School Bells are Silent
in the Town of Chemung
September 7, 2016; Published in the Morning Times, Sayre
On September 7th the school bells will ring throughout New York State welcoming students back to school for another year. With the exception of the Town of Chemung, who for the first time in over 226 years the school bells will be silent.
The first school in Chemung was held in the weaving room of a frame dwelling owned by a highly respected man in the area and a well known name today in the town, Major William Wynkoop. Even then in 1790 the importance of a good education was realized where children attended school when their farm chores were done. A soldier of the Revolutionary War, Mr. Wynkoop also kept an inn and tavern in the same home which was located on County Route 60, east of town along the banks of Wynkoop Creek. Another school taught in a weaving room was that of Israel Parshall, in his log home on the corner of Swain Rd. and County Route 60, west of the town, taught by Master Samuel Walker. It has been rumored by early residents of the town that Master Walker was killed by the Indians, however, when or where we are unable to say.
In 1799 the first school near Chemung proper was opened by Master Cooper, an Englishman. Ausburn Towner’s “History of Chemung” mentions school being taught in part of a log house owned by Master Cooper. It was located near the intersection of Wynkoop Creek Road and County Route 60. A few of the pioneer families whose children attended this school were: Buck, McDowell, Burt, Wynkoop and Westbrooks. The later family lived across the Chemung River. In early years, children were ferried across the river in order to attend school. Samuel Westbrook, a Private in the Revolutionary War, and owner/operator of the ferry located on the west side of the Chemung River made it possible, weather permitting.
At the beginning of the 19th century a school house was constructed of logs in the vicinity of Wynkoop Creek Road and County Route 60, on the McDowell farm and was probably the first school edifice erected in the town. It was 1835 when the first frame school house was built on Washington Street with an upgrade to a two room school house built in 1851. A school bell was dedicated in 1852. In town records from an annual school meeting dated October 6, 1858 for district No. 2, funds were approved for miscellaneous items: Cleaning and repairs to the school house $10.00, Blackboards $9.57, Atlas Globe $10.00. Other expenses were: Insurance for the school house $20.00 and wood for heating $19.63.
From that time forward to 1865, there were fifteen school districts in the town and sixteen teachers. According to Elsie Thomas’s “History of the Schools in Chemung 1976”, there were 783 children of school age with an average daily attendance of 283. The teachers were poorly paid and often “boarded around” as part of their pay. Referencing the 1869 Atlas of Chemung County, 17 one room school houses were listed in the Town of Chemung throughout the hamlets of the town. In 1886 Supervisor Morgan S. Manning approved teacher wages in District No. 7 to Bertha E. Grace $51.00, Lulu Peppard, $42.00 and Mattie Swarthout $13.05.
As the town grew, children attended high school at Waverly Academy with each family paying tuition for their children and providing transportation. In the early 20th century, a few family names were: Wynkoop, Clark, Owen, Ford, and Price. During good weather they drove a horse, when this wasn’t practical they went by train. In 1907 they were able to travel by trolley.
School houses were always a financial strain for taxpayers. A newspaper article from 1913 gives insight to the repairs needed for many of the one room school houses in the town. From structural repairs of the school house, outhouse and woodsheds to repair or replacement of chalk boards, lighting, desks, flags, maps, books, window shades, drinking tanks and more.
By 1925 the two room school was crowded and despite heavy opposition in 1929 it was voted to build a new school, at which time a site on North Street was chosen. During construction a primary class was held at the Ford Store on Main Street. The new brick school was ready in November 1931 with four classrooms and an auditorium with a cost of about $30,000.
By 1950 many of the one room schools were closing and centralization was discussed. The public voted to form a Central School District No. 1 on June 27th, 1957. The Chemung School District merged with the Waverly School District on July 10, 1957 along with the towns of: Barton, Ashland, and Baldwin.
Soon a new school for Chemung was planned for kindergarten through sixth grade. Children would be bused in from the closed one room schools and the seventh and eighth grades would be sent to Waverly. The site chosen was on North Street, adjacent to the previous school. It was opened in September 1962, with seven teachers and enrollment of about 175. The older part of the school was used for office, library, health room and cafeteria.
In 2016, despite opposition, the Chemung School located on North Street was closed due to financial stress of the Waverly School District. In recent years it was used for the school district’s fifth grade classes. This fall, the school will be closed and all children will be bused from Chemung to Waverly.
A partial list of school teacher names early in the 20th century were: Fitzgerald, Hicks, Peppard, Miller, Grace, Dean, Gardner, Cooper, Kilpatrick, Hilliker, Ingham, Toivenen, Carey, Campbell, Doane, Warren, Gunderman, Thomas, Snell, Bingham, Grace, Culver, VanGaasbeck and Bunnell.
Mary Ellen Kunst
Historian
Town of Chemung
The first school in Chemung was held in the weaving room of a frame dwelling owned by a highly respected man in the area and a well known name today in the town, Major William Wynkoop. Even then in 1790 the importance of a good education was realized where children attended school when their farm chores were done. A soldier of the Revolutionary War, Mr. Wynkoop also kept an inn and tavern in the same home which was located on County Route 60, east of town along the banks of Wynkoop Creek. Another school taught in a weaving room was that of Israel Parshall, in his log home on the corner of Swain Rd. and County Route 60, west of the town, taught by Master Samuel Walker. It has been rumored by early residents of the town that Master Walker was killed by the Indians, however, when or where we are unable to say.
In 1799 the first school near Chemung proper was opened by Master Cooper, an Englishman. Ausburn Towner’s “History of Chemung” mentions school being taught in part of a log house owned by Master Cooper. It was located near the intersection of Wynkoop Creek Road and County Route 60. A few of the pioneer families whose children attended this school were: Buck, McDowell, Burt, Wynkoop and Westbrooks. The later family lived across the Chemung River. In early years, children were ferried across the river in order to attend school. Samuel Westbrook, a Private in the Revolutionary War, and owner/operator of the ferry located on the west side of the Chemung River made it possible, weather permitting.
At the beginning of the 19th century a school house was constructed of logs in the vicinity of Wynkoop Creek Road and County Route 60, on the McDowell farm and was probably the first school edifice erected in the town. It was 1835 when the first frame school house was built on Washington Street with an upgrade to a two room school house built in 1851. A school bell was dedicated in 1852. In town records from an annual school meeting dated October 6, 1858 for district No. 2, funds were approved for miscellaneous items: Cleaning and repairs to the school house $10.00, Blackboards $9.57, Atlas Globe $10.00. Other expenses were: Insurance for the school house $20.00 and wood for heating $19.63.
From that time forward to 1865, there were fifteen school districts in the town and sixteen teachers. According to Elsie Thomas’s “History of the Schools in Chemung 1976”, there were 783 children of school age with an average daily attendance of 283. The teachers were poorly paid and often “boarded around” as part of their pay. Referencing the 1869 Atlas of Chemung County, 17 one room school houses were listed in the Town of Chemung throughout the hamlets of the town. In 1886 Supervisor Morgan S. Manning approved teacher wages in District No. 7 to Bertha E. Grace $51.00, Lulu Peppard, $42.00 and Mattie Swarthout $13.05.
As the town grew, children attended high school at Waverly Academy with each family paying tuition for their children and providing transportation. In the early 20th century, a few family names were: Wynkoop, Clark, Owen, Ford, and Price. During good weather they drove a horse, when this wasn’t practical they went by train. In 1907 they were able to travel by trolley.
School houses were always a financial strain for taxpayers. A newspaper article from 1913 gives insight to the repairs needed for many of the one room school houses in the town. From structural repairs of the school house, outhouse and woodsheds to repair or replacement of chalk boards, lighting, desks, flags, maps, books, window shades, drinking tanks and more.
By 1925 the two room school was crowded and despite heavy opposition in 1929 it was voted to build a new school, at which time a site on North Street was chosen. During construction a primary class was held at the Ford Store on Main Street. The new brick school was ready in November 1931 with four classrooms and an auditorium with a cost of about $30,000.
By 1950 many of the one room schools were closing and centralization was discussed. The public voted to form a Central School District No. 1 on June 27th, 1957. The Chemung School District merged with the Waverly School District on July 10, 1957 along with the towns of: Barton, Ashland, and Baldwin.
Soon a new school for Chemung was planned for kindergarten through sixth grade. Children would be bused in from the closed one room schools and the seventh and eighth grades would be sent to Waverly. The site chosen was on North Street, adjacent to the previous school. It was opened in September 1962, with seven teachers and enrollment of about 175. The older part of the school was used for office, library, health room and cafeteria.
In 2016, despite opposition, the Chemung School located on North Street was closed due to financial stress of the Waverly School District. In recent years it was used for the school district’s fifth grade classes. This fall, the school will be closed and all children will be bused from Chemung to Waverly.
A partial list of school teacher names early in the 20th century were: Fitzgerald, Hicks, Peppard, Miller, Grace, Dean, Gardner, Cooper, Kilpatrick, Hilliker, Ingham, Toivenen, Carey, Campbell, Doane, Warren, Gunderman, Thomas, Snell, Bingham, Grace, Culver, VanGaasbeck and Bunnell.
Mary Ellen Kunst
Historian
Town of Chemung