said.

Manor's murder follows a string of other tragedies that closely touched NACS, including the death of beloved teacher Cassie Bronson in a 2005 car accident.

"It's hard," said Superintendent of Schools William Scott, deeply saddened and disturbed by the latest event.

Magoon had phone him at 4:30 a.m. Friday to tell him of the bus driver's death.

"I can't absorb it," Scott said. "I can't understand how it happened."

He sent a letter home to parents, telling them about the availability of grief counseling for their children.

"Expressed in there, too," he said, "are our deep concerns and our sadness at the loss."

The school's flag hangs at half-staff as a visual symbol of that sorrow.

Manor's family has established the Darcy R. Manor Memorial Scholarship in his memory to benefit students at Northern Adirondack, his alma mater.

And a fundraiser for the family is in the works, Scott said. Eric Gibson, of the homegrown and nationally renowned bluegrass band the Gibson Brothers, called him Sunday to volunteer a performance.

The event will take place in early June, Scott hopes.

Manor was a dedicated bus driver, said Magoon. He came on board as a substitute in October 2003 and was hired full time in about January 2006.

"The kids really adored him," the transportation supervisor said. "The other drivers really liked him.

"He was a fixture here."

Manor was trustworthy not only as a bus driver but in business, as well, Magoon continued.

"He had more work than he could do at his garage. I can't imagine anyone having anything against him.

"He was just a good man."

Manor's position at NACS won't be filled immediately, Magoon said.

"It's a process."

Meanwhile, he said, "we've got a sorry bunch of people around here that are really sad.

"Everybody's question is, Why?'"

smoore@pressrepublican.com

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