Saturday, June 4, 2016

Scholars in a Century Old Schoolhouse - the Maynard School in the 1950s

Today we'll be dedicating a historic marker at the Maynard School on Bovina Road. So it seems to be a good time to share this news article from the May 2, 1958 Oneonta Star. Thanks to Amy Bathen, daughter-in-law of the late Artie Bathen, for sharing this clip. The upper photo shows the building and if you look closely, teacher Ed Schneider is in the doorway. The lower picture shows the students in the classroom with their teacher. In case you have problems reading the caption, I've transcribed it here:

"Scholars in the more than century old one-room schoolhouse in District One, Town of Bovina, better known as the Maynard District, located five miles north of the Village of Bovina. It is reported to be one of the very limited number of one-room schoolhouses in the State. Front row: (L-R) George Easley, Linnell Trimbell, Byron Trimbell (he was listed in the article as Myron!), Karl Waterman, Clare Easley; second row; (L-R) Edward Schneider, teacher; Dawn Hobbie, James Bathen, Artie (Spike) Bathen, John Tinyes. Not present is Dorothy Bolduc. (Star Staff Photos by Harper).




The school closed a bit over a year after this picture was taken in June 1959. Amazingly, Ed Schneider still is with us at the age of 102, living in a nursing home in Oneonta.

3 comments:

  1. I walked to that school for several years.
    My Grandparents Fredrick and Betty Henning lived in Bovina for many years and I spent much time there.It was quite a walk to the school as their home was next to the stone bridge near to Mr George Johnsons farm where 6 goes over the mountains to Margretville.I worked on Mr Johnsons farm many days,helped him milk his cows,bring in the hay,and fill the spreader and do whatever other chores I could help with.The Lafever farm was about 2 miles closer to Bovina from my grandparents home which is near to the "new" bridge crossing the creek right after the road split to go to the valley where the school is located.I learned many things in Bovina,in and out of school.Mr Schneider was a very good and patient teacher.I became an excellent reader while in his class.We used to get maple sap from the tapped trees in the area and he showed us how to make maple candy by boiling it down and pouring it over snow in a tub,mmmmmmm.I learned to hunt and catch trout in Bovina also.I hunted all over the area by my grandparents home,for miles around it and caught many trout for dinner in the creek that was running in front of my grandparents home.The best years of my life I spent in Bovina,and today at 66 years old many days my thoughts go back to that time I spent there and what a GREAT place Bovina was and I'm sure still is.I remember Mr and Mrs Russel,who ran the store in Bovina Center and their daughter Margery.On Sundays we would go to Church in Delhi where Pastor Witte gave his sermons in a converted home.We would stop at Al Lifgrens butcher shop on the way home outside Delhi and then in Russells general store in Bovina for the weeks supplies.I hated to go back to my parents home in Jamaica,Queens and I thank my Mother,my Grandparents and God for allowing me the time I spent in Bovina.When I die I know what Heaven looks like,It's Bovina Center.
    John Tinyes

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  2. Do you recall what year(s) you attended? You might show up in some of the pictures. Take a look at this blog entry from 2014 with pictures he took at the school. Are you in any of them? http://bovinanyhistory.blogspot.com/2014/02/one-of-bovinas-last-teachers-ed.html

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  3. I'm in the picture above,John Tinyes,front row right side.
    Artie Bathen is sitting behind me.They were neighbors.Lived in the farmhouse before Mrs.Wolf bought it and built the motel at the bottom of the mountain.

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