History of Edmeston, New York/Schools

Edmeston, New York Schools

District 3 &mdash; North Street School, Edmeston Centre
In 1847 It was decided to raise $400 to build a new school on the site of the school they already had. The trustees were instructed to sell the old school and apply the money toward the new one. This was on the 19th of October. On the 26th, it was decided to reconsider the vote of Oct. 19th and purchase a new site form Col. Deming for $50. This would be on the northeast corner of his wood lot and in front of his horse barn. they were to spend only $300. Nothing more was done until September 1, 1854 when a special meeting of all Freeholders and inhabitants was called. It was then resolved to purchase land from Col. Deming on the lot adjoining the Baptist Church (on North Street) This was to contain one-half acre of land. Resolution was adopted. James Ackerman and Eri Deming were drafted to draft plans for the new school. In 1855 The new school was built. $550 was collected for building the school, but it only cost $526.93, so there was a balance on hand of $26.93 for the coming year.

In 1898, this building was moved to South Street to make room for the new building. While on South Street, it was used as a Town Hall, Fire Department, Gas Station, Apartment on the second floor, and a Second Hand Store. It was torn down in the 1980's. &mdash; Echoes of the Past

District 7 &mdash; Pleasant Street School
The District 7 school is on NY Rt. 80 east of Edmeston. When District 7 consolidated with District 3 in 1914, the land had an assessed value of $58,336.

District 10 &mdash; Heap Road School
The District 10 school was located on Heap Road. When it consolidated with District 3, it was assessed for $49,065. During a diphtheria outbreak the building was used to isolate patients and was called the pest house.

District 12 &mdash; Summit Lake School
The Summit Lake School building itself was literally picked up and moved to keep it in the center of the residences of students attending the school.

Edmeston Union School
The Union school was completed in 1898, replacing the District 3 flattop school on North Street. That year the Edmeston Local posted this review of the new building:


 * The new school is a beautiful structure combining Gothic and Corinthian styles of architecture. It is heated by steam, has an approved system of lighting and perfect system of ventilation.  All of the air in the entire building can be changed every twenty minutes without reducing the temperature. fresh air is supplied directly from out doors by means of flues.  It may be passed around the boilers and warmed and thus brought into the rooms, warm and pure, or it may come directly to the rooms if desired.  In any case every pupil and teacher has a constant supply of pure air and thus be considered a very important feature by every thinking person.  We have no more complaints about the head aching; and that dull, heavy listless attitude of the pupil has disappeared. The interior of the building is even more important than the exterior; it is finished with oak throughout; the casements and so on are fine examples of art and workmanship.  The walls are covered with stained paper of delicate green and finished with flowers and numerous specimens of animals and birds, nicely mounted and protected by glass cases.  In fact the air of the entire building must inspire within the mind of every student an admiration for the beauty of art and the simplicity of adornment, because while it is rich and complete in all its appointments, still nothing has been overdone. &mdash; Echoes of the Past

In the mid-teens, more space was needed and new rooms were added to the front of the school. A local architect, Floyd Robinson, designed the Tudor style addition.

Edmeston Central School
The K-12 Edmeston Central School (ECS) building was completed in 1939. The ECS district covered and small corners of the towns of The State has tried to encourage the ECS district to further consolidate with neighboring school districts, but the proposal has not been acceptable to residents.
 * all of the Town of Burlington,
 * most of the Town of Edmeston,
 * New Lisbon,
 * Plainfield,
 * Pittsfield,
 * Exeter, and
 * Brookfield.

Otsego School
The following excerpt from an article in the October 29, 1927 Edmeston Local described the 1922 founding of the Otsego School by Florence Chesebrough:


 * Edmeston Boasts Unique Venture: Interest in Unfortunate child lead to Establishment of Useful School in Edmeston


 * … Interest in an unfortunate child in this village of her nativity, going back to her own childhood, coupled with later contact with backward children in Utica during her professional duties prompted Florence Chesebrough, R.N., to undertake at firsthand the establishment of a school for the help of children not able to keep the pace in public schools. Associated with her as a co-laborer from the very beginning is Susanne W. Jones, B.A., M.S., who has had direct medical training.  These women bound together by personal friendship and common sympathy for the unfortunate have originated and developed this school to a point of great success, usefulness and interest. To chronicle its story, and voice appreciation of its methods and results is a pleasant task.


 * In the first place, a unique feature of this school is the fact that it is housed in a home. Mr. and Mrs. C. H. Chesebrough, parents of Miss Chesebrough, freely opened their own home for the beginning of the realization of the ideal of their daughter and her friend.  That realization is a growing success; and the older people are by no means the smallest element in its good fortune.  One needs to know these people  in order to understand how much the word home signifies in connection with the work of the school.  An atmosphere of quiet Christian dignity., a constant sympathy, a yearning love for children: these are some of the things which the parents contribute:  The Otsego School is a home in the most emphatic sense.


 * It was in April, 1922 that the settled determination to establish a school took place. …