Granby Drummer (https://granbydrummer.com/category/history/historic-footnotes/)
The Salmon Brook Historical Society recently received several boxes of family documents collected by the late Carol Guy Barnes. They were saved and donated by a cousin, Thomas Forsyth, after the death of Carol’s husband, Byron “Biker” Barnes.
There were no more letters from Harris Holcomb, the sailor. His ship returned to New Bedford in April 1854, and although he may have returned home to see his family, he did not stay in West Granby.
More letters from Harris Holcomb on a whaling ship. “November 18, 1851
Hilo is a very pleasant place.
More letters from the young sailor from West Granby – Harris Holcomb.
West Granby, Conn. in 1850 was a quiet, well-ordered town.
Granby voted in 1918 to build a tworoom school, and sold the old school at auction to Leslie Korper. The new building cost $5,000 and was of “harmonious design” to the other buildings in the new community center.
The residents of the First District were very proud of their brand new school, which cost $828.44 to build. They voted to insure the new school against fire, to fix up the grounds and outbuildings, to buy all new furniture and to invite Professor Camp to speak at the opening day ceremony.
The district also appointed a committee to “devise the best method for protecting the new house against depredations committed by the scholars and children.” The committee produced the following rules:
“That if any wilful mutilation shall be committed by any person on any part of this house by scratch or cut of the length of 2 inches or under, shall pay a fine not exceeding 25 cents nor less than 6 cents.
The parsimonious building committee for the new school may have skimped on quality, because only two years after opening in 1823, the school needed repairs. If enough money could be raised, the lower room would also be plastered.
What did Frederick Jewett and the other school masters teach their pupils? There was no set curriculum at that time.
The First District school records provide a fascinating glimpse of education in early Granby. The opening entry is dated December 14, 1807.