Nomination for Red Brick School

From the form

The catalogue entry the section above was filed under.

Form No. 10-300 (Rev.

10-74) UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR NATIONAL PARK SERVICE 0H0281450 DATA SHEET FOR NPS USE ONLY RECEIVED OCT 2 4 1975 NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES INVENTORY - NOMINATION FORM JAN 1 13/6 DATE ENTERED 2 3 4 6 SEE INSTRUCTIONS IN HOW TO COMPLETE NATIONAL REGISTER FORMS TYPE ALL ENTRIES -- COMPLETE APPLICABLE SECTIONS NAME HISTORIC Centre School District Schoolhouse AND/OR COMMON LOCATION STREET & NUMBER Red Brick School (preferred) ueti 2 Lincoln Street CIT TOWN Franklin STATE Massachusetts CLASSIFICATION CATEGORY -DISTRICT XBUILDING(S) _STRUCTURE SITE _OBJECT OWNERSHIP XPUBLIC _PRIVATE _BOTH PUBLIC ACQUISITION IN PROCESS _BEING CONSIDERED - VICINITY OF CODE 025 STATUS X OCCUPIED -UNOCCUPIED -WORK IN PROGRESS ACCESSIBLE X YES: RESTRICTED _YES: UNRESTRICTED _NO NOT FOR PUBLICATION CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT 3rd COUNTY Norfolk CODE 021 PRESENT USE AGRICULTURE _MUSEUM _COMMERCIAL -PARK XEDUCATIONAL _PRIVATE RESIDENCE ENTERTAINMENT RELIGIOUS _GOVERNMENT -SCIENTIFIC -INDUSTRIAL _TRANSPORTATION -MILITARY _OTHER: OWNER OF PROPERTY NAME Town of Franklin STREET & NUMBER Town Hall, West Central Street CITY, TOWN Franklinn STATE Massachusetts 02038 VICINITY OF LOCATION OF LEGAL DESCRIPTION COURTHOUSE.

REGISTRY OF DEEDS,ETC. Town Hall STREET & NUMBER CITY, TOWN West Central Street Franklin STATE Massachusetts REPRESENTATION IN EXISTING SURVEYS TITLE Inventory of the Historic Assets of the Commonwealth; HABS DATE 1968; 1941 DEPOSITORY FOR SURVEY RECORDS CITY. TOWN XFEDERAL XSTATE _COUNTY _LOCAL Massachusetts Historical Commission; National Park Service Boston; Washington D.C. Massachusetts DESCRIPTION CONDITION _EXCELLENT X GOOD -FAIR DETERIORATED _RUINS _UNEXPOSED CHECK ONE -UNALTERED X ALTERED CHECK ONE -ORIGINAL SITE _MOVED DATE. DESCRIBE THE PRESENT AND ORIGINAL (IF KNOWN) PHYSICAL APPEARANCE

Description of the property

The Red Brick School is situated on a small lot close to the street, just as it was originally built in 1833. When first constructed it had no playground area or shade trees; as was customary at the time it sat right next to the roadway with no thought for the traffic or noise. The 1 story painted red brick building is three bays wide and three long, with a door in each gable end. The main door on the south facade has a three light transom, the north elevation was made into a door recently to meet code requirements for means of egress. All of the other windows are 6/6 with plain sash and have brick lintels which are slightly skew-backed. The school was built on a cut granite foundation, part of which has now been patched with concrete. The original granite steps are intact, along with the old mudscraper.

There have been a few alterations to the building, including putting toilet facilities in the basement, then moving them out adjacent to the school during the Depression, and putting a coal fired furnace in the basement to replace a woodburning stove. In 1959 the building was declared unsafe by the state Comm- issioner of Education, but the town immediately appropriated enough money to under- take the necessary structural repairs, mostly in the basement and attic. At this time the coal fired furnace was converted to oil. The exterior now shows a few concessions to the twentieth century. Iwo metal heating and ventilating ducts adorn the roof, and a chainlink and pipe fence surrounds the property.

Shade trees, planted in memorium to deceased scholars of the school have been planted on the lawn; the largest was dedicated to Horace Mann, who was born in Franklin on May 4, 1796, and embodied Franklin's educational ideal. ejlepalaasont xotixet 2UoaRoA nitooend PLTOKA 303001

From the form

The catalogue entry the section above was filed under.

SIGNIFICANCE PERIOD PREHISTORIC -1400-1499 _1500-1599 _1600-1699 _1700-1799 X 1800-1899 - 1900- ARCHEOLOGY-PREHISTORIC ARCHEOLOGY-HISTORIC AGRICULTURE ARCHITECTURE ART -COMMERCE -COMMUNICATIONS AREAS OF SIGNIFICANCE -- CHECK AND JUSTIFY BELOW -COMMUNITY PLANNING -LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE CONSERVATION LLAW -ECONOMICS _LITERATURE XEDUCATION -MILITARY -ENGINEERING -MUSIC _EXPLORATION/SETTLEMENT -PHILOSOPHY -INDUSTRY -POLITICS/GOVERNMENT _INVENTION -RELIGION SCIENCE _SCULPTURE -SOCIAL/HUMANITARIAN -THEATER _TRANSPORTATION -OTHER (SPECIFY) SPECIFIC DATES 1833 STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE BUILDER

Statement of significance

/ARCHITECT The Red Brick School in Franklin has been virtually unaltered since it was built in 1833, and has been in continuous use as a school since that time. It is con- sidered by many residents of the town to be the most significant building in the community, and one which symbolizes Franklin's remarkable commitment to public education. At a meeting of the residents of the Meetinghouse School District (also known as the Centre School District and District No. 1) on February 11, 1833, it was decided by a vote of 22 to 8 to build a new school house. On February 18, 1833 the Building Committee chaired by Col.

Cleaveland reported on a plan for the new school "to be built of good bricks, 36 feet by 30 feet and 9½ feet clear above the floor, with a square roof, eleven windows and a window with the same sized glass above the outer door." The building essentially exists now as it was described by the building committee. The bricks for the building were reputedly used as ballast in sailing, ships, and brought to Franklin by ox cart when the building was put up. The School was financially supported by the town year after year and a good many of Franklin's school children were educated here. It was used at various times for a variety of grades, from lst through 12th. Finally however, the building was deemed unsafe and closed by the Massachusetts Commissioner of Education on May 27, 1959, 2½ weeks before school recessed for the summer.

This was the only period in its history that the building was not open during the school year. The town quickly voted, at special town meeting, to appropriate $ 7,000 to pay for the necessary structural repairs, and the Red Brick School opened again that September. When the state Department of Education recommended the phasing out of the school as inefficient in 1970 the citizens of Franklin again came together to The School Committee wrote in a public statement that "The Brick School has stood through all these years as a living symbol of America's dedication to public education in the community that gave birth to Horace Mann. Franklin is privileged to have within its boundaries so significant a monument to this ideal." They voted against the phasing out of the school, and the school is still being used for the education of Franklin's children.

The determination of the community to preserve this school in continuous use is highly commendable. The building is still ideally suited for the function it was built to house, and with the strong support of the community, will most likely stay in continuous use for some time to come.

The rest of the file

Bibliography, boundary description, and the people who prepared and reviewed the nomination.

MAJOR BIBLIOGRAPHICAL REFERENCES Boston Sunday Globe, February 14, 1965 Scrapbooks of Edith Metcalf & Dorothy Perron, former teachers at Red Brick School Town of Franklin, MA, Records of the Meeting House School Division, 1792-1865 10 GEOGRAPHICAL DATA ACREAGE OF NOMINATED PROPERTY less than 1 acre UTM REFERENCES A|1,9 ZONE CLL 30,115,2,9 EASTING 14,616,2165,0 NORTHING VERBAL BOUNDARY DESCRIPTION EASTINd NORTHING!

NORTHING LLuLuJLeL LIST ALL STATES AND COUNTIES FOR PROPERTIES OVERLAPPING STATE OR COUNTY BOUNDARIES STATE CODE COUNTY CODE STATE CODE COUNTY CODE FORM PREPARED BY NAME / TITLE ORGANIZATION STREET & NUMBER CITY OR TOWN Christine Boulding, Assistant Survey Director, and Marilyn Simon DATE Massachusetts Historical Commission October 17, 1975 TELEPHONE 294 Washington Street 617-727-8470 STATE Massachusetts 02108 Boston 12 STATE HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICER CERTIFICATION THE EVALUATED SIGNIFICANCE OF THIS PROPERTY WITHIN THE STATE IS: NATIONAL - STATE- LOCAL As the designated State Historic Preservation Officer for the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 (Public Law 89-665),1 hereby nominate this property for inclusion in the National Register and certify that it has been evaluated according to the criteria and procedures set forth by the National Park Service.

STATE HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICER SIGNATURE Eliabuk Aul Amadon State Historic Preservation Officer DATE 10/17/75 FOR NPS USE ONLY 1 HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THS PROPERTY IS INE JBED IN THE NATIONAL REGISTER DATE DATE KEEPER 5F THE NATIONAL REGISTEF 11/96 2430/75 GPO 888-445 Certe Achool Destuct Nekrolkauce Property Red Grick Ichril (ptefenel) State haex. Working Number /0.24.75:1900 Nofolk TECHNICAL CONTROL Photos _ pl Maps OK10.29.15 * hen Hhey nag he he antine ergfient. IISORIAI 12/1/75 Eas ly school-stillused as SACh.-. ARCHITECTURAL 1 HISTORIAN ACCEP DDtans 12//15- ARCHEOLOGIST OTHER HAER Inventory - Review REVIEW UNIT CHIEF AcCEpT cole 12-3-25 BRANCH CHIEF auyt Hung 1210.75 AEEEPER, National Register Write-up Federal Register Entry 3-2 ->6 Send-back - Re-submit . Entered United States Department of the Interior National Park Service WASO No.

7 SAN 1 1976 INT:2106-74 BRICK SCHOOL S1532 RED BRICK SCHOOL MAY 1975 2 LINCOLN ST. PHOTO-WALTERTRAVIS FAAII DIR NO Form No. 10-301a (Pev. 10-7+) UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR NATIONAL PARK SERVICE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES PROPERTY PHOTOGRAPH FORM FOR NPS USE ONLY RECEIVEOJCT 2 4 1975 JAN 1 DATE ENTERED SEE INSTRUCTIONS IN HOW TO COMPLETE NATIONAL REGISTER FORMS TYPE ALL ENTRIES ENCLOSE WITH PHOTOGRAPH 1976 1 NAME HISTORIC Centre School District Schoolhouse AND/OR COMMON Red Brick School (preferred) LOCATION CITY, TOWN Franklin VICINITY OF PHOTO REFERENCE PHOTO CREDIT Walter Travis NEGATIVE FILED AT Traverse Photo Salon, Franklin IDENTIFICATION DESCRIBE VIEW, DIRECTION, ETC.

IF DISTRICT, GIVE BUILDING NAME & STREET south facade "ISTRICT - HOUSE COUNTY Norfolk STATE MA DATE OF PHOTO 1975 PHOTO NO ] ENTRIES IN THE NATIONAL REGISTER STATE MASSACHUSETES Date Entered SAN J. 7570 Location Name Angle Tree Scone Red Brick School Bigelow, Dr. Henry Jacob, Rouse Norfolk and Bristol Counties Fzankl1n Morfolk County Newton (Village of cak 11111) Midalesex County Also Notified Ion. Edward M. Kennedy NOR. Tovard N. Proole Margaret M. Bacliler ion. dosenh D. Laxly Lion. Robert F. Drinan Regional. Director, North Atlantie Rogion MMoLt/je 1/20/76 State Idatorfo Prepervatlon Ofl1.cor 1e3.

Blieaboth Re amedon Trecutivo Director, Larsnchusetta lixccorical Comdesion 294 Deshington Streot Foston, Kessachunetta 02108 INT: 2950-75 THE FRANKLIN,SENTINEL, Wed., F opinion Word Has Spread About Franklin's Ok BY, DON MaCMANUS Just give people their money's worth and you'll get recognized for it sooner or later. Sometimes it may take 141 years of uncomplaining service; but the recognition will come. That is the story of the Red Brick Scbool which began its service to - the students of Franklin in 1833. Today the one-room school house is still the home of two classes of kindergarten students per day." Franklin has always seen the significance of the school, but word has spread. Last week the National Park Service of the United States Department of Interior gave the old faithful servant the recognition it deserves by adding it to the National Register of Historic Places.

» The inclusion means the building cannot be torn down by federally financed projects and that federal funds might be made available for it for repairs (but that is not very likely). *The real significance of the move is that the school is now recognized by, the federal government as being historically valuable. :The Franklin- Historical Commission originally nominated the i school to the register last fall. They were backed up by the Massachusetts :Historical. Commission. Last week State Secretary Paul Guzzi announced the approval of the application by the federal government.. * The building is virtually unchanged from what it looked.like when one Colonel Cleaveland, finished as chairman of the building com-; mittee that built the school for $742.62. Since then it has gained indoor plumbing, a furnace, and a school yard. But Col.

Cleaveland would have no trouble recognizing it, if he were to walk down Lincoln Street today. :Its a credit to Franklin that the old building has been preserved and well used for nearly a century and a half. Even pressure from the state has not forced the town to close the historically significant school. Twice in the last two decades the state has voiced its disapproval of school. In 1959; the State Commissioner of education closed the school as unsafe. But Franklin voters took to a special town meeting to : = get the 17,000 needed for the repairs. In 1970, the state again acted against the school. This time the Department of Education recommended phasing the school out as: . "'nefficient. But the School Committee told the state what it could do" with efficiency.

1So, long before the Bicentennial fever was sweeping the country; with people renewing their interest in historical sites, Franklin had *shown its feelings about preserving its rich past. "The determination of the community to preserve this school in continuous use is highly commendable," Guzzi said in a 'written statement released with the announcement. "The building. is still. : ideally suited for the funciton it was built to house, and with the strong support of the community, will most likely stay in continuous use for some time to come." It's nice to see that the state is coming around to seeing what 'seemed as plain as day to people in this town all along. Brick School, giving the town THE FRANKLIN SENTINEL, Wed., February 11, 1976 About Franklin's Oldest School Brick School, giving the town its money's worth MCIS (E) FILFORD, KASS. D.

13 000 FEB 41076 Ensi Turil N2.22200 -Franklin Building Honored Red Brick Schoolhouse Named To National Historic Register Cy PAT FISCUS, Daily News Staff tion recommended its phasing FRANKLIN =. It's official. out due to its inefficiency. The Franklin's Red Brick School townspeople and their officials house has been accepted by the rose to both occasions,voting to National Park Service for listing appropriate money to repair the on the National Rezister of structure to make it safe in the Historic Places as noted in a first crisis, and in 1970 the School letter received yesterday by Committee felt the will of the Alice Vendetti, chairperson of people and voted against its phas- the Franklin Historical Commis- ing out. sion.

from Paul Guzzi, Secretary The report stated, "The Erick School has stood of the Commonwealth and through Elizabeth R Amadon, State these years as a living symbol of Historical Preservation Officer. America's dedication to public education in the communitv that Mrs. Vendetti explained that gave birth to Horace School Committee member Mann. Marilyn Simon was responsible Franklin is privileged to have for applying to the National Park within its boundaries so signifi- Service this past summer and the cant a monument to this ideal." Historical Commission has been waiting for word since the No plaque or certificate is application was made.

oresently available from the The National Register to signify the now-famous one-room schoolhouse was completed in school s listing, but a change will be made shortly in the small sign 1833 and is reported to be the only one in the United States which has been in continuous use since that time. It is located on Lincoln Street, at the Maple Street cor- ner, and, according to the report wlich iccompanied the applica tion. "stai.js todav virtuallv un. chonred externally since it was buill in 1833." Also noted in the report was Mrs. Alice Vendetti, chairperson of the Franklin Historical Commission, holds the long-awaited letter from the National Park Service, designaling the town's "Little Red Brick Schoolhouse" for listing on the National Regisfer of Mistoric Ploces. The one-rcom school is located on Lincoln Sircet, on the corner of Maple Street, where it was built in 1833.

(Daily News Photo by Pat Fiscus) which is mounted on the building, at present. A Slight error was made some time ago in listing the erection date of the building as 1832, and Mrs. Vendetti ex- plained that the' sign will be replaced with the proper date. She could not indicate when or if the schoolhouse mould have the vote talien on Feb. 11, 1833, to "visiting hours" for tourists, but build a iw schoolhcuse, with did say the town's Historical "Yecs 22, Niis 8". The structure roof for the heating and ven- born in Franklin, May 4, 179S."* tilating systems and Commission mould protably dis res guilt of "bricks used 2s The schoolhouse has been cuss that aspect of the historica aluminum flarpole.

ballest in sciling ships..brought Chainlink threatened twice in its long life; and pipe fencing now significanceof the listing in its to Frandinby oxen cart for the assures once in May of 1959 when next meeting on Feb. 17. safety, and shade trees planted in Massachusetts Commissioner of constri ction. memorium to deceased scholars "Tie exterior now shows con-of the school adorn the yard. The Education, Owen Kiernan, The Commission meets ordered it closed because it was hescunsiens to the coth Contury - largest trce in the bachrard is in regularly on every third Tuesday unsafe, and again in 1970 rhen of cach month in the blue rooin a cocele of metal gadpets on 1 Le meinorium to Horace Mann. the State Desartment of Educa- off the high school library.

Little Red Brick School Mlfoy Added To Historic Register 514/k By PAT FISCUS Daily News Staff Historical Commission, assisted FRANKLIN - It's official. by Edmund Keefe, secretary, At the same ceremony The town's pride and joy, the lit- and Mrs. Grace Buchanan, kichard Crockford, president o Jean Junior College. was tle one-room Red Brick School, is presented the Massachusetts presented with the National now listed among the more im- Historical Commission National Register certificate to Selectman Register certificate noting the posinghistorical buildings of the nation. James. C. Johnston, Jr., as various Dean buildings which are - 'also now listed as national representative of the town, of- Yesterday. afternoon, at the historic structures.

Franklin Library, Alice Vendetti, ficially recognizing the schoolhouse as a national historic The certificates, signed by chairman of the town's Elizabeth Reed Amadon, building. ecutive director of the Mass. Historic Commission and Paul Guzzi, secretary of the com- monwealth and chairman of the Mass. Historical Commission, are to be displayed in propriate locations for the public to view. Also present at the ceremons vere Marilyn Simon, chairmar of the Franklin School Com- mittee, Dr. Frank Giuliano superintendent of schools, and Ray Parmenter, chairman of the Ray Memorial Library Associa- tion. Parmenter accepted a specially-created certificate by the Franklin Historie Commis- Sion, noting the library as part of Dean buildings nationally recognized for their historic value, and a certificate con- taining similar information will be presented to Mr.

and Mrs Walter Jackson, owners of the home at 131 Main Street, which is also cited for its historic value The Jackson home is included among the Dean Jr. College buildings which are noted on the National Register certificate. The certificate given to Crockford is expected to hang in the Historic Commission's Horace Mann Museum during the summer months, and then take its place in the Dean administra- tion building during school winter months. The formally drawn certificate for the Red Brick School may be hung in the Town Hall for a period of time, and, on occasion, at the school itself. The presentation is the culmination of a long wait by members of the Historic Com- mission and by Mrs. Simon who was responsible for applying to the National ParkService last summer for the school's recogni- tion as a historic building.

The school, which was com- oleted in 1833 is the only one room schoolhouse in the Uniter States which has been in con- tinuous use since that time. It is located on Lincoln Street, at the Maple Street corner, and, accor- ding to the report which accom- panied the original application, "stands today virtually unchang. ed externally since it was built. The school now houses only a kindergarten class, but Franklinites can point with pride to a building which symbolizes not one but two historic remem- brances. .. the days when educa- tion was a precious gift to a few privileged children, and the perserverance of the town's Iounders in keeping that symbol alive and well for future generations. 34 NATIONAL REGISTER DATA SHEET NAME as(it appears federal register: Red Brick School 5LOCATION street number Centre School District V vieinity of (sec.) 3 1-1-16 county code: 2 Lincoln St.

DOWNER OPRIVATE COSTA 9EXISTING SURVEYS city / town Franklin IUNICIPAL COUNTY MULTIPLE FEDERAL (agency name), ABS CHAER -NHL (10) FUNDED? OYES 11)CONGRESS. DISTRICT state MA V county GNPS REGION: Norfolk North Atlantic 8ADMINISTRATOR: 12)SOURCE OF NOMINATION TATE CFEDERAL if state who prepared form?

CRALRECTEH -LOCAL -PRIVATE ORGANIZATION )CONDITION -deteriorated Xaltered Xoriginal site Dexeellent Oruins Cunaltered Omoved Xgood Dunexposed Oreconstructed Ounknown Dfair Dunexcavated Oexeavated (8 ACCESS AYES-Restricted DYES -Unrestricted - No Access AREAS OF SIGNIFICANCE : DENGINEERING-11 CARCHEOLOGY- prehistoric-2 OCOMMERCE-6 DENTERTAINMENT-26 -ARCHEOLOGY-historic-1 - COMMUNICATIONS -7 -EXPLORATION -12 - AGRICULTURE -3 - CONSERVATION-8 C HEALTH -27 - - ARCHITECTURE-4 O ECONOMICS - 9 - INDUSTRY- 13 -ART-5 EDUCATION-10 - INVENTION - 14 - Unknown -LANDSCAPE ARCH.- 15 - LAW-16 - LITERATURE - 17 - MILITARY - 18 L MUSIC- 19 - PHILOSOPHY - 20 17) features: XSUBSTANTIALLY INTACT-1 OONOT INTACT-O WOUNKNOWN-4 CNOT APPLICABLE-7 19 ADAPTIVE USE CYES ZNO SAVED?

DYES -POLITICS / GOVT.- 21 -RECREATION -28 CRELIGION-22 CSETTLEMENT-29 - SCIENCE- 23 -URBAN PLANMING-31 -SOCIAL/HUMANITARIAN-24 OTHER (SPECIFY) - SOCIAL / CULTURAL-30 C TRANSPORTATION - 25 SUBSTANTIALLY INTACT-2 2O SUBSTANTIALLY INTACT - 3 CNOT INTACT-O OXNOT INTACT - O _OUNKNOWN-5 50 UNKNOWN-6 WO NOT APPLICABLE-8 LO NOT APPLICABLE - 9 IS PROPERTY A HISTORIC DISTRICT? Dye CLAIMS: explain 'first' O "oldest' O 'only' D 3functions WHEN HISTORICALLY SIGNIFICANT: SCHOOL CURRENTLY: SCHOOL architectural style(s): vernacular landseape architeet / garden designer: a interior decorator: adates of initial construction: major alterations : 1959 historic events: ETHNIC GROUP ASSOCIATION architeet: master builder: engineer: artist: artisan: builder/contractor: ®RAMAE fbrace Mand (1796-1859) was born in Franklin; the town views the school as symbolic of Mann's commitment to education.

EVENTS: INSTITUTIONAL: @NATIONAL REGISTER WRITE-UP Brick, Istory, rectangular, gabled rodf, intenior ridge chimneys, front center entrance with transom, gable end pediment with opening; minor alterations additions. Vernacular.) vsed continuously asmneehool since ftaotructiono reviewers initials. 81 _date 1/9/78 IF ADDITIONALSPACE NEEDED, NUMBER & PUT ON REVERSE