Fairfield School Records, 1668-1952
Ms 14

Summary Information

Repository
Fairfield Museum and History Center
Title
Fairfield School Records, 1668-1952
ID
Ms 14
Date [inclusive]
1668-1952
Extent
2.5 Linear feet 5 boxes 500 items
Language
English

Preferred Citation note

Item, Collection Title, Collection number (Box #, Folder #). Fairfield Museum and History Center, Fairfield, Connecticut.

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Biographical/Historical note

Elizabeth Schenck places the building of the first school house in Fairfield around 1640. First mention of school in the Fairfield town minutes occurs on February 10, 1662:

The towne orders that Srian Sqire and Rod Turney goe to every family in the towne and make tryall what scollars are to be payable scollars to the schoolmaster and bring in a list of their names to the secretary that ther may be a rate made to pay the scollmaster.

This collection contains documentation for several districts: Banks South, Burrs, Deerfield, First Located School Society, Green's Farms, Greenfield School Society, Hull's Farms, Jennings' Woods, Middle School, Millplaine (Mill Plain), Mill River, Southport and Stratfield North.

Private schools have also proliferated in Fairfield. Advertisements for Mill Allen's Seminary, Miss Braden's School, Grail School and Mr. Brewer's Home and A School for Boys give only a small sample of the many private schools in Fairfield before 1935. Further information about Fairfield's school history can be found in The History of Fairfield, Fairfield County, Connecticut by Elizabeth Hubbell Schenk, New York, 1889.

The Fairfield Academy was organized in 1802, opened in 1804, and closed about 1884, although the building was rented or given to several teachers to be used as a private school after that. For a detailed history, see Elizabeth L. Child's An Old Landmark, Being an Account of the Fairfield Academy, 1927.

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Scope and Contents note

The collection is divided into six boxes. The first three hold school records, public and private, organized in alphabetical order by name of school. Included are lists of students, school records, ledgers, records of school meetings, bills and receipts, teachers' record books, teacher certifications, advertising brochures, deeds and petitions, certificates of merit and other miscellaneous items.

Box III holds documents concerning Fairfield Academy, including the original record book (1802-1844) which contains the list of original subscribers, charters, registry and transfer of shares, and proprietors' meeting minutes. Folders B-G hold miscellaneous memorabilia, correspondence, bills, teachers' record books, report cards, etc. Folder H contains collected material concerning the restoration of the Academy building, 1927-1929.

Boxes IV and V hold school work books (1777-1883), school papers and miscellaneous pamphlets concerning Fairfield schools.

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Administrative Information

Publication Information

Fairfield Museum and History Center

370 Beach Rd.
Fairfield, CT
203-259-1598

Conditions Governing Access note

There are no restrictions on access to this collection.

Conditions Governing Use note

Use of the material requires compliance with the Fairfield Museum and History Center regulations.

Processing Information note

This collection was processed by Irene Miller in 1982 and added to in 1988, 1989, 1995 and 2008.

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Related Materials

Related Archival Materials note

See also Ms B48--Fairfield School Collection, 1891-1992

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Controlled Access Headings

Corporate Name(s)

  • Fairfield Academy (Fairfield, Conn.) .

Geographic Name(s)

  • Fairfield(Conn.)

Subject(s)

  • Penmanship
  • School attendance
  • School facilities--Connecticut--Design and construction--Finance--Planning.
  • School notebooks
  • Schools--Connecticut.
  • Teachers--Certification--Connecticut.

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Collection Inventory

 Box I Fairfield School Records-Box I 

 Folder A Misc. private school items   3 items

Miss Allen's Female Seminary advertisement 1825 

Miss Braden's School, brochure and letter n.d. 

 Folder B Banks School District   3 items

Banks South school district: List of expenses and students paid to Horace Smith; record books 5 May 1846, 1857 & 1858 

Banks North School District bill 1877 

 Folder C Burrs District   40 items

Notices of school district meetings 1869-1874, 1877, 1879-1880, 1884-1885, n.d. 

Records of school meetings 1862, 1899, n.d. 

Receipts 1861-1875 

Treasurer's reports 1883-1884, 1884-1885, 1878-1879 

School bill 1855-1856 

 Folder D Burrs District (cont'd)   7 items

School record books, Rufus B. Jennings, teacher 1853-1859, 1856, 1859 ,1861, 1864 

 Folder E Deerfield and Burrs Districts   2 items

School record book, Adaline Allfred, teacher 

School record book, Rufus B. Jennings, teacher 1854-1855 

 Folder F Easton school district: Easton Academy   11 items

Receipts 1856, n.d. 

Notice of meeting 1856 

School record 1856 

Letter from James Ensigner, Principal of Easton Academy 1846 

 Folder G Fairfield schools' earliest and miscellaneous records   13 items

Copy of Fairfield school record 1668 

School accounts 1791, 1792 

Teachers' records (lists of students, bills, etc) 1801, 1807, 1809, 1812, 1818, ca, 1880 

Receipt for dividend on school funds 1831 

Certification of Timothy N. Banks 1841 

 Folder H First Located School Society (Fairfield School Society)   7 items

Certification for Mr. James M. Sherman, teacher 1818 

Certification for teachers of the Mill River district 1820 

Bill 1830 

Land deed forms 1830 

Deed to Oliver Perry 1849 

Deed to Gordon Perry 1851 

First Located School Society (cont.)   1 item

Ledger, school records 1805-1855 

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 Box IA Fairfield School Records-Box IA 

 Folder J Greenfield School Society   1 item

Ledger-financial records 1799-1839 

 Folder K Greenfield School District   6 items

Letter from James Beach to William Fanton 

Circular from Superintendent of Common Schools, Hartford 1847 

Taxpayer list 1852 

Teacher certification 1856 

Petitions for school locations 1801, 1806 

 Folder L Greenfield School District   2 items

Greenfield School register 1871-1872 

Exercise program 1898 

 Folder M Green's Farms School Society   2 items

Teacher certification 1807 

Notice of meeting 1837 

 Folder N Home and School for Boys   5 items

Receipt 1900 

School brochures n.d. 

 Folder O Hulls Farms District   5 items

School bill 1807 

Teacher's record 1808 

List of students 1823 

Teacher's certification 1835 

Notice of school district meeting 1838 

 Folder P Jennings' Woods (Fairfield Woods) School District   10 items

Receipt 1812 

Teacher's certification 1840 

George A. Merwin, letter and teachers' contracts 1894 

Bound ledger containing teachers' lists and records of school meetings 1850, 1856-1893 

Promissory note 1885 

Petition in favor of Miss Amelia Fiebel, teacher 1890 

Student report card n.d. 

 Folder Q Middle School and Mill Plain School Districts   3 items

Report of petition to extend school house in Middle School district n.d. 

Certification of school visit, Mill Plain 

Mill Plain district Alfred Perry Committee account book 1823-1824 

Processing Information note

This item is accession number L2008.9

 Folder R Mill River School District, Southport   3 items

Clerk's book (minutes of school meetings) and loose material from book 1827-1866 

 Folder R1 Account 1792 

Processing Information note

This folder contains accession number L95.March.2

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 Box II Fairfield School Records-Box II 

 Folder A Southport School District   7 items

Minutes of school district meeting 1840 

Copy of authorization for collection of school taxes 1854 

Page 11 of tax list 1859 

Petition to Board of Education 1886 

Sasquanaug Association--presentation of flag to school 1893 

Finance (?) committee report ca. 1893 

Pencilled note n.d.  

 Folder B Southport School District (cont.)   1 item

Treasurer's ledger 1856-1911 

 Folder C Southport School District (cont.)   1 item

Ledger, records of school district meetings 1867-1893 

 Folder D Stratfield, North School District   1 item

Bill for repair of school house 1857 

 Folder E Westport, Weston & North Fairfield Schools   6 items

Teacher's report, Weston 1799, 1806 

Green's Farms Academy brochure and report card n.d. 

Staples Free School, Easton 1795-1881 

Photocopy graduation program 1939 

 Folder F Non-local bills   2 items

N. Brewster to Cornelius Van Hoarn, Florida 1794 

H. W. Lyon's Collegiate Institute, N. Y. for Henry L. Mills, Jr. 1874 

 Folder G Certificates of Merit   23 items

Ann B. Coley 1847 

William C. Morehouse 1871   3 items

John G. Nichols m.d. 

Helen Page 1895   3 items

Alexander Parker 1825 

W. S. Pickett n.d.   2 items

Elizabeth Scofield 1831   3 items

Sally Wakemen 1821 

Reward of merit, blank 

 Folder H Record book, Fairfield High School Class of 1918 & loose papers 1914-1918   10 items

 Folder I Fairfield High School report cards 1873, 1875 

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 Box III Fairfield Academy 

 Folder A Record book 1802-1804 

Record book 1802-1884 

 Folder B Miscellaneous items   6 items

Meeting minutes 1804 

Academy rules circa 1804 

Awards of merit n.d. 

Quit-claim deed to St. Paul's Church 1854-1855 

Autograph book to "Nettie" 1889 

 Folder C Tuition   21 items

Summary of quarterly bills 1810-1811 

General statement n.d. 

Miscellaneous bills 1821, 1830, 1877, 1897-1899, n.d. 

 Folder D Miscellaneous bills and accounts 1803, 1805, 1806, 1808, 1810, 1830, 1831, 1868, n.d.   10 items

 Folder E Teachers' record books 1853-1854   3 items

 Folder F Student activities, reports and papers   20 items

Report cards-George Merwin, John Woods, Fred Burr 

Copy book n.d. 

Programs 1894-1899   7 items

Rules 1885 

Field day records 1894 

Photostat and transcript of letter from "Isaac" 1852 

 Folder G Correspondence and documents 1904-1923   17 items

Annual report 1904 

Correspondence, Samuel C. Morehouse to Dr. S. C. Garlick 1904 

Documents and correspondence concerning boundary between St. Paul's Church and Fairfield Academy 1922-1923   14 items

 Folder H Restoration of Fairfield Academy 1927-1929   55 items

The Old Academy Fund bank statements   10 items

The Old Academy Fund cancelled checks   11 items

The Old Academy Fund bank book 

Pledge cards and envelope   9 items

Correspondence to E. Child 1926, 1927   2 items

Committee minutes   8 items

List (possibly of committee members)   8 items

Itemized bills from Tomlinson and Hawley   9 items

Summary sheet of bills 

Newspaper clippings   2 items

Brochure 1927 

 Folder I Record books   2 items

Book listing contributors to restoration 

Unidentified book, possibly visitor's log n. d. 

 Folder J The Old Academy by Elizabeth L. Child 1927 

 Folder K Reminscence of Fairfield Academy 1898 

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 Box IV School Workbooks--Mathematics 

 Folder A Amanda Bennett's cyphering book 1828 

 Folder B George Hawkin's writing book 1831 

 Folder C Miss Mariett Lyon's sum book 1836-1837 

 Folder D Miss Emily Post 1823 

 Folder E Jesse L. Sanford's cyphering book 1805-1806 

 Folder F Jesse L. Sanford's cyphering book 1809-1810 

 Folder G John Thorp 1777 

 Folder H unidentified 1802-1804 

 Folder I unidentified 1817-1819 

 Folder J Geometry 1821 

 Folder K unidentified 1824-1825 

 Folder L Elijah Peet 1814 

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 Box V School Workbooks 

 Folder A Calvin Seeley surveying book 1821 

 Folder B Surveying books n.d. 

 Folder C Surveying books n.d. 

 Folder D Penmanship books 

George A. Banks 1872 

Medora Beach n.d. 

 Folder E Edward Treadwell penmanship circa 1831 

 Folder F E. Banks, Maple Grove Academy, Green's Farms, double-entry book-keeping 1861 

 Folder G Practice ledgers 1845, 1869, 1883   3 items

 Folder H E. S. Tredwell history lecture notes 1837 

 Folder I Notes-literature, German, physiology n.d. 

 Folder J School papers 

A. E. Banks, copied essay 1876 

George A Banks, essay 1875 

George A. Banks, penmanship 1876 

Banks, mathematics n.d. 

J. D. Bradley, teacher's advice n.d. 

Marcus Burr, essay 1851 

B. B. Jennings, mathematics n.d. 

Penmanship scraps n.d. 

 Folder K Pamplets   3 items

"The Schools of Greenfield through Two Centuries" by George Merwin 1925 

"Reminiscences of Fairfield Academy"  1935   2 items

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