Schools of the Past: Coventry: Districts 2 and 11
In the previous yeas that first the series of “In The House of the Lord” and the current series it was written that if new historical information relevant to a previous article was written, this writer would return with yet another brief report. Such is the case with District #2 in the hamlet of Coventryville.
DISTRICT #2 - COVENTRY (CHESHIRE STREET)
In the original article written August 18th the history of what is now the Coventry Museum related details relevant to the present building and the purchase of this abandoned school by the Town of Coventry as a home for the Coventry Historical Society. We will now take a look at historical facts and figures that were written in the book “The Old Log School House 1788-1888.
History gives us the facts that the first public buildings in many of the towns of Chenango County were the schoolhouses which served a dual purpose both as a school and a “meeting house” for all the early pioneers that chose to serve as leaders of government in their respective townships. The fact relevant to the first school in Coventry tell us that the original Log House was erected in 1788 and was located just west of what was O.T. Shaw’s blacksmith shop.
The first teacher engaged was Sherman Page and little information remains relevant to this log school house. In 1813 a new school house was erected on the same grounds approximately 40 rods for the original and contained the very primitive slab seats with legs hews out and driven in each end. Future teachers would include Nancy Minor, Curtis Stoddard, John Stoddard, S. Merchant and Zenus Hutchinson.
With the decision to erect the new school (1813) the decision was made to have the new building 32 feet long and 20 feet wide. Existing records when the book above was written gave us the historical information that John Twitchell was elected Chairman of the Trustees committee and other citizens of the area included not only Twitchell, but also Benjamin Jones, Jothan Parker, and Ozias Yale. There were seventeen other names on these records, but could not be identified due to the faded ink on the pages. Roswell Clark was elected Clerk, John Stoddard, O. Yale and J. Twitchell as Trustees and Levi Parker Collector. After the election it was voted by resolution that the school should be ached. Additionally the Trustees were authorized to raise a sum of money sufficient to erect said schoolhouse not to exceed $300. Finally that the annual meeting of Trustees should be the 1st Thursday In September next.
Proceeding to the year 1814, Gideon Richards was chosen moderator and the following business was transacted: To engage a teacher to keep school 4 months starting Nov. 20, 1815 and the procurement of wood for the school stove to be estimated at 10 shillings per cord for the forthcoming year, no person sending children to school should be allowed no less than half cord wood. John Stoddard was procured to furnish the wood for the school at the stated price when called on by the teacher.
The principal business transacted in 1816 was to procure a teacher (note: the teachers were not known to be at the respective schools for usually no more than one year). By the year 1817 it was voted to engage teachers for four months and in 1818 the decision was made to hire either male or female. An interesting note relevant to 1817 was that the trustees voted that any parent or guardian sending a child to school with ITCH should pay a fine of $.50 to benefit the school -this fine was levied by the Trustees and that said child founded infected with the ITCH be debarred from school until cured.
The year of 1819 gave us that $20.75 (dividends of public money) only $10.37 1/2 cents was appropriated towards the wages of a teacher the previous winter. It was the Trustees decision to divide public money by applying a part of winter reserve, rest for summer school. The sum of $13 was to be deducted from the salary of the teacher (assume this was to be paid towards their retirement or perhaps be paid to the family boarding the said teacher).
With the decision to build the 32x20 new frame building, it was to have a stone chimney and fireplace on each end with the large slivers being removed by vigorous use of a jack plane. Additionally the rows of desks ran around the outside of the room - fastened to the building for use by the larger scholars. The fireplace was used until 1820 when a new stove was purchased and the district voted $35 to defray the expense.
With the building being used until 1832 it was moved to the Meeting House Green - which was located 10 feet west of the present school and would see use till 1852. At that time another school was to be erected (the present building) and voted G. L. Parker would furnish plans and the building committee would consist of Thomas Yale, Charles Pearsall, Sylvester Cornell, Egford Griswold and E.L. Parker.
Concluding this early history it gives one an understanding of the early educational system in the township.
DISTRICT #11 - DOGTOWN
Credit for the photo of this early schoolhouse is through the efforts of Nelson Ives the former Town of Coventry historian for his research in December of 1975 of the location and description of this early school. District #11 school was located as you proceed Route 206 to Coventry, turning on the Bowbell Road, then to Seymour Hill Road and finally to Gray Road. When Catherine Bickford wrote her history of Coventry, she gave the following information relevant to this school. “At the corner of Gray and Town Line roads, still stands on of the last seven ‘Little Red School Houses: in the State of New York.’ (This information from the Curator of East Durham Museum.) A few of the teacher in this School District #11 as remembered by Jim and Huldah Clendening: Lynn Loomis (still living in North Afton); Mabel Standish of Greene; Gladys McNally and Mabel Lyons (Pierce) of Coventryville. This little school closed and the pupils were sent to Harpursville.
“Returning to Nelson Ives information he documented that in 1975 this building was owned by Jim Glendenning of Harpursville and was being used as storage. The exterior of this building was visible from the outside and upon request the interior would be also visible to anyone. At that time the building was in a deteriorating condition and the land surrounding was open land. Mr. Ives also documented that this building was probably erected about 1870.”
Thus we conclude this brief article regarding these two district schools, but also this article concludes the series of the Town of Coventry School Districts. Not to be repetitive, if new historical information surfaces, we will once again return to Coventry.
Finally, if any person has information regarding any district schools of Chenango County please do not destroy; forward it to your local historian, historical society or to the Chenango County Historical Society in Norwich for safe keeping. If this information is destroyed, once it is gone, it is lost forever.
DISTRICT #2 - COVENTRY (CHESHIRE STREET)
In the original article written August 18th the history of what is now the Coventry Museum related details relevant to the present building and the purchase of this abandoned school by the Town of Coventry as a home for the Coventry Historical Society. We will now take a look at historical facts and figures that were written in the book “The Old Log School House 1788-1888.
History gives us the facts that the first public buildings in many of the towns of Chenango County were the schoolhouses which served a dual purpose both as a school and a “meeting house” for all the early pioneers that chose to serve as leaders of government in their respective townships. The fact relevant to the first school in Coventry tell us that the original Log House was erected in 1788 and was located just west of what was O.T. Shaw’s blacksmith shop.
The first teacher engaged was Sherman Page and little information remains relevant to this log school house. In 1813 a new school house was erected on the same grounds approximately 40 rods for the original and contained the very primitive slab seats with legs hews out and driven in each end. Future teachers would include Nancy Minor, Curtis Stoddard, John Stoddard, S. Merchant and Zenus Hutchinson.
With the decision to erect the new school (1813) the decision was made to have the new building 32 feet long and 20 feet wide. Existing records when the book above was written gave us the historical information that John Twitchell was elected Chairman of the Trustees committee and other citizens of the area included not only Twitchell, but also Benjamin Jones, Jothan Parker, and Ozias Yale. There were seventeen other names on these records, but could not be identified due to the faded ink on the pages. Roswell Clark was elected Clerk, John Stoddard, O. Yale and J. Twitchell as Trustees and Levi Parker Collector. After the election it was voted by resolution that the school should be ached. Additionally the Trustees were authorized to raise a sum of money sufficient to erect said schoolhouse not to exceed $300. Finally that the annual meeting of Trustees should be the 1st Thursday In September next.
Proceeding to the year 1814, Gideon Richards was chosen moderator and the following business was transacted: To engage a teacher to keep school 4 months starting Nov. 20, 1815 and the procurement of wood for the school stove to be estimated at 10 shillings per cord for the forthcoming year, no person sending children to school should be allowed no less than half cord wood. John Stoddard was procured to furnish the wood for the school at the stated price when called on by the teacher.
The principal business transacted in 1816 was to procure a teacher (note: the teachers were not known to be at the respective schools for usually no more than one year). By the year 1817 it was voted to engage teachers for four months and in 1818 the decision was made to hire either male or female. An interesting note relevant to 1817 was that the trustees voted that any parent or guardian sending a child to school with ITCH should pay a fine of $.50 to benefit the school -this fine was levied by the Trustees and that said child founded infected with the ITCH be debarred from school until cured.
The year of 1819 gave us that $20.75 (dividends of public money) only $10.37 1/2 cents was appropriated towards the wages of a teacher the previous winter. It was the Trustees decision to divide public money by applying a part of winter reserve, rest for summer school. The sum of $13 was to be deducted from the salary of the teacher (assume this was to be paid towards their retirement or perhaps be paid to the family boarding the said teacher).
With the decision to build the 32x20 new frame building, it was to have a stone chimney and fireplace on each end with the large slivers being removed by vigorous use of a jack plane. Additionally the rows of desks ran around the outside of the room - fastened to the building for use by the larger scholars. The fireplace was used until 1820 when a new stove was purchased and the district voted $35 to defray the expense.
With the building being used until 1832 it was moved to the Meeting House Green - which was located 10 feet west of the present school and would see use till 1852. At that time another school was to be erected (the present building) and voted G. L. Parker would furnish plans and the building committee would consist of Thomas Yale, Charles Pearsall, Sylvester Cornell, Egford Griswold and E.L. Parker.
Concluding this early history it gives one an understanding of the early educational system in the township.
DISTRICT #11 - DOGTOWN
Credit for the photo of this early schoolhouse is through the efforts of Nelson Ives the former Town of Coventry historian for his research in December of 1975 of the location and description of this early school. District #11 school was located as you proceed Route 206 to Coventry, turning on the Bowbell Road, then to Seymour Hill Road and finally to Gray Road. When Catherine Bickford wrote her history of Coventry, she gave the following information relevant to this school. “At the corner of Gray and Town Line roads, still stands on of the last seven ‘Little Red School Houses: in the State of New York.’ (This information from the Curator of East Durham Museum.) A few of the teacher in this School District #11 as remembered by Jim and Huldah Clendening: Lynn Loomis (still living in North Afton); Mabel Standish of Greene; Gladys McNally and Mabel Lyons (Pierce) of Coventryville. This little school closed and the pupils were sent to Harpursville.
“Returning to Nelson Ives information he documented that in 1975 this building was owned by Jim Glendenning of Harpursville and was being used as storage. The exterior of this building was visible from the outside and upon request the interior would be also visible to anyone. At that time the building was in a deteriorating condition and the land surrounding was open land. Mr. Ives also documented that this building was probably erected about 1870.”
Thus we conclude this brief article regarding these two district schools, but also this article concludes the series of the Town of Coventry School Districts. Not to be repetitive, if new historical information surfaces, we will once again return to Coventry.
Finally, if any person has information regarding any district schools of Chenango County please do not destroy; forward it to your local historian, historical society or to the Chenango County Historical Society in Norwich for safe keeping. If this information is destroyed, once it is gone, it is lost forever.
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