The history of dissention continues with the new proposal of the Elementary students being bused to Bainbridge. The Mt. Upton taxpayers and parents were very much against this and only the voters of Guilford and Mt. Upton were in agreement regarding busing small children to Bainbridge. Neither school wanted to lose their school. Both went to work on the Board of Education and claimed the disadvantages which far outweighed the advantages.

Both the committees of both school had the idea they had enough votes to defeat this latest merger. Mt. Upton saved the day and rejected the whole plan, thus taking Guilford “off the hook,” and by the year 1976 the whole idea was completely dropped.

The question of a separate Election District for Guilford was still on the agenda. During all the confrontation of the previous written merger this Election District had been put on hold. Another petition was once again presented and signed by many of the taxpayers and of these petitions were signed and presented to the Board of Education. Continuing to pressure the Board of Education, the idea became a reality and a separate Election District was set up for School issues only. Was all serene in Guilford for a while? The answer to that was NO!

Bainbridge-Guilford was proposing closing the Guilford school entirely. Certain Guilford resident agreed with this, but again agitation, pro and con, nearly split the Town of Guilford apart. It was written that the year 1980-81 were extremely difficult years in the Town.

Continuing on the School Board saw increased attention from the voters at their meeting, and the arguments went back and forth. To close the school entirely, it would mean the death of the Town. Examples of surrounding towns that had experience the same situation was brought us, and in the long run residents would leave Guilford, property values would drop, homes would be empty and this would result in a definite loss of taxes and ultimately it would cause an definite increase in school taxes.