Jamestown Post School Series

Jamestown Post School Series
40 school photos published in the Jamestown Post 1939-1940

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Transcribed & Submitted by Jay Priest, 2006

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Busti District 3
Grace Fosberg, whose grandfather, Councilman J. William Sanbury, and mother, Mrs. Earl Hamilton, both taught in the same building, is teaching eight pupils at the Busti District No. 3 schoolhouse, John Lawson and Sherman's Bay-Sugar Grove Roads.
The eight studens are shown at the top of the above picture, standing around the teacher and her desk. The schoolhouse appears below.
The pupils, left to right: Dorothy Botka, Blanche Olson, Morris Brown, Mary Olson, Donald Williams, Jean Lawson, Alice Ann Johnson and Irene Olson.

Busti District 5
The school is located on the corner of Shadyside and John Lawson Roads. The above picture shows the boys enjoying a game of ball during recess. The school building is shown in the background. The inset shows the students and their teacher.
Front row, left to right are Elowyn Nutt, Doris Lawson, Gifford Echer, and Lauren Blood; second row: Howard Echer, Beatrice Pedersen, Carl Thornblad, Jr., Richard Nutt, Helen Green, Allen Nutt, Lucille Lawson and Nelson Nutt. In rear: May Holmstrom, teacher, John Thornblad, Dorothea Thornblad, Nelson McMillon, Bessie Green, John Ecker and Kenneth Pangborn.

Busti District 7
Pupils of District No. 7 of the Town of Busti attend this school on the Garfield Road and are taught sujects of the first eight grades. The pupils and their teachers are shown.
The upper classes from fifth through the eighth grades are shown, left to right:
Kneeling: Warren Johnson, Gordon Swanson, Gustaf Beckman, and Gilbert Olson. Standing: Beverly Thoren, Gladys Sandquist, Doris Erickson, Hassis Eccles, Walter Eccles, Alen Pillsbury, Donald Colburn and Barbara Berg, Mrs. Cecil Johnson, teacher of the upper classes.

Busti District 8
This is Busti District School No. 8. It is located just outside of Busti on the junction of Pine Ridge Road and Creek Road near the grist mill. The forks of the road make a nice playground for the seventeen children who attend the school. The swings, trapeze bar and rings shown to the left of the school are put to good use when the "old" recess bell rings. The children and their teacher are shown in the insert.
Seated, left to right are: James Bush, Sue Carandall, James Palmer, Marjory Anderson, Herman Sanbury, Dee Lydell, Charles Larson, and Norman Perkins.
Standing, left to right are: Martha Sanbury, Arthur Sanbury, Richard Thor, Doris Thor, Shirley Thor, James Larson, Barbara Perkins, Paul Larson, Louis Hanstrom and Mrs. Mneatha Hendershot, teacher.

Busti District 9
The above picture shows the persent class room with its pupils and teacher, the inset above shows the school building located on the Barton Road. The site was at one time part of the Barton estate.
The school was built about a hundred years ago, according to accounts related by local residents. About seventy years ago the original building was destroyed by fire. It was rebuilt and Miss Josephine Wellman became the first teacher in the school.
DeWitt Eddy, principal of the R.R. Rogers School of Jamestown, received his first teaching experience there.
Many of the pupils who learned their three R's at Barton Hill later went into the teaching field, among those where Mrs. Cornell, Edna Johnson, Blanche and Beulah Barton and Clarence Johnson.
In 1934 a playroom was added to the building where on rainy days the children have a chance to relieve the monotony of staying in. On special occasions the playroom becomes the scene of parties and jolly neighborhood gatherings.
The present pupils and their teachers are: Seated first row left fron to rear: Alex Knapp and Leonard Olson. Second row, Kenneth Olson, Martin Nedreberg, Maynard Sweeney, Janice Burkland and Miss Mary M. Lucariello, teacher. Third row, Roy Nedreberg, Leon Lindstrom, Charles Lindstrom, Frank Lindstrom and William Sweeney. Fourth row, Joan Lindstrom, Bernice Johnson, Jacquiline Hanson, Rolf Hanson, Ronald Hanson and Robert Sweeney.

Carroll District 1
Carroll District School No. 1 is located on the Frewsburg-Warren Road about a half a mile north of Fentonville.
The present building was built in 1877, however two other school houses preceded the one now in use. The first was a log cabin. No records or history of the first two schools are available.
Some of the early teachers in the present school were Richard Wyman, Reuben Priest, Mrs. B. Richardson. All are still living and now reside in North Warren, Pa.
Mr. and Mrs. Herbert Bennett, still living in Fentonville, attended school here. Mrs. Bennett later taught for one Summer term.
In the early days of the school it was the custom of this school to have a man for the teacher in the Winter time and a woman teacher in the Summer and among those that attended school here and later taught are Bertha Haskins, Elmer Haskins and Herbert Cowan.
In looking over the school records it was found that there has always been some member of the Witlsie family enrolled in the school, many later became trustees for the school.
At the present time there are twelve children representing three Wiltsie families.
The schools in the town of Carroll are not centralized with any other school, however pupils in the seventh and eighth grades attend school in Frewsburg. The school at the present time has an enrollment of 27 children. Twenty-one are shown in the picture above. They are: Left to right front row: Josephine Lupica, Cleora Bennett, Dorothy Wiltsie, Ernest Wiltsie, Dorothy Wiltsie and Russell Lupica.
Second row, left to right: Miss Ruth Isaacson, teacher; Reed Peters, Olive Martin, Helen Wiltsie, Romayne Wiltsie, Mary Adams, Jane Blackmer, Ray Wiltsie and Clarence Wiltsie.
Third Row, left to right: Nina Lupica, Yetive Burch, Arlene Wiltsie, Carmella Lupica, Theodore Wiltsie, Everett Burch and Robert Peters.
The pupils absent at the time the picture was taken are Ruth, Lois, Mary Anne, and Phyllis Wiltsie, Harley and Duwayne Bartow.

Carroll District 3
Carroll District School No. 2 or sometimes known as the lower Frew Run School, is located on the Frew Run Road about a mile and a half southeast of Frewsburg. The school and the road derived their names from the small creek that parallels the road.
One December 8, 1876, a special meeting was called in the district to decide on building a new school house to replace the one then in use. The decision was put to a vote and it was decided to build on the same location. The old school house was torn down and the new one erected in its place and was ready for use in September, 1877, and has been used ever since. Many improvements and several additions to the original structure have been added to keep the school up to the times.
At the present time the school has ten pupils ranging from the first to the sixth grade. None of the Carroll schools are centralized with a central school, however, pupils in the seventh and eighth grades attend school in Frewsburg. The children as they appear in the picture are, left to right: Front row, Maurice Sisson, Rober Nelson, Barbara Larson, Charles Anderson and Conrad Newman. Second row, left to right: Donald Sisson, Jack Davis, Francis Johnson, Judith Newman, Mavis Sisson and their teacher, Miss Althra Bremmer.
Many former pupils of the school are still living in the district and in Frewsburg.

Carroll District 4
The records of Carroll district school No. 4, otherwise known as the Oak Hill School have been lost and very little of the school's early history could be learned. Fred Thompson, teacher of the Oak Hill school in 1885, was able to supply some information. The school was built some time before 1840 and has seen many changes in the past years. An entrance was built onto the building, and some time later a well was dug to supply the children with good drinking water. In more recent years a library was started. Many of the schools improvements were due to the untiring efforts and leardership of Mrs. Hilm Vanderwort, as president of the Mothers Club.
The school in past years has had a much larger attendance than at present. Previous years have seen attendance of 25 to 30 children compared to the eleven who now attend. Classes are conducted in the first to the seventh grades inclusive. Pupils beyond the seventh grade attend school in Frewsburg as the Carroll schools are centralized with a central school. The pupils and their teacher are shown above: Left to right front rows seated: Rex Marsh, Elmer Daniels, Earl Daniels, Sherwood Marsh and Carol Johnson. Second row, left to right: Maurice Swanson, Roger Swanson, Bonnie Marsh and Richard Johnson. Third row, left to right, standing: Fred Kocur, Miss Helen Johnson, teacher; and John Kocur.

Carroll District 5
The Carroll District Schol No. 5 was at one time District school No. 4 and known as the Bain District School. The school gets its name from three brothers who live in the district. They are Abram, Henry and John Bain.
Mrs. Alvina Hazzard, 89 years old is the oldest living pupil in the district. Mrs. Hazzard attended the original school which stood on the present school site. Mrs. Hazzard is at the present time living in Frewsburg, her husband, the late Brownell Hazzard, was the first trustee of the present school at the time it was built in 1885. Andrew Kleber, father of Leonard Kleber, Frewsburg built the school for the district which was then known as district number four.
Many alterations and improvements have been made in recent years. Electricity was one of the more recent improvements. At the present time William Watts is the trustee for the school. This school as other Carroll schools is not centralized with a central school. Howver, pupils beyond the seventh grade attend school in Frewsburg.
The school has at the present time 12 pupils and are shown in the picture above, they are left to right, front row kneeling: Ronald Waite, Richard Engstrom: second row, left to right: James Rowley, Allen Rowley, Clede Bush, Alberta Rowley and Donald Mars. In rear: Gerald Mars, Dorothy Rowley, Donald Bush, Doris Howley, Carles Engstrom and Mrs. Edyth White, their teacher.

Carroll District 6
Carroll District School No. 6 is located about six miles from Frewsburg on Robbin's Hill near the county boundary line. The school is in a joint district with South Valley, Cattaraugus County and was built in 1873. The land was cleared and the foundation of the school was laid by James Cole who at the present time is living in Jamestown.
The first teacher in the school was Miss Mary VanOrsdale. Two of the older known former pupils who attended school here are Henry Robbins and Almond Cole. They are still living within the vicinity of the school.
This school as all other Carroll schools is not centralized with a central school district. The first seven grades are taught here and pupils in the advanced grades attending in Frewsburg. There are at the present time eleven pupils who are shown in the picture above, as they prepare now for next Winter by filling the woodshed with freshly cut wood. They are left to right: Miss Elthel Haley, teacher; Mable Robbins, Beulah Burt, Bette Jones, Herbert Robbins, George Robbins, Herbert Burch, George Anderson, Jack Jones, and Ward Burch.
Mrs. Kenneth Jones is trustee for the school.

Carroll District 7
The Ivory School or Carroll District School No. 7 is located in the hamlet of Ivory about two and a half miles from Frewsburg.
The present school was built in 1870 on a parcel of land procured from G.W. Fenton. On the schools completion Nettie Love Ward was appointed as the first teacher in the new schoolhouse and several of her first pupils are still living in this vicinity. They are Mrs. Kate Bunce, Frewsburg, Mrs. Joel Harrington, Ivory, and Mrs. Flora Crick, Jamestown.
For a great many years the schoolhouse also served the community as a place of worship. Church services were held on Sunday in the school room until the year 1897 when the present church was built.
The school, as all other Carroll schools, is not centralized with a central school district. The first six grades are taught here, pupils in the seventh and eighth grades attending school in Frewsburg.
The school at the present time has sixteen pupils shown in the picture above left to right front row: John Cheney, Elaine Warn, Evelyn Becker, Roy Rosen, George Littlefield, Allen Minser and Doris Littlefield. Second row, left to right: Ruth Mae Stanton, Lawrence Seekings, Lois Littlefield, Walter Becker, Paul Rosen, Wallace Becker, Frank Becker, Jean Littlefield, and Marven Cheney. To the left at the rear is Miss Esther Williams, teacher.

Carroll District 8
Joint District school, Carroll and South Valley No. 8 had its first beginning in a little log cabin sometime before 1869. In that year, previous to the regular meeting of the school trustees, the families living in the district gathered at the school house for the purpose of discussing plans for a new school building. Plans progessed, and it was decided to purchase one half acre of land from Jacob Sternberg located on the rise of ground just east of the swamp on John Barnes property.
On March 19, 1870 another meeting was held at the home of Peter Casort, at which time it was decided to build a woodshed in order to hold a Summer term of school.
Frank Casort and John Ingleson were chosen as a committee to clear the land of trees. Plans were also made to build the school during the Summer so that it would be ready in November for the Fall and Winter terms.
Mrs. Betty Morrell, 81 years old and at the present time living in Frewsburg, attended the new school in its first year of existence. She is the oldest known pupil of the school, of which, seven other persons live in or near the vicinity of the district.
The oldest teacher for the school is Mrs. Jennie Marsh Johnson who is at present living in Falconer. Mrs. Johnson taught at Carroll No. 8 during the years 1887 and 1888. The following year Miss Mary Townsend, of Frewsburg took over duties as teacher.
The school is set in a little nook alongside of the road, surrounded on three sides by maple trees, many of which were planted by Gust Carlson who is now 94 years old and lives with his son, Andrew Carlson in Lakewood.
The school at the present time has fourteen pupils who are shown in the picture above as they raise the American flag at the beginning of the school day.
Left to right raising the flag are: Fred and Marion Anderson. First row left to right; Bert Eklund, Wesley Anderson, Alberta Rowley, Allan Rowley, James Rowley and Alice Coolidge.
In back left to right; Mrs. Ellen A. Moore, teacher; Viola Cooledge, Otto Gustafson, Dorothy Rowley, Irene Cooledge, Verna Cooledge Rowley and Alice Cooledge.
Albert Eklund is at the present time trustee for the school. This school as all other Carroll schools is not in a centralized district, however pupils in the advanced grades continue their studies at the school in Frewsburg.

Clymer District 2
This is the eleventh in The Post's series of district rural schoolhouses in this area.
Eighteen years after the Town of Clymer was set off from the Town of Chautauqua, which was in 1821, the records show that a meeting was called at the home of Jesse D. Brownell on March 10, 1839. Among those present at that meeting were Harry E. Brownell, Lyman Brown and S. Marsh. At that time the first business of the town was transacted and recorded. An adjournment was taken untill the following Saturday, April 6 to meet at the same place. At this meeting it was decided to procure a school site. It was also voted to build a school house... 18 feet by 20 feet by 8 feet. The building was built of planks and lined with inch boards, lighted with six windows. The cost of materials and labor was $50.
This was the first school in the town, the site decided on was situated on the Todd Farm, now known as the Loule Groter's Farm. The first teacher was William Rice. Up until 1850 each pupil was required to bring a certain portion of wood to help pay for their tuition. In 1850 it was voted to raise $6 to purchase 11 and 1/2 cords of wood and $32 for school expense. The following year the town raised $48 to pay the teacher.
During the late Fall of 1852 this school and all its contents were destroyed by fire. The teacher at that time was Angelina Brown.
On January 2, 1853 a special meeting was called at the ome of Jesse Brown where it was decided to build another school. However a different site was chosen, and the school was built on the northwest corner of the Brown farm, where it now stands. The new site cost $20, the school building $248 and $41 to furnish it. In 1881 the school house was thoroughly overhauled and repaired. From 1888 to 1891 the collector bonds increased from $200 to $500.
The first flag was purchased in 1895. In 1919 a school reunion was started and carried on for several years but has been discontinued in recent years.
The school is now part of the Clymer Central School District, teaching grades from first to sixth. The twelve pupils and their teacher are: (left to right), front row, Miss Hazel Tenbuckle, teacher, Joyce Hewes, Barbara Hewes, Rachel Raush, Bruce Wollett, Thelma Tenhulsen, John Roush, and Lester Groters. In back, left to right, Evelyn Groters, Ralph Roush, Carol Hewes, Bobby Beckrink and Paul Tenhulsen.

Clymer District 8
The Clymer District School No. 8, sometimes called the Town Line School, on which road it is located between the towns of Harmony and Clymer, has had three different names since it first was built. The first generation of its pupils would refer to it as the Harmony School No. 14, the next generation as Harmony No. 7, and the present generation as Clymer No. 8. The reason for this was that the original school was located across the road from the present site on the town line road between Kings Corners and Bear Lake. The present schoold house was built about seven years ago on the Clymer side to replace the out-moded school house on the Harmony side thus the name was changed to its present one.
In the changing times, a comparison of the cost of the expense of operating the school is shown in its records. During the year 1898-1899 the total school expense was $221.14, during the school year of 1938-1939 the total school expense was $2193.57, or approximately then times as much.
Raynor Vander Koil, an active man in his eighties, tells many interesting tales of his school days in this district where he still resides with his son Ray Vander Koil. Other former pupils now living in its vicinity are Walter Newhouse and Jesse Manwaring merchants in Bear Lake, Pa. Ernie Brown, present principal of the Lottsville, Pa., High School, at one time taught here.
A great deal of the school's early history is not available due to the fact that the old records were destroyed.
The school at the present time is now organized with the Central School District of Panama. Its present pupils number twelve and are, standing left to righ: Elizabeth Brightman, Mary Feild, Delores Beardman, Delbert Brightman, and the teacher, E. Lloyd Powell. Seated left to right they appear: Stephen Worowicz, Shirley Boardman, Harry Boardman, Shirley Brightman, Anna Woxowley, Ruth Bemis, Phyllis Field and Eugene Stoddard.

Ellery District 2
Ellery District School No. 2 or better known as the Waterman's Corners School is located about four miles southeast of Dewittville on the county highway that runs from Dewittville to Jones corners. The school is at present centralized with the Bemus Point Central Schools, and has at the present time only four pupils all from the same family. They are shown above left to right: Mrs. Mary Kock, teacher; and Mildred, George, Robert and Clifford Rhinehart. George consented to pose for the picture in the school's "Dunce" cap to recall to the minds of former pupils of a decade ago when they used the Dunce Cap as a form of punishment for pupils who didn't have their lessons.

Ellery District 5
The Belleview District School No. 5 is situated on Route 17, at Belleview. The present school was built in the year 1846 at the total cost of $250. The property on which it is situated was leased from John Griffith for the sum of $15 the year before. At that time the clerk was John Smiley, moderator, Samuel Griffith and Calvin Cheney, trustee.
The records show that Catherine Griffith was the first teacher and for her services she received $1.50 a week and board at home. The school term began on May 4 and ended August 28 with 22 pupils in attendance.
The building is in good shape as the picutre shows above. Various improvements have been made to meet the trend of the times.
The record book shows that such pioneers names as Smiley, Bly, Phillips, Rappole, Griffith, Cheney, Hale, Wilcox, Gifford, Sherman, and Cowden of the town of Ellery have attended school here.
Four of the children and one grandchild of the first teacher, Catherine Griffith (Cheney) have taught there and at the present time there are two of her great grandchildren attending school there.
The pupils are shown in the picture above as they were busy doing arithmitic. Mrs. Catherine Hallberg, the teacher, shown above helping one of the pupils, was subsititing for the regular teacher, Helen Kelly, who was absent the day the picutre was taken. The pupils left to right, front row, across: Morella Cheney, Kenneth Eckstrom, Howard Eckstrom and Billy Swanson, reading. Second row: Martha Erickson, Duane Danielson, and Darrell Johnson. Third row: Nils Hoyle, Murry Johnson and Sally Erickson and their teacher, Mrs. Catherine Hallberg.

Ellery District 6
The present site of the Ellery District School No. 6 is north of the original site of the old red school house that served the farmers prior to 1866 when the school district voted to erect a new school. It was adopted on May 5, 1866, that the new school should be 26 feet by 36 feet and twelve feet high with a sixteen foot wood house. It was also decided that the school should be built along the lines of the Fluvanna school house at that time.
On October 8, 1867, at a meeting of the district it was decided to have a board of trustees consisting of three men with a staggering term of one to three years so that one trustee would be elected every year. J.R. Russell was at that time the supervisor from the town.
In the year 1906 the school drilled its own well, and in 1911 the district decided to furnish the pupils with free text books. In 1928 the district voted to provide transportation for the children to Bemus Point in order that they could continue their studies in the high school grades. A bus was purchased by the district for this purpose. In 1932 the attendance was large enough to require two teachers. The following year the Slide school was discontinued and the pupils transferred to Ellery No. 6. In 1934 the district started a discussion concerning installing electric lights in the school and it was not until 1939 that at the request of the Ellery Mothers Club that the lights were installed by the Bemus Point Central School with which they were centralized in 1938.
The school at the present has twelve pupils and teaches the first six grades. The children are (shown above) left to right: Seated as they enjoy their noon day lunch; Andrew Gibbens, Donald Kesby, Martha Kesby and Florence Lawson. Seated in rear: Janice Hallberg, Flora Gibbens, Opal Edson, Lorraine Carlson, Willard Carlson, Elmer Hallberg and their teacher, Mrs. Esther Pelton. Two other pupils of the school who were absent and are not shown in the picture are Elmer and Anna Gibbens.

Ellery District 7
Ellery District School No. 7, located on the Dutch Hollow Road, about a mile and a half south of Ellery Center, is perhaps better known as the Maple Grove School. The name was given to the school and that particular part of the town because of the large grove of maple trees that is located on the original part of the farm from which the school property was acquired. The sugar bush consisting of about three hundred trees and the farm are the property of E.J. Parker, who was the last trustee of the Maple Grove School before it became centralized with the Bemus Point Schools.
The history of the Maple Grove School and the Parker family are interwoven back for several generations. The farm was bought by Aaron Parker, grandfather of E.J. and Claude Parker, who is now teaching in the Washington Junior High School, from Franklin Griffith, one of Ellery's pioneer settlers.
In the year 1871, Aaron Parker donated one acre of land to the district on which to build a school house to replace the red school which was old and inadequate (a history of the original school could not be obtained owing to the lack of records.) The school was built the following year by the late Burton Manly. Several years later the school district voted to pay Mr. Parker for the property, on which the school stands.
Quincy Parker, son of Aaron, attended school here and later was a trustee. Mr. and Mrs. Quincy Parker had twelve children, eleven attended school here. Several of them are living within the vicinity of the district and Jamestown. Claude Parker, at present teacher at the Washington Junior High School, E.J. Parker, who is operating the farm, the late Ernest Parker taught here and later he became a mailman at Bemus Point. Others who learned to dot their i's and cross their t's here are Mrs. W.A. DeGoede, who later taught in the school; Rudolph Johnson, who later was a trustee, and Warner S. Rexford, former judge of the Surrogate Court.
The school now has nine pupils who are shown above as they pledge their allegiance to the flag. Left to right they are: Front row, Allen Johnson, Robert Parker, Janet Stein, Carolyn Carlson, Joyce Mae Warner. In the rear, left to right: Marjorie Carlson, Miss Eleanor Peterson, teacher, Doris Parker, Carol Bly and Alvin Hallberg.

Ellery District 9
The Lennox District School No. 9 which is now centralized with the Bemus Point Schools, received its original land site from the Holland Land Company according to John W. Boak, who now owns the farm that ajoins the school property. In a deed that Mr. Boak holds dated April 10 1837, a parcel of land was awarded to the school district located on the intersection of the Town line road and the Kimball Stand-Ellery Center road. The deed also shows that the balance of the land was deeded to Sylvanna Goodenough consisting of 65 acres.
Much of the school's early history can not be obtained, but in 1873 the district was enlarged, and a new schoolhouse built, and is still in use. One of the schools earliest teachers was Miss Oresta Booty. In this school room several Jamestown people received their early training., including: Wilson Heath, 812 North Main Street, Edward R. Lennox, retired mail carrier, Crawford N. Bargar, Miss Mary A. Bargar, principal of the Falconer Street School; John W. Boak, who has been trustee for the school from 1921 to 1935, and Miss Hattie Boak, who is teaching in Jamestown High School received her first teaching experience here, later transfering to the North Main Street school and then to the Senior High. Mrs. Margaret (Boak) Lawson, also returned to her first school to teach. Ruth (Shelmadine) Halley attended school here and in later years taught, she is at present living in the district.
The school was centralized with Bemus Point in 1928, and teaches only the first to the sixth grades.
The pupils are shown in the picture above as they go through several bars of music under the dirction of their teacher, Mrs. Angeline Patti, (right); the children are front row, left to right, Archie Martinson, Joyce Johnson, Joe Vitanzo, Evelyn Martinson. In rear, left to right: Donald Boardman, William Brewer and Betty Meade.

Ellery District 12
The Ellery District School No. 12 or better known as the Pickard Street School to the residents of the district is located between Red Bird and Jones Corners. The records of the first school are not available, but the present school was bilt in 1875, and aquired its name from the Pickard family, because nearly every farm on the hill surrounding the school was owned by a Pickard.
Two of the school's earliest known teachers were Miss Jennie Paige and Miss Alice Towne. Many of the schools former pupils are still living in the district and some have children attending school at the present time. Mrs. Alfred Ferguson, Mrs. Orville Seekings, Mrs. Earl Seekings, Hazel Becker, George Becker and Ben Joslyn all attended school in the days when there were no school buses and the only way to go was on foot, regardless of the weather. Both Mrs. Ferguson and Mrs. Seekings children are attending this school which is now centralized with the Cassadaga Valley Central School.
In 1926 a district school located at Jones Corners was destroyed by fire. The school was never replaced. The district was divided and part of the children were transferred to the Ellery School No. 12.
The present school is well equipped, due to the interest of the community and the parents. Hot lunches are served every noon to the children, through the co-operation of the mothers and the teachers.
The present children and their teacher are shown above as they gather around the old pump that still furnishes them with water during the noon recess.
The children are left to right: Laura Seekings, Grace Nollward, Jane Vollantine, Henry Seekings, Shearl Persons, working the pump handle: Howard Culver, Ruth Seekings, Thelma Seekings, Mrs. Marion Fellows, teacher, June Premer, Martha Seekings, Edith Ferguson, and Barbara Vollantine as she holds a cup for the water.

Ellicott District 1
Ellicott District School No. 1, or perhaps better known as the Ross Mills School is one of the few schools that is not centralized with any other school. The location of the school puts it just out side of the Cassadaga Valley District. The first six grades are taught here while the seventh and eighth grade pupils attend school in Falconer. A district bus conveys the children back and forth to the school.
Ross Mills school was first built on the corner of the Levant-Gerry Road and the cross road that is now the east branch of the road leading to the school. The present site was orginally bought from the Holland Land Co. by a Mr. Chamberlain who in turn sold the plot of land to the school district. The school got its name from the lumber mill located nearby, that was operated by the grandfather of Clara, Warren and Winfield Ross, of Jamestown. Clara Ross was at one time a teacher in this school, she later taught in Jamestown but has since retired.
William Hall is the oldest person now living in the district who attended school here. Some of the school's former teachers were Mrs. Chetie Hall, Mrs. Eva Terry Montague and Miss Elsie E. Leet, a former Jamestown High Schol teacher, who died last Wednesday.
The school at the present time has 22 pupils who are shown in the picture, left to right, seated: Marian Peterson, Sherwood Michael, Jane Anderstrom, Donna Peterson, Donald Abers, Richard Nelson, Robert Stone, Theodore Stone, and Alice Holmquist; standing, left to right, Harold Dowd, Mary Jane Nelson, Lois Peterson, Robert Wiltsie, Hollis Peterson, Dewey Nelson, Emory Holmquist, Ailene Forsmark, Alberta VanTilburg, Jane Barrett, Richard Abers, and the teacher Evea Girts. Two pupils were absent.

Ellicott District 2
West Oak Hill School, Ellicott District No. 2 is now centralized with the Central Schools of Bemus Point. The building shown in the picture above is the second to occupy the same site. The original school was built some time prior to 1850. The exact time can not be ascertained due to the lack of records of the history of this school.
The present school was built in 1899. The district voted $550 to erect the school The old building was sold for $15. The land upon which the school stands was at one time part of the Almond Moore farm. It is located on the four corners of Moon Road and the West Oak Hill Road. According to the records, Lucile Clark was the first teacher, and the trustees were Alvin Strunk, Francis Turner and Wallace Moon.
Some of the pupils who attended this chool and received their early training there and who are still living in this vicinity are: Mrs. Betva Johnson, Mrs. Albert Cederquist, Mrs. Grace Travis, all living in the district. Mrs. Cederquist has a granddaughter and Mrs. Travis has a son attending the school at the present time. Some of the other former pupils are Albert, William, and Frank Cederquist, Bert Strunk, Anna Eggleston, Minnie Wimmermark, Frank Marvin Clark, Jamestown druggist and Miss Amanda Nelson, present principal of the Willard Street School also learned their A, B, C's there.
The present pupils and their teacher are shown above left to right: Front row: Raymond Thorpe, Elaine Cederquist, Carrol Love and Dale Bottomley; second row: Mrs. Francis Harris, teacher; Elisabeth Bottomley, Charles gunthee, Francis Travis and Diane Nygren.

Ellicott District 4
The Red Brick School now located at the intersection of North Main Street Extension and Moon Road is the fourth shcool house for this district. The original school was a log house that occupied a site where the present riding stables are now located. The second building was located almost directly opposite the present structure on the dirt road on top of the bank on a piece of property owned by Daniel Hollenbeck, grandfather of Mrs. Betsy Blanchard, 95 years old, who resides at 919 North Main Street. The third school house was a large white structure, and stood on the same site occupied by the present school. This school was called the Blanchard School. The plot of land was part of the James Gilbert farm.
Mrs. Betsy Blancherd went to this school as well as Aimel Mattson, 70 years old, now living on the Mattson Road. Other former pupils were William Melqusit, Fred and Peter Berg, Mrs. Lynn Davis and Mrs. Rhodes, the latter two now have grandchildren attending the Red Brick School. At one time the Blanchard School accommodated 54 pupils, all under one teacher, Arvid Mattson, son of Aimel Mattson, was janitor of this school for a good many years.
The present brick building was built in 1915 and occupies the same site as the Blanchard school. Several pieces of land adjoining the original site have been acquired in recent years. The playground on the left of the school was purchased in 1929 from Ned Hoard, who at present drives the school bus. In 1936 the baseball diamond in the rear of the school was added to the school property.
The two teachers that taught in the present school in its first year were Minnie Wilson and Hattie Boak, who is at present teaching in the Jamestown Senior High School. Mrs. Ruth Ayling, now princiapal of the Gerry school, at one time also taught here. In 1939 the school suffered two losses. Both the trustee, Walter Nordland, and the school janitor, Fritz Melquist, died.
The present school has two class rooms, 43 pupils and three teachers. They are shown in the picture above. First row, left to right: Herbert Sundean, Fred Obert, Duane Stockton, Marilyn Rhodes, Earl Stockton, David Miller, Beverly Obert, Marion Smith and John Van Norman.
Second row: Alvin Rhodes, Lyle Brown, James Lawson, Arthur Stockton, Bert Bergman, James Davis, Doris Carlson and Lois Ann Marts.
Third row, left to right: Marjorie Smith, Alice Reeves, Joseph Overend, Lynn Davis, Donald Cederquist, Rudy Miller, Jean Melquist, Nancy Lawson, Joyce Melquist, Margrete Carlson, and Beverly Brown.
Fourth row: June Hoaglund, Leanor OVerend, Edward Mattson, Helen Barrown, Janey Lawson, Melba Hoard, Nina Davis, Lewis Davis, Gerald Harrington and Forrest Lee Smith. Four pupils who were absent when the picture was taken and do not appear are: Gilden Van Norman, Richard Reading, Elliott Smith, and Robert Davidson. The three teachers in the rear are, left to right: Albertha Greenlund, Rosalind Jacobson and Lois Sorenson.

French Creek District 1
French Creek District School No. 1 is situated on the old Conway Road about two miles from French Creek. To the residents the school is perhaps better known as the Golden School. Its name was derived from the Golden Brother who owned the property that bordered on three sides of the school. The original structure was built in 1828 and was a one room log cabin, which occupied a site across the road from the present one, near a spring which is still in use. Remains of the old school were ploughed up in 1901 by Warren Whitney.
Among the pioneers of the district who remember the old school are the Golden family, the Mary family, the Borden family, the Taft family and the Jones family.
The present school is shown in the background and is well kept and up to date, with movable seats and various improvements. The school property is fenced in and supplies the pupils with ample space for a playground. The present pupils are shown in the foreground with their teacher. Left to right, they are: Lester Marback, Peter Moore, Walford Moore, Jr., Marlon Nakoski. In back: Elmer Horey, teacher, Barbara Frazer, holding the trapeeze bar, George Boozell, and Malcom and Thomas Boozell, Irene Worblewski who does not appear in the picutre, is also a pupil at the Golden School. She was absent when the picture was taken.

French Creek District 2
Above are pupils of French Creek District School No. 2, and their schoolhouse. Front row left to right: George Davis, Mildred Palmer, Harold Davis, Dorothy Davis, Joyce Warren, Grace Maleski, Roberta Emory and Charles Palmer.
Center row left to right: George Maleski, Burton Emory, Edward Warren, Janet Emory, Betty King, Norman Hinz, Marilyn Davis, Donald Belknapp, Robert Davis and Virgil Emory.
Third row left to right: Flora Maleski, Helen Sweet, Evelyn Sweet, Hazel Foster, Frank Maleski, Glenn Malcaki, and Mrs. Geneva Cherry, teacher.
In 1868 the residents of District No. 2 of French Creek, decided that a new schoolhouse was needed to fill the needs of the community, and so a substantial brick building was erected. It was the pride and joy of the entire countryside, that wonderful brick building.
The furniture was sturdy if not handsome or comfortable. It consisted of wooden benches in which two could sit and the desks had a shelf beneath the top board on which books and slates could be laid. A long wooden bench ran the whole length of the room on three sides which was used when all the seats were full.
A large raised platform was built in front of the room to be used for the stage for the entertainments which were an important part of the community's social life, and which were presented by the pupils in the school, the young people who had finished school, and the elders of the district who had real dramatic ability. And the plays, and concerts given after a session of singing schools were a credit to the players and community.
It was not unusual to have from thrity to sixty names on the school rol, especially after the Fall work was done and the older boys and girls came for a few months of "schoolin'." One teacher dispensed the instruction necessary: sometimes the older girls were the "teacher" and two or three recitations were going on in different parts of the room at the same time. The curriculum consisted mostly of reading, 'ritting, and 'rithmetic, taught to the tune of a hickory stick 'if necessary'. However, some very worthwhile fundamental instruction was given, that of being able to help oneself, and to know how to obtain the knowledge one desired.
The same building still stands, now in an attractive grove of beautiful maple trees which have been planted over a period of years.
The wooden benches have been replaced with varnished, movable, adjustable desks, so that they may be raised or lowered to the proper height to accomodate the indvidual pupil. The stage has been removed, the side benches are gone, the painted wood blackboards have been replaced with slate ones, dustless chalk is used, a large basement has been dug under the entire building, a modern heating system keeps the room comforable all the time, a flush system of sanitation has been installed, an electric water pump supplies fresh water, electric lights furnish adequate light to study by no matter how dark or stormy or short the day, school buses transport the academic students to the Central School at Clymer, where advanced subjects may be studied.
The school register in district No. 2 contains the names of 21 pupils from grade one through the eighth. Grades--never were in the old days! One knew, or else he didn't, that when school began it was the beginning of "fraction or denominate numbers" for the older ones, and "summin' up" for the younger ones!
Mrs. Genva Lookinghouse Cherry is the teacher this year and her schoolroom is surely a busy place, with many projects being carried out to more firmly implant the knowledge of certain subjects.

French Creek District 4
District School No. 4 situated in the town of French Creek, was first started in the year 1836. It was then a crude building placed on the side of a hill, on a site that is now known as John Malinoski's meadow. At that time Thomas Russell was the trustee. Some time later, the exact time could not be ascertained because of the lack of records, David Ray, presented the school district a plot of land where it could build a better school by the side of the road, which is situated west of Cutting on the Wattsburg road. The school is now called the Ray School in Mr. Ray's honor.
Very little of this school's early history is available. Apparently there were a great many years that there were no records kept. There are only two of the school's former pupils living in the district at the present time, they are Mrs. Maurice Belknap and Will Bayle. Fourty-eight years ago Maurice Belknap was the trustee and Minnie Tyler the teacher. Miss Tyler's name is now Mrs. Winona Palmeter and she lives at clear Lake, Iowa.
The "Ray School" now is centralized with the Clymer Central School and only the first six grades are taught there.
The present pupils and their teacher are shown in the picture above. The insert shows the Little White School by the side of the road.
In rear at blackboard are, left to right: Carlton Teed, Eugene Green, Clara Yalko, and Joyce Kause. In front left to right: Billy Bayle, Sheldon Teed, Arlene Boyle, Miss Myrtle Hoisington, teacher, William Yalko, Ruth Rouse and Sally Yalko.

French Creek District 6
The original school in French Creek District No. 6 was a log cabin built some time before 1833. A house now owned by Nina More now stands on the orginal site. French Creek was then part of Clymer. In 1835 French Creek was set apart as a separate town and in April of that year the residents of the newly formed town held their first board meeting, to elect two trustees, in the little log school house. The trustees elected were I.F. Gleason and A. Boalls. It was also decided to build a new school house on the corner of what was then known as the Judd Hubbard Farm.
Horace Greeley's youngest sister, Margaret, who was then only 15 years old, taught the three "R's" in this first school. She had to walk six miles to school every morning, teach the children during the day, retrace her stepes home in the evening, and for this she received the sum of $2.00 a week.
The school was used until March 1922, when it was destroyed by fire. Norman Burton was at that time one of the trustees.
During the Summer of 1923 the present school house was built, and ready in the Fall for the new term. The plans of the school were drawn up by Mrs. Connely and Earl Stiver and were accepted by the state. The school was built by Will Hawley and Earl Stiver.
The school is located just west of Cutting on the brow of a hill on the Wattsburg road. There are twelve pupils in this school and are shown above with their teacher, Florence Winkelman. The children are left to right, front row: Leona Garfield, Carl Marsh, Grace McIntosh, Rita Crist, Ruth Wright and Rachael Wright. In rear, left to right: Eloulse Marsh, Helen Wright, Jean Garfield, Russell Bemis, Bernice Jean Boyle and in front of the teacher, Lucile Bemis.

French Creek District 7
French Creek District School No. 7 on the State Line Road is also known as the Martz School. Mrs. Lillian Johnson, right is teacher of the schoo.. Pupils, left to right are: Rose Bayle, John Buetkofer, Merton Bayle, Marjorie Bayle, Robert Selfridge and Sally Bayle.

French Creek District 7a
The little white school, located on the New York side of Mertz corners, about three miles south of Cutting, in the Town of French Creek has for many years numbered among its pupils children from both Pennsylvania and New York. The original school was built in the Summer of 1868 by the two states and for many years operated jointly for the children of the various families living within its districts. The boundary line for the states runs directly down the center of the road on which this school is located. Eventually Pennsylvania relinquished her claims on the school to New York. However children of both states still attend the school, with Pennsylvania paying tuition for the children she send to the New York State school.
At one time taxes were raised for the school, but in recent years it has not been necessary to collect taxes as the school is practically self supporting, due to the large amount of taxes raised years before.
The school is deep in tradition and has had many pupils attend as their fathers and their grand-fathers have before them. At the present time the Humphrey family is now represented by the third generation as is the Wallace and Petengill families. Many of the people who went to school here have moved away, but occasionally when they come back for a visit come around and look the "Old School" over.
In recent years the school has under gone many changes, and improvements electric lights were added some years ago, as well as slate blackboards. Of the more recent improvements were moveable seats for the children. The first eight grades are taught here and for the last four years the children have gone to the Central School at Clymer to continue their education, under which the school is centralized.
The children and their teacher are shown above gathered around their old time sheet metal, wood burning stove, that one very seldom sees today. The children to the left of the stove are first row (left to right): Hope Bemis and Hazel Humphray; second row, Marion Wallace and Charlotte Humphray; third row, Mary Alice Humphrey and Virginia Pettengill; Frederick Bemis is shown putting a log in the stove. On the right are (front ro left to right); Eleanor Wallace and Carlyle Cooper: second row, Wayne Kinney, Wilford Wallace and in back Miss Lou Ella Peterson, their teacher.

Gerry District 2
The present district school No. 2, in the township of Gerry was formerly known as District School No. 6. The district was formed on August 16, 1821, when parts of Districts 5 and 7 werre set apart to form the new district. The first annual meeting of this district was held, September 24, 1821 at the home of Isaiah Fisher. At that meeting it was voted to raise $50 for the purpose of building a school house 22 feet square. The building was completed Novermber 15, 1821. The first term consisted of three months starting the first Monday in December of that year, in the new school house. Before and during the building of the school house, classes were held in the home of Richard Love.
The school generally had two terms, the summer term beginning in May and the fall term in November or December. Each term lasted from three to six months.
In October 1830 the school district was changed from the sixth to the present one, which is District No. 2. In that year the school held a record attenance with one hundred children attending school. 71 of the pupils between the ages of 5 and 15 years.
In 1939 the district raised a tax of $13.95 for the purpose of puchasing a library.
In April, 1879, the district voted to build a new schoolhouse. Ralph Fessenden and Wallace Olmstead were appointed to visit the Oregon and various other schools to determine the type of schoolhouse that would best meet their requirements. At a special meeting later, it was voted to build the school house 26 feet wide and forty feet deep, with eight in the rear to be made into a wood shed. The cost of such a building not to exceed $550. The old school house was sold for $34 and the necessary balance of $511 was raised by taxes. The schoolhouse is the one that is in use today. Wallace Olmstead was the first trustee of the school and his son Howard Olmstead was the last before the school became centralized with the Cassadaga Valley Schools.
The school is located about a mile south of Sinclairville on Route 60. At the present time it has nine pupils ranging from the first to the fifth grade. The pupils and their teacher are shown above: Front row left to right; Erva Ellen Harper, Howard Hanson, Mrs. Elizabeth Tompsett, teacher; Fern Hall and Norman Peterson; In rear, left to right: Stanley Anderson, Ada May Haskell, Margaret Harmon, Charles Harmon and Francis LeBarron.

Harmony District 9
The above picutre shows the present students and their teacher with the school itself in the inset below, the former Cherry Hill School No. 9, now known as the Harmony School No. 1 which is centralized with the Panama schools.
The school was first built about one hundred years ago, and is thought to be one of the oldest in this part of the county. The first school was built directly across the road from the present structure and was made entirely of cherry logs, hence the name Cherry School. This served the district requirements until about 75 years ago when the present structure was built. Various additions and improvements as the years have gone by, resulted in the present structure, which is used for the first six grades of school.
A number of years ago the school was also used for religious services, both Sunday school and church. Evangelistic meetings have also been held within its walls.
The present studens and their teacher are, left to right: Seated Joyce Eggleston, Fred James, Junior Williams, Susa Bella James, Billy Williams and Howard Lewis. Second row: Richard Sweeney, Ronald Ransom, Donald Sweeney, Eva Whitford, Harold Whitford, Francis Lewis, and Lois Harrington. Third row: Ida C. Ballard, teacher and correspondent of The Post, Charles Lewis, Richard Sheldon, Fred Eggleston, Norris Whitford, Alice Comstock and Robert Harrington.

Kiantone District 1
The Prendergast School was organized in the town of Kiantone on July 25, 1854, just five months after the first town meeting, held at the home of E. Fissel. At that time Francis M. Alford was elected the first superintendant of schools for the town.
Alexander T. Predergast, son of James Prendergast, after whom Jamestown is names, built the school on a portion of his farm which consisted of 1200 acres. His father, James Predergast purchased the property in 1841. At that time the farm was part of the town of Carroll. For five years James Prendergast lived there and conducted a model farm, and on his death, November 15, 1846, his son Alexander inherited the estate and continues to farm the property. Alexander Prendergast had two children, James and Katherine who were among the first pupils to attend this school.
Portions of the minutes from the schol records shows how cost and maintenance were met by the inhabitants of the district. One part, in the school records in 1859 reads; "Moved that the inhabitants of the district sending children to the school shall furnish one half cord of 28 in wood per pupil, one-half to be split and piled in the woodshed before November first and the other half before January first." In the same year it was also moved to raise the teacher's salary from $3 to $3.50 a week and board around. Board around meant that the teacher would receive his room and board from the various farmers living with each for a certain periods.
Amond the minutes of October 11, 1866 it was voted that the school should be repaired and the cost be charged to the inhabitants sending children to the school.
The present school house was built in 1882 at a contract price of $795 by L.E. Foster on a plot of land purchased from Cheney farms.
Chancy E. Woodworth was the school's first teacher, with forty pupils in attendance.
The school at the present time has 21 pupils who are shown in the picture above, Left to Right front row; Marcile Bernhardt, Donna Gesaman, Patricia Hawkins, Dorothy Schoover, Clarina Bernhardt and Carolyn Johnson. Second row left to right; Gladys Hanson, Florene Watte, Deloris Harrison, Elsie Stanton, Betty Gesaman, Leona Johnson and Julia MacKenzie. Third row left to right, Wilas Seminuk, Allen Eckman, Frederick Coons, Albert Eckman, Robert Coons, Flora Waite, Margaret Hanson, Nick Seminuk and Herman P. Hawkins, their teacher.

Kiantone District 2
Kiantone No. 2 is located about five miles from Jamestown on the Kiantone Road.
At the pump, left to right are: Fred Dennison and Albert Griffin, pumping. First row, left to right: Barbara Jane Payne, Erwin O. Carlson, Lewis Shaver, and Eldred Griffin. In the rear, left to right Mrs. Ruth Dailey, teacher; Doris Dickerson, Dois Emley and Theodore Nordland.

Kiantone District 4
There are seventeen pupils enrolled at Kiantone District School No. 4, located on Jamestown-Busti highway. It is known as the Kent School and is near the old Kent farm. Mark Townsend is the teacher.
Shown in the above photograph is the schoolhouse and the pupils inside the structure.
Standing, left to right, are Delores Berg, Irene Abers and Florence Abers.
Seated, first row to the left, Thomas Coe, Ronald Durnell, Floyd Durnell, Norman Durnell and Marlon Swanson; second row, Richard Berg Norma Anderson, Roaldn DeForest and James Hallquist; third row, Jack Abers, Julia Abers, Jerald Weber, Darlene DeForest and Janet Berg.

Panama District 1
This is the tenth in The Post's series of pictures of rural district schoolhouses of this area.
The Panama District School No. 1 is located in the Hamlet of Niobe, it was formerly known as the Harmony School No. 9, but is now part of the Centralized district of Panama.
The first school of Niobe was an old log schoolhouse which was then built on the ground known as the Tracy Price Place. Some time later, the exact time was not available, there were two schools, but due to the fact that the terms of the schools in that district were so short, a private school was formed in 1880 for those who wanted a more complete education. Victoria Fowler, 87 years old, and at present still residing in Niobe, taught in that private school. About 1883, a two room schoolhouse was built on the present location. This school served the requirements of the district until 1918 when the present structure was built. It is now used for the first six grades only. The present pupils and their theachers are: First row left, front to rear: Alberta Hints, Charles Holter and Eleanor Johnson. Second row front to rear: Daniel Clancy and Carl Johnson. Third row front to rear, Harold Davis, Robert Davis, Michael Emules, Jr., and their teacher, Miss Louise Swanson.

Panama District 4
This is the twelfth in the series of pictures of rural distric schools of this area published by The Jamestown Post.
Panama District School No. 4, better known as the Ransom School, is located three miles north-west of Niobe on the Panama-Bear Lake Road. The original school still stands. It was built, as near as can be determined, about 1870, on a half acres of ground leased to the school district by Samuel Ransom, after whom the school was named. A stipulation in the lease was made, that should the school ever be discontinued the land would automatically revert to the Ransom family's heirs. The present heir is Loren Smith, father of the school's only pupils, the four boys shown above. At one time the school boasted of a larger attendance, but like a lot of other district schools they have felt the decreased attendance due to the centralizing of the rural districts.
The boys shown above (left to right) Earl, Leon, Arthur and Willard Smith have started a special project depicting a Belgium village in which they were so interested that they didn't stop working long enough to thave their picture taken. Ross Gugino, their teacher, looks on and lends a helping hand when needed.

Stockton District 1
The Stockton-Ellery District School number 1 is located at Denton's Corners on the Hartfield-Sinclairville road. To the natives of the district it is more apt to be referred to as the Denton's Corner School.
At the present time the school has three pupils, (shown above) as they study the globe and point out the location of Chautauqua county, in which they are glad they live, considering the world affairs today.
The teacher and her pupils are left to right: Mrs. Dora Hall, teacher; Donald Gage, pointing to the globe; June Hall and Maxine Higgs.
The schoold is now centralized with the Bemus Point scools which gives pupils on completion of their grammar shcool work, the opportunity to continue studies through the high school grades.

Stockton District 5
The Stockton-Ellery District School No. 5, which is now centralized with the Cassadaga Valley Central School, is located on the improved highway running between Sinclairville and Mayville, about one half miles west of Centralia, from which it gets its name.
The original school in this district was a little red building of which very little is known. The school is said to have been old a the time the township of Stockton was organzied, which was in 1821. Many of the meetings of the organizing committee were in the school house where plans were discussed for the new township.
In 1845 the district voted to build a new school house two years later, in 1847, the present land site was bought from Henry Rhinehart.
For the next thirty years the school matter could never be brought to a vote. The school board consisted of two factions one wanted a new school, the other didn't. In 1876 the school board voted to build a new schoolhouse the following year. However the school wasn't ready until 1878. The old schoolhouse was then sold to G.W. Barnes for $10.10. He used it for many more years as a horse barn.
The first teacher of this new school was Flora Brunson, who later became Mrs. William Benedict. Frank Fenner was the school trustee at that time.
Some of the early minutes show that the parents furnished one-fourth of a cord of wood for each pupil to partly defray the expense of heating the school. At the school board meeting a member would be voted as measurer and inspector of the wood.
The terms of the school were usually three months in the Winter time starting late in November or early in December and the Summer term consisted of two or three months, the time designated by the board.
Among the school's early pupils there are included several teachers and one assemblyman. Professor C.J. Fenner of Buffalo; Professor Bugbee of Williamsport, Pa.; Professor Lee Hess Barnes, of Titusville, Pa., and Professor Maurice Brevoort of Virginia, all received their early training in the common branches, consisting of reading, writing, spelling, arithmetic and geography. These subjects were voted by the school board to complete the school's curriculum.
Assemblyman Loyd J. Babcock also spent many of his school days studying in this rural school.
Other people who attended school here and are still living in the district are F.O. Waite and his childen, Mrs. Earl Brevoort and children. At the present time the two families have the third generation now in attendance. Other families are Ben C. Brevoort's and May Clark's. Marguerite Handron, teacher in the Fletcher School and Mrs. Rachel Olson now teaching in Falconer learned their A B C's here. Other people living in Jamestown who went to school in Centralia are: Lawrence Love, Anna Sherman, Lottie Stedman.
The first postoffice in the town was near the present school and was called Oregon. However, through the efforts of the Late Delos Putnam the name was changed to Centralia, because the town was situated in the center of the county.
The present pupils apparently all expect to be carpenters. All take pleasure in manual training which is taught to the whole school by their teacher. They have made many useful things, such as tie racks, birdhouses, and cut out wooden dolls with a jig saw. The pupils are left to right front row: Peggy Olsen, Virginia Carlson, Donna Brevoort, Joan Adela Griffey, Alma Jean Griffey, and Richard Snow. In rear, left to right: Marjorie Niles, Ronald Crandall, Kenneth Niles, Beverly Brevoort, Charles Carlson, Don Snow, Walter Waite and Miss Eleanor Bloomer, teacher.

Stockton District 8
The earliest history available of the South Stockton district school No. 8 is in 1858. Jerry Crandall was then a trustee of the school. It is thought by some of the old time residents that the present school was built prior to 1859, There had been another school located on the Lee Crandall farm, before the present school was built.
The present school site was donated by Oliver Brunson and is valued at approximately $200. The records show that in 1874 Mr. Brunson was elected trustee for the school. In 1881 the school underwent extensive repairs and improvements. Other men to serve on the board of trustees were: Henry White, Nathan Bargar, D. Williams, James Robinson and Frank Harvey.
There have been eight families living in the district that have had three generations attend school here, they are: The Crandall, Trude, Kibbe, Fenner, Burns, Faulkner, Link and the Wakeman families. F.M. Wakeman's granddaughter, Helen Hale Scott also taught here in 1935, and Henry Link was trustee at the time when the school was centralized with the Cassadaga Valley Central School District.
Harvey Fenner, at present a member of the faculty at the Falconer High School attended school here as did Mary Benedict who now is teaching in White Plains.
The records show that Jennie VanWert was the teacher in 1890 for the school year of 32 weeks and in the following year Victor E. Putman. The same year the schol board voted that the teacher's salary should not exceed $300 per year which was paid by drafts from the supervisor, collections of taxes on the school property and cost of board for the teacher during the school term, which amounted in 1891 to $277.50.
The school has been repaired and improved as the need presented itself and is modern and up-to-date with a large enclosed playground for the children, where at this time of year they enjoy a good snow ball battle at recess time as shown in the picture above.
The present pupils are shown above as they play an old favorite game called, "Hot Potato" and are: Starting with boy in black shirt (clockwise) Ezra Southwick, Martha Adams, Luella Southwick, Enos Southwick, Shirley Curtis, thowing the "Potato"; Dorothy Hager, Frances Faulkner, Roy Adams, Billy Starr, Irene Link, Barbara Olson, and in the center the "It" girl is Clarabelle Link. The teacher is Mrs. Aldene Fox, who is shown on the porch of the school as she presides as referee for the snowball battle.

Stockton District 14
The Pleasantville District School No. 14 is in the joint district of Chautauqua and Stockton. It is located two miles north of Dewittville on the Hartfield-South Stockton county highway.
The original school was a log house that was built by the members of the district. The land site for the school was obtained on January 28, 1833 from John Miles. The locatoin was about a mile and a half west of the present one, on top of a hill and consisted of one-third of an acre of ground. School was conducted here until 1861 when the present school house was built.
Cecelia Young was one of the original school's first teachers. Her pay was 75¢ a week in addition she was entitles to "board around" going from one family to another free of charge.
The present school was built in 1861. The names of the trustees at that time were not recorded on the deed.
Some years ago an organization was formed consisting of the pupils and teachers of Pleasantville School who attended or taught there prior to 1900. This organization continues. An annual picnic is held in August of each year at the schoolhouse. About thirty members annually attend.
Former pupils of the school include Frank Stowell, present County Commissioner of Public Welfare, George R. Raynor, principal of Chautauqua High School, his wife, Grace Kirkland Raynor, Mrs. Hattie Briggs Dye, postmistress at Cassadaga, Glenn Raynor, realtor, Jamestown, Ward Cadwell, Dewittville and Harry M. Young of Mayville. Cecelia Young, one of the early teachers and John Miles from whom the land was obtained are Mr. Young's aunt and great grandfather.
The school is now centralized with the Mayville central schools and has fourteen pupils who are left to right, front row: Rosalie Blanchard, Lois Nellis, Gilbert Hayward, Bobby Jean Weaver, Alfred Nellis, Donald McClellan, Robert Webster and James Blanchard.
In rear, left to right: Miss Elizabeth Dedrick, teacher; Betty Webster, Esther Smith, Esther Blanchard, George Meadows, Ellicott Long and Paul Weise.

SOURCE: Jay Priest, 2006