Sandy Pond School 150th Anniversary

10 AM to 3 PM on Saturday, September 14

Sandy Pond SchoolhouseSandy Pond School Association Hosts “A Step Back in Time” to Celebrate Sandy Pond School’s 150th Anniversary

Ayer, MA--August 19, 2019

The Sandy Pond School Association is pleased to announce a special Open House to celebrate the schoolhouse’s 150th anniversary and give attendees a first look at the results of the recent restoration and preservation work on Ayer’s oldest public building. This free community-wide event will be held at the schoolhouse from 10 AM to 3 PM on Saturday, September 14.

Tours of the renovated schoolhouse, talks on local history, games and activities for children, and live music will encourage attendees to take “A Step Back in Time”. Free coffee and baked goods will be available, and live music will be provided by Traditional Brew, a versatile, Westford-based band known for their eclectic, upbeat, blend of traditional tunes and songs.

Irving Rockwood, President of SPSA, said, “One of the greatest things about a marvelously preserved building like Sandy Pond School is the fact that it’s still here. That in and of itself is already a bit of miracle, for which we can all be grateful. But more than that, a building like Sandy Pond School provides an opportunity to gain a better understanding of the times in which we live by reflecting on the differences between now and then. “

“For example,” he said, “to us, Sandy Pond School is a historic building. We treasure it for that, but to us it’s old, a memento of times gone by. But if we could take that step back in time, we would see things differently. To the first students who attended Sandy Pond School some 150 years ago, and to their teacher, their new Greek Revival one-room schoolhouse would have seemed quite modern. Among its design features, all intended to promote student health and learning, were rows of pivoting seats that replaced the hard plank desks and benches of previous years, windows placed at a height to allow airflow across the classroom, and the settees around the perimeter of the room that allowed for recitations by groups of students.”

“There’s more,” he said, “lots more, and we’d love to tell everyone about it. So, come join us on September 14. You’ll have a great time, and we’d love to see you.”

About Sandy Pond Schoolhouse—Located at 150 Sandy Pond Road in Ayer, the historic single room school we know today as Sandy Pond School was originally constructed in 1869 by the Town of Groton as the District #11 School. When Ayer separated from Groton in 1871, it became part of the new Ayer school system. From 1869 through 1906, when it was closed as a school, it served students from the area surrounding the junction of Westford, Sandy Pond, and Willow Roads, which remains its current location. In December 1908, it was purchased from the Town by the newly formed Sandy Pond School Association, which has owned and maintained the property ever since. From 1908 well into the 1950’s, it was the site of reunions, and a variety of lively community events including evening dinners and dances and at least one art auction. A registered National Historic Site, Sandy Pond Schoolhouse is Ayer’s oldest public building and the only surviving property from Ayer’s first school system.

About Sandy Pond School Association—Founded in 1908, SPSA has owned, maintained, and preserved Sandy Pond Schoolhouse for the past 110 years. Today, it is actively working to restore the schoolhouse and reopen it to the public on a regular basis. A wholly volunteer group whose members are drawn from the local community, Sandy Pond School Association, is a 501c3 organization.

 

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Where to find the schoolhouse:

150 Sandy Pond Road, Ayer, MA 01432

Sign up for subscriptions to Sandy Pond Crier, SPSA’s free electronic newsletter

For more information on the Sandy Pond School Association

For more information, press only:

Irving E. Rockwood
President, Sandy Pond School Association
(203) 767-6470
irvrockwood@gmail.com