LITTLE BRITAIN, (OCP)—In 1814 the Town of New Windsor was divided into school districts. We can be sure there were little schools in many parts of the town long before that. The division into school districts was doubtless for assistance or control. Reference to a school commissioner was found for a date some years later.
The Little Britain Meeting House District was No. 6. The first school house in the south end of what is now the cemetery. The cemetery was very small, and the schoolyard extended north of where the cemetery east gate is now. The building stood near where that gate is, and when a grave is dug in that section, the foundation of the old school can be found.
The following is taken from the original deed showing that the building was already in use in 1836: On Oct. 7, 1836, James Denniston, party of the first part, conveyed to George Denniston, Daniel Shuart, who together with James Denniston, were trustees of School District No. 6 in the Town of New Windsor, for the sum of $1, a lot 46 feet in front, 21 feet in depth, now occupied as a school. Bounded: east, by a road leading from Little Britain Church to Salisbury; north, by lands belonging to the said church; west, by church and lands of James Denniston; and south, by lands of James Denniston.
How long that building had been in use we do not know, but in 1867 it was considered in such bad condition that it was not worth repairing.
Washingtonville Central School keeps whatever records can be found of the district school that have consolidated with it. For No. 6 there are a trustees’ book from 1840 and a book of minutes of district meetings from 1860. Neither is complete to date, but they are both of real historic interest.
The trustees’ book gives the names of many of the teachers and their amazing salaries. In 1847, S.A. Dickson taught for a term, presumably eight weeks, for $44.69. We note names well known in this region: Jackson, Mapes, LaFountain, Gerow, Arnott, Goldsmith. These were all teachers in the first building. Some of these were men, some women. The women were always paid less.
No record can be found of what was studied or what books were used. We wish some of those old textbooks could be found in Little Britain attics.
From the book of minutes, Oct. 8, 1867 we find a note of progress: "Resolved, that we have a new school house." On Nov. 12, 1867, a special meeting of the taxable inhabitants was called for the purpose of considering the propriety of building a new schoolhouse. "Resolved, that a committee be appointed to investigate and seek after a site for the school house." The committee chosen was E.D. Drury, Samuel McClung and G.C. Terwilliger. Two weeks later the committee reported that it was impossible to procure a site.
They were told to keep trying. Again they found nothing, and were discharged. Another committee was chosen to consult with the school commissioner as to whether they should build a new school, and they too did nothing and were discharged. At another special meeting held Dec. 22, 1868, it seemed to be agreed that committees were useless.
James W. Morrison moved that they buy not less than and acre and R. Wallace Genung moved that they buy an acre on the south side of Little Britain Road near the end of Drury Lane belonging partly to Cornelius Hawkins and partly to Hamilton Denniston. The meeting voted for it, and James W. Morrison moved that they build a new schoolhouse of brick on a stone foundation and with a shingle roof.
Perhaps Mr. Hawkins and Mr. Denniston had not been consulted by Mr. Genung. They proved unwilling to sell a part of an acre each. Instead Mr. Hawkins would sell a full acre on the south side of the road for $200, and Mr. Denniston would sell a full acre on the north side for $250, a better location because of the higher ground.
Another special meeting was held Jan 26, 1869 at which that report was given and a vote taken. There were 13 votes for the Hawkins land and seven for the Denniston, and it was made unanimous for the Hawkins acre on the south side of the road. Then Mr. William Y. Scott moved that "they sell the old school house and lot as they deemed proper for the best interest of the district and a deed be given by the trustees for berriel purposes only." It was moved that the district raise $1500 for the new school, $300 each year for five years.
They had made the vote unanimous for the Hawkins land, and they began to pile bricks and lumber there for the building. But there had been some thinking and talking since the January meeting. At a meeting held Feb. 16, 1869, there was a motion to rescind the resolution to buy the Hawkins land. The vote was 13 ayes, only Mr. Hawkins voting no, and then declined to vote. The minutes hint at a bit of difficulty with Mr. Hawkins, but it is not made clear how they got out from under their agreement with him.
At a meeting held March 2, 1869, it was resolved to buy the land offered by Hamilton Denniston on the north side of the road for $250. There were 12 votes for it, three no’s, and four declined to vote. Robert S. Finley says he used to hear his father tell that some men worked hard and fast one night with teams and wagons to get all the building material moved across the road.
The new school was built fast. Mr. McClung was the carpenter, and was paid $974.50; Mr. Nichol, the mason, $770.40. 26,000 brick cost $301.30. 301 feet of boards cost $6.02. Sundries and furniture brought the total to $2703.40.
At a meeting in the new school Aug. 21, 1869, Mr. James W. Morrison moved that we name this building before we leave tonight and that we name it the ELM WOOD INSTITUTE."
A dedication was held Aug. 28, 1869, with
speakers, Judge George of Newburgh, James O. Miller, farmer of
Montgomery, and Charles Estabrook, of Newburgh.
Some of the early teachers in the new school had names of this region: Sears, Humphrey, Beattie, Fulton, Brooks, McCann. It was not until 1893 that the teacher’s salary was raised from $7 per week to $8. But it was all take-home pay, and no income tax.
Regular district meetings were held each October. In 1873 it was voted to raise enough money to keep school open eight months. Before this there were usually three terms of eight weeks each. In 1876 there was the motion to plant shake trees on the school house ground.
In 1878 there was a motion with a familiar sound, "Resolved, that all books absent from the library be returned immediately." In October 1881, George Welling refused to pay more than $2.37 of his $2.57 school tax, claiming his assessment was too high. The meeting took up a penny collection and paid his 20 cents. In 1888, on motion it was resolved to drop E.D. Pierson from the school tax list of the year because he has paid for the rebuilding of the stone wall on the west side of the school ground.
In 1892 the school won a prize of $100 from Mr. William A. Wadsworth of Geneseo for the best kept school grounds in the state. The meeting decided to use the money for new seats for the school, and if possible a bell. We think there was never a bell bigger than a small hand bell. The meeting also voted resolutions of thanks to Mr. Wadsworth.
Nellie Alton taught at Elmwood School for two years in the early 1900’s, Annabelle Knapp for many years. In those years high school pupils were sent to Newburgh.
So school went on thru June 1944. The next year, pupils were sent to Washingtonville by contract, and after that there was consolidation with Washingtonville Central School District.
In the deed of March 27, 1869 by which Hamilton Denniston sold an acre of land to the Trustees of School District No. 6, there was the restriction that the land be used only for a school, or else it should be sold for $250 to one owning adjacent land. There were three claims to the property and three checks for $250 sent in to pay for it. As Alfred Denniston had the double claim of adjacent land, and next of kin, he secured the ELMWOOD SCHOOL, District No. 6, Erected 1869.
It is now an attractive dwelling house under those lovely shade trees set out in 1876 and proudly displaying its nameplate.
Editor’s Note:
Make the following corrections in the story: Big Little Britain and Its Post Office. (Sept. 22) Column one, paragraph two, line 11, not 1894 but 1824; Column two, line two, not 1824 but 1864.
Created by Elizabeth Finley Frasier
April 21, 2002
