The History of Our Schools: Thomastown

1903 Map of Middleborough, detail showing the intersection

of Chestnut and Purchase Streets with the location of the

Thomastown School, from New Topographical Atlas of Surveys:

Plymouth County Together with Town of Cohasset, Norfolk

County, Massachusetts (Springfield, MA: The L. J. Richards

Co., 1903).

 During the 1930s, a series of short informal histories of the various Middleborough school houses were compiled by J. Stearns Cushing, Superintendent of Middleborough Schools from 1927 until 1955.  Mr. Cushing prepared these histories for publication as a series in the Middleboro Gazette beginning on February 24, 1933.  With information culled largely from town reports, the series entitled "The History of Our Schools" sought to provide the community with a better understanding of the past history of its public school buildings. The Thomastown School was located on Chestnut Street near its intersection with Purchase Street.  Though the school accomodated a large geographic area, it remains historically one of Middleborough's least known one-room schools.  

Thomastown

In 1871, the School Committee consisting of Elbridge Cushman, A. H. Soule, and E. W. Drake reported as follows:

"At the last annual town meeting, $1,500.00 was placed in our hnads to meet continge nt expenses, and we were authorized to build a school at Thomastown.  We have united the Thomastown and Rocky Meadow schools, and shall have no further use for the old houses for school purposes.  The town will dispose of them as they see fit.  In their stead we have erected a new house on Chestnut Street, 25 x 36 feet, capable of seating fifty-six scholars, with a cellar for wood.  The cellar was built by the day.  The house was built under contract by Mr. James P. Sparrow, in a manner highly satisfactory to your committee.  In locating the hose, we endeavored to consult the wishes of interested parties as much as possible, but as might be expected we found 'many men of many minds',  We kept in view the greatest good to the greatest number, and the majority of your committee believe the house to be located on the most convenient and most eligible site.  It is furnished with ample blackboard, accommodations, the seats are of an approved and improved pattern, and withall it is a commodious and pleasant school-room.  We trust it may be used and not abused, and that the people of that section will cheerfully aid other schools in securing equal advantages."

In the same report we find an itemized report of the expense of the house.
Expense of Cellar.
Arad Thomas     $10.00
Josiah Thomas     18.00
S. Wrightington     27.00
Freeman T. McLathlin     2.00
George Bennett     36.00
J. P. Sparrow     14.68
Eliab Wood     2.59
Total     110.18

Expense of House.
Jas. P. Sparrow, per contract     $1,300.00
extras     3.98
B. L. Boomer, Painting     85.22
Desks     188.00
Freight     5.00
G. H. Doane, stovepipe, etc.     16.50
Subtotal     $1,598.70
Freeman T. McLathlin, lot     10.50
Total expense of house    $1,719.38
Total  $2,061.41

During the sixty-two years that the building has been in use there have been fifty-two different teachers in service there.  The names and dates of service follow:

1871
John B. Thomas
Lucia A. Thompson

1872
John B. Thomas
Mary E. White
Ellen Braley

1873
Judith T. Norton
Ella Thompson
Minot Hartwell

1874
Helen Harlow

1875
Lottie E. Hammond
W. Anna Harding

1876
W. Anna Harding

1877
W. Anna Harding

1878
Endora Lawrence
Irene A. Bent
Lena A. Chubbock

1879
Irene A. Bent
Clara Leonard
Mary E. Hammond

1880
Mary E. Hammond

1881
Abbie A. Mills

1882
Abbie A. Mills
Jennie Hammond

1883
Jennie Hammond
Lura B Bisbee

1884
Sara E. Paine
Rose M. Eastman

1885
Rose M. Eastman

1886
Almeda B. Eldridge
Irena S. Nightingale

1887
Laura M. Pease
Ella F. Kilbreth

1888
Ella M. Kilbreth
Mary L. Osborne
Florence L. Deane

1889
Florence L. Dean
Sadie O. Morse

1890
Sadie O. Morse

1891
Sadie O. Morse

1892
Sadie O. Morse

1893
Sadie O. Morse

1894
Eva M. Hopkins
Bessie Churbuck

1895
C. Augusta Thomas

1896
Frances M. Perry

1897
Bertha E. Bryant

1898
Bertha E. Bryant

1899
Lucy E. Merrihew

1900
Lucy E. Merrihew

1901
Lucy E. Merrihew

1902
Lucy E. Merrihew

1903
Isabelle C. Butler
Annie Hill

1904
Ethel Roberts

1905
Ethel Roberts

1906
Ethel M. Harvey

1907
Josie L. Russell

1908
Alice M. Ward

1909
R. Kenney

1910
R. Kenney

1911
Daisy E. Stenhouse

1912
Alma A. Knowlton
Fred N. O'Coin

1913
C. Harold Striley

1914
C. Harold Striley

1915
Grace E. Bailey
Bertha A. Snell
Maude DeMaranville

1916
Freda S. Goodell

1917
Freda S. Goodell
Anne R. McFarlin

1918
Dorothy A. Hulbert

1919
Dorothy A. Hulbert
Elena Manley

1920
Myrtle Perkins

1921
Olive M. Kidd

1922
Olive M. Kidd

1923
Olive M. Kidd

1924
Margaret E. Croutworst

1925
Elena Manley

1926
Elena Manley

1927
Elena Manley

1928
Elena Manley

1929
Elena Manley

1930
Elena Manley

1931
M. Louise Nutter

1932
M. Louise Nutter

The Rocky Meadow house, the underpinning stone, and the outbuilding was sold to S[ylvanus] Hinckley for the sum of $40.25.  The old house at Thomastown together with the lot was sold to Z. Leonard for $87.00 during that year.

The school at the present time [1933] is the smallest in membership of the Suburban schools and one of the very few that have five grades.

The teachers who served in the period following Cushing's history were:

1933-39
M. Louise Nutter

1939-41
Nathalie T. Crowell

Due to its small enrollment, the Thomastown school was closed at the conclusion of the 1940-41 academic year.  In 1945, the schoolhouse lot, including the schoolhouse, was sold at public auction to L. Frank Long of North Street, Middleborough, for $400.  By 1967, the building was in such an advanced state of decay that it was condemned by town officials.  When the owner at the time failed to contact the town, the Middleborough Board of Selectmen ordered the building burned as a public health and safety nuisance.

Sources:
Cushing, J. Stearns. "The History of Our Schools: Forest Street School". Photostatic copy of original manuscript, 1932-33. Author's collection.
Middleboro Gazette, August 15, 1941; September 21, 1945; October 19, 1945; "Condemned Houses to be Demolished", June 29, 1967:1; "Board to Have Buildings Burned", August 10, 1967.
Middleborough Annual Town Reports, 1933-41.