Octagonal School House
N 39° 11.747 W 075° 28.344
18S E 459206 N 4338609
An Octagonal School House built about 1836 and used continuously until 1930. It is a one story building made of undressed stone which was plastered and whitewashed (now painted). It is located near Cowgill's Corner in Kent County, Delaware.
Waymark Code: WM12DQC
Location: Delaware, United States
Date Posted: 05/06/2020
Views: 0
After the Free School Act of 1829 was passed, each school district received a generous subsidy for organizing a school, free for children of the district. Schools of this style were claimed to be very efficient, with each grade along the side of a wall and the teacher in the center of the room. Seven of the sides have a window and the eighth has the door.
The first teacher at this school was Joshua G. Baker. Both boys and girls attended the school and were seated in two circles in the interior, with boys facing the outside and girls the inside.
The building was used as a community center in later years. It was given to the state for preservation in 1967. In 1971, the building was added to the National Registry of Historic Places.
The grounds are open to the public. The building is in very poor shape inside and is not open, but the exterior has been maintained somewhat by the State of Delaware.
Relevant Web Site: Not listed
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