Minutes
The May 9th meeting of the Pittsville Area Historical Society was called to order by new President Randy Fochs. The Secretary and Treasurer reports were presented and approved.
The first item of Old Business was an accounting of the spring cleaning of the school and museum to get the buildings ready before the school kids get here.
Scranton School classes will begin on May 13. Students will be here on May 13, 15, 17, 20, 23 28 & 30. The students change into period clothing when they get here in the morning. They are given a new identity for the day. They then gather in the school to hear a brief history of the building and learn what to expect during the day. The children raise the flag, recite the Pledge of Allegiance and sing America. The school day begins with a hand check by the teacher. The students are grouped into first, second & third grade for reading class in the front of the room. The other students work quietly at their desks just like their ancestors did in the old one-room schools. Noon recess is a highlight of the day. A group of students usually play baseball. Other students can play jacks, marbles artwork with chalk, ring toss etc. The students are placed in small groups in the afternoon where they read by lamplight, do cursive writing with pen & ink, and learn their math by using an abacus and chalk board–no pencils. The museum WILL NOT BE OPEN ON THURSDAY, MAY 16 to give the volunteers a day off.
Book 9 of the Stories of Our Lives series which includes the story of Burt & Shirley Iverson and a History of Cranberry Marshes is still at the printers. They are short staffed and this is a very busy time so we are patiently waiting to get the books here.
A Brat Fry will be held on May 31 from 9-4 at the Cenex Station. We will be serving brats, hot dogs and pulled pork sandwiches. Members will bake cookies for dessert.
New Business included a report from Chris Buchanan that the school is getting its second coat of paint. It should be done before school begins. Randy Fochs is making a new sandbox for the school. The original school had a sandbox inside for the students. There is no room inside because we had to add extra desks to accommodate the number of kids in today’s classes so it is outside on the front porch.
Chris Nepper reported on the Website. The old Highschool yearbooks can now be seen on the website or at the museum. He created an Email account. It is: info@pittsvilleareahistoricalsociety.org. He also had a new Website idea. Since our old barns are disappearing so quickly, we will be asking the public to submit a picture of an existing old barn or one that has already been torn down along with a brief writeup. Look for a separate article in the newspaper and on the website. You can access the site at pittsvilleareahistoricalsociety.org.
The museum will be opened on the second and last Sundays during the summer months from 11-3. We are now opened from 9-3 on Thursdays through October. Closed Thursday, May 16.