The Country School Association of America holds an annual conference on various college campuses across the United States. Attendees with a range of interests gather for two days of presentations and a third day motor coach tour of local schoolhouses and historical sites.
The 2026 conference - our 25th annual one - will be held June 21-23 at Hobart and William Smith Colleges in Geneva, New York amid the splendor of the Finger Lakes. Learn more here!
Preservationists, professors and teachers, museum curators, genealogists, librarians, re-enactors, historical society members, schoolhouse owners, and other enthusiasts gather for "all things schoolhouse." Scholarly presentations and workshops on schoolhouse history and preservation cover an unlimited range of topics geared to ensuring the future of our educational heritage.
The included motor coach tour takes us beyond the venue of our college campuses to visit historical sites and restored/preserved, reconstructed or rehabilitated country schools in their current and often original settings. We meet with the people who have lovingly maintained the buildings and the history connected to their communities and their district schools. We step back into time while photographing what is unique about our remaining educational icons.
Annual Coach Tour - Top Photo- Huntington, WV 2025
Photo # 2: Toldeo, OH 2024
Photo #3: Lancaster County, PA 2023
Photo #4: Golden CO -2022
Photo #5: Frederick, MD- 2019
Photo#6: Fredericksburg, TX-2016
Photo # 7: New London, NH -2017
Bottom Photo: Beatrice, Nebraska -2018
The 2026 conference - our 25th annual one - will be held June 21-23 at Hobart and William Smith Colleges in Geneva, New York amid the splendor of the Finger Lakes. Learn more here!
Preservationists, professors and teachers, museum curators, genealogists, librarians, re-enactors, historical society members, schoolhouse owners, and other enthusiasts gather for "all things schoolhouse." Scholarly presentations and workshops on schoolhouse history and preservation cover an unlimited range of topics geared to ensuring the future of our educational heritage.
The included motor coach tour takes us beyond the venue of our college campuses to visit historical sites and restored/preserved, reconstructed or rehabilitated country schools in their current and often original settings. We meet with the people who have lovingly maintained the buildings and the history connected to their communities and their district schools. We step back into time while photographing what is unique about our remaining educational icons.
Annual Coach Tour - Top Photo- Huntington, WV 2025
Photo # 2: Toldeo, OH 2024
Photo #3: Lancaster County, PA 2023
Photo #4: Golden CO -2022
Photo #5: Frederick, MD- 2019
Photo#6: Fredericksburg, TX-2016
Photo # 7: New London, NH -2017
Bottom Photo: Beatrice, Nebraska -2018
Huntington, West Virginia 2025
Toledo, Ohio - June, 2024
Lancaster, PA
Golden, Colorado
Frederick, MD
Fredericksburg, TX
New London, NH
Beatrice, NE
Interested in Hosting a CSAA Conference?
Thank you for your interest in planning and holding a CSAA annual conference in your area. CSAA is gratified that you are willing to undertake such a worthy project as evidenced by 18 highly successful national conferences to date. This questionnaire will help you determine if you have the available resources to host a conference.
We welcome your initial proposal following the questions below:
*Please note that the CSAA has traditionally alternated annual conferences between the East and the Midwest, but Western and Southern conferences will be completely welcome.
Program Coordinators:
Are you, as a CSAA member, an individual or member of a group that can serve as operating manager who will develop a theme, organize promotion, call for presenters, undertake program development, and plan all daily activities for a 2 or 3-day national conference? YES NO
Venue and Facilities:
Can you ensure a venue (a host organization, university, museum, etc.) that will offer sufficient meeting space, presentation rooms with A/V equipment, dining facilities or catering, and cost-effective lodging (dorms or local hotels)? YES NO
Schoolhouse Tour:
Do you have a number of restored/preserved historical schoolhouses in your area that would host conference participants during an all-day coach tour (lunch stop included) of those country schools? YES NO
Keynote Speakers:
Can you provide keynote speakers for two opening-day sessions and plan evening activities after dinner? YES NO
Volunteer Personnel:
Can you mobilize volunteers to help with the tasks of logistics including: daily registration, information services, set up and breakdown, delivery of materials, etc. YES NO
Preparing a Budget:
Can you provide all projected costs and prepare a preliminary breakdown of conference venue expenses to determine registration fees (includes presentation rooms/halls, tech support, keynote speaker fees, meals and snacks, printing, conference bags, dorm rates, museum entry fees, one-day bus/coach rental, and entertainment? YES NO
Communications and Publications:
Are you prepared to create all digital communication and print materials for the conference including: promotion of the conference and venue, advertisement, registration forms, program booklets, travel information, and information on area attractions? (CSAA will offer full support and provide examples of communications, promotion, and forms from past conferences to serve as templates.) YES NO
Coordinating with CSAA Board:
Are you willing to work with a CSAA director who will serve as support for your Conference Chair? YES NO
Please use the online submission form above to propose your site for a conference.