2016 CSAA National Conference Preservation Grants Report
2016 is the 8th year the Country School Association has provided Grant Funding for Preservation work on some of America’s early schoolhouses. We had seven requests this year and our Association gave three grants of $1000 for preservation efforts. Our memberships provide this funding so thank you to all for this support.
I want to thank my CSAA Preservation Grant committee members for their time on evaluating the applications. Members of our committee are Sue Grosboll, Myrna Grove, and Catharin Lewis. They are a great team to work with.
This year’s grant recipients include:
Locust Grove School is a circa 1865 school west of Philadelphia in the Town of Pocopson, Pennsylvania close to the Chadd’s Ford/Brandywine region. The building was in very poor condition when purchased by the Township in 2004. The Pocopson Township Historical Commission immediately began renovations and funding efforts.
The school is in an area rich with Revolutionary War and Underground Railroad history. They have developed curriculum and collected artifacts for expanded programming. They now are anxious to get interior renovations completed, especially the floors.
Root School is a 1937 Schoolhouse in Norwich, Vermont built to replace one which had burned the year before. The building immediately was designated a Vermont “Superior” school and received its Superior plaque in 1939. In 1945 it was closed when enrollment fell to 4 pupils.
Since 1952 the school building has been maintained as a community center by the Root District Game Club, a small organization of area families. Due to a deteriorating foundation, the building had to be closed for public use in 2011. Presently the group is pursuing fund raising efforts to repair the foundation and once again have the building open for public use. In 2013 Root School was added to the National Register of Historic Places.
Clara Barton School in Bordentown, New Jersey is a wonderful brick building with a raised teacher’s platform to the right hand corner by the entry door. Clara Barton created an innovative program and taught here in 1852-54. The building was restored in the 1920’s. They will use their grant for preservation of the original window muntins, rails and stiles. Note: This was one of the schoolhouses on our tour day at the 2011 conference in New Jersey.
Congratulations to this year’s recipients. Preservation Grant information, guidelines and application are available on line at www.countryschoolassociation.org
Respectfully,
Dale Prouty
CSAA Preservation Grant Chair
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