Norwalk After Two Hundred & Fifty Years

In the year 1866 the enumeration of the district was one hundred and fifty-five. In 1867 it had increased to one hundred and ninety-two. This large enumeration, together with the dangerous location of the school, seems to have moved the district to secure a site for the erec- tion of a new building. As earlv as 1863 a committee was appointed to select a site for a new schoolhouse and one just north of «37 ihe present school building, where the bill-board now stands, was chosen. In March, 1863, the district reconsidered the action taken by this committee and appointed a second com- mittee, consisting of Morgan Smith, C. M. Gregory and C. C. Berts, to purchase another site. They purchased the spot on which the present school building now stands for the sum of six hundred dollars. The records do not say why this site was chosen, possibly because, like Mount Zion, it was "beau- tiful for situation." The present very substantial building of granite was erected in 1867-8 at a cost of about eight thousand dol- lars. School was opened in this building in the fall of 1868. The brick schoolhouse was sold at public auction for one hundred dollars. William McAllister was the purchaser. 238 WEST NORWALK SCHOOL DISTRICT O records can be found of the organi- zation of the West Norwalk school. The existing records begin in 1841. At that time the district was known as the North Five Mile River School District. The original schoolhouse had be- come so dilapidated and beyond repair that at a special meeting held September 25, 1841, it was voted to build a new school house, the dimensions to be 18 feet by 22 feet and with 10-foot posts. It was to be completed on or before the first of May, and the funds were to be raised by a tax on the list of 1840. The building was finished in October, 1841, and cost $266.61. This was the second schoolhouse built in the district. In 1858 the building was enlarged by an addition of eight feet and received two coats of paint on its exterior surface. On September 23 of the same year it was voted to gravel around the door and place a door- stone. This building was in use until 1872, when it became loo small to accommodate the number of pupils in at- tendance, and a new one was again necessary. At a meeting held January 15, 1872, it was voted to build a new schoolhouse, the expense of which, includ- ing lot, not to exceed $2,500. Upon the completion of this building the old schoolhouse and lot were sold at auction to the highest bidder and realized the sum of $245. This was the third schoolhouse erected and the one now occupied. In 1877 tne name of the district was changed to the West Norwalk School District. HE first teacher mentioned in the rec- ords is Miss Frances A. Selleck, who in 1843 taught the "summer school" of five and one-half months, at nine dollars per month. Miss Selleck was followed by Andrew Hathaway, who taught the winter school. In 1844 it was voted that Miss Emily Street teach the summer school at nine dollars per month and "she board herself." 839 In 1845 Miss Julia Weed was selected to teach at nine dollars per month for the "summer school." It was voted to employ a "female teacher" for the "winter school," and Miss Margaret Gilbert was engaged at twelve dollars per month. In 1846 Miss Julia Weed engaged at ten and one- half dollars per month. The name of the teacher for 1847 is not recorded. In 1848 Miss Julia Weed began the year at eleven dollars per month, and Deborah Anne Selleck completed it by teaching the winter school at fourteen dollars per month. In 1849 Miss Sarah C. Waterbury was chosen for six months at eleven dollars per month. Miss Ros- borough was employed for the winter school at "her lowest price." In 1850 Miss Julia Weed and Miss Rosborough divided the year at eleven and sixteen dollars per month respectively. In March, 185 1, the teacher chosen for the summer school was Miss Bunnell ; for the winter school Miss Sophia C. Blackwell, whose salary was "not to exceed sixteen dollars per month." In 1852 the records name only the teacher for the winter school, Miss Nancy Gregory, at fourteen dollars per month. In 185^ the teachers were Miss Emily Street and Miss F. A. Selleck, at sixteen dollars per month each. In 1854 records do not name teachers. In 1855 Miss F. A. Selleck taught the summer school of "five or live and one-half months, as agreeable to her wishes," at seventeen dollars per month. She continued to teach until 1857, when Miss Cornelia Bene- dict taught the summer school. Miss Selleck returned for the winter school of that year and taught till 1859. In 1858 her salarv was twenty dollars per month, sub- ject to reduction provided the schoolhouse is enlarged. In 1859 Miss Sarah Keeler taught at twenty-two dollars per month. In i860 the summer school was taught by Miss Lydia A. Clock at eighteen dollars per month. For the winter school brawn as well as brain was needed, and was engaged in the person of Mr. E. B. Smith, at twenty-six dollars per month. In 1861 the summer school was taught by Miss Phoebe Ann IToagland, at twenty dollars per month, and MO Mr. Smith again taught the winter school at twenty-eight dollars per month. In 1862 Miss Elizabeth Carter was employed for the summer school. Mr. Young taught the winter school at twenty-four dollars per month. At a special meeting on December 22nd, it was voted 'that Mr. Young be requested to withdraw from this meeting/' also voted that Mr. Young is hereby cen- sured for violent language to his patrons and his exces- sive punishment in school, also that the clerk be re- quested to inform Mr. Young of the resolutions passed at this meeting." In 1863 Mrs. Isaac Selleck taught the summer school at eighteen dollars per month, and Mr. E. B. Smith completed the year. At a special meeting it was voted that "the teacher be requested not to use the Ruler as an Instrument of Punishment," which request was probably the result of the "excessive punishment in school" of Mr. Smith's predecessor. In 1864 Miss Sarah J. Hoyt taught at eighteen dol- lars per month, and Mr. Darrow was employed for the winter school. In 1S65 Miss Sarah M. Vail, at eighteen dollars, and Mr. Hoyt, of Stamford, officiated. In 1866 Miss Clara A. Street taught the summer school at fifteen dollars and the winter school was once more put in charge of a "female teacher," Miss Lydie E. Hall, at twenty-four dollars. In 1867 Miss Clara A. Street taught at eighteen dol- lars per month. In 1868 the teachers engaged were Miss L. E. Hall, at twenty dollars, and Miss Antoinette Smith, at thirty collars. In 1869 Miss Smith continued to teach. In 1870 the district began to engage its teachers for the full school vear of ten months. Miss Hitchcock was selected at a salary "not to exceed thirtv-five dollars per month." In 1872 Mr. Eben Hill, of Redding, was engaged. Mr. Hill taught until the spring of '73, when forced to resign bv ill-health, and Mr. Walter Coley succeeded him. In 1874 Miss F. A. Selleck taught. For the years of 1875-76, Miss Elizabeth Water- bury; 1876-77, Miss Elizabeth Waterburv ; 1877-78, Miss Emilie Black and Miss McDonald ; 1878-79, Miss 241 Waterburv 1879-80, Miss Waterbury; 1880-81, Miss Nettie Hanford ; 1881-82, Mr. Wilbur E. Winton ; 1882- 83, Mr. E. M. Crofut; 1883-84, Mr. E. M. Crofut ; 1884-85, Miss Kate Bradley; 1885-86, Miss Kate Brad- ley; at fifty dollars per month. For the years 18S6-87, Miss Kate Raymond; 18S7- 88, Miss Harriet Munger, Miss Ella Guyer, Miss M. Grossman, Miss Tulia E. Bigelow; 1888-89, Miss Julia E. Bigelow; at forty -live dollars per month. For the years 1889- 190 1, Mr. F. D. Stevens, first at forty-five dollars per month, until now at sixty dollars per month. 242 SOUTH FIVE MILE RIVER SCHOOL DISTRICT HIS district was organized in 1820, and a small schoolhouse, twelve by fifteen feet in dimensions, with desks around the building in part and slab seats for the accommodation of twelve scholars. The teacher received sixteen dollars per month and "boarded 'round." The first schoolhouse stood on the hill just east of what was known as the Andrew Bell homestead. The second schoolhouse was built in 1848 on the river bank opposite the Raymond Cemetery, and was con- siderably larger and more comfortable in its appoint- ments. The present school building was erected in 1890, at a cost (including grounds) of ten thousand dollars. Some of the early teachers were Mary Bell, Walter Bates, who is still living, Samuel Richards, John Ferris, Rufus Smith, Frederick Finch, Harriet Pennoyer, Emily Street. John W. McClellan is the principal of the school at present, with three teachers of the primary, inter- mediate and grammar grades. p A R T F O U R CIVIC COMMERCE P R AND OGRESS NAVIGATION (By S. R. Weed.) Jk2 T HE early history of the commerce of Norwalk shows the same spirit of enterprise and daring which character- ized other sections of New England. With the whole shore of the Sound dotted with harbors and towns spring- ing up all the way from Newport to New York, it would have been strange if some of the fruits of this enterprise had not fallen to Norwalk. There came a race of hardy navigators who built and sailed vessels to the West Indies and built up a profitable coasting trade which has continued until this day. The records are meagre, but the principal facts show a steady progress forward. The leading particu- lars here given are taken from Selleck's Norwalk. The author says: