The Republican journal., 1906-05-03
THE OLD CENTER SCHOOL.

The record book OF the old center ScnOol |
at Prospect is in the possession of Mr.. Free |
man Partridge and it contains many items |
of interest to the younger generation. The |
old schoolhouse was near the corner, now
called Hatch's Corner, in the northern part
of Stockton Springs, near the site of the old
town house. Before the schoolhouse was
built several terms of school were kept in
the town house. The first school meeting
recorded was in 1886, when Prospect includ-
ed both Stockton Springs and Searsport,
and the schoolhouse WAS in the center of
the town. The agent in 1885, who called
the meeting, was Mr.. William Smith, the
father of MIR. Smith, who lives now in
Stockton Springs Amos Partridge was
chosen moderator, S. S. Heagan, clerk,
James Marden, agent. 1t was voted that
$40 be expended on a summer school
voted that scholars from other districts
should not be admitted to the school voted
that the school mistress board around.
The schoohouse was large building and
it was necessary to have two freplaces to
furnish heat. The pupils in the district at
one time numbered 104 and owing to the
large number it was necessary to prevent
many pupils from attending from other
districts.
In 1882 shed was built for wood. 1t
was voted that the inhabitants put up the
she'd ''Boarding around was common
practice for the teacher, although part of
the time the board of the mistress was put
up at auction In 1910 the lowest bidder,
f. Seavey, boarded her at rs cents week.
In 1871 it was voted that f. Seavey board
the teacher at IL cents week, it being his
own offer. In 1871 it was voted that resi-
dent pupils oven u years of age be admitted
to school and also that the inhabitants fur
nsh the wood, and the following parties
furnished this quantity, each one furnish
ing as much as he offered Rufus Littlefeld.
6 feet S. 5. Heagau, 6feet; Amos Partridge,
feet; Daniel Crockett, feet; Joseph
Midget, 6 feet; Andrew Grant, feet;
VIM Smith. feet Gordon Stius0n, feet;
Graham Stinson, feet; Elijah Batchelder,
feet; John Sanborn, feet; Charles Tur-
ner, feet Eben Seavey - feet.
The old pioneers whose names are men
toned above are all gone to their long rest,
but some of their descendants are living in
this vicinity and some have homes in Mas
sachusetts, California and other places,
In 1912 a record begins that shows the
amount of money expended and the names
of some of the teachers. This first record
gives the following items: Paid Hannah
Heagan for teaching 70 weeks and board,
! 5000 Paid Daniel Towle for II months
teaching, 500 30 Paid Eben Farwell for
months teaching, $50. Paid for assistant
weeks, ST. Paid for - weeks board, $3.50
Paid for fuel, S1202. There was also list
! of various expenses: for banking house,
! broom, cleaning the schoolhouse, etc, and
the entire sum expended for the year was
! S13G 80. At that time the average attend
ance was about 100 pupils.
| In 1919 curious vote was recorded Voted
that the inhabitants prevent their scholars
| from visiting other schools; voted that visl-
/ tors from other schools shall not be allowed
at the Center. In 1857 there was trouble
over a teacher employe ed and the agent re-
fused to call a school meeting to consider
/ turning out the teacher, so meeting was
called by the following seectmen of Pros
I pect: Edward Partridge, Nathaniel Little
! field, A Staples, il. The vote at the school
meeting to "See whether the district wished
| the present teacher to continue the school,
I resulted in ''tie" and the teacher was al
lowed to finish the term.
The amount of money expended in 1852
for the year was S11540 The agent was
| Winthrop S Phnney. The wages in 1859
were very low. Paid II, Littlefeld for ten
weeks school, 500. Paid r. Gray for 3
months. at 20 a month, 500. Evidently the
teacher was not always satisfied with the
board when it was ''bid Off to the lowest
bidder, as it is recorded in 1861: 'lf the
teachers are dissatisfied with the board,
they NAV be allowed the money and obtain
their own board. In 1862 the new Center
district was organized ana a new school,
house built and the Old school was left in
the possession of FIVE families. In 1864 it
| was voted to sell the old schoolhouse at
auction and it was sold to Freeman Part
ridge for S32 The five families wished to
| build a new Schoolhouse in a more con-
venient situation and in 1865 it was voted
to build a schoolhouse i'll the corner OF
Miles Peasleys pasture at a cost OF $500.
| This schOOlhUuSe was not quilt, however,
but the few remaining pupils went to the
Lane school, kept for years III black
smith shop owned by Amos Lane, which
was made into schoolh0use.
| A curious comparison in regard to the
cost of education may be made from the
old record and last years school report IN
| Prospect. Tie average attendance at the
old Center was about 90 to % pupils and the
! amount expended was from S115 to $3.50
there, and Prospect expended S1,100,S1 fof
their six schools with an average attend
ance in the combined schools of 80 pupils,
making the cost for each pupil $50 each or
less at the Center. In Prospect it is now
ST. SO for each pupil.
BERTHA A. PARTRIDGE.