 Recalling School Days 82 Years Later... Sarah Bigelow Parker Buxton was born December 21, 1832. She lived to be 94 years old. On December 11, 1922 (when she was almost 90) she wrote a letter to her granddaughter describing her memories of attending a one-room school in Nashua, NH. That little granddaughter kept the letter and when she was an elderly lady herself, Agnes Barker gave a copy to Nashua's District #1 Schoolhouse living history program in 2009. It is a cherished memory of what it was like to attend such a school in 1840 when "Grandmother" Sarah Buxton was only seven. Here are her memories: "I used to attend school in a small red schoolhouse heated by a wood stove. Boys took turns in attending the fires. There was no janitor in those days and no steam-heated room. Girls were expected to do their share of sweeping and keeping the room tidy. A large wooden bucket held water for scholars and 'twas quite nice to be given the pleasure of passing the tin dipper around so each scholar could have a drink from the same dipper. Germs hadn't made their appearance at that time. The girls, most of them, had a good warm winter dress made of what was called *Linsey Woolsey and we wore them through the term. They were made good and long, no bare knees, long sleeves and high neck, and were very proud if we could have a new print dress to wear Examination Day when the Committee Men were expected to be present. Some of the Committee Men would tell us he thought we had made very commendable progress, and if we had done well we were given a little card to take home called a "Reward of Merit" with the name of the scholar and saying he or she merits the praise of the teacher and they were proud of them. We had desks at which two could sit and the underside had a shelf for our books and perhaps some other things not expected to be there. We often had "spelling schools" and would have two sides compete with each other to choose the best spellers until all were "spelled down." Sometimes we had candy pulls*, not often, but we had no dancing or frolics* as they do today. There were big snowstorms in those days and farmers had to "break out" the road with a big sled and oxen so we could go to school. We had not done much about Christmas except to just wish a "Merry Christmas" and be the first to say it! I used to skip up to the scuttle door* on our roof to the big farmhouse and open it so as to see my seat-mate before she saw me! We had no Christmas tree or presents. We had a schoolmistress in the summer and a schoolmaster in the winter. Some were very good ones and did much training in correct reading. I read one piece in my old reader so many times I remembered it all these years later. I think I can repeat it to you even today! Indeed times have changed. No doubt. I behaved very correctly! Do you doubt it?" Note: Our thanks to Sarah Bigelow Parker Buxton and Agnes Barker, both long passed from our world. *Linsey Woolsey-A coarse, woven fabric of wool and cotton or of wool and linen. The name is a combination of linen and wool. *A candy pull was a party at which taffy or molasses candy was made. * A frolic was a light-hearted, fun, often silly activity. To frolic is to cavort, romp, or run around — to have fun. *A scuttle door is a small access point, often covered by a hatch or panel, that allows entry to a scuttle attic, which is a space in the ceiling leading to an attic. It is typically used for storage or maintenance and is common in older homes.
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CHECK THIS OUT! - "OLD SCHOOL OF THE DAY" I've mentioned this resource before, but I believe it deserves another shout out. At least one humble blogger out there has no idea how much his research is appreciated! He goes by the handle, 'homeschoolblogger" and offers a one-line description, "discussions on various issues by a homeschooling father." But, it is his OLD SCHOOL OF THE DAY section that keeps on giving to schoolhouse enthusiasts everywhere. Almost every day he posts a schoolhouse accompanied by a photo and available information on that school. In searching his archives, his daily feature of a schoolhouse dates back to at least 2012! I wish I knew how he goes about his research because he adds a great deal of information on each school and generally adds the location and address. He has featured hundred of schools in the U.S. and Canada and his compendium of photos and descriptions is nothing short of amazing. Many of us have researched country schools in our states, counties, and towns, but this blog covers a wider range of schools we're happy to learn about. I have subscribed to "home school father's" blog and each day I receive a new post that gives me hope that many more country schools are being saved than I ever imagined. I am unable to find his whole name, but I have let him know how valuable his site is to our readers in CSAA. Click on the photo below to access Mr. Walker's blog!   Volunteers inside Boxford, MA restoration of the Little Red Schoolhouse Time to Apply: Deadline is January 31, 2025
Just a reminder: It's a busy season, but January 31st comes all too soon as the final day to apply for a number of CSAA grants. That means it is time to submit your on-line application for the many AWARDS and GRANTS offered by CSAA that help in country school restoration efforts. Help us honor our preservationists, writers, and volunteers. Below is a list of all annual grants and awards. Access the WHAT WE DO dropdown menu to locate your area of interest!
 Christmas Eve Program Turns to Tragedy-1924 Christmas presentations were supposed to be heartwarming events for country school children, but for one small town in Oklahoma, a schoolhouse fire would forever change the nearby community of Hobart and claim the lives of 36 people half of whom were children. It was a tragedy of such dimension that a monument marks the site of the schoolhouse today engraved with the names of all who lost their lives on that December 24, 1924. This year marks the 100th anniversary of that terrible night. The Babbs Switch School children planned for weeks for their Christmas Tree Celebration as was the custom in one-room schools of the past. Parents and friends looked with anticipation to the annual play, poetry recitations, Christmas songs, and homemade treats. They would await the man of the hour, Santa Claus, slated to pay a visit. The tree was decorated with home-made ornaments and the candles were already lit. Upwards of 200 family members and friends packed the schoolhouse that night to watch the program in a room that was a mere 25 x36 feet! Circumstances leading to the fire presented one red flag after another; a dry tree, newly oiled floors, a freshly painted ceiling, windows covered with grating to deter burglars, a single door that opened inward, no running water, overcrowding... and when added up, led to the horrific Christmas Eve aftermath. Rather than catalog the sordid details, and if this has piqued your interest, you can see and hear the story unfold in two videos from YouTube offered below. If anything good came from the tragedy, the nationwide publicity over the fire ultimately led to stricter fire codes for all our schools and other public buildings. The videos are short and some shock will remain with you as it did with me. Our nostalgic impressions of the simplicity, quaintness, and resilience of one-room schools runs counter to harsh moment of truth in the re-telling of the Babbs Switch Fire.  And...believe it or not, there is a children's book in the form of a novel by Darleen Bailey Beard. It features fictional characters but is based on the actual event. It is entitled appropriately enough, The Babbs Switch Story.  Branchville Schoolhouse (L) and West Lane/Peter Parley Schoolhouse (R) Two Ridgefield Schoolhouses added to State Register of Historic Places by Sally Sanders (Check out other news from RHS...click on Sally) The following information was submitted by CSAA member Jack Sanders of the Ridgefield Historical Society. We appreciate updates by our members. It is always gratifying to witness successes in schoolhouse preservation across the country. Huzzah, Connecticut! The Historic Preservation Council of the State of Connecticut voted on June 5, 2024 to add both the West Lane/Peter Parley Schoolhouse and the Branchville Schoolhouse to the State Register of Historic Places. These two buildings are owned by the Town of Ridgefield and were nominated by the Ridgefield Historical Society, which leases and maintains the West Lane/Peter Parley Schoolhouse as a small museum, and hopes to restore the Branchville Schoolhouse for use as an exhibit and community space. The West Lane/Peter Parley Schoolhouse is at the intersection of South Salem Road, West Lane and Silver Spring Road; the old Branchville Schoolhouse is on lower Old Branchville Road. Branchville Schoolhouse on lower Old Branchville Road The addition of the schools to the Connecticut Register of Historic Places means that they have been assessed by the State Historic Preservation Office and found to reflect an integrity of location, design, setting, materials and workmanship. In the case of the West Lane school, the school is also of interest because of some of its graduates, including Samuel G. Goodrich, who wrote wildly popular children’s books in the 19th Century as Peter Parley. Both schools were the subjects of extensive applications, which included detailed scholarly reports by Dr. Daryn Reyman Lock, who the Ridgefield Historical Society hired to examine each building’s history and construction. Being on the Register of Historic Places is generally a requirement for grants to rehabilitate and preserve antique structures. The West Lane/Peter Parley Schoolhouse was also recently added to the National Schoolhouse Register by the Country School Association of America, the first in Connecticut to be added. To read more about and contribute to our Branchville Schoolhouse restoration project and fundraiser, click on the buttons below: For a previous REPORT CARD article on the Peter Parley School
go to the ARCHIVES from March 2024 at right... 
CSAA Schoolhouse Registry Highlighted in Local Access Video: Congratulations Merrimack Historical Society!
The Merrimack Historical Society in southern New Hampshire held a very moving ceremony this past June to accept CSAA Registry plaques for two schoolhouses they own and curate! The local public access television service, Merrimack TV, was there to record the event and share the importance of the history of public education, the meaning to the town, and plans for the future. Dignitaries and friends attended the presentation of the plaques on the grounds of Schoolhouse #3, now the headquarters for the Merrimack Historical Society. The very recognition of these schoolhouses on the CSAA Schoolhouse Registry engendered a great deal of attention for the District #3 and District #12. The ceremony and the coverage by local access TV resulted in many new memberships for the historical society. The MHS board led by John Lastowka has brought the society into the 21st century with countless technology upgrades in the hopes of attracting a younger generation. They understand that community involvement is the key to any society's success and it looks as if Merrimack is on the right track to increase participation. Events such as this are the best advertisement. A little good news can go a long way, so MHS is glad to have membership in CSAA. Hear what the locals have to say at the event! Watch the Merrimack TV video below so you might consider applying for your own schoolhouse marker as a prelude to a community presentation. A great job by Merrimack TV staff!! |
