USA > Connecticut > New Haven County > Oxford > History of the town of Oxford, Connecticut > Part 19
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Academy St.
Joint Dist. No. 1. Rock House Hill Holbrook Rd., Seymour No. 2 Quakers Farms
No. 3 Chestnut Hill
No. 4 Christian St.
N. W. Corner of Christian St. and Hawley Rd.
East side of Park Rd. at junction of Moose Hill Rd.
No. 6 Pines Bridge
N. W. Corner of Rimmon Rd. & Old Pike
District No. 7 Bowers Hill
S. E. Corner of Bowers Hill Rd. & Good Hill Rd.
Joint Dist. No. 7 Toby's Rock No. 8 Hulls Hill
Not shown
North side of Georges Hill Rd. west of Kettletown Road
No. 10 Shrub Oak
No. 11 Red Oak
North side of Chestnut Tree Hill Rd. at Griswold Rd.
No. 12 Zoar Bridge
At junction of Copper Mine Rd. and the then River Road On east side of Riggs St. just south of Jack's Hill Rd. not shown.
Southford Joint District
"The summer term began the first Monday in May, and the teacher was a woman." (It is doubtful if this was true in the earlier days and it is uncertain just when women began to teach). "This term, school closed every other Saturday. The woman teacher's pay was from a dollar to a dollar and seventy-five cents a week. "Last day", or "Commencement" as we call it, came on Thursday in the middle of August."
"From 1840 to 1850, school still consisted of two terms, one in summer and one in winter, but the custom of "boarding around" was gradually falling into disuse". Instead, the teacher boarded with one family throughout the term, for which he or she paid out of their meagre salaries.
No. 9 Red City
East side of Route 67, 1 /4 mile south of Christian St. West side of Route 67 just south of Great Hill Road
District No. 13 Riggs St.
East side of Quaker Farms Rd. just north of Hogs Back Rd. Chestnut Tree Hill Rd. (east side) just north of Atwater Treat's.
No. 5 Five Mile Hill
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"By this time, black boards were in use, and by 1870, or so, three terms became usual, a long winter of twelve weeks and a spring and a fall term of ten weeks each. And it had become so much the rule that the teacher should be a woman that a man teacher in a primary school was looked upon as a good deal of a curiosity.
"By this time the women teachers were paid five or six dollars a week, and usually came from neighboring families. In case she came from some other town, she boarded in the vicinity of the schoolhouse at a weekly cost of two to three dollars." Most scholars left school for good at fourteen or fifteen, but a few would study at an academy in a neighboring town.
In Oxford, from the beginning up to as late as 1899, each School District raised its own money for teacher's salaries, and, presumably, hired its own teachers, and in general, managed its own financial af- fairs.
SCHOOLS 1870 TO 1915
In 1795, Connecticut sold what was left of the strip of land known in the Midwest sometimes as New Connecticut (and sometimes as the Western Reserve) for $1,200,000, and the General Assembly ordered that the money should be a permanent and irreducible fund, the inter- est from which should be used for schooling. As we have previously stated, Derby, including Oxford, was laid out into school districts. Derby's share of the interest from the Government School Fund was divided amongst the school districts and each district managed its own school affairs including the paying of wages to the school teachers. Because of the existence of this fund, the tendency grew for the dis- tricts not to raise any additional money for school funds. The first Selectmen's Report which Mr. Treat preserved is that for the year 1875, and it reports "Received from State for Schools, $605.80", but the only items of expense for educational purposes, paid by the town, were for the Board of Education visiting schools $158.87 and for the town's share of the Joint School District at Rock House Hill.
The report for 1877 is missing, but in 1878, the expenditures for schools by districts are listed as follows:
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1st District
(Center)
$240.00
2nd
(Quaker Farms)
240.00
3d
11 (Chestnut Hill) 135.00
4th
(Christian St.)
134.00
5th
( Five Mile Hill)
135.00
6th
1 1 (Rimmon Hill)
135.00
7th Joint District (Tobys Hill)
135.00
8th " 11 (Hulls Hill)
135.11
9th District
(Red City)
135.00
10th Joint District (Shrub Oak)
130.00
11th
11 (Red Oak)
134.80
12th District ( Zoar Bridge)
135.00
$1823.91
Expenditures for schools continued to run about the same until 1890 when they increased to $2127.86 for 13 school districts. In 1896 there came a marked change in the interest shown in the public school sys- tem in Oxford, probably because in that year the Rev. Lewis F. Morris became chairman of the school visitors. He had become rector of the two Episcopal churches in Oxford in 1888 and was evidently a man of strong character.
The report states that during the year there were schools open in but nine of the twelve school districts, the number of scholars regis- tered running from a maximum of 28 in the Hull's Hill School to a minimum of 16 at Zoar Bridge. The average attendance was greatest at Hull's Hill, 15, and the least 8.6 at Zoar Bridge. "In order of punctuality compared with actual attendance the standing was as fol- lows:
1st Quaker Farms
2d Bowers Hill
3d Red Oak 4th Shrub Oak
5th Center 6th Zoar Bridge
7th Chestnut Tree Hill
8th Riggs St.
9th Hull's Hill
Mr. Morris continues, "I have given this much space for statistictal information as to attendance and punctuality because they are of first importance. I should call attention to the old and established fact that none of the school rooms are supplied with books and apparatus which the best teachers need for successful teaching: also to the fact that most of your school buildings will soon be uninhabitable. But it will not be wise to spend much money on them, for the time is not far dis- tant when it will be found necessary to lessen the number of districts and to place school houses on other sites that those they now occupy.
"I wish to call your attention to evils, one of which has crept into the schools all over the land and is called an improvement. I refer to the exclusive use of writing pads. This of course improves the
225
demand for paper and makes the paper business better than it would otherwise be. And this is all the improvement there is about it. The chief objection to the exclusive use of pads is that it imposes an un- necessary tax upon the patrons of schools. The slate which costs but little more than one large pad can be used year after year for most writing purposes, and the pupil requires several pads in one term. As to the noise charged against the use of the slate, that can easily be avoided. I find that there is as much noise now where pads alone are used as there was in schools where they were never heard of. Again, it is well known by all penman that the use of the pencil, which is re- quired in writing on pads, tends to produce carelessness in penman- ship. This evil should be abated by teachers requiring the use of the slate at all times when its use will benefit the pupils as much as will the use of the pad.
"In looking over the school registers, I notice that some teachers taught on Saturdays and holidays, and even on Good Friday. This is an evil which it seems to me should be and can easily be avoided. The teachers are employed to teach, not at times most convenient for themselves, but at times when it shall be most convenient for children to go to school. And it often happens that parents and guardians ap- point Saturdays and holidays, when they have reason to suppose there will be no school, for some work or duty to be done by their children at home. The teacher, then who takes these days to make up for school days when there was no school is likely to be robbing some one of time.
"Some teachers have not been particular about the length of daily school sessions; whether or not they should keep school from 9 o'clock till 12 and from 1 to 4. I call this to your attention because if the pub- lic cares not in what manner and when and how long or short time the schools are kept, it is apparent that the tax payers' money will be paid for no good purpose. As to the efficiency of school room work during the year, there has been no visible improvement, nor will there be in years to come until teachers shall be employed who thoroughly know and love the art of teaching."
In his 1897 report as Chairman of the Board of Education, Mr. Morris says, "During the past year, schools have been maintained in ten districts at the expense of $2517.42 which amount includes teach- ers' salaries, cost of incidental repairs on buildings and of superin- tendence. Of this amount, $481.50 was paid by the State School Fund.
The cost of schooling a pupil varied from $15.18 at the Riggs St. School to $28.58 at the Chestnut Tree Hill School. Only five of the schools had an average attendance of 50 percent of the number regis- tered. The number of children enumerated between the ages of 4 and 16 was 214."
Mr. Morris closes his report with the following caustic comment; "All these difficulties would be avoided if the old district system were
226
abolished and the entire management of the schools put where it be- longs; in the hands of a board of education."
It took two more years for Mr. Morris' words to be acted upon, the change to Town management being made in 1899, but Mr. Morris did not stay to see it in effect, as he resigned as rector of the Episcopal Churches in 1897.
In 1898, the Town Report stated that "a long needed school house has been erected in the first district (Oxford Center) capable of ac- comodating some pupils from outlying districts, if required" This building continued in use until the erection of the Centralized School, when it was taken over by the Free Public Library and The Center Fire Company.
In 1899, they reported that "an important change has taken place from the old (district) system to town management. We have been led to hope that it will lessen the expenses. Let us hope it will in- crease the efficiency of our schools."
In the same year, the amounts paid to teachers in wages is given, varying from $198.00 a year in the Great Hill District to $216.00 a year in most other districts.
One other interesting item of expense listed in that year, namely; "To Board of Education, Ansonia, 26 desks $8.20" One wonders whether these were the first individual desks used in the Oxford Schools.
In 1900, they report that "The transition from the district system to town management has taken place. Sometime shortly before 1900 schoolbuilding No. 2 on Quaker Farms Road just north of Hogs Back Road was moved to the east side of Quaker Farms Road a short dis- tance south of Barry Road, where it is now used for storing Town Road Equipment."
Things seem to have gone on about as they were until 1904, when the President of the School Committee stated that "The additional money received from the State has enabled us to make a substantial increase in the wages of teachers. It should be an object for every tax payer to improve the attendance in our schools."
In 1908 they reported for the first time the names of the teachers, as follows: -
Quaker Farms Bell School Center School Red Oak
Miss R. I. Platt Miss Geneva Sullivan
Miss Lorena V. Tucker
Miss Mildred Cromwell Miss M. E. Lancaster Miss R. A. Holbrook
Christian St.
Bowers Hill
Miss Ophelia Dahinden Miss Lillian Cable Miss Abbie Pope
227
-
P
..
*4.+4
--
Old Quaker Farms School
228
Winadish
Old Quaker Farms School, Interior.
229
"New" Quaker Farms School
Shrub Oak School.
---
-
--
-
----
-----
-
---
-
-----
------
--
1
230
231
"New" Center School.
232
Shrub Oak Riggs St. Riverside
Miss Nona O'Brien
Miss Carrie Johnson
Miss Ethel Brown
Miss Sadie Hatch
Mrs. John Sherwood
The maximum Salary in 1908 was $324.00.
In 1911 came the first report of the State Superintendent of Schools, who stated that the town had nine schools in use, the grades in each school having been as follows: -
Center
Grades 1, 2, 4, 7
Quaker Farms
1, 3, 4, 6, 7
Bowers Hill
1, 2, 3, 4, 6
Riverside
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7
Christian St.
1, 2, 3, 4, 6
Riggs St. 1 1
1, 2, 4, 7
Red Oak
1, 4, 5, 6
Shrub Oak
11
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6
Bell
1, 3,4, 6
This apparently was the first attempt to separate the scholars into grades, the Superintendant saying, "The matter of grading was taken up with the teachers at the beginning of the year. The children were grouped after considering age, ability and attainment." He continues saying that "the teaching force has been on the whole a very good one. Six of the nine teachers graduated or attended normal schools."
In the summer of 1911, a new schoolhouse was built at Quaker Farms (at S. W. corner of Quaker Farms Rd. and Barry Road) at a cost of $75.00 for land plus $2,000.00 for the building.
In 1916, the Superintendent records the interesting fact that "We have had a successful state model school at Shrub Oak during the year," but comments that "it is unfortunate that we are unable to re- tain so small a number of our teachers, and must constantly recruit our force from the number of those who are beginners." He then adds that "We should have at least one apprentice at work here (in the model school) training to become a teacher in the town. She should be a local high school girl."
He has the following remarks to make about the students in high school, "We have had thirty children attending the various high schools at a tuition cost of $1457.44 and conveyance of $1365.65, at total of $2,823.09. This is an amount sufficient to operate a good high school in town, if such were needed." The total represented a cost of $94.00 per child compared with the local grade schools $25.00 per child. He ventured the opinion that the cost per high school child should be not greater than $65.00.
In 1917, it is reported that "the Shrub Oak school is taxed to its ut- most seating capacity, and that serious consideration should be given
233
to building a new school there." This finally came about in 1920 :- "the new two room building will be ready in November". In 1917 also, the Riverside School was maintained for three children from Oxford and three from Monroe, but with the building of the Stevenson Dam the local population of Riverside increased so that in 1919, it became necessary to build an addition, making it a two room school. This condition was only temporary for with the completion of the dam, the year 1920 found it only necessary to have one teacher.
In 1920, the maximum salary paid to any one teacher in the Oxford schools was approximately $600.00, whereas the School Superintendent reported that the average salary paid to elementary school teachers in 100 Connecticut towns the previous year was $761.00.
By 1921, the question of consolidation of the schools came to the front in the Superintendent's report for that year, when he asked this question, "Should Oxford consolidate its schools" ? and added the com- ment "It is urged that your committee consider consolidation as a fu- ture program." But it took 27 more years of discussion before his idea came to fruition in the "Centralized School" in 19 48.
In 1913-1914, the town set up a separate account, "Town of Oxford, in account with School Treasurer" and listed "Total amount of orders paid for schools, $6,015.90. In 1915, the Town School Committee re- ported total for schools, $7,420.78. In 1916 the report list $8.049.62, 1917 $7,222.02. The school supervisor states, "The state furnishes supervision to the town without cost; citizens and parents should make every effort to co-operate. Beginning with next July (1918) the state will reimburse the town 45 per cent of the teachers' salaries.
In 1918 the cost was $7,958.57 and the teachers as follows :-
Ophelia Dahinden
Center
State certificate
Mrs. Mary E. Prescott
Chestnut Hill Town -
Justine E. Doolittle
Christian St. State
-
Lillian Smith
Red Oak State 11
Elizabeth M. Blodgett
Riggs St.
State
Margaret Burke
Shrub Oak State
11
Margaret E. Owens
Shrub Oak Town
Carrie A. Pratt
Quaker Farms "
1 1
Marguerite Maher
Riverside
State 11
Julia Bronson
Bell
1 1
11
In 1919, $9,862.38, and the Supervisor reports salaries mostly $600.00 per year and adds "The cost of living has increased more than 50 per cent in the past year and no teacher can maintain herself for much less than $1000.00, and hence higher salaries must be paid. The State has helped this by raising the teachers grant from 45 per cent to 60 per cent of the teachers salaries. 1920, $10,501.96; 1921, $13,279.18 Consolidation of the schools is again recommended; 1922, $15,504.21. Hiring of school nurse recommended; 1923, $15,405.48,
234
cost per pupil $66.12; 1924, $18,020.88, double session was necessary at Center School, School nurse one day each month; 1925, $22,710.43, cost per pupil $90.11. The public library benefited greatly the schools; 1926, $22,027.02, School nurse 3 days each month, The local library has been a splendid help to the schools and the town should support it generously; 1927, $26,013.18, A music supervisor was employed for the first time; 1928, $25,066.62, school nurse 3 days."
By 1930 the total cost of schools had risen to $29,986.16 and the average salary around $1000.00.
November 1st, 1947, School bonds were issued for $190,000 for con- struction of the new centralized school, and bids had been received on construction, and on November 1948 the new school was occupied by the children. It was formally dedicated December 18, 1948. Richard Wilkinson was appointed the first Principal of the school. He was suc- ceeded by Edmund Schade, the present Principal.
The Centralized School Committee heading up this important under- taking was:
Eldridge E. Seeley, Chairman Hubert E. Stoddard, Vice Chairman Mrs. Francis B. Seccombe, Secretary Merwin E. Terrell
R. Harold Treat
Charles B. Pope
Frederick R. Bice, Jr. Franklyn R. Sanford
For the year ending June 30, 1947, the total costs of schools was $42,654.95.
By 1950, the average salary of teachers was $3,071 and the total school expenditures $80,009.69.
In 1960, the teachers' salaries varied from a minimum of $4000. per year to a maximum of $6000, and the total expenses of the Board of Education for the year ending June 30th, 1959 were $247,576.44. In 1899, the management of the Town Schools was taken away from the old School Districts and put under a "Town School Committee". Com- mencing in 1932 the Town Records (Minutes of Town Meetings and Town Annual Reports ) begin to make reference to "The School Board", and in 1932 to "The Board of Education", but up to 1938, the name "Town School Committee" still persists. Nevertheless, the first "Board of Education" seems to have been that given in the School Supervisors Report (in the Town Report) for 1931-1932, namely:
Mr. Thomas Schreiber, Chairman, 1934
Mrs. Mary E. Nichols, Sec. 1932
Mr. Richard E. Nyberg, Treas. 1933
Mr. Charles P. Pope 1934
Mr. Albert T. Pope 1933
Mrs. Charlotte L. Cassidy 1932
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The Board continued to consist of six members until 1957 when the number was increased to nine. The present members are, -
Mr. Walter R. Dann
Mr. Carl A. Lundgren Mr. John E. Newell Mr. Frederick J. Pommer Mrs. Anna Posick Mrs. Lillian Weitzler
Mr. W. Wilson White
Mr. Lawrence W. Widdecombe, Jr.
PRIVATE SCHOOLS IN OXFORD
The School on Academy Road
On the north side of Academy Road, just east of Jack's Brook, there was a school building for many years, from which the road de- rives its name. It is thought that this was the school in which Judge Nathan J. Wilcoxson taught as a young man, from 1826 to 1828. It is presumed also that "Mr. Ferguson's school rooms" referred to in 1833 in the records of St. Peter's Church were also at the same loca- tion.
The school was referred to in 1903 by Mrs. Elisha Wheeler, then in her 87th year, who said "that when she went to it the children al- ways got their water from a tub standing to the left of the basement door (of the house next door, later the rectory) and that this was sup- plied by pipe from a spring on the hill across the brook."
As Mrs. Wheeler was born in 1816, she may have attended this "select school" while Judge Wilcoxson was teaching there, at which time she was from 10 years old to 12, and also she may have con- tinued attending there through 1833 under Mr. Ferguson.
It is said that "a select school has been taught since that time but no regular academy has been maintained". Again there is no record of where the "select school" was held, but it seems a fair inference that it was in the building on Academy Road.
The building later became District School No. 1, as it is shown as such on the 1868 map of Oxford, but in what year this occurred is un- known.
McEwen's School for Boys, on Hog's Back Road
For fourteen years, between 1846 and 1860, David J. McEwen, con- ducted a boarding school for boys in his house on Hog's Back Road at the summit of the high hill between Oxford Center and Quaker Farms
236
Old "Academy", on Academy Rd. Later "Old" Center School.
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(now the residence of Mr. and Mrs. George Wesley) "and many are those who in after years remembered with gratitude the kindly instruc- tion and New England training received there."
The Pleasant Vale School for Boys
Around 1868, R. S. Hinman was the proprietor of the "Pleasant Vale Boarding School for boys," in the Punkups section of Oxford about one mile south of Zoar Bridge, or in what is now known as Riverside.
While not located in Oxford, there was a school opened in 1849, in Humphreysville (now Seymour) known as the Humphreysville Academy which was "deservedly popular under the direction of George B. Glen- dening."
He was an efficient instructor and drew many pupils from the neighboring towns. In 1853, he was succeeded by Frederick Durand, who taught two years in Union Hall. Mr. Gay, a graduate of Yale, came in August 1855, but continued only a few months. So it may have been likely that some Oxford young people attended this Academy in the years between 1849 and 1855.
St. Margaret's School for Girls in Waterbury, Conn.
In 1865 an Episcopal Diocesan School for Girls was founded in Waterbury, Conn. In the chapter on "Physicians and Health" it is pointed out that Dr. Lounsbury, of Oxford, in the summer of 1874 urged at the Diocesan Convention that the Episcopal Church in Connecticut should institute parochial schools, one such to be located in Oxford. No action was taken on this, and St. Margaret's has re- mained the only Episcopal Church School in Connecticut. Originally located in the city, it moved in 1928 to the outskirts of Waterbury, where it now is. Occasionaly, girls from Oxford have attended this school.
Mr. Munn's School for Boys
"The Nichols House, located on the Main Road ( Route 67) near Red City was built in 1782 by a Mr. Beardsley. His daughter married a Mr. Munn, and they used the house as a boarding school for boys, who were taught in the small structure nearby by Mr. Munn. Only recently (prior to 1935) have door and window cas- ings been removed which bore the autographs of boys who attended the school."
Buck Hill Seminary, Southford
Buck Hill Seminary in Southford was a boarding school for boys which was very successfully carried on by Deacon R. R. Curtis for
238
about 15 years, from 1845 to 1860. "Housed in a very pleasant loca- tion on the east slope of the hill, a mile north of the village, had ac- comodations for thirty boys. It was usually filled and had a good reputation. Since that time, other select schools have been taught in the town by Miss E. L. Townsend and others".
THE OXFORD PARENT-TEACHER ASSOCIATION
On Nov. 24, 1931, a group of about twenty-five persons interested in the Oxford Public Schools met at the Oxford Grange Hall and or - ganized the Oxford Parent Teacher Association, covering all of the eight district schools. The objects of the Association were the same as those of other Parent-Teacher Associations throughout Connecticut, namely:
1. To promote the welfare of children and youth in home, school, church, and community.
2. To raise the standards of home life.
3. To secure adequate laws for the care and protection of children and youth.
4. To bring into closer relation the home and the school, that parents and teachers may cooperate intelligently in the training of the child.
5. To develop between educators and the general public such united efforts as will secure for every child the highest advantages in physi- cal, mental, social and spiritual education.
Policies: Shall be, 1. educational, 2. noncommercial, 3. non- sectarian, 4. shall not seek to direct the administrative activities of the schools or to control their policies.
The first officers (who were elected at this meeting) were:
Mrs. Viola Madorno, President; Mrs. Rose Currish, Vice President; Mrs. Mary Nichols, Secretary; Mrs. Dorothy Ives, Treasurer.
The association became a Rural P.T.A. unit in 1931 and a Congress Unit April 27th, 1955.
By-laws were adopted June 23, 1932 and the Association began to take an active part in School affairs. In 1932, it sponsored "The Hot Soup Program" in all eight schools, a "Dental Clinic" and the "Summer Round Up". The latter included listing all the children about to enter the first grade and giving them a physical check up (eyes, etc.) under State Supervision, at the Grange Hall.
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