At times in a person’s life, manners “go right out the window.” The last week’s article was one of those times of this writer. In the numerous articles that I have written since 2002 and previously it has been my criteria to include the historian’s name as a contributor of historical data. Without their aid and assistance with forwarding information for inclusion in articles, these would not have been possible. To Donna J. Robb, a sincere apology for the oversight!
You will note the actual location of Dist. #2 is East McDonough and is still standing and remodeled to a private home. In a written documentation “McDonough and Vicinity” is a paragraph relevant to the above district. This writer will quote what was written in the above publication: “About 1888 the school building now owned by the Legion was built. It had two rooms, the room on the west called the small room and the room on the east the large room, where the older pupils were taught. At one time, as many as sixty pupils, in each room were enrolled. The school had not been graded and each teacher worked out his own schedule. If the pupils did not tike the text books, being used, there were to buy their own. It was a very common sight in those days to see the birch which and the oak rulers in convenient places. In about 1890 the school house was repaired and the grounds graded. An addition often feet was built on the west side and also the ‘L’ in front. There was an open creek crossing the school grounds running from a fish pond on the Hill property. This furnished amusement for the pupils: skating in the winter and gathering lily ponds and gathering frogs in the summer. Later this creek was covered with flagstone.”
In the 1976 publication written by Jennie Preston, she documented the school was erected about 1850 (a difference of 33 years from the above date). The second part of the school was built on and used as a gymnasium and she was of the impression that an earlier school was erected prior to 1850. The 1863 map of the township of McDonough does show a school (#2) in East McDonough, however right at the corners and not on the Corbin Road. We will leave that to which readers might decide. The 1863 map may be viewed at the Chenango County Clerk’s office.
Mrs. Preston went on to document that in the spring of 1976 the Tom Jorgensen purchased this site and at that time they added a new garage which again altered the structure from what it might have originally looked like. Initially in cleaning out the house prior to moving in, they found a reading card with the word “hen” on it and home-made Christmas cards and decorations. She closed her writings stating more investigation would lead to greater knowledge of this district as many people have come into contact with the area. Numerous families inhabit the four corners in East McDonough that this schoolhouse has been located on. Additionally Route 220 is a main road passing through East McDonough and turning to the road to Bowman State Park.
In closing, the card with the word “Hen” more than likely was what was known as “flash cards” which were used by teachers, flashing the cards before the student(s) as a spelling tool.
As has been said and is repeated once more, the pages of the book are always open for new information that surfaces and finally “stay tuned,” we will be in McDonough for the next several weeks. Both Donna and myself may be contacted: pfscott@frontier.com or dirobb@frontier.net or 647-5659.