Mary Sproat's Green

The earliest known depiction of the 1871 Green School is this oil on canvas painting by Middleborough artist Mary Sproat (1837-88).  To read more about the image, visit Green School History, the companion blog to Recollecting Nemasket.

Illustration:
Untitled, Mary Sproat (1837-88), oil on canvas, private collection.

Green School History Updated

Thanks to the efforts of many within the community and the contributions of residents and former pupils alike, the Green School has been preserved as one of the few remaining one-room schoolhouses in Middleborough.  The image below captures a number of the pupils at the school in September, 1938.  Additional images from the same year may be found at Green School History.

Illustration:
First and Second Grade Students, Green School, Middleborough, MA, photograph, September, 1938.
Photograph courtesy of The Beauty of Middleborough.

Green School Christmas, 1925

Visit Green School History to read how students at the school celebrated Christmas in 1925.

Green School History Updated

Recollecting Nemasket's sister site, Green School History, has been recently updated with a post written by Charles Austin Wood. Born in 1841, Wood attended school at the Green in Middleborough in the building which preceded the present Green School house, and his recollections provide an interesting insight into education in mid-19th century Middleborough. Visit Green School History to read more.

Green School Color to be Discussed

On Tuesday, July 20, the Middleborough Historical Commission will meet with the Green School Preservation Committee to discuss the color of the Green School. Following mitigation work to remove contaminated soil surrounding the building last fall and winter, the schoolhouse which is located in the historic Green section of Middleborough was structurally stabilized and the exterior primed. The schoolhouse now requires painting. An infomal poll conducted recently on Recollecting Nemasket's sister site Green School History indicates that the majority of respondents prefer the building to remain green, a color with which it has been painted for many years, though it is unlikely to have been the original historic color of the building. The Historical Commission meets at 7.30 pm in Middleborough Town Hall.

"Green how I want you green"

An informal poll conducted on Recollecting Nemasket's sister blog Green School History has indicated that a majority of visitors to the site prefer the Green School to remain green. While the present green color scheme of the building is not likely to have been the building's original color, most of those favoring that shade regard the color as a traditional one for the building given that few Middleborough residents today can recall the building having been painted any other color. While some have suggested that an historic paint color analysis be conducted on the structure to ascertain its original color scheme, it is unlikely that funding would be available for such a project given the building's other outstanding needs, nor would it seem likely that the results would sway residents from their sentimental attachment to green.

Green how I want you green.
- Federico García Lorca (1898-1936), "Romance Sonámbulo"

The Color of the Green School

One of the next phases in the preservation of the Green School will be painting the exterior. What color should the Green School be? Visit Green School History to read about the historic colors and to vote for your choice.

Illustration:
Aladdin Paint, advertisement, 1916.

Green School History Website

For those of you who can't get enough local history, I've created a new site - Green School History - devoted entirely to the 1871 Green School in Middleborough. (Think of it as a spin-off of Recollecting Nemasket).

The school, recently threatened with demolition, is presently the focus of a group of community-minded residents who have banded together to help preserve the building. Historic preservation, however, involves not only the physical preservation of a building, but also the documentation of its past. That is the role of the new site.

At present, Green School History is a work in progress. Currently, it contains articles on the school's history and its teachers, the subjects that were studied there and the building itself. In the coming weeks, these existing articles will be expanded and supplemented, and new material will be added in order to give a picture as to what it was like to learn and to teach in the Green School. Though built in a blog format, Green School History is designed in the style of a website enabling visitors to click on various topics in order to learn about different facets of the school's past, as well as educational history in Middleborough. As always, I encourage visitors to leave comments.

I especially appeal to readers with a first-hand knowledge of the building, or photographs or documents related to the building, to consider sharing copies of them in order to create a single archive of information about the structure and its past. Photographs, report cards, schoolwork and recollections are all welcome. You can contact me by clicking on the icon in the right sidebar here or directly through the Green School History site.

Enjoy!

P. S. If you like the new site, please consider making a contribution to the Green School preservation fund. Donations are tax deductible and can be made in any amount. All are welcome, no matter how small. Just click on the link on the sidebar at either Green School History or Recollecting Nemasket to learn how. And thank you!

Green School Saved

Lincoln Andrews who is heading up the effort to preserve the Green School has sent out the message: "The Green School has been Saved."

Soil contamination which resulted from a leaky oil tank was cleaned up in five hours (at the expense of the town) with no structural damage to the school building. While the building remains in relatively sound structural condition, one corner required rebuilding at a cost of $3,500 and will need further structural work at an additional cost of $3,500. The work will be funded through donations towards the preservation effort. The structural work was postponed until it was certain that the soil remediation would not cause irreparable damage to the school. Additional structural work is planned at an additional cost of $6,000

Mr. Andrews plans on making a presentation before the Board of Selectmen on August 10 to provide an update on the progress to date.

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Tax-deductible donations are still needed and are being collected by the Middleborough Rotary Club. To contribute, please mail a check in any amount and made payable to: "Middleboro Rotary". Please notate "Green School Preservation" on the memo line in order to direct your contribution to the preservation of the school. Checks may be mailed directly to Lincoln Andrews, 28 Sachem Street, Middleborough, MA, 02346. For more information, please call 508-947-7071 or email Lincoln at lincolnandrews@hotmail.com.

Illustration:

Green School students, photograph, c. 1906.

Green School Update

Lincoln Andrews who is heading up the community effort to preserve the Green School has sent this update on the work thus far, and proposals for the next steps:

We are getting in our real quote for the Green School. Bruce Atwood, Neil Rosenthal and I met with the Building Inspector and potential contractor this morning.

Surprisingly both the the Building Inspector and contractor feel the school is in remarkably sound condition. We expect the town will be able to proceed with their soil clean up without having to move the building.

Their are still a few hurdles to overcome, but for now all lights are green (so to speak.) I will elaborate more on them in the near future.

The request for pledges will resume in earnest once the contractor (who is a known quantity to the Building Inspector) provides his quote.

Rich Young has joined our group. He will provide a much needed skill set to the group.

Local attorney Bob Mather has joined the group to help things follow an orderly legal process.
Brian Giovanoni provided the welcome surprise of starting a website. Once we have cleared the few near term obstacles I look forward to spending sometime with him and hopefully local historian Mike Maddigan to set up a website.

It is exciting to see this starting to take shape based on selfless efforts and contributions of many people.Please make a pledge if you are able.

savegeenschool@hotmail.com or lincolnandrews@hotmail.com

Lincoln Andrews
508-947-7071

Illustration:

Green School, reprint of a photographic halftone, 1923.

Green School

The historic Green School was built in 1871 to replace an earlier structure which stood on the same site and which by that time had fallen into great disrepair. The 1870 School Committee report for Middleborough noted that "the schoolhouses in No. 3 [the Green] and 14 [Fall Brook] are poor and inconvenient, and in our opinion unsuitable for school purposes. If the town does not deem it advisable to build more than one house the coming year, we most earnestly recommend that steps be taken to build a house at the Green, suitable to accommodate that school ...."

As a consequence of the Committee's recommendation, the following year a schoolhouse was constructed at the Green. "Your committee have done nearly as much as the means in their hands would enable them, to improve the condition of the school buildings. A new house has been built at the Green, No. 3, according to the vote of the town, at an expense of $1,674.67. This includes a new fence. It stands on the ground so long occupied by what had become an apology for a schoolhouse, and which has been sold for $75. The new house is 24x36, is a neat structure, with blinds, and will accommodate 56 scholars. It has modern seats, a sink, extensive blackboard, and many other conveniences. The building deserves to be appreciated by the people of the district. It has been honestly and creditably built by Mr. James P. Sparrow." The cost of the school was broken down as follows: James P. Sparrow, per contract, $1,500; B. N. Bradt & Company, furniture, $172.47; and George Soule of Middleborough, chairs, $2.20.

Built to accommodate over 50 pupils, by the late 1930s the school was housing just half that number. The small number of scholars coupled with the age of the building (it was nearly 70 years old) prompted its closure in 1941 at which time the students were transferred to Middleborough Center. Later, the school was reopened and served for a number of years as a kindergarten before finally closing in June, 1991.

Efforts have been undertaken to save this historic and architecturally significant structure. Former Selectman Lincoln Andrews has started an initiative to raise funds for the preservation of the building. (Some of you may also have seen Lincoln featured on "Saving Our History" on the History Channel). As of Friday, May 22, over $11,000 has been pledged towards preserving the school. Lincoln encourages those who are able to do so to consider making a pledge to the cause.

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"SMALL PLEDGES NEEDED

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We are now at the point that small donations will make a significant impact. There is enough in pledge dollars to accomplish a project. Your small pledge will now add up to critically assist in the effort. People can take pride they assisted in any amount. I was called by a wonderful couple whom I did not know that made a 25 dollar donation. The reason was compelling and heartfelt. It was best pledge made to date IMO.

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Thank you in advance,

Lincoln"

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To make a pledge of a future contribution, contact Lincoln by clicking on the following link:

savegreenschool@hotmail.com

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Illustration:

Green School class, photograph, c. 1915

Teacher, C. Harold Striley, stands with his pupils (two of whom wear G. S. sweaters) in front of the school. Notice that the school's facade today is much different from its original appearance as seen in the photograph.