History

Many facts below should be credited to "The History of Newbury", by Frederic Palmer Wells

The Beginning

In April 1874, plans for the new school got under way. Legend says that one resident of the village was very much opposed to building the new school but knew that if he spoke against it others would be persuaded to favor it. So he thought he would be sarcastic and propose something so vastly impractical that the voters would see the folly of it and come down to something economical. "I make a motion that we build a school house of first quality brick with finest slate mansard roof, with two porches, walls two feet thick, ceilings 17 feet high, and tall windows to let in plenty of light". Much to his amazement and dismay, the motion passed and the school was built to his specifications. Older residents of the village say that the school was designed by a well-known architect (possibly Lambert Packard) and that a model of the building was exhibited at the Paris Expo in the 1890's as an outstanding example of a "modern American schoolhouse".

The Budget

Records indicate the total cost of building the schoolhouse was approximately $10,000-$15,000 for which local residents purchased bonds in $100 and $500 amounts.

In 1904, the treasurer's report showed expenses for the following:

Teachers: $2148.50
Supplies: $372.00
Janitor: $294.30
Fuel: $2220.00
Repairs: $214.23
Miscellaneous: $139.54

Early Leadership

Since its completion in 1874, the educational work of the Wells River Graded School was of a high order and the students who have gone out from this institution have taken high positions of trust and honor in our land. Lawyers, doctors, inventors, mechanics and farmers are among its alumni. Mrs. Quimby was the first principal, remaining a year. In the spring of 1876, W. H. Buck was elected principal. Under his management, with an able corps of assistants, the school came rapidly to the front, and was soon recognized as one of our leading educational institutions. During his five years of hard and unremitting labor, the school was thoroughly organized and well graded, and on his retirement in 1881 it was in a flourishing condition. Then followed a year of unsuccessful work.

In 1882 the trustees secured the services of Principal E. W. Goodhue, who remained at the head of the school for six years. Mr. Goodhue was a thorough instructor and under his management the school was brought to a high standard of scholarship. From this time on, the trustees were unsuccessful in obtaining efficient principals, necessitating frequent changes, which necessarily retards educational progress, until in 1890 Miss Edna Stewart, a lady of high intellectual and executive ability, was elected principal. Under her instruction the standard of scholarship was raised. During her term of service two classes were graduated, the graduates taking high rank in the colleges to which they were admitted, which was a. very strong testimonial of excellent work well done and she leaves a record which has not been excelled in the history of the school.

During the next four years a number of changes were made in the working force of the school. In the fall of 1898, Professor H. S. Richardson, a graduate of Dartmouth, was elected principal. Miss Carr in the primary room, Miss Dunlap in the intermediate, and Miss Munsell in the grammar, were his able and efficient assistants.

The End of the School Era

In the mid-1960's the state of Vermont mandated that schools had to meet certain minimum standards that were too costly for the small village of Wells River to justify in the face of the small enrollment (27 students in grades 9-12 in 1966-67) and the prospect that enrollment was declining. The school was closed after the class of 1967 graduated in June of that year. The former school has since seen duty as the Orange County Probate Court, a radio station, an attorney's office, miscellaneous offices and residential apartments. Students from Wells River presently attend Blue Mountain Union School.

National Register of Historic Places

The first private owners of the building were Eugene and Harold Puffer of Randolph, Vermont, who purchased the building to serve as the base for Puffer Broadcasting and the well-known WYKR radio station. On September 3, 1976, the Wells River Graded School was placed on the National Register of Historic Places. This designation has been critical in the ongoing preservation of the building by the Puffer, Calley, and Fichiera families, and now our family.

For more information, view the National Register Nomination Report.

To be continued...