When the New York State Legislature in 1786 set apart certain lands in the Township No. 2 or Clinton for the so-called Vermont Sufferers, Simeon Metcalf (surveyor general) was ordered to set apart two lots of 640 acres each, or one square mile for “Gospel and Schools” and for “Promoting Literature.” Previously there had been a similar law enacted as early as 1782.
H. H. Lyon in his extensive documentation of the history of the schools in Bainbridge wrote that “Gospel and Schools was clearly understood. However “Promoting Literature” was a stranger to him till he researched and found out that it simply meant the land could be used in the establishment of an academy. It would be many years before an academy within the lots were to be considered and except for a few years these two sites were used for the support of common schools and the financial support was divided between church and school which appears to be the intent of the State Legislature.
In the previous articles relevant to the district schools in the Town of Bainbridge and in the Village itself there were many persons associated with the continuing effort to provide an education for the children of the township. Not to deviate from these individuals at this point a classroom of the new school built in the village (after much controversy and planning and thought) a photo of students attending the new school is shown adjacent to this article.
We are extremely grateful for this photo being forwarded to this writer and even more grateful that the students pictured are names which we will now include with this writing.
Near Row: Margarette Hines - Ruth Doolittle - Marion Jeffers - Robert Hall - Lome Sipple - Kenneth Mott. Second Row: James Taft - unidentified - Sterling Hodge - Carlton DeForest - unidentified - Enslow Howland. Third Row: Alton Hollenbeck- Winifred Springstein - Donald Sweer- Viola Taft- Victor Gunther. Far Row: Stanley Hutchinson -Teressa Carcillio -Joyce Husted - Llewellyn Hubbard. The photo is undated, but looking at the mode of dress, a guess is calculated to be the early 1920’s or perhaps a bit later!
Returning to the many individuals who so faithfully served the school district in the Village of Bainbridge between the years of 1813 to 1865, research gives us that the district had Trustees - Clerks - and Collectors as decisions pertaining to expenses of maintenance, procurement of teachers - whether to levy a tax or not - events have not changed a great deal over the years. We still have the same problems in this modern day and age only major difference is the financial burden that the taxpayers have to be a part of.
