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10/02/2019 08:45 AMThe Little Red School House at the intersection of Cow Hill and Airline roads is one of Clinton’s more recognizable features, but few have set foot inside. On Saturday, Oct. 19, the Clinton Historical Society and Henry Carter Hull Library will hold a free event that offers chance to learn about—and tour—the one-room schoolhouse.
From 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., people will be able to sit in on a history lessons on the school house at the Henry Carter Hull Library, then take a ride on the Clinton Trolley to the school house for tours. Due to a lack of parking in the area, those interested in coming to the event must park at the library and take the trolley to the schoolhouse.
“The biggest problem has always been parking so working in conjuncture with Henry Carter Hull Library has been great,” said Clinton Historical Society President Christy Pontillo.
The event is free to attend and the Clinton Historical Society is funding the special use of the trolley.
The Little Red School House was built in the early 1800s and used as a school for about 100 years. It was then used as the site of an annual July 4th picnic for several years after that. Pontillo said that through the years, the building has been used by the school system occasionally, but this is the first time that he can recall that the general public will be allowed to enter the building.
Pontillo said that there have been renovations on the property sporadically through the years and that the building is “in very decent shape.”
“It’s a one room school house. If you remember Little House on the Prairie, that house was bigger,” Pontillo said.
Carrie Allen, a member of the historical society who helped organize the event, said that the town had to grant special permission to open the school house for visitors.
“I’m not sure it’s been open to the public for a very long time,” Allen said.
Allen said that when it came time to go inside the building to clean it and do inventory, the group was amazed at some of the items still in the building.
“All the desks are exactly in place, it was like people just got up and left,” said Allen.
Some of the items found in the school house include photographs, papers that had been left on the teacher’s desk, and an organ that photographs show being used in the July 4th celebration.
“A lot of people will get a chance to go inside and learn about something people always drive by and ask about,” Pontillo said.
Pontillo and Allen credit Department of Public Works employee Tom Carmody with getting the ball rolling on opening the building. Carmody explained that when he visited different fairs, he’d sometimes see advertisements of the historic buildings in the area. Carmody knew the school house in Clinton was on the National Register of Historic Places, but that it wasn’t being properly maintained like some of the other buildings he saw.
“Nobody was doing anything or taking care of it and I thought ‘My God, this is on a national register and if people want to see it, it’s in shambles,’” said Carmody.
Carmody said that the department has painted the building and will continue with more upkeep as money and time permit.