Nation's Oldest Schoolhouse Turns 285

It's easy for one to miss what has been called the country's oldest one-room schoolhouse. Countless cars drive right past the small, Rhode Island red-painted building on East Main Road every day. It's hidden behind a tree, stuck in between the Portsmouth Historical Society and a pizza restaurant, Rocco's Little Italy.

But this little room has seen plenty of residents pass through its doors in its 285-year history. 

Back in 1716, 202 residents voted at a town meeting to authorize the construction of two one-room schoolhouses, the Southermost and Northermost (the latter sat near Child Street and East Main Road). 

The Southermost, built nine years later in 1725 for 23 pounds, 12 shillings, and seven pence, sat in the vicinity of present-day 102 Union St. Approximately 75 years later, it was moved to the other end of Union, a small entryway was added, and a stove was used for heat.

Then in 1863, the larger Gibbs School was built and the Almy family bought the Southermost school at auction and moved it to Lakeside Farm (559 East Main) where it was used as a harness shed for almost 90 years. Finally, in 1952, it was donated to the historical society.

"Most one-room schoolhouses didn't survive," said Herbert Hall, president of the Portsmouth Historical Society. "They got beat up, run down, torn down, and then they built new ones." Coincidentally, it was Hall's family who owned the Lakeside Farm and actually donated the school to the society.

The Southermost School would have housed eight grades in the single room in one day of classes.

The dark red building is of simple post-and-beam construction. The frame is original and restorations of the walls were completed in 1969 and again in 2000.

There are two windows and a door on the east wall, three windows on the west, and one window facing south. 

In addition, a "pony" chimney supported by just the roof extends partway into the room, the weight of which caused the ceiling to sag. Inside the room are four rows of old school desks from different eras, an original 1725 desk tucked in the far corner, and a schoolmaster's desk at the front of the room.

In the entryway, there are lunch pails hanging on hooks and newer schoolhouse bells from the McCorrie and Bristol Ferry Schools. 

Grafitti is still visible on the walls and door frames, some scribbles are dated 1859.  The following is a list of rules and punishments that was posted in the school over 200 years ago:

1) Boys and girls playing together – 1 lash

2) Fighting at school – 5 lashes

3) Quarreling at school – 3 lashes

4) Climbing for every foot over 3 feet up a tree – 1 lash

5) Telling tales out of school – 8 lashes

6) Giving each other ill names – 3 lashes

7) Misbehaving to girls – 10 lashes

8) Leaving school without leave of the teacher – 4 lashes

9) Wearing long fingernails – 2 lashes

10) Boys going to the girls' play place – 3 lashes

11) Girls going to the boys' play place – 2 lashes

12) For every word you miss in your heart lessons without a good excuse – 1 lash

13) For not saying yes or no sir or yes or no marm – 2 lashes

14) Telling lies – 7 lashes

15) Swearing at school – 9 lashes