HomeMy WebLinkAboutschools enfield 2021Schools – Town of Enfield, Tompkins County, New York - 2021
Enfield Town Historian, Sue Thompson, historian@townofenfield.org
The schools listed all appear on the 1866 map1 unless noted otherwise.
Reference sources for information in this article can be found in the Enfield Town
Historian’s Collection.
Following is list of School Districts were in existence at some point in time within the Town
of Enfield.
District 1 Tubbs School
DISTRICT #1 - (TUBBS) located on the northeast corner of Aiken and Podunk Roads. It
appears at this corner on the 1866 map. Annexed to District #1 Town of Ulysses July 13,
1945. Teacher: Miss Hovencamp.
1 Topographical Atlas of Tompkins County New York. Stone &
Stewart, Publishers. Philadelphia, Pennslvania. 1866
DISTRICT #2 - (Rolfe) located on the east side of VanDorn Road north of State Route
79. The school closed on July 1, 19561 with the consolidation of schools into the Ithaca
City School District. It was moved to South VanDorn Road sometime around 1960 and
is part of a private home. Teachers: Mrs. Susie Allen, Mrs. Fred Caswell, Mrs. Cook,
Louise King Curry, Miss Elliott, Carlton Fowler, Nina Linton, Warena Stone Ramsey,
Genevieve Hamilton Stone, Mary Freese Ward, Bud White, Rena White.
Memories of One Room School House
By Eunice Beardsley2
From 1929 to 1936 I had the same teacher Warena Ramsey. She taught all 8
grades and every subject.
At Christmas we would decorate the school using twisted red and green crepe
paper. Placing it went from corner to corner of the room. We put crepe paper bells at the
windows. Each of us had to recite Christmas poems and we put on a play. We did this
besides our schooling. Our parents were invited to our program – they sat on the desks
and in the larger seats, and we stood up. We drew a child’s name for a gift and we
always gave our teacher a big gift. One year we gave Mrs. Ramsey a brush, comb and
mirror set. I received a book of a few pages with black and white drawings with a brush
included. We would dip the paint brush in clear water and fill in the lines, the picture came
out in color. We enjoyed popcorn balls and got a candy cane. We always looked forward
to this each year.
DISTRICT #3 - (Ulysses-Enfield): This district probably would have included property in
the northeast corner of the town. Need more information!
2Eunice L. Schroeder Beardsley 1923-2008
District 2 Rolfe School
District 4 Millers Corners School
DISTRICT #4 - (Millers) located on the west side of Halseyville Road just north of State
Route 79. Annexed to District #6 on January 12, 1916. This annexation was appealed
and ordered void on October 9, 1917. The school closed on July 1, 1956 with the
consolidation of schools into the Ithaca City School District.
Teachers: Marie Earl, Helena Schaber, Blanche Tucker, Belle Peck Wallenbeck.
Applegate School – Nellie Rumsey Myer, Grace Norton, Charls Voorhis, Joe
Wallenbeck, George Arnold, Alice Norton, Maude Newman (Teacher)
DISTRICT #5 - (Stone School House) located east side of Applegate Road south of
State Route 79. Annexed to District #6 on July 12, 1916.
The remains of this school house were used in road construction according to the memory
of some long-time residents. Teacher: Maude Newman.
Record book2 of 1888, show school operations cost approximately $200 and the tax levy
provided $88.03. Some purchases were a 50-cent water pail, wash dish and dipper for 25
cents, one eraser at 20 cents, a fire shovel for a quarter, and broom which cost 30 cents.
1896 it cost 50 cents to bring a stove from Ithaca and set it up at the school; a pump and
fixings from Treman, King and Co. $3.09 and for putting it in, 50 cents; 1899 flag rope, 30
cents; for fixing pump twice, 25 cents; 1900 for well chain, bucket, tin pail and dipper,
$1.27 and for one globe, 25 cents; 1901 slating for blackboard 50 cents, latch for door, 15
cents and padlock for schoolhouse 35 cents.
Enfield Center School
DISTRICT #6 (Enfield Center)3 located on Enfield Center Road west (#8) of Route 327
across from the Methodist Church. A two room school house. This school property
was sold to School District #3 Trustees - William A. Merchant, John G. Wortman and
Samuel D. Purdy on January 10, 1867 by William and Harriett Barber.4 The property
was described as a part of Lot No. 60 in the Town of Enfield, Village Lot Number 2 of
Enfield Center.
1884 teacher’s winter term of 18 weeks, October 20, 1884 ending Feb. 26, 1885 teachers
salary $7.50 per week. Summer Term of 14 weeks salary $5.00 per week. In 1885 major
improvements were made on the school - a new ceiling, new lathe, plaster and paper.
The 900 feet of basswood ceiling cost $22.50 and a roll of plaster board $1.90; wages and
boarding of the men who did the work on the school totaled $7.33. A wooden blackboard
was installed in 1901, costing $1.50 for lumber and $2.16 for making and installing. A little
money was made for expenses by selling the hay in the schoolyard. A local farmer did
the cutting. In 1889 this school received 50 cents for its hay.
In 1912 it became a two room school, teachers salary $11.00 - $12.00 per week.
Expenditures for the year 1888 were $321. 50, in 1912- 1913 were $517.94. When the
Stone schoolhouse pupils were taken to District 6 Enfield Center in 1916, transportation
cost the district about $100, which was paid to two different men according to the record
books. The school closed on July 1, 1956 with the consolidation of schools into the Ithaca
City School District. The school and property was sold to the highest bidder at a public
auction of the Board of Education of ICSD on December 8, 1958, labeled as the same
school as District #3 now District #6.
This school house is currently used as a privately owned home.
Teachers were hired during some years covering different times of the year under terms
listed as spring, summer, fall, winter. There was only one teacher listed as teaching
each term. Minnie Root (1884), Willie Rumsey (1885-1886), Agnes Darraugh (1886-
1887), Anna Smith (1886), L.H. Vankirk (1886), J.S. Miller(1887), Winifred Lanning
(1888), Lizzie M. VanFleet (1888-1889), Mary L. Baker (1890), Addie Tucker (1891),
James Hine (1891), Flora A. Tompkins (1891), Charles Smith (1893), Florence S.
Wright (1893), Minor McDaniels (1894-1896), Carrie Cooper (1895), Maud C. Grant
(1895), Louella Ketchum (1895), C.F. Smith (1896), Lucy Ofrances (1897), Kirk Fowler
(1898-1899), Chas. G. Brown (1899-1900).
1925-1939: Mrs. Coe, Miss Hovencamp, Robert Hubbell, Mrs. Ramsey, Ms. Bertha
Patterson, Miss May Savercool, Mrs. Sheffield, Mildred Wood.
Trustees: Walter Ferguson (1884), E. Purdy (1886), Jared Rumsey (1887), Agnes
Darraugh (1888), Charles H. Hubbell (1889-1890), Frank A. Barber (1891-1892), W.F.
Wright (1893-1895), James McCracken (1896-1897), John L. Johnson (1899-1900),
William Wright (1901), William F. Nadge(1930).
DISTRICT #6
On the 1866 map there was a District 6 school designated on the northwest corner of
Rothermich and Fish Roads.
On January 12, 1875 Deed ENF3 page 24 was entered at the Tompkins County Clerk’s
Office, between Grantee (buyer) Jerome B. Lovell and Grantor (seller) School District
Number Six by Trustees Andrew Teeter, Edwin Ford, and Cyrentius Georgia.
DISTRICT #6? - (Ulysses-Enfield)
Located northeast corner of Jacksonville and Iradell Roads.
District 7 Woodard
DISTRICT #7 - (Woodard) located northeast corner Woodard and Hines Roads. This
property was sold to School District 7 in the name of William Marshall, trustee of school
district number 7 by John Woodward September 17, 18665.
The school closed on July 1, 1956 with the consolidation of schools into the Ithaca City
School District. This school house is currently used as a privately owned home.
Teachers: Martha Bock, Fannie Curtis 3, Nellie Myers, Blanch Rumsey, Warrena Stone.
District 8 Purdy School
DISTRICT #8 - (Purdy) located southeast corner of Bostwick and Colegrove Roads. The
same premises conveyed by A. Oren Heller and wife to Samuel V. Graham, George M.
McGillivray and Henry Willets, Trustees of School District Number Eight of Enfield and
Ithaca by deed date December 13, 1858 The school was heated by coal. In 1910 nine
different families were served by the school. The school closed on July 1, 1956 with the
consolidation of schools into the Ithaca City School District. This school house is
currently used as a privately owned home. Teachers: Ruth Bly, Irene Brown, Lynnette
W. Curry, Mrs. Evans, Bertha Fish, Nora Jones, Ruth Longhouse, Marian Scofield ,
Mrs. Jessie Teeter, Lynette Wright.
1910: Fred T. Jackson, Trustee; Amasa Johnson, clerk, and Fred Eddy, Collector of
Taxes.
Memories: Lunch sandwiches were bought from home. It was recalled that Harold
Jackson at bean sandwiches. Water for the school was brought up the hill from Edgar
Eddy’s farm. He was father of two of the students – Clayton and Roger Eddy. Eddy
Kane, also a student had a 1914 Indian Motorycle.
DISTRICT #9 - (Rollison) (Enfield-Hector) located southeast corner of Route 79 and
Black Oak Road. On September 9, 18856 the Belder Whitney family sold to the district the
property for the school house. Roderick Byrum was a trustee of the school and was listed
in the deed. The deed indicated the property would be handed down to the trustees in the
district. Some papers indicate that the district became part of the Odessa Central Rural
School on September 25, 1943. The New York State Commissioner of Education made it
part of Central School District #1 of the Towns of Ulysses, Tompkins County, and Covert,
Seneca County, and Hector, Schuyler County on July 18, 1947. Rollison School burned
down in 1947.
Teachers: Doris Acre, Mrs. Aiken, Blanche Allen, Antoinette Berzeena, Flossie
3 1912 Ithaca Journal
Bulivant, Ike (Isaac) Clauson, Mrs. Gould, Doris Lovelace, Christine Newberry, Emily
Pike, Gertrude Straight, Miss Strike, Mrs. Webster.
District 10 Nobles
DISTRICT #10 - (Nobles)
Located on east side of Connecticut Hill Road between Griffin and Rumsey Hill Roads.
Due to low attendance, this school was closed during the late 1940’s and was reopened
by 1953. The school closed on July 1, 1956 with the consolidation of schools into the
Ithaca City School District. This school according to Tompkins County Deeds was sold in
1959 to a private individual. Teachers: Dorothy Cox, Mrs. Clauson, Doris Ely, Leta
Hines, Robert Hubbell, Ellenton, Ethel Baker Mill, Miss Newberry, Mrs. Parker, Miss
Radford, Mr. Roundsville, Tressa Sanford, Ruth Smith, Grace Stark, Bud White, Rena
White, Miss Wesley.
.
DISTRICT #11 – (Harvey Hill) located north side of Harvey Hill Road west of State
Route 327. The school closed on July 1, 1956 with the consolidation of schools into the
Ithaca City School District. This school house is currently used as a privately owned
home. Teachers: Cara Able, Blanche Allen, Mary Baker, Isabell Bogart, Marian
Brinkerhoff, Anna Brown, Lottie Byrum, Mame Cook, Hugh Curry, Mrs Curry, Wm. Doll,
Mrs. English, Edith Giltner, Flora Harvey, Nina Jones, Chas. Lanning, Frank Nobles,
Irene Miller, Ella Pierce, Jennie Russell, Clarence Rumsey, Elmina Rumsey, Leroy
Smith, Ruth Smith, Elizabeth Walker, Minnie Wallenbeck.
DISTRICT #12 located at the end of Harvey Hill Road in the town of Hector. This was
Town of Hector District School with Enfield children attending. This district was
7dissolved October 1898 and children went to District 9 Enfield. This school was moved
to the Alton Carver farm on Mecklenburg road after it was no longer used as a
schoolhouse. Teachers: Miss Ames, Marion Newberry, Mrs. Travis.
DISTRICT #13 - (Christian Hill) located southeast corner of Waterburg and Iradell
Roads. Annexed to District #1 Ulysses September 2, 1941.
District 14 Budd School
DISTRICT #14 - (Budd)
District #14 (Budd) was located in the front of Budd Cemetery on the west side of
Gray Road. The school was closed in 19338 because there were not enough pupils to
warrant hiring a teacher. The grade school pupils were sent to Enfield School District #7,
Woodard School and high school students sent to Ithaca High school. The school house
was sold in 19489 and torn down.
Teachers: Mr. Earl DePuy, Lottie May Eddy, Nellie Rumsey Myers, Mrs. Edna
Gray, Mrs. Mabel Sheffield, Mrs. Alice Clauson.
DISTRICT #17 - (Saxton Hill) located southwest corner of Cayutaville Road (or Saxton
Hill Road) and Black Oak Road (or Connecticut Hill Road) in the Town of Newfield.
Annexed to District #12 Newfield September 12, 1916. The above annexed to Newfield
Central School August 1, 1941.
KENNDY’S CORNER – (Ithaca – Enfield) located on State Route 79 Mecklenburg
Road. Teachers: Harry Lanning
ENFIELD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
Located near the intersection State Route 79 and State Route 327 (20 Enfield
Main Road). This building was designed by local architect J. Victor Bagnardi. The land
was sold to the Ithaca City School District May 28, 1957 by William J. Ross.
Construction was started in 1957 and the school opened on September 8, 1958. Frank
Spadaro was the first Enfield Elementary School principal, 1958 – 1969.
Sources
Enfield Elementary School Teachers original list from M. Clyde Hubbell (Jack)
1977-2014.
Note: September thru June school year
Ithaca Journal (IJ), Ithaca, NY- news articles of various years.
1958 Frank Spadaro
1959 Frank Spadaro
1960 Frank Spadaro
1961 Frank Spadaro
1962 Frank Spadaro
1963 Frank Spadaro
1964 Frank Spadaro
1965 Frank Spadaro
1966 Frank Spadaro
1967 Frank Spadaro
1968 Frank Spadaro
1969 Patrick Saggese
◦July 16, 1968 IJ Patrick Saggese was appointed principal of Enfield
Elementary School. Has been physical education teacher at South Hill
Elementary school for the past five years. Releases Frank Spadaro to
become full-time teaching principal at the Glenwood School. Frank has been
principal of both schools since Glenwood opened.
1970 Patrick Saggese
1970 Patrick Saggese
1971 John Wertis
◦June 9, 1970 IJ John Wertis appointed principal of Enfield Elementary
School. He succeeds Patrick Saggese who will become principal at South
Hill School in July.
1972 John Wertis
1973 John Wertis
1974 John Wertis
1975 John Wertis
1976 John Wertis
1977 John Wertis
1978 John Wertis
1979 John Wertis
1980 John Wertis
1981 William McDonald
◦March 19, 1980 Glenwood principal William MacDonald will continue to serve
as principal of Enfield school as well.
1982 William McDonald
◦June 30, 1981 IJ McDonald not to Stay at Enfield due to district cuts Navarro
will start in Sept. 1981.
1983 Robert Navarro
1984 Robert Navarro
1985 Robert Navarro
1986 Robert Navarro
1987 Robert Navarro
1988 Robert Navarro
◦September 2, 1987 IJ Nancy Siembor-brown elementary principal at Indian
River Central School district in Upstate’s Philadelphia will replace from Enfield
Principal Bob Navarro who has been transferred to Belle Sherman
1989 Nancy Siembor-Brown
1990 Nancy Siembor-Brown
1991 Nancy Siembor-Brown
1992 Nancy Siembor-Brown
1993 Nancy Siembor-Brown
1994 Nancy Siembor-Brown
1995 Nancy Siembor-Brown
1996 Nancy Siembor-Brown
1997 Nancy Siembor-Brown
1998 Nancy Siembor-Brown
1999 Nancy Siembor-Brown
2000 Mary Burtless
◦Jan. 18, 2000 – June 30 Interim School Principal Mary Burtless. Ithaca
Journal November 30, 1999.
2001 Mary Burtless
◦Nancy Brown on child care leave. Ithaca Journal June 27, 2000
2002 Mary Burtless
◦New Principal appointed Ithaca Journal July 5, 2001
2003 Mary Burtless
2004 Mary Burtless
2005 Mary Burtless
2006 Mary Burtless
2007 Mary Burtless
2008 Mary Burtless
2009 Michael Simons
◦was assistant principal at Dryden Elm School for past three years. Before that
he was a fourth grade teacher at Belle Sherman and a kindergarten and
second grade teacher at Fall Creek Elem School. Ithaca Journal June 23,
2008
2010 Michael Simons
2011 Michael Simons
2012 Lisa Rieger
◦worked in education for nearly 20 years. Started as a special education
teacher in Binghamton and then elementary teacher and enrichment
specialist before becoming an administrator in the Binghamton City School
District. Ithaca Journal August 10, 2011
2013 Lisa Rieger
2014 Lisa Rieger
2015 Lisa Rieger
2016 Lisa Rieger
2017 Lisa Rieger
2018 Lisa Rieger
2019 Keith Harrington
2020 Keith Harrington
2021 Keith Harrington
1 Letter of Establishment of the Enlarged City School District of the City of Ithaca. University
of the State of New York, Education Department. James E. Allen, Jr., Commissioner of
Education of the State of New York. May 26, 1956. Includes The Common School Districts
of Enfield: Nos. 2, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 and 14.
2 District #5 – Stone School House record books. Accounting Book. Enfield Town Historian
Collection. Enfield Town Hall. Enfield, New York
3 Enfield Center School District #6 – 1884 – 1915. Accounting Book. Enfield Town Historian
Collection. Enfield Town Hall. Enfield, New York
4 Deeds of Tompkins County Clerk’s Office. Ithaca, NY. 1/10/1867 deed Enfield1 page 284;
2/18/1959 deed 414 page 406.
5 Deeds of Tompkins County Clerk’s Office. Ithaca, NY. School District 7 Enfield. September
17, 1866 deed Enfield 1 page 264.
6 Deeds of Tompkins County Clerk’s Office. Ithaca, NY. School District 9 Enfield. November
10, 1885 deed Enfield 2 page 512.
7 Instruction Contract September 2, 1947 between District No. 14 School Enfield and District
No. 7 School Enfield. District 14 pupils sent to District No. 7. Trusteess: Harvey Bailey (#14),
Spencer Wilkins (#7), E. Craig Donnan, Superintendent of Schools.
8 Letter to Robert C. Killough, Jr. NYS Education Department, Abany, NY from E. Craig
Donnan, Superintendent of Schools, Ithaca NY, May 26, 1947 District 14 school district voted
to sell school house. Stated schoo was last held in the school house during the year 1932-
1933.
9 Bids in Historian’s Collection for school house removal dated June 10, 1948. Highest bid in
this file was $325.00 from William Reed, Ithaca, N.Y.