Marcy School Districts

From "Town of Marcy Centennial History and Program 1832-1932"
Sincere thanks to Cathy VerSchneider for this submission!!





District No. 1
    District 1 Marcy was formerly a part of District 3 Deerfield, according to records dating back to October 6, 1828. The first school meeting for School District 1, Town of Marcy, was held October 5, 1832. Wood was furnished at two dollars per cord.
In 1867 it was decided to build a new school. In October 1868 the district entered into the following agreement with Franklin Edic, "the district shall have without any consideration quiet and undisturbed possession of the land on which the schoolhouse now stands as long as it may be used for school purposes."
    On September 29, 1876, the boundaries of the school district were fixed. John R. Pugh was the school commissioner. In 1928 the school became inadequate. A special meeting was called to discuss consolidation. After much discussion "consolidation" ws defeated. However a committee wa appointed to further investigate consolidation, find a site as near the center of the district as possible, and plans and cost of a new school. The result was for that time a beautiful, up-to-date school which was first used Thanksgiving Week, 1929. The old building and site were sold. It has been remodeled for a residence.
    The new schoolhouse, erected in 1929 was constructed entirely of wood. It consisted of three room and operated as a three room school house.

District No. 2
    Located on the Fox Road its present site in the year 1800, known as District 12, later 20. Some interesting items taken from the Records dated 1814: "At a meeting held in the Schoolhouse in November 1814 Daniel Wilcox was elected clerk, Ansel Fox, Gideon Finley and Ezehiel Adams, trustees; Elnathan Baker, collector. It was voted to set up and begin a school and the trustees were empowered to obtain from Elnathan Baker a loan of the land for that purpose. January 8, 1821 stated to build a new school house Nathan Hemmingway to build the same for $127.00 and that $.75 be allowed for labor and $.62 1/2 for team work. One dollar per month wa paid for fuel. Sometimes the scholars would furnish wood for fuel and it had to be delivered and piled.
    April 13, 1828, four square rods of land on which the schoolhouse was located was purchased for $5.00 by the trustees to have and to hold and their successors in office so long as agreed to pay one Peppercom on the first day of May each and every year thereafter. In 1829 it was voted to raise $6.00 to build a shed and make other repairs. The teacher received $50.86 for teaching six and one half months about seventy pupils. In 1830 the number of the District was changed to 20. February 1834 a library was established. Levi Hart was elected Librarian to serve without fee or reward. In 1891 John Lloyd was engaged as a teacher at $5.50 per week. The total amount of school expenses for this year $232.90, wood $15.50, insurance $6.00, broom and chalk $.80 land $19.60 and fence $15.00.
    Hazen Fox served as clerk from 1826 to 1855. Abel Fuller followed with a record from 1862 to 1883. Among the early trustees were: Ansel Fox, Levi Hart, Elnathan Baker, Nathan Hemmingway, Reuben Fox, Otis Hulbert, John Alin and Nathaniel Haynes. It is of interest to note that three generations have served as trustees: Austin Fuller, Abel Fuller and J. Brayton Fuller.

District No. 3
    This schoolhouse was built of cobblestone on land owned by Henry Sweet between 1828 and 1830 on a lot located on the River Road directly across from where the Utica Air Port Hanger is now located. The land wa donated for use a school with provision that the school be open for religious services at all times. Tow of the first teachers to teach in this school were Charles Edic and Amos Edic. About 1880, the school building was destroyed by fire and all the records were lost. The district consolidated with District Number 1, Town of Floyd and a new schoolhouse was built.
    In 1915 at an annual school meeting of District No. 1 Town of Floyd, it was agreed by R.P. Snyder, District Superintendent of Schools of Marcy and Stanton D. Austin, District Superintendent of Schools of Floyd to consolidate District No. 1 Floyd and District No. 3. The cost not to exceed $1,850. The school building  was erected by Whitfield Jones, contractor. The township board of education ws composed of George R. Wright, Frank Carrier, Fred Deck, Ben Jones and Rice Franklin. The new school opened December 3, 1917 with Teresa Mahan as teacher. In the winter of 1918 and 1918 the township school system law was repealed. On May 4, 1918 the annual school meeting was held and the following officers were elected: M.F. Fryer, Trustee; Frank W. Ritchie, Clerk; G.H. Whitaker, Collector and Treasurer.
    At the annual school meeting held on May 5, 1932, the district was consolidated with Oriskany.

District No. 4
    The first school in District no. 4 was built in the year 1842 on the point of what is now known as the Whitesboro and Holland Patent State Road and Benton Road.
    The seats were made of basswood boards (they made them of basswood so they would not be so hard to sit on) around three sides of the room. They were like benches. There were two rows in front for the little ones. The teachers desk was made about three feet long and slanted on the top and it had 2 x 4 inch sticks for legs. The stove was a square box stove and burnt wood only. It was in the center of the room. For a blackboard, they had a board up in front painted black.
    The new and present building was built in the year 1880 just across the Benton Road on a parcel of land the district purchased of Mr. and Mrs. George Robbins. The trustees at that time were Raymer Powell and William Smith, Sr. At that time it cost about $400.00.
    In about 1890 the District set out several maple trees, the trees have grown to about one foot in diameter. The present officers are: trustee, S.M. Benton; Collector, Walter Smith; Clerk, Nathan Chamberlain.

District No. 5
    The records for District 5 show that the district was organized Oct. 1, 1832, when the following officers were elected: Trustees, William Payne, Thomas Carr and William Mayhew; Clerk, Rufus Carpenter; H. Cary, Moderator.  It was voted to raise $130 for a school house on the east side of the Mayhew farm, this being to the north of the Marcy Post Office. About 1860 the site was changed to another Mayhew farm, the building being placed a short distance at the rear of the present building. From this spot the school house was moved about 1873 to where it now stands, repaired and occupied to the present time.
    In 1890 there were 26 children in the district, 14 in school. In 1931 there were 96 in the district, 66 of school age and on account of overcrowding conditions the 7th and 8th grades were sent to Stittville for instruction.
    Some of the teachers previous to 1861 were Thomas J. Roberts, Mary Hutchinson, William Cavana, Sarah Wolcott, Emma Reed, Mary Ann Potter, Louise Treat, Mary Ann Pooler, Jennie Potter and Sarah Carrier.
    The present officers are Trustee, George Rounds; Clerk, Mrs. Homer A. Humphrey; Collector, Robert Parsons.

District No. 6
    The only records obtainable dated back to 1886. The business transacted at these meetings was the election of officers and supplying wood for the school year. It is an interesting fact that the cost of a years supply was fourteen dollars in 1886 and when the last wood wa supplied in 1926 the cost was sixty dollars. In 1927 a heater was installed and coal used.
    In August 1891 a special meeting was called to consider repairing the old schoolhouse. After discussing the matter it was thought for the best interest of the district, to bond the district and build a new school house.
    Messers Marson, Kennedy and Morgan, the committee appointed let the contract to John Haynes whose bid was $400.00. The old school house was sold to Mr. Marson for five dollars. He had to move it from the premises in a week. In 1920 an addition was added and again in 1927 another addition was built. The officers at present are: Trustee, Charles J. Morgan; Collector, Miss Elizabeth Jones; Clerk, Mrs. Katherine Stevener.

District No. 7
    The earliest record for District No. 7 bears date of 1875, but the building was erected in or about 1832. It was on the northwest corner of the Glass Factory and Hutchinson roads, diagonally across from its present location. The following incident was related to Isaac J. Evans by his uncle, who, as a small boy, was probably an eyewitness: The people of the district had failed to secure a proper lease from the owner of the land on which the school house stood, and therefore he claimed the building and declared his intention of moving it over to his own property. The neighbors had a secret meeting to decide upon a course of action; and the next time the land owner went to Utica, they all turned out with their oxen, put the school house on skids and moved it across the road to the spot where it now stands.
    In 1875 George L. Seavy was trustee; John W. Evans, clerk; William D. Edwards, collector and William E. Jones librarian. School was in session fourteen weeks in summer and fourteen weeks in winter. In 1877 John Jones was trustee and Isaac J. Evans clerk, the other officers remaining unchanged. The total expenditure in 1877 was $144.91. John C. Schmuck, now a Brooklyn physician, taught in the winter and Miss Katie McDonald in the Summer.
    The present officers are: John J. Luke, trustee; Isaac J. Evans, clerk; Benjamin F. Jones, collector.

District No. 8
    The boundaries of District 8 were fixed August 7, 1848. Meetings were held at the home of John Hazard to decide on a site and building a school for that community. The records do not tell when the school was first occupied. The first officers elected were: Edward T. Marson, Robert Jones, John Burton, Trustees; James Burton, Collector; John P. Hazard, Librarian. Under purchases in 1849, the followed are given: one lock to desk, one pair of tongs, a box of bricks to put under the stove, and such articles as the trustees think necessary for the use of the school house. Three dollars was appropriated for these purchase. In 1870 it was decided to enlarge the site. On November 30, 1877, such textbooks as Sander's Union Readers, Robinson's Progressive Arithmetic, the Spencerian Copy Book and Goodrich's History were adopted for the use of the children.
    In March 1880 the boundaries of the district were fixed as they are at present. In 1908 modern desks were installed in the school. In 1925 more changes were made in the building. An addition was built at the rear. The trustee at present is Mrs. Anna Van Hatton.

District No. 9
    School district nine of the town of Marcy is located in the north eastern part of the town on what is known as the Winston road. This district has always been termed Flint district. The district is composed of the residents of three towns, namely; Marcy, Deerfield and Trenton. The school building was erected in the late 1830's or early 1840's and the same building is now being used, having had repairs occasionally. In 1910 there was considerable agitation in the district, whether to build a new school, to repair the old one, or to dissolve the district were the questions which necessitated several special meetings. It was finally decided to repair the old school.
    Until recent years the the school attendants have been, for the most part Welsh or German, but at the present time the school is composed almost entirely of foreign children. The present officers are: Trustee, Charles J. Emhof; Collector, Mrs. Mildred Emhof; Clerk, Jacob Emhof.

District No. 10
    School district 10 is located in the very eastern end of the town on what is known as the Schoolhouse Road. It is but a few rods from the Utica-Watertown State highway. The residents of this district live in the towns of Marcy and Deerfield, the school being located one quarter mile from the town line. At present, there are forty-four children between the ages of 5 and 16 living in the district. The average attendance in school is twenty.
    The most ancient data on the history of district 10 is given in the minutes of the school meeting held October first 1832. The school was organized some time before this and was known as district 11 town of Deerfield. In 1832 the school came to be known as a joint district being termed district 14 Marcy and district 11 Deerfield.
    The minute of this first meeting verbatim are:
    School district 14 and 11 met according to adjournment October 1, 1832 and attended on the following business.
    1st. Marvin Lille elected moderator.
    2nd Jonathon Johnson Jr. Clerk
    3rd Resolved that Edward Anell, Jacob Warren and Woodard Warren be the trustees for the ensuing year
    4th Resolved that Lucius Coombs be Collector
    5th Resolved that the school ceep three months the ensuing winter, school commences the first of December next also that the wood be drawed the first of December, five-eights of a cord a Schollar.
    6th Resolved that this meeting be adjourned to the first Monday of October next.
    Marvin Lille
    Jonathan Johnson Jr., clerk

    In 1832 there were 63 children residing in the district of whom 46 were taught that winter. The amount of public money received ws $12.42. This first school was a log house, but in 1834 it was voted to build a new building on the same site. John F. Allen was paid $150 for building the school house and $10 for the land upon which it was located. The teacher's wages in the early days of school ranged from thirty to sixty dollars per school year. In 1838 a summer school was begun and maintained by special funds raided from the taxpayers. The first and most prominent librarian of the School was the Rev. William D. Williams, pastor of Salem Welsh Church.
    In 1870 the need of a new school was apparent. At a special meeting it was voted to build the school and sell the old structure. This building is still in use, a few additions having been made. It was built upon the same site as the one in 1834. In 1920 one fourth of an acre was purchased for the purposes of a suitable playground. We have to note also, that the school had as its governing board three trustees until 1880 when it was voted to have one trustett henceforth. The officers at the present time are: Trustee, William G. Burton; Collector, William D. Williams; Clerk, Mrs. Luella H. Burton.