In the year 1877 the Parade School was the third building to serve as a school in Deerfield. After Joseph T. Brown’s Children were old enough to go to school they were enrolled in the Parade School, located on Nottingham Road across from the Parade Cemetery. The Parade School was known for it’s having of a higher education than was common in those days.

 In the year 1842 the Parade Academy building was sold to the Parade School District, right across the road from the Parade School next to the Parade Cemetery. The Parade School was used for the younger children grades one through four, and the Parade Academy was used for the older children, grades five through eight.  Between both of the schools, children’s ages were between four and nineteen. There were about one hundred twenty days in a school year and about twenty-three weeks.

These were not the only schools in Deerfield though, there were about sixteen school districts and fourteen school houses in Deerfield in the mid 1800’s. There was the No. 1 School district on Rt. 107, which was destroyed by a fire. The No. 2 School district, which is now the Cordwainer shop, on South Road. The No. 3 School district on Birch Road, which was destroyed by a fire. The No. 4 School district. The No. 5 School district on Mountain Road.  The No. 6 School district which was on Nottingham Road but was taken down. The No. 7 School district which was also known as the Parade School. The No. 8 School district also known as the Old Center School, which was destroyed by a fire. The No. 9 School district on Mt. Delight, which tumbled down. The No. 10 School district on Griffin Rd. The No. 11 School district on Pond Road. The No. 12 School district on Coffeetown Road. The No.13 School district on Leavitts Hill Road. The No. 14 School district on Currier Road.  And the No. 15 School district also known as the Pawtuckaway Mt. School District.

The Reason that there were so many schools was because there were many children and the schools were really small! Back in the 1800’s children must walk to school, so the school houses were arranged so that there was at least one school house within walking distance of ever child’s home. In the year 1895 there were two hundred one children attending the Parade School, One hundred ten males and ninety-one females. This was an unusually large number of children for one school at this time! Because there were so many children in the Parade School the rules were fairly strict! Rule one said, “ If any child should break anything from the school or draw, writes, or color on the walls or ceiling, the child’s guardian or parent had to repair or pay for the damages.” Rule two said, “Teachers could properly punish any scholar for breaking of the rules.” Rule three said, “There can be no after school meetings of scholars unless there is a teacher present.” Rule four stated, “That there can be no after school activities unless a teacher of such school should engage properly to secure and close the house.” And rule five said “All male students who attend the school should occupy the two rows of seats on the North side of the building only, and any child must keep the seat that he or she first selects unless the teacher otherwise orders.” 

Among all of these schools, there were very few teachers. Some of the teachers that taught in Deerfield in the past include, Mrs. George Brown, Mrs. Lester Maynard, Miss Helen Fife, Mr. Elmer Rollins, Miss Minnie Rollins, Mrs. William Walker, Mrs. Lois Tilton, Miss Anna Scott, Miss Rose Crosby, Mrs. Howard Robinson, and Mrs. Lewin Stevens.

A few years after the Parade academy was sold to the Parade School District, it burned down and was never rebuilt, but the Parade School still stood! With the population increasing, and the improving transportation, the schoolhouses were becoming less useful. In the year 1950 the Parade School was discontinued along with all of the other school districts in Deerfield, for the opening of the George B. White School. All of the Schools were sold as private homes and a few are still standing today!

Bibliography

Joanne Wasson, “Deerfield Has 16 School Districts In Mid 1800’s” Country Town Ledger, July 26, 1990

Joanne Wasson, “School No. 7 –“Cloud and Sunshine,” Deerfield Country Ledger, April  19, 1990