GUILFORD – On Saturday, Aug. 4 from noon to 3 p.m., the Guilford Historical Society would like you to help celebrate the end of a five-year project to renovate the Roots Corners one room school house. To give you a sense of the background and the sentimental attachment, here short history of the school that was once attended by many students including Marcia Catherine Alcott. (Marcia later married James A. Carney, parents of Herman and Ken Carney.)

On Oct. 31, 1835 county school commissioners met at the home of George Guy to establish the boundary lines of District #15. It was bounded by Otis Root, John Sherwood, Hawley Brant, James Nickerson, Isaac Dutcher, Isleton Mead, Asa Wiley, Clark Smith and the corner of Livingston Square in Oxford. This area was known as Gospel Hill, so called as it was a tract of land set aside by New York State for religious and education purposes. By April 1836 money collected from the town and county was distributed to each district. District #15 had 45 students and was given $18.67 for the year.

Many changes occurred during the years to the boundaries of District #15. By 1843 the district was listed as Guilford/Oxford and had 45 students and received $32.26. In 1851 there were 27 students. The teacher was paid $34.19 for the year.