With the establishment of the educational system, although primitive, compared to today’s standards, were the common schools and the select schools. Whoever thought that Guilford would have the choice of sending their children to a select school, but that is exactly what happened! As far back as 150 years some children of the vicinity of Guilford had that opportunity to attend a “select school” which was the name that we now apply to private schools.
District #10 in the hamlet of Guilford Center had a much earlier history prior to the erection of the building that would serve many years as an educational institution, while also serving as a meeting place for government and early religious meetings, prior to official churches being erected.
The primary reason for a “select school” was to provide a better education for the scholars who attended as the “common schools” appear to have a lower grade of education. The reason that Guilford Center (County Road 36 today) was chosen as the site of the new Academy building. It is assumed that perhaps it was at the time a real and bustling center of the Guilford Township. First it was at a crossroads, a stage crossroad to boot. There was a tavern ‘The Angel Tavern” known for many years afterwards as “The Pillars,” mainly as the front of the “Tavern” was adorned with four large white pillars (now only three remain). The tavern served as an overnight Stage Coach stop. Also either in the actual center itself or close by was a Trading Post run by a Mr. Parker, a lawyer’s shop, blacksmith’s shop and harness shop. It was located at the crossroad of two main “highways” the Delaware County-Norwich and the older Catskill Turnpike which ran through Unadlla and the West side of the Susquehanna River to Oxford and the Chenango River, This writer will note that as a former resident of Guilford Center, I lived about a 1/2 mile from the actual Center that the harness shop building still stands on the small farm where I grew up, modified, but still standing and assumed in fair shape. Originally the building had six or eight windows on the ground floor and approximately four on the second story, they have all been removed.
The photo which accompanies this article gives us a view of the Academy Building on the right side with the road between and the Presbyterian Church (1818) across the road. You will note that the road continues straight up over the hill out of site. This has been greatly changed over the years. Later you would turn left at the four corners, about 1 block, turn right, and travel up over the hill past the former O&W depot to eventually come to what is still known as Ives Settlement. Of historical interest, Guilford Center was known as Parker relevant to the railroad; however that is a story in itself.
In July of 1827, a committee of community leaders was formed to discuss and decide on the matter of a Private School or Academy in the area. The meeting was held in the old District #10 schoolhouse. As written above the old District #10 school building was also used as a meetinghouse for different purposes, which included various churches in Guilford. As the actual village of Guilford was “isolated,” the Center was the ideal place for an Academy or Private School. As documented written history states “the actual purpose of the meeting was as stated as “For the purpose of building, building, by subscription a Select Academy.” This was so designated also to consider a new District #10 schoolhouse, the latter item included in order to have the approval of the District voters and District Trustees.
Calvin Mills was chosen chairman of the first meeting he was the son of Deacon Samuel Mills and Daniel S. Dickinson appointed Clerk. A resolution was formally adopted to raise the money for a new select school by subscription. One hundred fifty-nine residents contributed to this project with a total being raised of $507.67. The amounts raised ranged from $2.50 to $20, with only a few $20 subscriptions being received. However enough was raised to start the process of working on an actual building.
Another later meeting of the Trustees resulted in two resolutions being adopted, first the setting forth the governing rules of the school and a building committee was formed to pursue the matter to conclusion. Rufus Baldwin, Daniel S. Dickinson and George Humphrey (the area of Humphrey’s Corners located on County Road 35 approximately half-way between Guilford and East Guilford) is his namesake. Meeting several times they arrived at a set of plans and arrangements for the schoolhouse itself.
The Report of the Committee and the Building Committee is quoted here verbatim, including the punctuation and sentence structure.
“The lower room is to be devoted exclusively to the use of the Common School, District #10, and the upper room to be used for a select school, an or different Public Meetings of a Moral, Religious, or a Literary Nature, and for accommodations of persons attending meetings on the Sabbath, but the Select School shall, at all times, have preference: the lower rooms to be under the control of the Trustees of said District #10, the upper rooms to be controlled by the Subscribers, and any person or persons wishing to occupy the room shall first obtain leave the said Trustees; said house to be 36 feet by 24 feet, 20 foot posts, chimney in the rear with one fireplace above and one below; 8 foot span or entryway in front, with two front doors, one stairway for the upper room and one stairway below, for the lower room; span-way to be supported by partitions; both rooms suitable lightly and a Corinthian Window in front; lower room to be done off with desks for the writers and about five movable settees, and in all respects finished as suitable for a Common school; the upper room to be finished with seats on the side, attached to the wall, with staging or circular tables on one end, a desk in front suitable for a Select School; floors to be double, of good materials, and the walls to be lathed or plastered, the top finished with a cupola and furnished with a cast steel bell of about 25 pounds; the outside to be painted white and inside a slate gray or blue; windows to be furnished with green Venetian Blinds.”
And that is some mouthful! Rather hard to read, and all in one single sentence.
With this documentation Part 1 is concluded and as the saying goes “to be continued.”