Schools of the Past: Guilford: The Village Schools, Guilford Central School Part IV
The history of dissention continues with the new proposal of the Elementary students being bused to Bainbridge. The Mt. Upton taxpayers and parents were very much against this and only the voters of Guilford and Mt. Upton were in agreement regarding busing small children to Bainbridge. Neither school wanted to lose their school. Both went to work on the Board of Education and claimed the disadvantages which far outweighed the advantages.
Both the committees of both school had the idea they had enough votes to defeat this latest merger. Mt. Upton saved the day and rejected the whole plan, thus taking Guilford “off the hook,” and by the year 1976 the whole idea was completely dropped.
The question of a separate Election District for Guilford was still on the agenda. During all the confrontation of the previous written merger this Election District had been put on hold. Another petition was once again presented and signed by many of the taxpayers and of these petitions were signed and presented to the Board of Education. Continuing to pressure the Board of Education, the idea became a reality and a separate Election District was set up for School issues only. Was all serene in Guilford for a while? The answer to that was NO!
Bainbridge-Guilford was proposing closing the Guilford school entirely. Certain Guilford resident agreed with this, but again agitation, pro and con, nearly split the Town of Guilford apart. It was written that the year 1980-81 were extremely difficult years in the Town.
Continuing on the School Board saw increased attention from the voters at their meeting, and the arguments went back and forth. To close the school entirely, it would mean the death of the Town. Examples of surrounding towns that had experience the same situation was brought us, and in the long run residents would leave Guilford, property values would drop, homes would be empty and this would result in a definite loss of taxes and ultimately it would cause an definite increase in school taxes.
The Board of Education was adamant - “Not so!” The business manager had complied a set of financial figures which would save the residents $145,000 by closing the school. This was not agreed by the parents and taxpayers. Their committee came up with their own findings and after researching presented those to the Board. These figures were quite different from the above figure. After what must have been many confrontations, the Board voted to postpone the issue for a whole year. During the interim both sides were getting ready, again, to go to the battlefield. News items, letters, personal contacts, all were use in the final decision. The Board of Education postponed the matter, the whole issue came down to the election of two members of the Board. Gladys Williams (favored closing the Guilford School) and two other members of the Board were also in that position. She was up for re-election. There was much “lobbying” behind the scenes, letters were sent, letters to the news, and voters worked for candidates who were favorable to having the school remain open.
Mrs. Williams was opposed in her re-election by Ray Parsons of Guilford. Robert Schaefer, Bendix Aviation Manager filled the other seat. Ray Parsons went on to defeat Mrs. Parsons and Mr. Schaefer captured the other seat, however during the election time charges and counter-charges were tossed around like basketball.
After the election, the matter of closing the Guilford School was brought up and only two voted to close the School. The President of the School Board declared the matter closed, but was the matter really settled? The next year another election for the Board was again on the ballots. Jim Wright’s seat was up John Winn was running again, David DeClue filed for John’s seat and Mrs. Williams filed for Wright’s seat. That year the League of Women Voters held a candidate’s night with each candidate having a chance to express their position. Returns of the election saw Mrs. Williams failing to unseat Mr. Wright and Mr. DeClue failed to unseat Mr. Winn. This election resulted in the Board of Education aligned as it had been in 1980.
After this latest educational battle, events have been peaceful in Guilford. This serene situation would see teachers from the area returning to the area to teach in either Guilford or Bainbridge and this is more or less still true to the present time.
In closing this lengthy history of the very much embattled school district over the years, the Guilford Central School still stands proud and firm on the hilltop keeping watch of the activity of the Village of Guilford.
Finally, as has been written many times by this writer, the book is to remain open for inclusion of new pages, should further research surface!
Both the committees of both school had the idea they had enough votes to defeat this latest merger. Mt. Upton saved the day and rejected the whole plan, thus taking Guilford “off the hook,” and by the year 1976 the whole idea was completely dropped.
The question of a separate Election District for Guilford was still on the agenda. During all the confrontation of the previous written merger this Election District had been put on hold. Another petition was once again presented and signed by many of the taxpayers and of these petitions were signed and presented to the Board of Education. Continuing to pressure the Board of Education, the idea became a reality and a separate Election District was set up for School issues only. Was all serene in Guilford for a while? The answer to that was NO!
Bainbridge-Guilford was proposing closing the Guilford school entirely. Certain Guilford resident agreed with this, but again agitation, pro and con, nearly split the Town of Guilford apart. It was written that the year 1980-81 were extremely difficult years in the Town.
Continuing on the School Board saw increased attention from the voters at their meeting, and the arguments went back and forth. To close the school entirely, it would mean the death of the Town. Examples of surrounding towns that had experience the same situation was brought us, and in the long run residents would leave Guilford, property values would drop, homes would be empty and this would result in a definite loss of taxes and ultimately it would cause an definite increase in school taxes.
The Board of Education was adamant - “Not so!” The business manager had complied a set of financial figures which would save the residents $145,000 by closing the school. This was not agreed by the parents and taxpayers. Their committee came up with their own findings and after researching presented those to the Board. These figures were quite different from the above figure. After what must have been many confrontations, the Board voted to postpone the issue for a whole year. During the interim both sides were getting ready, again, to go to the battlefield. News items, letters, personal contacts, all were use in the final decision. The Board of Education postponed the matter, the whole issue came down to the election of two members of the Board. Gladys Williams (favored closing the Guilford School) and two other members of the Board were also in that position. She was up for re-election. There was much “lobbying” behind the scenes, letters were sent, letters to the news, and voters worked for candidates who were favorable to having the school remain open.
Mrs. Williams was opposed in her re-election by Ray Parsons of Guilford. Robert Schaefer, Bendix Aviation Manager filled the other seat. Ray Parsons went on to defeat Mrs. Parsons and Mr. Schaefer captured the other seat, however during the election time charges and counter-charges were tossed around like basketball.
After the election, the matter of closing the Guilford School was brought up and only two voted to close the School. The President of the School Board declared the matter closed, but was the matter really settled? The next year another election for the Board was again on the ballots. Jim Wright’s seat was up John Winn was running again, David DeClue filed for John’s seat and Mrs. Williams filed for Wright’s seat. That year the League of Women Voters held a candidate’s night with each candidate having a chance to express their position. Returns of the election saw Mrs. Williams failing to unseat Mr. Wright and Mr. DeClue failed to unseat Mr. Winn. This election resulted in the Board of Education aligned as it had been in 1980.
After this latest educational battle, events have been peaceful in Guilford. This serene situation would see teachers from the area returning to the area to teach in either Guilford or Bainbridge and this is more or less still true to the present time.
In closing this lengthy history of the very much embattled school district over the years, the Guilford Central School still stands proud and firm on the hilltop keeping watch of the activity of the Village of Guilford.
Finally, as has been written many times by this writer, the book is to remain open for inclusion of new pages, should further research surface!
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