By Carla Charter

“It is important to remember the beginnings of our educational system,” said Barbara Hanno, vice president of the Petersham Historical Society. In that spirit, Hanno is creating a booklet documenting the 13 markers of the town’s one-room schoolhouses.

Hanno, who has been working on locating the markers, said her interest in the location of the schoolhouses began when she was using the 1870 census to document who was living where in town at the time.

“I noticed a group of children on Popple Road/Route 31, who according to the census, all attended school. I thought it was interesting. I looked on a map and realized Schoolhouse #11 was nearby and located next to the Swift River. I went down to see the marker,” Hanno said.

From there, Hanno realized all 13 schools had markers and began wondering where they were and what condition they were in.

The original markers were the idea of the late Mabel Coolidge, author of “The History of Petersham and former president of the historical society, said Hanno. The markers were identified again in a 25-year-old video by the late Ruth Bassingthwaite.

“I decided to document the stones again and put together a booklet as a new reference,” Hanno said.

Hanno relayed several stories of locating the markers. To locate one schoolhouse marker, she had to walk through the Federated Womens Club State Forest, through the campground, then through a Quabbin gate.

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“The loggers took away the stone and the MDC replaced it, but on the wrong side of the road,” Hanno said. “I have been to the site of all 13 markers.”

Two of the markers no longer exist.

“One of the markers was along the Swift River in the Nichewaug area of town. Pranksters rolled it into the river, never to be seen again,” Hanno continued.

When the buildings stopped being used as schoolhouses, they served other purposes.

“Some schoolhouses were reused and some were turned into private residences,” she said. “There are still two that we know are private residences and two others in existence, one owned by the town, the First East Street Schoolhouse and the Second East School House owned by the historical society also known as Ledgeville #4, which has been in existence the longest.”

The Historical Society will sponsor an open house this Saturday at Ledgeville #4 School, 191 East St., from noon to 4 p.m. The interior of the school is decorated with historical posters, pictures of teachers and students of the past. Barbara Metzgar, a member of the historical society, will portray a school teacher of the time when the school was open. She will show what the schoolhouse was like and what lessons would have been taught.

The society recently held its annual Olden Days program at the Center School for the students. This program is an annual event allowing children to learn what school was like in the 1800s.

“They can wear aprons and bonnets, try writing with quill pens and participate in other games and crafts to see what school was like in the 1840s,” said Hanno. “Children really love the program at the school.”

The society is accepting donations to replace the two missing one-room school house markers. Donations can be sent to the Petersham Historical Society, P.O. Box 364 Petersham, Ma. 01366-0364 with checks noted “School Marker Donation.”

Carla Charter is a freelance writer from Phillipston. Her writing focuses on the history of the North Quabbin area. Contact her at cjfreelancewriter@earthlink.net.