Image Gallery: The West School Comes Home

The following letter and the accompanying pictures are from Mary Nohelty, President of the Burlington Historical Society: 

On the Fourth of July 2011, a replica of our town’s historic little West School travelled up Cambridge Street to the Town Common.  As this historic building passed Grandview Farm in the distance, I saw history coming alive.  And when the little one-room schoolhouse pulled onto the common, it was as if it were coming home! Home to the Burlington Common where the little schoolhouse was built in 1794 …when George Washington was President of the United States. Historians say it was built where is now.  It was called the Center School then. 

The school was physically moved to the corner of Francis Wyman Road and Bedford Street in the 1830’s to make room for a new Town Hall.  It was named THE WEST SCHOOL in the village of Havenville. All of the one-room schoolhouses (North, South, East and West) closed when the new and larger Union School was built in 1898.

From 1898 to 1964, the schoolhouse was used as a garage.  The Burlington Historical Society was formed in 1964 to prevent the destruction of the school.  A small group of dedicated individuals raised money from people driving by the school, from students in all of our schools and from wonderful people in town donating their talents to rebuild the schoolhouse. 

The little schoolhouse won first prize in the Fourth of July Parade this year, and I hope it won a place in your heart!

Thank you, Rotary…it was a pleasure to participate in this year’s parade that was so well organized.

I sincerely thank Rick Nohelty for designing and building this outstanding 12 by 15 foot model, complete with doors, windows, shingles and shutters.  Rick was joined by his brothers Tom Nohelty and Mike Nohelty.… Diane Nohelty Linnehan did artwork, banners and video. Thank you to Bill Hitchcock, a Burlington Minuteman, for donating his truck and trailer.

A big thanks to Home Depot for donating all the wood for the framework and shingles.

A special thanks to the two adorable little girls, Olivia LoPreste and  Morgan Powers who sat in desks from The West School in the moving classroom dressed in colonial dresses and bonnets.  Their teacher, Julie Eggleston, looked great in colonial attire as well — she carried a big stick but did not use it!

Thank you to my committee: Aline Beck, Dotty Bennett, Anne Drover, Julie Eggleston, Carolyn Little. I cannot forget all my friends and society members who walked with the committee: Rosemary DeLuco, Irene Gaffney, Jackie Gengo, Kathi Horton, Joanne Kinchla, Joan Locchiatto, Lil Oley, Deanna Tredeau, Margaret Vient.

Some of these people are your neighbors.  Call them if you are interested in becoming a member of the Historical Society.  We meet on the first Thursday of the month and you are welcome to come to any of our meetings.   Remember the banner hanging from the West School model:  JOIN US…OUR PAST IS FASCINATING.

- Mary Nohelty, President, Burlington Historical Society