This week’s article will concentrate on the numerous joint districts, which became a fact of life with the demise in population to maintain the one-room schools. The maps which are attached to this article are self-explanatory as to dates, etc. Credit for the research of these maps goes to Mrs. Leigh Eckmair for her ongoing research relevant to the school districts of the Central Unadilla River Valley Corridor. The shaded areas (the original maps are in color) will show all the readers an approximate insight at to the consolidation of school districts and dates.

This writer regrets that with the consolidation of the districts in the Guilford Township I have absolutely no information and in the following paragraphs only a brief mention as to the location, etc. of these long lost schools.

Joint Districts #3 and #4 - Mt. Upton/Gilbertsville

The 1875 map of the Town of Guilford shows us that Joint District #3 was a fairly small district (probable cause of being a joint district) and that the school site was actually, we assume, in Otsego County as this map does not show a school site. This district was located south of Mt. Upton and ended about where the County Road enters Route 8 at what is known as Latham’s Corners. Where the actual school was remains, at this time, a mystery, and as this writer has written time and time again, should historical information be revealed, well the book always is open for new pages!