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CHAPTER TWO: EDUCATION
MIDDLETOWN'S FIRST SCHOOLS
Middletown's first school was a small frame building built about 1790 on South Street. A private school, it was located on the site now (1988) occupied by the Meola Agency next to the Paramount Theatre. The location was marked with a historical marker in early 1987. In 1813, Middletown became a part of School District No. 3 in the town of Wallkill. Organizers met at the home of Obediah Vail on June 30, 1813 "agreeable to a Notice served on each person in the district by Stacy Beaks [sic]." Officers were elected and it was agreed to use the former private school building as the school house. Later meetings of the trustees were held at the school house. At the meeting in January, 1814, it was voted by the trustees to "employ an assistant to the present Teacher," and to investigate purchasing the school from the owners of the building.
The owners apparently decided not to sell, and at the meeting of April 4, 1814, a committee was appointed to find a site for a new school. Almost four years, and several committees later, a site was finally selected. On January 8, 1818, it was voted that "the district purchase from Luther Vail a piece of land on which to put a school house... on the west side of the road leading to the Turnpike road." This is now (1988) the empty lot next to Grace Church on North Street. It was further agreed to appropriate through taxation the sum of $500 to purchase the site and build a new school house. On January 22, it was reported a 36' x 22' single story house would cost about $400. It was noted money could be saved by making use of wood salvaged from the old school house. At the meeting of June 7, 1818, it was agreed to use surplus funds "towards putting another story onto said [ school) house." The new school was completed by December 3, 1818, as the board met there on that date. As described by a former pupil, the building had one school room on each floor. Apparently, the interior of the second floor room had originally been left unfinished. On November 16, 1822, the Trustees "voted that the upper part of this house be finished this fall if practible (sic)." At the same meeting, it was also voted "to invite those who are not able to pay for their schooling to send their children and that the [cost) may be paid out of public money." The completed upstairs was used for various educational purposes over the years; on July 30, 1828, for example, it was resolved to "authorise (sic) or allow a female or classical School to be kept in the upper story of the School House..." Vandalism was a problem 150 years ago as the minutes of January 23, 1838 refer to "depredations committed on the District property" by students.
A former student, in a letter to the Orange County Press in 1896, recalled the day the first Erie train came to Middletown: