It is regrettable for historians in their never ending research, that such an important role that the one-room schools had is only partially documented. Over the course of the years with the formation of the district schools and eventually becoming abandoned that the buildings themselves fell to “rack and ruin” and that the assorted school records are only partially available. With many cases, either new owners did not deem the records important and destroyed them or with the centralization of the districts, the new central schools also destroyed these vital records. These school records are a wealth of information relevant to parents, visitors, scholars, teachers, who took the time so that their children were educated.
The school enrollment records usually recorded the teacher, the term of the school (usually three-four months winter and basically the same for the summer school. The age of the teacher is given, not always and usually very young, the parents’ names, childrens’ names and ages. Additionally research will include the holidays, teacher’s conferences, who certified the teacher etc. Also in the assorted reports at the end of the year, who was or was not advanced to the next level, final grades at the end of the year, which would give the scholar that was the brightest and in which subject the scholar excelled.
However, what has to be derived from “folklore” is the assorted pranks that teachers were subjected to and perhaps at a future time, if all were put together a “teacher’s prank book” will be published. Such is the case with the two districts, the topic of this article, however that history has yet to be found!
School District #3 - Bennettsville was the subject of the June 18, 2009 article and only a brief recap of that article is written below. At that date was written no photo existed and that the school was located just outside of Bennettsville (N.Y.S. Route 206) towards Walton and Deposit in the southern section of the State of New York. This district was originally listed as District #23 as it was a combined district with Afton, although only a small portion of the district was actually Afton. As was written in the previous week’s article, the districts were numbered with the formation and settlement of the district hence what was originally #23 became #3 when the renumbering went into effect.
The map of District #3 and #4 will indicate the location of these two schools and additionally will give you the reader and indication of the size of each district. The location of these two school houses is indicated, but a bit difficult due to the size of the map. To all who study maps for historical information, have fun!
District #4 - Dyer or Shaffer was located just past the intersection of what is now known as the Mt. Pleasant/Road. As districts were usually named for local residents, the 1875 map gives the information that L. Dyer and a J. Shatter were both settlers in close proximity to the school house site. I have been advised this school house still stands, now as a private residence.
We have the late Dr. Edward Danforth to give thanks to for his documentation of education in his publication “Stones from the Walls of Jericho.” As a tribute to his many years of collecting historical date relevant to Bainbridge, it is quoted the information relevant to the Dyer/Shaffer district school.
“At a meeting of the inhabitants of the Fourth School District in the Town of Jericho agreeable to previous notice met at the house of Abner Humphrey’s Inn in Jerico (note the spelling without the letter “h” which was not uncommon in legal papers of this date) on the third day of May 1813. First voted Abner Humphrey, Moderator; second Thomas Humphrey, Jr. Secretary, third the site for the schoolhouse to be between Phineas Bennett’s and William Partridge’s dwelling houses or near the end of the new road which was made last fall. Fourth, Sylvester Corbin was chosen clerk. School Trustees were Reuben Kirby, Nathaniel Benton and Samuel Hildreth. The Collector chosen was Isaiah Landers.”
“At a later meeting - Bought old schoolhouse (note the word “Old”) for $13.20 and spent $46.23 for new chimney and repairs.”
“The price allowed for boarding a teacher was $1.25 per week. Cordwood was bought for $1.25 per cord. In 1817 they purchased a stove. In 1820 there were fifty-eight children in the district between the ages of 5 and 15, and there were 83 taught in the school during the year. These figures are taken from a report made by the district to the Commissioner of Common Schools. Soon after the school was started they voted to have a school for the girls too. The woman teacher for the girls was boarded for fifty cents a week. Evidently she was expected to help with some of the housework.” This is now District No. 5 in the Town of Afton.
With this we close this brief article and repeating again, if new historical information is discovered relevant to these two districts, the pages of this book remain open for future research to be inserted. Finally the usual request for either “School Days Memories” from former students or teachers with all requests to be forwarded to either by mail or e-mail news@evesun.com. All information, if requested, will remain anonymous.