Schools of the Past: Greene District #5 – Lower Geneganslet
Once again we return to the southern part of Chenango County for the history of one of Greene’s many school districts. For the many residents of Chenango County who may not be familiar with the many hamlets of the county, the possibility arises with the question “where in the world is Lower Geneganslet?” This small hamlet is located at the intersection of County Road #2 and Route 12. Now a quiet drive through, we may assume in its heyday it was a bustling small community that has all but disappeared with the progress of civilization and transportation improvements. There are, however, business establishments in this area that have come on the scene throughout the years!
The District #5 listed above has a long lifeline beginning in 1828 and ending in 1941 with the centralization of the district schools into what is now the Greene Central School District. However, we are fortunate that this former one-room school is still standing as a private dwelling and has not suffered the fate, as have others, of ending as a storage building, or worse yet being torn down, records burned, etc. An interesting note of history is inserted at this time that #5 is one of the oldest of the districts with a life span of 113 years. In the research of the districts there are only three or four of the Greene districts which were older as will be documented in future articles.
With the beginning of the district schools in Greene, School Commissioners and Inspectors were appointed and briefly we will pay tribute to a few: Alanson F. Lyon, Orrin Sharp, Jeremiah Winston (1828) - August Willard - Amos Gray - Jehial Spafford (1838) - this would change in 1844 when three commissioners were replaced with one -Jehial Spafford (1848) -John R. Wheeler (1860) - D. G. Barber (1878) - Delos VanWoert being Commissioner from 1903-07.
The education law was again changed in 1912 when the School Commissioner system was replaced by a District Superintendents. At that time five districts where created throughout Chenango County they being Greene, Afton, Coventry comprising District #4. Jane I. Schenck was elected District Superintendent for a term of 5 years. Ms. Schenck was a graduate of Greene High School and Oneonta Normal and was in charge of the Teachers Training Class in Greene High School for a period of four years. She remained in her position of District Superintendent till 1936, to be succeeded by J. S. Childs till 1942 when again education changed with Ernest G. Youmans of Sherburne becoming Superintendent of Schools for the entire County. The year of 1969 would see Mr. Youmans retire after service twenty-eight years as sole Superintendent of the Sole Supervisory District of Chenango, Madison and Otsego counties. A rather interesting note: who said consolidation is new!
Not to deviate from the history of District 5, in Mildred Folsom’s research of the “Record of Boundaries” she documented that the above district lines were between the Chenango and Geneganslet Rivers, west to County line and Gideon Trumbull’s on Lot 30/4T.
With the beginning of District #5 the early year prior research, to date, failed to document the early years of this school house and it is assumed by this writer, that perhaps with the formation of the district that school was held in either a private home or perhaps a rather crude log cabin. This would change in 1847 as in Book 80 - Page #119 Uziel Row sold to Stephen Gillson - Orrin D. Carter and David Jackson-Trustees of District #5 for $5.00 (and fencing and keeping in repair said lot) - land beginning in center of highway running from old turnpike road south toward Abraham Adam’s farm 2 rods south of old schoolhouse -west - north parallel with highway - east to point of beginning. With the reference to “old schoolhouse” this will establish the fact that there was a building for education prior to the purchase of this lot for a new “more modern” educational facility.
This writer will now quote directly what Mrs. Folsom wrote regarding the formation of District #5 in her book “Town of Greene - Rural School Districts” which she documented from an old record book which contained the minutes of the school meeting of District #5 from 1828 to 1881 and we believe in the possession of W. J. Salisbury and C. A. and dated February 21, 1935.
“The first school district meeting, of which there exists any known record in Lower Geneganslet School District #5 in the Town of Greene, was held April 3,1828. It was a Special Meeting to consider the building of a schoolhouse. Since this meeting was called by the trustees, according to the minutes, there must have been a previous meeting.
“Later records state that the schoolhouse was enclosed so that the summer term of school could be kept in it. The building was completed in the fall of 1828. It was 20 ft. square and the sum of $175 was appropriated for the total cost of material and labor for building and painting it, plus a stove.
“The schoolhouse was to be used for public worship and singing school (note: this was not uncommon) when such use would not interfere with the public school. In 1836 the teacher received 10 shillings per week: ($20 for a term of 4 months). It was voted to hire a male teacher for the winter term and a female teacher for the summer term.”
Mrs. Folsom concluded this segment of her research by adding that an interesting note was the fact that when Eugene M. Spencer made out the Tax List in 1876 the total tax raised in the school district was $12. He mate out the Tax List in 1934, also, when the tax raised was $570.34 - a raise of almost 98% in 58 years!
During the one hundred thirteen years that #5 was in existence numerous gentlemen were appointed (elected) trustees, collectors and clerks for the district. Tribute to these gentlemen would include the names of 1. E. Sherwood (1894) - Hubert Spafford (1896) - Ralph Harrington (1898) - H. A. Dent (1903) - 0. S. & F.B. Gross (1908) - A. E. Harrington (1911) - J. Spafford (1924) - Andrew Tyler (1941) to name a few. To list all the gentlemen is too extensive, but a tribute is paid to all who took the time to serve this district to ensure their children received an education.
Interesting facts are listed in the extensive list of Trustees, Collectors and Clerks and what would seem humorous to some in this twenty-first century were written in earnest at that time. In 1833 - “Schoolhouse lot being leased to District by Simeon Davis” -1898 “Schoolhouse re-seated with patent seats” -1913 - School grounds to be enlarged and school site to be secured” -1919 - Sanitary closets installed” - 1922 - “Outside closets sold to J. B. Bates for $2” ( note: the proverbial outhouse) -1924 - “One acre of land bought from Lynn English” - 1926 - “Land purchased from Mrs. Shattuck for $1, 250.00 “ -1927 - “School grounds graded - seeded - fenced - well drilled” - and finally 1941 - “Voted against Centralization - school to remain open for grades under seven.” With the closing of the school in 1942 Lynn English purchased the schoolhouse property adjoining his farm, remodeled it into a dwelling. At the auction Mrs. Maurice B. English purchased two of the desks for her grandchildren; this was Mrs. Folsom’s mother.
Throughout the many years that #5 was active, many teachers were employed, some for just one term, others for more than one term. Written previously in this article, usually male teachers were retained for winter terms and women for the summer terms. It is most fortunate that the list is approximately 90% complete and the following teachers and dates are listed as Mrs. Folsom documented them: late 1850’s - Maria Aldrich (Harrington) -1876 - Miss Morse -1894 - Cora Beach Gross - Mable Hoyt - Hattie McMoran -1897 - Annie Skinner -1899 - Dewey Carter -1900 - Katherine Redmond English - 1902 - Pearl Skillman -1903 - May McMoran Abbuht -1907 - Clara Smith Cline -1909 - Sarah Oakley -1910 - Clara Van Auken & Tim Graves -1911 - Edith Pike - 1912 - Hattie Clinton McMoran -1913 - Pauline DeLamarter White -1914 - Mildred Wolcott Young -1915 - Bernice Excell -1916 - Carrie Hoyt -1917 - Rena Vrooman Barrows -1918 - Stella Daily - 1920 - Gladys Gainsway -1924 - Kate Elliott Decker -1925 - Lillian Harrington -1928 - Mildred Kenyon Hurlburt -1934 - again Lillian Harrington -1937- Bertha Webb Ford - 1938 - Rosalie Purdy and finally 1941 - the last teacher - Helen Kenyon.
With this article is a photo of the school taken in 1925 (in possession of Lillian Harrington) and additionally a photo same year of the students attending #5. They are identified as follows: Dorothy Spafford - Kenneth Brown - Emma Ellis - Donald Hayes - Helen English - Mildred Ellis - Marian Biles - Margery Hayes - Margaret Schat - Leo Bates - Lillis Slater - Ruth English - Mary Bowen - Clifford Ellis - Eunice Spafford - irving Biles - William Thorne - Bernice English - Doris Spafford - Eleanor Bowen - Melvin Bates and Florence Slater. This writer regrets that the students listed were not indicated by rows in the photo, showing that the pupils were numerous. Whereas the pupils shown in this photo are numerous another photo exists taken in 1938 where there were only ten pupils - eight girls and two boys.
In closing this article, once again, tribute is given to the late Mildred Folsom for her extensive research regarding the district schools which is in the possession of the Chenango County Historian’s office and may be researched by any interested persons at anytime during their normal working hours.
Finally, and this is repetitive, if anyone has information relevant to Chenango County history that is to be disposed of, do not destroy it – forward it to either your local historian, library or the county historical society or county historian’s office.
The District #5 listed above has a long lifeline beginning in 1828 and ending in 1941 with the centralization of the district schools into what is now the Greene Central School District. However, we are fortunate that this former one-room school is still standing as a private dwelling and has not suffered the fate, as have others, of ending as a storage building, or worse yet being torn down, records burned, etc. An interesting note of history is inserted at this time that #5 is one of the oldest of the districts with a life span of 113 years. In the research of the districts there are only three or four of the Greene districts which were older as will be documented in future articles.
With the beginning of the district schools in Greene, School Commissioners and Inspectors were appointed and briefly we will pay tribute to a few: Alanson F. Lyon, Orrin Sharp, Jeremiah Winston (1828) - August Willard - Amos Gray - Jehial Spafford (1838) - this would change in 1844 when three commissioners were replaced with one -Jehial Spafford (1848) -John R. Wheeler (1860) - D. G. Barber (1878) - Delos VanWoert being Commissioner from 1903-07.
The education law was again changed in 1912 when the School Commissioner system was replaced by a District Superintendents. At that time five districts where created throughout Chenango County they being Greene, Afton, Coventry comprising District #4. Jane I. Schenck was elected District Superintendent for a term of 5 years. Ms. Schenck was a graduate of Greene High School and Oneonta Normal and was in charge of the Teachers Training Class in Greene High School for a period of four years. She remained in her position of District Superintendent till 1936, to be succeeded by J. S. Childs till 1942 when again education changed with Ernest G. Youmans of Sherburne becoming Superintendent of Schools for the entire County. The year of 1969 would see Mr. Youmans retire after service twenty-eight years as sole Superintendent of the Sole Supervisory District of Chenango, Madison and Otsego counties. A rather interesting note: who said consolidation is new!
Not to deviate from the history of District 5, in Mildred Folsom’s research of the “Record of Boundaries” she documented that the above district lines were between the Chenango and Geneganslet Rivers, west to County line and Gideon Trumbull’s on Lot 30/4T.
With the beginning of District #5 the early year prior research, to date, failed to document the early years of this school house and it is assumed by this writer, that perhaps with the formation of the district that school was held in either a private home or perhaps a rather crude log cabin. This would change in 1847 as in Book 80 - Page #119 Uziel Row sold to Stephen Gillson - Orrin D. Carter and David Jackson-Trustees of District #5 for $5.00 (and fencing and keeping in repair said lot) - land beginning in center of highway running from old turnpike road south toward Abraham Adam’s farm 2 rods south of old schoolhouse -west - north parallel with highway - east to point of beginning. With the reference to “old schoolhouse” this will establish the fact that there was a building for education prior to the purchase of this lot for a new “more modern” educational facility.
This writer will now quote directly what Mrs. Folsom wrote regarding the formation of District #5 in her book “Town of Greene - Rural School Districts” which she documented from an old record book which contained the minutes of the school meeting of District #5 from 1828 to 1881 and we believe in the possession of W. J. Salisbury and C. A. and dated February 21, 1935.
“The first school district meeting, of which there exists any known record in Lower Geneganslet School District #5 in the Town of Greene, was held April 3,1828. It was a Special Meeting to consider the building of a schoolhouse. Since this meeting was called by the trustees, according to the minutes, there must have been a previous meeting.
“Later records state that the schoolhouse was enclosed so that the summer term of school could be kept in it. The building was completed in the fall of 1828. It was 20 ft. square and the sum of $175 was appropriated for the total cost of material and labor for building and painting it, plus a stove.
“The schoolhouse was to be used for public worship and singing school (note: this was not uncommon) when such use would not interfere with the public school. In 1836 the teacher received 10 shillings per week: ($20 for a term of 4 months). It was voted to hire a male teacher for the winter term and a female teacher for the summer term.”
Mrs. Folsom concluded this segment of her research by adding that an interesting note was the fact that when Eugene M. Spencer made out the Tax List in 1876 the total tax raised in the school district was $12. He mate out the Tax List in 1934, also, when the tax raised was $570.34 - a raise of almost 98% in 58 years!
During the one hundred thirteen years that #5 was in existence numerous gentlemen were appointed (elected) trustees, collectors and clerks for the district. Tribute to these gentlemen would include the names of 1. E. Sherwood (1894) - Hubert Spafford (1896) - Ralph Harrington (1898) - H. A. Dent (1903) - 0. S. & F.B. Gross (1908) - A. E. Harrington (1911) - J. Spafford (1924) - Andrew Tyler (1941) to name a few. To list all the gentlemen is too extensive, but a tribute is paid to all who took the time to serve this district to ensure their children received an education.
Interesting facts are listed in the extensive list of Trustees, Collectors and Clerks and what would seem humorous to some in this twenty-first century were written in earnest at that time. In 1833 - “Schoolhouse lot being leased to District by Simeon Davis” -1898 “Schoolhouse re-seated with patent seats” -1913 - School grounds to be enlarged and school site to be secured” -1919 - Sanitary closets installed” - 1922 - “Outside closets sold to J. B. Bates for $2” ( note: the proverbial outhouse) -1924 - “One acre of land bought from Lynn English” - 1926 - “Land purchased from Mrs. Shattuck for $1, 250.00 “ -1927 - “School grounds graded - seeded - fenced - well drilled” - and finally 1941 - “Voted against Centralization - school to remain open for grades under seven.” With the closing of the school in 1942 Lynn English purchased the schoolhouse property adjoining his farm, remodeled it into a dwelling. At the auction Mrs. Maurice B. English purchased two of the desks for her grandchildren; this was Mrs. Folsom’s mother.
Throughout the many years that #5 was active, many teachers were employed, some for just one term, others for more than one term. Written previously in this article, usually male teachers were retained for winter terms and women for the summer terms. It is most fortunate that the list is approximately 90% complete and the following teachers and dates are listed as Mrs. Folsom documented them: late 1850’s - Maria Aldrich (Harrington) -1876 - Miss Morse -1894 - Cora Beach Gross - Mable Hoyt - Hattie McMoran -1897 - Annie Skinner -1899 - Dewey Carter -1900 - Katherine Redmond English - 1902 - Pearl Skillman -1903 - May McMoran Abbuht -1907 - Clara Smith Cline -1909 - Sarah Oakley -1910 - Clara Van Auken & Tim Graves -1911 - Edith Pike - 1912 - Hattie Clinton McMoran -1913 - Pauline DeLamarter White -1914 - Mildred Wolcott Young -1915 - Bernice Excell -1916 - Carrie Hoyt -1917 - Rena Vrooman Barrows -1918 - Stella Daily - 1920 - Gladys Gainsway -1924 - Kate Elliott Decker -1925 - Lillian Harrington -1928 - Mildred Kenyon Hurlburt -1934 - again Lillian Harrington -1937- Bertha Webb Ford - 1938 - Rosalie Purdy and finally 1941 - the last teacher - Helen Kenyon.
With this article is a photo of the school taken in 1925 (in possession of Lillian Harrington) and additionally a photo same year of the students attending #5. They are identified as follows: Dorothy Spafford - Kenneth Brown - Emma Ellis - Donald Hayes - Helen English - Mildred Ellis - Marian Biles - Margery Hayes - Margaret Schat - Leo Bates - Lillis Slater - Ruth English - Mary Bowen - Clifford Ellis - Eunice Spafford - irving Biles - William Thorne - Bernice English - Doris Spafford - Eleanor Bowen - Melvin Bates and Florence Slater. This writer regrets that the students listed were not indicated by rows in the photo, showing that the pupils were numerous. Whereas the pupils shown in this photo are numerous another photo exists taken in 1938 where there were only ten pupils - eight girls and two boys.
In closing this article, once again, tribute is given to the late Mildred Folsom for her extensive research regarding the district schools which is in the possession of the Chenango County Historian’s office and may be researched by any interested persons at anytime during their normal working hours.
Finally, and this is repetitive, if anyone has information relevant to Chenango County history that is to be disposed of, do not destroy it – forward it to either your local historian, library or the county historical society or county historian’s office.
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