HomeMy WebLinkAboutWhat About District 2 School in Enfield 2003 Sue Thompson What About District 2 School in Enfield?
District 2 or Rolfe or VanDorn Corners School, whatever name you wish to go by is still here in Enfield. Just ask anyone who went there…or at least the school is still in their thoughts.
The school was located on the east side of VanDorn Road north of State Route 79, in the vicinity of the current Parks residence. The School sat on the property of the Hill family.
It was moved to South VanDorn Road sometime around 1960 and is part of a private home. The last teacher to teach at the school was Nina Linton. Nina was known within our community not
only for her teaching skills but also for her sewing skills with the many quilts she made for her family and friends.
Mary Freese Ward was another teacher at the school. She taught there from the fall of 1936 to the spring of 1942. She left to teach at Newfield Central School. Mary was not only one
of the teachers, but she started out as one of the students in this school. She attended school at District 2 in the fall of 1918 to the spring term of 1925. The teachers she remembered
teaching at the school were: Miss Louise King (Mrs. Merrill Curry), Miss Elliot (who played the violin), Mrs. Cook (had a son named Percival), Genevieve Hamilton (Mrs. Howard Stone),
Mrs. Fred Caswell, Warena Stone (Mrs. Carl Ramsey), and Mrs. Susie Allen. Some of her class mates were: Christine parker, Floyd, Florence, and George Hornbrook, Howard and Albert Stone,
Carl Wiedmaier, Vivian, Gladys, and Gloria Fish, Marie Earl, Kenneth Tyler, Ethel Tyler, Margerite Legge, Margerite and Gertrude Schroder, Walter and Violet Hill, and Carlton Rumsey.
Some of Mary’s students were: Clarice Chase (Brown), Edgar Chase, Jr., Frank Jr., Joey, and Russell Jr. Fish, LeRoy, Jean Ann, and Lenna Drake, Billy and Jimmy Menard, Carl Huff, Kathleen,
Barbara, Arlan, and Richard Prouty, Coralie Rosecrans, Marjorie and Richard Scofield, and Dorothy Thomas.
Some memories of the school: As a pupil when we had a class, we went to the recitation bench from our desks, which were mostly double shared by two pupils. The desks had inkwells to
hold the ink for writing class. We had workbooks to go with the texts and often combined artwork and English compositions with Social Studies. The basic reading of notes and sight-reading
of music was taught. In the schoolhouse were holes in the wall about 2” square. The pupils used to pass notes back and forth. The notes were stuffed in the holes so the teacher couldn’t
read them. I didn’t know what was written, as I was too young to see them. Students would take turns going to the Hill Farm to get a pail of water for washing and drinking, since there
was no well for the school for a long time.
I would like to thank Eunice Beardsley for her help on this little bit about District 2 School – she remembers the school with fond memories.
On Saturday, July 26, many other pupils were remembering their school days from Enfield’s one-two room schools houses. Thanks to Blanch Stout and Jack Hubbell along with the sponorship
of the Grange, a reunion was held at the Grange with an attendance of 50 people. They were all greeted with a wonderful display by Jack, of the schools which could be found in Enfield
at one time. There were three pupils who traveled far to attend the reunion and were welcomed with open arms - Florida,
The next reunion is planned for July 24th, 2004. We hope to see you there.
Whatever Happen to Miss Rawson?
On March 16, sometime in the mid 1920’s, Miss Dorothy Rawson arrived in the Enfield Falls Larger Parish to take up the work of religious education. She was a graduate of Keueka College.
The Enfield Baptist Church, instead of engaging a pastor hired Miss Rawson to serve as director of religious education. She served on a committee from the “Others Class” of the Enfield
Baptist-Methodist Church, to report on the feasibility of building some kind of church bulletin boards at Millers Corners and Wallenbeck Corners in Enfield. Also on this committee was
Robert Hubbell and Leon Rothermich. She taught weekday classes in Christina education at Kennedy’s Corners, Mecklenburg, Trumbulls Corners, and Newfield Churches.
In the next article Miss Rawson was leaving her position at the churches in September. She was going to Boston University School of Religious Education for graduate work. My question
did anyone ever hear from Miss Rawson again?
Enfield Historical Society
On June 18 the Enfield Historical Society hosted a talk by Mark Cushing. Mark and his wife Kate, are owners of the Cushing Bagpipe Company, in Enfield. They are two fon ly a few people
in the USA that are full time bagpipe makers. The produce Scottish Highland Bagpipes, Scottish Smallpipes Practice Changers, piping accessores. In August the Scoeity will be visiting
Wayne Meyers historical gardens and mill located in Danby.