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Back from the Brink in Boxford, Massachusetts The Palmer School, also known as the District No. 2 Schoolhouse, is a historic 19th-century one-room schoolhouse is in recovery! Knowing that it takes a village, schoolhouse enthusiast Laurie Rowen saw beyond the sad little relic and envisioned a community project to resurrect a once proud "Citadel of Learning." That project has been underway since right before COVID hit. The schoolhouse in Boxford, Massachusetts is a single-story wood frame structure with a gabled roof. District #2 has very minimal Greek Revival styling reflective of its construction date in 1845. It was used until 1967 as a schoolhouse. Since then it had been left to the elements and cried out for restoration. CSAA member, Laurie Rowen, was determined to save the school for the children of Boxford where they would learn about the early history from 1845 - 1931. Like most of us restoring or maintaining country schools, she was perplexed as to where to begin, but that did not deter her. Laurie and friends created the Friends of the Boxford Little Red Schoolhouse and they dove right in to the long commitment ahead to save District #2. They did their homework contacting town officials and locals who could volunteer their expertise and their elbow grease to make a dream come true. Laurie explains: When I retired from teaching, a committee of like-minded individuals was formed and we have been making progress!! We were so fortunate to have the Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School agree to accept the little red schoolhouse as one of its Community Projects. Through their Construction Academy, the restoration of the Palmer Schoolhouse provided the students with authentic work experiences. Under the supervision of a teacher/licensed tradesperson, they have performed the carpentry, electrical, masonry and demolition work required to restore the building with the town providing the materials. Humbly, the FBLRS gives much credit to others and downplays their hours of dreaming, planning, contacting, coordinating, fund-raising, grant writing, and searching for artifacts! That IS the story of preservationists across the country. The proof is in the unveiling, the day the dreamers invite the community for the grand re-opening of a historic schoolhouse, sharing the history of our first public schools. You can witness the progress to date and visit the FBLRS website to learn how the Town of Boxford, Massachusetts voted unanimously to allocate funds for a design of the restoration. From there the support grew and the results are astounding! The photos help tell the story....a story of collaboration and support. There is nothing more contagious than enthusiasm! CSAA lauds the efforts of Boxford, Massachusetts and the Friends of the Boxford Little Red Schoolhouse! Click on the pictures to enlarge... Your Guide to a Potential U.S. Schoolhouse Postage Stamp! Here's a thought. Don't you think it's about time we apply to honor our nation's first public schools, our very schoolhouses, on a United States Postage Stamp? Last year I visited the Spellman Museum of Stamps and Postal History in Weston, Massachusetts situated on the campus of Regis College. It's one of only two museums in the country dedicated to U.S. postage stamps and collecting. The other and larger museum is The National Postal Museum in Washington, DC. I asked the very knowledgable docent if he ever remembered a stamp dedicated to "one-room" or "country schools." He was stumped! He had been collecting stamps or curating the museum for decades and has handled millions of stamps. He thought NOT. The existence of such stamps can be researched, but I got sidetracked since my visit and it sits on my To Do list. Thought for the day....CSAA will be the perfect organization to initiate the process and it's not that complicated! We touched on the subject back in 2019 and then COVID hit (always COVID!). Attached you'll find the CREATING U.S. POSTAGE STAMPS digital guide while we generate interest in such a project with renewed vigor. The process can take almost three years from approval to issuance, so we will exercise patience. Criteria: America or American related subjects. Subject has significant positive impact on American history, society, culture, or environment. (WOW! That's us!) Widespread national appeal.(Everyone goes to school!) Interested parties must submit the idea and the narrative on why, but the Postal Service commissions the artists. Applicants are allowed to submit"samples" in print form, but cannot submit artwork or photos for SPECIFIC consideration as a stamp. CSAA could solicit the best schoolhouse photos of our CSAA members as "samples." A wonderful honor! Quite an interesting process. Check out the guide below. Kansas City Museum an 1856 Treasure Trove of Schoolhouse Artifacts by Susan Fineman Must See Arabia! Sounds like an odd title, doesn't it? I'll explain. In schoolhouse preservation we are always seeking useful relics of education to lend authenticity to our restored schools. Books, slates, lunch pails, inkwells...we search out these items in antique shops, on eBay, and through thoughtful donors. We often spy a treasure and think how lucky we are to find that schoolhouse artifact held by small hands of the past. Such items are also fun to see in museums, preserved for the ages. The Arabia Museum in Kansas City, MO houses countless schoolhouse treasures that "fortunately" never made it their intended destinations, trading posts and mercantiles of the emerging west. They were lost for generations after the packboat on which they were loaded sank, the victim of a snag (tree trunks floating at high speeds like missiles). The Arabia submerged into the Missouri River for 132 years while silt piled up covering the boat with the changing riverbank. The Arabia faded into history. It was later discovered by thoughtful treasure hunters who excavated the boat and thankfully preserved its contents to amaze 21st century visitors. Having been there twice, I can attest to the fascinating and magnetic displays that capture the imagination and keep us coming back. Tens of thousands of items from daily life in 1856 are on display including schoolhouse artifacts we quietly covet. Prepare to spend hours at The Arabia Museum...but, there is more to come. These treasure hunters have presumably located another river boat, The Malta (1841), and now dream of a National Steamboat Museum for the future. Please do not miss this museum if you have travel plans near Kansas City. But for now, enjoy the photos below of schoolhouse artifacts resurrected from the Arabia. Let me quote the website for brevity: THE ARABIA STEAMBOAT MUSEUM A popular Kansas City attraction for more than 25 years When the mighty Steamboat Arabia sank near Kansas City on September 5, 1856, she carried 200 tons of mystery cargo. Lost for 132 years, its recovery in 1988 was like finding the King Tut’s Tomb of the Missouri River. The discovery was truly a modern day treasure-hunting story at its best. The artifacts are preserved and displayed at the Arabia Steamboat Museum, located in the historic City Market. From clothing, fine china and carpentry tools to guns, dishes and children’s toys to the world’s oldest pickles—the collection captivates visitors of all ages. Whether it’s your first visit to this favorite Kansas City attraction or you come every year, the treasures of the Steamboat Arabia will connect you to American history in a new and exciting way. Access the website for everything you need to know below! Watch the promo video.... "I Love the World" Valentine Card and Letter Campaign
CSAA Board Member Mary Outlaw and Senior Lecturer Emerita at Berry College in Rome, Georgia received a sweet request (below) from one of her graduates. You could join the fun and make these special students very happy! I'll wager Mary will give The Report Card an update on the results of this social media blitz. Let's help out. My classroom is doing a project called “I Love the World”. We would love it if we could receive a Valentine from each state, which could be in the form of a Valentine, postcard or letter. This is a big goal but with your help and social media we know it is possible. We have a digital US map that we will be adding a heart to each state as we receive Valentines. The students have their own map that they will color in the corresponding state as we receive the Valentines. We will be keeping count of which states we get the most Valentines from, as well as learning new vocabulary about Valentine’s Day. Please send your mail to the address below: Mrs. Fields’ and Mrs. Romero’s Class East Central Elementary 1502 Dean Avenue Rome, GA 30161 We will be eagerly awaiting the mail delivery each day. Thank you for all your help!! |
