Schools of the Past: Guilford District #15 – Root’s Corners
Once again we are backtracking to last week’s articles relevant to a photo of the South Hill School. This writer has taken the liberty to include it (hopefully) with the article and photos relevant to the above school district.
The photo(s) of the Root’s Corners school show the school in a boarded up building and the second photo shows the building, long after the school had closed and was used in conjunction with the adjoining farm as shown in the photograph. The assorted readers of this series of articles have passed on to my attention that the photos which show the children at the site is appreciated to great extent. This photo (I am hopeful may be included) shows students and teacher and in the first row, second from right is identified as Marcia Alcott (she being the mother of Kenneth Carney, resident of this city. In the last row the boy on the left is identified as Stanley Alcott (Ken’s uncle). This writer will acknowledge sincere appreciation to him for allowing this information to be included in the article,
Walter Ubele wrote in his extensive documentation of both the Guilford churches and Guilford schools that information was scant information regarding District #15 except that it did exist. This building, one of the earliest of the Guilford District schools is still standing and now belongs to the Guilford Historical Society. This active Historical Society has taken up the gauntlet (so to speak) and have restored the schoolhouse and grounds to the appearance of the school while still active.
Now you are probably wondering where is Root’s Corners! As you leave the village of Guilford to travel to Oxford, you will notice a left hand turn Gospel Hill. Travel up Gospel Hill until you come to the road Glover’s Corners (another left hand turn). Travel approximately a mile or two to the intersection of Bruffel Hill (formerly named Ives Settlement Road) and the Quarry Road (it is a 4 corners). On the right hand side you will view the schoolhouse still at its original site. The Historical Society uses the site in the summer months one occasion is their annual picnic. I will add that Bruffel Hill and Quarry Road are closed to vehicle traffic in the winter and not too well maintained during the rest of the year.
Mr. Ubele wrote originally that (at the time of writing) the building was used to store hay and it recalled to mind that Root’s Corners was once a flourishing community, and that several of the farmhouses were still standing and lived in. The Benkowitz Farm is one of the originals and if this writer’s memory is correct the Benkowitz family donated the building and grounds site to the Historical Society. Walter Ubele continued his writing stating that a church once stood on the corner, overlooking the valley. Probably correct as there is an abandoned cemetery on a bluff, overlooking the corner of Gospel Hill and Glover’s Corners Road. This long neglected cemetery (doubtful if you could locate today) is shielded by a stand of pines and weed-grown field. All of this area comprised the Guilford District #15.
He continued to write that Root’s Corners was one of the first district schools to be combined with the “new” Union School in the Village (subject of articles after 1/1/12). As was the case with the population decline in the outer limits of the Guilford town, the need for localized schools diminished and centralization was about to be instituted by the State of New York.
Thomas Gray, Town of Guilford historian wrote in 2007 a short history of District #15 Root’s Corners. He is to be commended for his extensive research regarding this district in his research the following facts are documented. Ives Settlement was the first school (1800), Godfrey’s Corners (District #7) the second oldest 1812, by 1834 the Commissioner of Schools met a assorted homes to establish the school districts. October 31,1835 met at the home of George Guy to establish the boundary lines of Dist. #15, which at that time was bounded by property owned by the following: Otis Root, John Sherwood, James Nickerson, Isaac Dutcher, Izeleton Mead, Asa Willey, Clark Smith and the corner of the Livingston Square - Oxford.
In April of 1856 financial aid was given to each district - District #15 having 45 students was given $18.70 for the year. During the course of years many district lines were changed (this has been true throughout all of these articles). By 1843 the district then listed as Guilford/Oxford had 45 students (rec’d $32.26) 1857 21 students with teachers pay $34.19 for the year.
Other bits of history were in 1871 an article in the Oxford-Review Times - “Two new school housed being erected in town, one at Humphrey’s Corners (the Trestle School) and the other at Root’s Corners. Nothing more was written as to why new schools were built. By 1918 the taxpayers were assessed with their acreage (school taxes). 1921 the district began to pay tuition and transportation for few students to attend District #14 (the Union Free School) in the village and finally on August 27,1928 District #15 - Root’s Corners was to be closed after ninety-four years of education. At that time the building was sold to Ted Hoffman (local Guilford resident, using the building for storage. Later it was sold to John & Tina Benkowitz.
The Guilford historian (Tom Gray) met with Mrs. Benkowitz in 2005 and as written above she donated and deeded school and one acre to the Historical Society. With this acquisition the Guilford Historical Society became owner of a building that had been an educational institution for in the year 2007 one hundred thirty-six years.
This history would not be complete without homage being paid to teachers and students. In 1907 Lenna M. Toby was the teacher and school officers were E. G. Yale - trustee, J. Burton - Collector and V. Mead was Clerk. She presented to her students a souvenir with “Greetings and Best Wishes from Your Teacher.” This souvenir was presented to the following scholars:
Clifford, Ethel, Gladys, Lynn and Marion Burton, Eva, Florence and Floyd Carkhuff, Minnie Hoffman, Jack Lally, Grace and Tracy Mead, Grace, Helen and Mary Yale and Grace Zoerb. In 1914 during the Spring Term (2/2/14-6/12/14) Evangelyn M. Teed was teaching in Root’s Corners and E. G. Yale listed as trustee. Her souvenir program to her students at the close of the term “With Your Teacher’s Best Wishes” and “One by one the duties wait thee. Let thy whole strength go to each.” These programs were given to the following students and this writer will include their age: Ethel (16), Gladys (13). Marion (11), Earl (9) Burton, Grace (14), Tracy (14) Mead, (twins?). Grace (14), Mary (15), Helen (12) Yale, Hazel (12), Hester (9), Homer (13), Howard (10) Newell, RayJagger (16), and Stanley Alcott (11).
With this we close yet another chapter of education history in the Township of Guilford, and finally this reader has been informed the historian is at present book relevant to the one-room schools of Guilford. To Tom, best of luck!
The photo(s) of the Root’s Corners school show the school in a boarded up building and the second photo shows the building, long after the school had closed and was used in conjunction with the adjoining farm as shown in the photograph. The assorted readers of this series of articles have passed on to my attention that the photos which show the children at the site is appreciated to great extent. This photo (I am hopeful may be included) shows students and teacher and in the first row, second from right is identified as Marcia Alcott (she being the mother of Kenneth Carney, resident of this city. In the last row the boy on the left is identified as Stanley Alcott (Ken’s uncle). This writer will acknowledge sincere appreciation to him for allowing this information to be included in the article,
Walter Ubele wrote in his extensive documentation of both the Guilford churches and Guilford schools that information was scant information regarding District #15 except that it did exist. This building, one of the earliest of the Guilford District schools is still standing and now belongs to the Guilford Historical Society. This active Historical Society has taken up the gauntlet (so to speak) and have restored the schoolhouse and grounds to the appearance of the school while still active.
Now you are probably wondering where is Root’s Corners! As you leave the village of Guilford to travel to Oxford, you will notice a left hand turn Gospel Hill. Travel up Gospel Hill until you come to the road Glover’s Corners (another left hand turn). Travel approximately a mile or two to the intersection of Bruffel Hill (formerly named Ives Settlement Road) and the Quarry Road (it is a 4 corners). On the right hand side you will view the schoolhouse still at its original site. The Historical Society uses the site in the summer months one occasion is their annual picnic. I will add that Bruffel Hill and Quarry Road are closed to vehicle traffic in the winter and not too well maintained during the rest of the year.
Mr. Ubele wrote originally that (at the time of writing) the building was used to store hay and it recalled to mind that Root’s Corners was once a flourishing community, and that several of the farmhouses were still standing and lived in. The Benkowitz Farm is one of the originals and if this writer’s memory is correct the Benkowitz family donated the building and grounds site to the Historical Society. Walter Ubele continued his writing stating that a church once stood on the corner, overlooking the valley. Probably correct as there is an abandoned cemetery on a bluff, overlooking the corner of Gospel Hill and Glover’s Corners Road. This long neglected cemetery (doubtful if you could locate today) is shielded by a stand of pines and weed-grown field. All of this area comprised the Guilford District #15.
He continued to write that Root’s Corners was one of the first district schools to be combined with the “new” Union School in the Village (subject of articles after 1/1/12). As was the case with the population decline in the outer limits of the Guilford town, the need for localized schools diminished and centralization was about to be instituted by the State of New York.
Thomas Gray, Town of Guilford historian wrote in 2007 a short history of District #15 Root’s Corners. He is to be commended for his extensive research regarding this district in his research the following facts are documented. Ives Settlement was the first school (1800), Godfrey’s Corners (District #7) the second oldest 1812, by 1834 the Commissioner of Schools met a assorted homes to establish the school districts. October 31,1835 met at the home of George Guy to establish the boundary lines of Dist. #15, which at that time was bounded by property owned by the following: Otis Root, John Sherwood, James Nickerson, Isaac Dutcher, Izeleton Mead, Asa Willey, Clark Smith and the corner of the Livingston Square - Oxford.
In April of 1856 financial aid was given to each district - District #15 having 45 students was given $18.70 for the year. During the course of years many district lines were changed (this has been true throughout all of these articles). By 1843 the district then listed as Guilford/Oxford had 45 students (rec’d $32.26) 1857 21 students with teachers pay $34.19 for the year.
Other bits of history were in 1871 an article in the Oxford-Review Times - “Two new school housed being erected in town, one at Humphrey’s Corners (the Trestle School) and the other at Root’s Corners. Nothing more was written as to why new schools were built. By 1918 the taxpayers were assessed with their acreage (school taxes). 1921 the district began to pay tuition and transportation for few students to attend District #14 (the Union Free School) in the village and finally on August 27,1928 District #15 - Root’s Corners was to be closed after ninety-four years of education. At that time the building was sold to Ted Hoffman (local Guilford resident, using the building for storage. Later it was sold to John & Tina Benkowitz.
The Guilford historian (Tom Gray) met with Mrs. Benkowitz in 2005 and as written above she donated and deeded school and one acre to the Historical Society. With this acquisition the Guilford Historical Society became owner of a building that had been an educational institution for in the year 2007 one hundred thirty-six years.
This history would not be complete without homage being paid to teachers and students. In 1907 Lenna M. Toby was the teacher and school officers were E. G. Yale - trustee, J. Burton - Collector and V. Mead was Clerk. She presented to her students a souvenir with “Greetings and Best Wishes from Your Teacher.” This souvenir was presented to the following scholars:
Clifford, Ethel, Gladys, Lynn and Marion Burton, Eva, Florence and Floyd Carkhuff, Minnie Hoffman, Jack Lally, Grace and Tracy Mead, Grace, Helen and Mary Yale and Grace Zoerb. In 1914 during the Spring Term (2/2/14-6/12/14) Evangelyn M. Teed was teaching in Root’s Corners and E. G. Yale listed as trustee. Her souvenir program to her students at the close of the term “With Your Teacher’s Best Wishes” and “One by one the duties wait thee. Let thy whole strength go to each.” These programs were given to the following students and this writer will include their age: Ethel (16), Gladys (13). Marion (11), Earl (9) Burton, Grace (14), Tracy (14) Mead, (twins?). Grace (14), Mary (15), Helen (12) Yale, Hazel (12), Hester (9), Homer (13), Howard (10) Newell, RayJagger (16), and Stanley Alcott (11).
With this we close yet another chapter of education history in the Township of Guilford, and finally this reader has been informed the historian is at present book relevant to the one-room schools of Guilford. To Tom, best of luck!
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