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In the Beginning

On October 31, 1814, a meeting was held at the house of George Wright to select commissioners and trustees for the common schools. The new commissioners, Joseph Davis, Benjamin Macomber and Ephraim Page, set up two school districts. The first two schools were set up at Brad’s Inlet and near the site of the present school. Later, the two districts were divided into six total districts. Some of the original schools in the districts were located at Airdville, Page Street, Lake Pleasant, and Speculator. The districts went through many years of separating due to transportation problems. Once the issue of transportation was solved, the districts started joining because the town could not raise enough money to build a school in each separate district. The problem of money eventually led to the combination of all the districts into the Lake Pleasant Central School District.

Inside an Old Schoolhouse

When the old schools started, the children had a very different environment than what they have now. Kids had to walk to school during all the different seasons. The older boys brought in wood from the outside to fuel the wood stove to keep the schoolhouse warm. At first, there were only grades one through eight. The older girls helped teach the younger children while the teacher taught the older ones. A strict discipline was kept in tact with the use of a hard wooden ruler. The supplies needed were pencils and paper. The desks were wooden and either single or double. As to the school day, it was very similar with different periods of the day and even a recess. Some differences were the length of the school day and the classes. Some difference in classes that were instead of having just math as they do now, the different math skills were divided into classes such as arithmetic, geometry, and measuring.

Lake Pleasant Central School District

Once the decision to combine all the districts into one was made, the construction began. After the school was completed in 1929, the former school was turned into the present Speculator Village Hall. The children of the former school rolled the bell over to the new school after its completion. Because of easier access, the children were all able to go to the same school. An addition was made to the school in 1958 and became known as the wing. The wing only contained classrooms. After many years in poor moldy condition, the idea to build a new school was brought up. Following a failing vote, the second vote succeeded. After starting out as a little wooden school on the corner, Lake Pleasant became the school it is today.

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